Battle plan (#7)

4. The shield of faith:

Roman soldiers carried shields to protect their entire body from aerial projectiles. These shields were 4 1/2 feet tall by 2 1/2 feet wide. These shields were made of wood and covered with metal or thick leather. These shields primarily protected against enemy arrows and especially those fiery arrows that had been dipped in pitch.

Ephesians 6:16 – Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

The object of the Christian faith is our Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Our faith is infinitely powerful and effective because the object of our faith is reliable, helpful, trustworthy and never fails to deliver on His promises. Without faith you cannot please God. You must first believe that God exists and that He will do what he says He will do. Without faith God will not protect you. God will not be your refuge or tall tower without faith in Him.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Satan continually bombards God’s children with the flaming arrows (darts) of immorality, hatred, anger, covetousness, pride, doubt, fear, despair, distrust and other temptations. Every temptation, either directly or indirectly, tries to get us to doubt or distrust God.  The purpose of Satan’s missiles is to cause believers to forsake their trust in God, to drive a wedge between the Savior and the saved. Take up the shield of faith when Satan attacks your mind and emotions and you will be able to withstand his attack.

Hebrews 11:1 – Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

2 Corinthians 5:7 – We live by faith, not by sight.

James 4:7 – Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Battle plan (#6)

3. The shoes of the gospel of peace:

Roman soldiers had to march everywhere they went over rough terrain because there were few roads. Their shoes were actually leather sandals which were usually impregnated with bits of metal or nails to give them better traction and stability as they fought. Shod with these sandals the Roman soldier could go anywhere on a moments notice and be effective in battle.  Christians must also be prepared to go anywhere on a moments notice.   For the believer, our spiritual footwear, our firm foundation, is the “the “good news” that believers are at peace with God through faith in Jesus.

When our feet are grounded in the preparation of the gospel message we can go anywhere and witness for Christ to anyone at any time. We are called upon to know the gospel message thoroughly and to go forth and fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus to witness to the nations of the world.  Because of the gospel we are at peace with God and we are one with Jesus. We can be confident in God’s love for us, God’s union with us, and God’s commitment to fight for us. We need fear no enemy, even Satan himself, as long as our feet are firmly rooted on the solid ground of the gospel of peace.

To summarize, the three critical pieces of God’s armor that believers must always have on are knowledge of God’s Word, obeying God’s commands, and witnessing for Christ. As we emulate Christ we must reach out to lost souls and try to save them for God’s kingdom. They are our brothers and we must have compassion for them.  If we don’t share the “good news” of God’s kingdom with lost souls then who will? Someone saved us and God leaves us here to pass the “good news” on to others. As disciples of Christ we are to do the work of Jesus and that is primarily to save souls. The three essential pieces of armor for the Christian are knowledge, obedience and action. Let us resolve to be good soldiers for Christ and persevere to the end.

2 Corinthians 5:20 – Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Battle plan (#5)

2. The breastplate of righteousness:

The torso of the Roman soldier was protected by a leather breastplate covered with metal that protected the vital organs. The righteousness of God is applied to the account of all Christians the moment they believe in Christ. Our names are permanently written in the book of life.  Of course Paul is not referring to that righteousness here, what we call justification. Here Paul is referring to the practical righteousness of moment-by-moment obedience to God’s Word. The belt of truth is knowing God’s Word and the breastplate of righteousness is applying God’s Word in all aspects of our life. We must “know” before we can “do” and one is no good without the other. These are two sides of the same coin.

Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Romans 5:1- Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Bible God commands us to be holy because He is holy. We do that through obedience to God’s Word. Believers are saved through faith in Christ which is a one time event but righteousness is a lifelong journey.  Our righteousness increases over time as we consciously try to obey God by following His commands for our life and emulating Christ in all we do. Living a righteous life should be the goal of all Christians.  Pray for God’s help in being righteous.  Ask for God’s forgiveness daily.  Lean on God for strength.

2 Corinthians 10:5 – Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Being children of the Most High God allows us to call on God for protection. What’s even better is living a righteous life before God because it affords us better protection from the spiritual assaults of Satan and his demons. All the saints are prime targets for the forces of darkness because we are beloved by God.  Satan will attack our mind and emotions and living a righteous life makes us better able to resist Satan. When we keep our mind focused on God Satan can’t influence us with false doctrine, false principles and false information. A righteous mind is the best defense against Satan.

Battle plan (#4)

Now that we’ve established the baseline parameters of our epic struggle against Satan let’s identify the protection at our disposal. The Apostle Paul used the analogy of the Roman soldier to describe the believer’s armor. In the book of Ephesians Paul has identified six pieces of armor God provides to His children so they can withstand the onslaughts of Satan and his demons. The first three pieces of armor are permanent and the believer is never to be without them. The last three pieces of armor are to be kept close at hand so they can be taken up when the actual fighting begins.

1. The belt of truth:

All Roman soldiers wore a heavy leather belt. The soldier’s loose outer garment was a tunic that was cinched up between the legs and tucked into the belt to prepare for hand-to-hand combat. This allowed for more freedom of movement. The equivalent of a belt for believers is the truth of God’s Word.  The foundation of our defense against Satan is to know the contents of the Bible intimately. Satan knows the Bible so we need to know it too. We must study Scripture for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Jesus used God’s Word to defeat Satan when He was tested for 40 days in the wilderness just prior to the start of His ministry. By following the example set by Jesus we can also use Scripture to defeat Satan. The study of God’s Word is basic for the believer and we must continue this study for the rest of our lives.

Ephesians 6: – Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth.

2 Timothy 2:4 – No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Romans 12:1 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of god.

Battle plan (#3)

Our victory against the forces of darkness is guaranteed as long as we are strong in the Lord. We do that by daily prayer, knowing and obeying Scripture, hearing Scripture taught and having faith in the promises of God. Satan is the father of lies. Satan preys on our minds and our emotions.  One of Satan’s strategies is to deny his existence. Another ploy would have us believe Satan means us no harm and there is no conflict between good and evil in the supernatural realm. Don’t you believe it for one minute!

You can’t prevail against Satan if you don’t even know there’s a war going on. Many people will stick their heads in the sand and lose their souls when all they have to do is read God’s Word and open their hearts to the truth. The war between God and Satan is becoming more intense as we get nearer the end times.  It’s time for everyone to choose sides. It’s time for everyone to wake up to what’s going on around us and not be the dupes of Satan and his demons any longer. Weak people wind up consciously deciding to do evil and choosing Satan over God because they are trapped in their sin. Be strong in the Lord!

1 Peter 5:8 – Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

As the children of God we’re especially hated by Satan and the target of his wrath. We’re in a war with Satan and it will continue to be that way until Christ returns to establish His millennial kingdom and rule the earth for 1,000 years. In order to prevail in this war against such a powerful enemy we must have God’s provision, His strength, because we are weak.  To prevail against Satan we must take up the full armor of God. God will be our strength but only through our obedience to His Word. Only with the armor of God can we win this struggle against the powers of darkness. Scripture is clear we must resist the devil and stand firm.

Ephesians 6:11 – Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

James 4:7 – Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Battle plan (#2)

What do we know and how do we know it? We know there’s hand to hand combat over us in the spirit realm between angels and demons. Demons seek our destruction and God protects us with His angels. Why else would God have created millions of angels if He didn’t have a purpose for so many?  The obvious purpose for so many angels is to protect man from the onslaught of demons bent on our destruction. Why is that? Man is God’s special creation and much beloved by the Father. Demons hate God and seek to hurt Him by destroying His beloved children. The Bible confirms we have guardian angels.

The ministry of Jesus started after a 40 day battle against Satan in the wilderness. This account is chronicled in Luke chapter 4. All through the ministry of Jesus Satan stirred up the people against Him. Satan again besieged Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Satan’s assault was so powerful our Lord sweated blood. At the trial of Jesus Satan made sure our Lord was found guilty and crucified. What Satan intended for evil God turned to good and our salvation.  After the war in heaven God threw Satan and his demons to the earth but He did not leave man defenseless. God has given us the Holy Spirit and the Word of God for our protection. The Apostle Paul gives us guidance on how we can apply God’s Word for our defense against the powers of darkness and be victorious.

Paul uses an analogy between the armor used by Roman soldiers and God’s protection of His saints. On our own we are weak and virtually defenseless against the power of the evil one. But if we lean on God’s mighty power evil can’t touch us.  Remember that as we genuinely do the Lord’s work Satan’s opposition will be the strongest. As believers we are servants of the Lord and His beloved children. We are soldiers for Christ and our job is to fight the enemy using God’s Word.  Remember that we are never alone in this world.  The physical world we live in is like a fish bowl and we can’t see outside of it but spiritual beings like demons and angels can clearly see us going about our lives. You’ll sin less if you always keep in mind you are a child of God and the spirit world is closely watching what you do.

Battle plan (#1)

As Christians we all run the individual race God has planned for us. Our mantra in this life should be, “love what God loves and hate what God hates.”  If you apply this filter to every decision, every action, before you do it you can be confident you’re acting in accordance with God’s will. Be sure to also pray to God for guidance and the Holy Spirit will confirm in your spirit the right course to take. Ask of God always and He will make your paths straight. Do these two things faithfully and you will stay on the narrow path.  God hates evil. God hates Satan and his fallen angels (demons). The Bible tells us this evil empire is on the earth all around us in the spirit world trying to destroy us every minute of the day.  Let me be clear; Satan wants your soul. The question is are you going to fight to keep your soul or are you going to roll over and let him take it without a struggle? In an earlier blog I put forth my proofs that the Bible is the living Word of God which any logical person should accept as fact.

Do you remember the story of the angel Gabriel who was dispatched to answer the prayers of the prophet Daniel in Babylon?  Gabriel was held up from reaching Daniel for 3 weeks because he was struggling with the powerful demon in control of that region who the Bible referred to as the prince of Persia. The archangel Michael had to finally intervene to defeat the demons trying to stop Gabriel from completing his mission from God. This kind of struggle goes on every day. We just don’t see it or hear about it.  Remember the story of the prophet Elisha and his servant being pursued by their enemies. The servant was fearful and Elisha asked the Lord to remove the scales from the servants eyes so he could see their protectors in the spirit world. God did so and camped all around them were a company of angels with swords of fire. Every story in the Bible and every word is put there to teach us and be an example for us to follow. The Bible isn’t a novel. God doesn’t do fluff. The Bible is God’s distilled wisdom.

This battle between good and evil began in the Garden of Eden when Satan induced Adam to sin and that sin fell to every man who came after Adam. The struggle between God and Satan has not diminished since then but has intensified as we get nearer to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  The powers of darkness assault us every day from the spirit world. It’s an assault on our mind and emotions as they seek our destruction. God has sent His angels to help us and protect us from the powers of darkness. The unbelievers have no protection from God and are therefore easy prey for Satan.

A God of hope

God is our blessed hope! Man’s existence is miserable and futile without hope. It may shock you to know most millionaires and billionaires are desperately unhappy. They thought money and power would bring them happiness but it can’t. The rich people who are happy are those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  When I was young, it was uncomfortable to think I might die one day and go to hell forever. I did what a lot of us do. I put off thinking about it because I had a lot of life yet to live and I knew I could decide about that later. I was saved when I was 12 but when I became a backslider a few years later I thought I wasn’t saved anymore. I worried about going to hell needlessly for 40 years. Once I returned to the Lord and started studying God’s Word I realized once you’re saved God never lets you go. Once your name goes into the book of life it’s there permanently.

For those who have never been saved, you take a terrible risk every minute you wait. An accident or heart attack could take your life before you have a chance to give it to Jesus. Don’t wait! Seek God while He may be found. There is no do-over. Each of us has one life, our “time of decision,”  that God gives us so that we can decide whether or not to accept His offer of mercy and grace unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. No decision is the same as deciding to decline God’s offer of eternal life in heaven with Him.  God sent His beloved Son into the world to give us hope. God sent the Holy Spirit into the world at Pentecost to give us hope. God sent His Word into the world to give us hope. Apart for God there is no hope and there is no peace. At the end of his life King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, came to this conclusion. I’m just repeating it because I also know it’s true. God is our blessed hope! Cling to God while it is still day!

Romans 15:4 – For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Titus 2:13 – Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:13 – Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

A merciful God

God’s favorite thing to do is to dispense mercy. Remember, you are what you do and so is God. God is good, loving, kind, gentle and faithful therefore it is His very nature to want to be merciful. In fact, all of the above are attributes of Almighty God and define who He is. There is no sin you can commit that is greater than God’s ability to forgive, to show mercy.

Psalm 41:4 – Lord be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Psalm 9:13 – Have mercy on me O Lord! Consider my troubles from those who hate me, You will lift me up from the gates of death.

God’s mercy is boundless! God judges the heart and if your heart is right with God He will forgive you if you ask for mercy. God loves a contrite heart.  God loves the humble before Him.  How do I know this? The Bible is filled with Scriptures that tell us so. We know God keeps His covenants. We know God never breaks a promise. We know God never changes.  We know God cannot lie.  We know God is always faithful to His Word.  We know the only sure thing in this world is God’s love for us and that God will do what He says He will do.  All the Old Testament prophets praised the boundless mercy of our great God. The Bible is filled with stories where God displayed His tender mercy toward Israel, His chosen people. As children of God, we can expect that same outpouring of love and mercy from God. God is tenderhearted toward us. God dotes on us. Not only does God love mercy, God wants us to love mercy as much as he does.

Mark 10:47 – Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

Isaiah 55:17 – Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Micah 7:18 – Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.

A just God

When God created the universe He established physical laws to govern His creation which are maintained by the Word of His power. These physical laws were discovered by scientists and they are constant, unchanging and essential for life. The best known of these physical laws are universal gravity, the laws of motion, the laws of thermodynamics and the laws of conservation of mass and energy.  In the Bible God tells us about His spiritual laws, which are also constant, unchanging and essential for life. These spiritual laws apply to us here on earth while we occupy our physical bodies and are also applicable to the kingdom of God in heaven. The one spiritual law we must always keep at the forefront of our mind is, ” you reap what you sow.”  In your mind it should always be there like a large flashing neon sign. Time after time in Bible stories you see this spiritual law fulfilled. When I look back on my life I can see the same thing.

God is holy and always does what is right, otherwise He wouldn’t be God. God can’t lie and God doesn’t change. A tenderhearted God loves us dearly but that won’t stop Him from dispensing perfect justice. God’s judgements are perfect and we’ll always get exactly what we deserve. That includes everyone who has ever lived. God doesn’t play favorites.  The wages of sin is death. Since all men after Adam have sinned God’s perfect justice for us all would be eternal death in the lake of fire. It’s what we deserve.  But God in His mercy and grace came up with a plan to save His beloved children while at the same time remaining a just God. God Himself came off His throne and came to earth in the flesh so that He could remove all our sins by dying on the cross in our place.  It should’ve been us that had to die but God said “no”, let Me do it for you.  All we have to do to have the gift of eternal life is call on the name of the Lord and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

There was no other way for God to be who He is and still save us from damnation; because God will always be a just God.  In Christ all our sins are washed away. Those who do not accept God’s mercy and grace must face God’s justice and give an account of their deeds in the flesh. Their sin remains on them no matter how good they think they are and their destiny is an eternity in the lake of fire where they will be in constant torment for eternity.  I sure hope everyone accepts the precious gift of eternal life offered by Jesus while there is still time.

Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Numbers 32:23 – And be sure your sin will find you out.

Job 4:8 – Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

Matthew 12:36 – But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement.