New Testament                                        

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2 Timothy 2:3

BLESS THE LORD, WHO IS MY ROCK. 
HE GIVES ME STRENGTH FOR WAR
AND SKILL FOR BATTLE. 
HE IS MY LOVING ALLY AND MY FORTRESS, MY TOWER OF SAFETY, MY DELIVERER. 
HE STANDS BEFORE ME AS A SHIELD, AND I TAKE REFUGE IN HIM. 

Psalm 144:1-2
 

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​2 Timothy 2:3 says, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  Life is a battle.  It is more than the good guys against the bad guys.  It is a battle between us and the Devil.  God, through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, defeated the devil at the cross of Calvary.  With Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we can defeat the powers of the enemy in our life.  Without Jesus, we are puppets in the hands of Satan."

 

In the sixth chapter of Ephesians, we are told how to fight. Let’s look closer at the battle we all face daily.

 

A final word:  Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power.

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.

For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,

but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,

against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world,

and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:10-12

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“The Devil has lots of experience, big brains, a black heart, great force, tireless energy, and is of great influence and great character.  All his immense resources and powers are used for evil purposes. Because of the Devil’s power and because the Christian’s warfare is mainly against him, we are urged to be strong with the Lord’s mighty power and to put on all of God’s armor so we can stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the devil.

 

It is an intense and difficult conflict that tests all strength and strains every fiber.  It is hand-to-hand, foot-to-foot, close contact.  The world rulers are principalities and powers that are under the direction of the Devil.  They rule this world by ruling the things that rule this world. They have the most perfect government—military in its discipline, absolute and orderly in its arrangement.  These high and wicked spirits are everywhere.  They fill the air and are intent on evil.” (EM Bounds)

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Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil,

so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.

(Ephesians 6:13)

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“The ability to stand, to fight, to conquer, and to drive the Foe from the field will be found in God’s armor.  God’s strength is imparted through God’s armor.  No power short of God can enable us to meet the Devil.  No partial equipment will suffice. 

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We put the armor on the inside, not objective, but subjective, not physical but spiritual.  Christ made the armor, and the Holy Spirit puts it on us and makes it ours.” (EM Bounds)

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Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth

and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

For shoes put on the peace that comes for the Good News,

so that you will be fully prepared.

In every battle you will need faith as your shield 

to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.

(Ephesians 6:13-16)

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“The shield of faith is the all important and all covering piece of armor.  The Devil lets his fiery poisoned darts fly, but faith catches them as they are directed at head or heart and quenches them.  Do you believe all victories are possible to the soldier who is valiant and strong in faith?”  (EM Bounds)

 

 

A shield was about 4’ by 2’ and was carried by the soldier, or in the case of a king, he had a shield bearer that carried his into battle. (1 Samuel 14:6)  The shield would extinguish the fiery arrows that were shot by the enemy.  We depend on the Lord alone to save us.  Only He can help us, protecting us like a shield. (Psalm 33:20) When we have strong faith in Jesus we are protected from the attacks of the enemy.

 

Satan loves to tempt us to doubt.  He knows that when we doubt, our faith is weakened. When our faith is weakened we drop our shield and we get hit with the devil’s flaming arrows.  It is believing and calling on Jesus that causes our shield of faith to be strong and the enemy’s deadly arrows are stopped.  When we have faith, Jesus is our shield.  He stands before us. (Psalm 144:1-2)

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Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit,

which is the word of God.

Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Ephesians 6:17-18)

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We are told in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4  “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

 

Most of the armor of God is for our protection.  But, the word of God and prayer are divine weapons that God has given us in this fight.  It is no coincidence that prayer and daily meditation in God’s word are two of the hardest things for any Christian to do. The devil is always at work to stop us from learning the Bible and praying. The devil is always seeking to take away our weapons.

 

When our mind and heart aren’t protected we can become emotional wrecks filled with confusion—a very destructive tactic.  Without God’s peace we wreak destruction in other’s lives as well as ours.  Without faith we are hit with discouragement and depression.  Without our weapons of prayer and God’s Word there is no battle, we are nothing more than clay pigeons.

 

The Bible tells us that the Devil comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  Whenever we give him opportunity, through sin, doubt, a lack of prayer, or not knowing the Bible, he will try to ruin our lives in anyway he can. Whenever we are tempted not to pray, not to read our Bible, or to doubt, know that the enemy of each of our souls, the devil, is behind it.

 

God’s full armor is essential to spiritual victory.  Whenever we see destruction coming into our lives, we must pray harder and intently read the Word of God.  Plead with God, that by the power of the Holy Spirit each piece of armor is securely put on.

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We must believe God will do mighty things for us and our family. God loves us, and He will shield us as we fight the good fight with courage and strength.