The Christian's Warfare - The Spirit's Warfare

(#87)

Read Eph. 6:12-18.

The place of battle.

It is said to take place in the heavenlies, Eph. 6:12.

The enemy.

It is not flesh and blood but Satan and his hosts (Eph. 6:12).  Therefore our weapons are not carnal, 2 Cor. 10:3-4, but spiritual.

The armor.

ƒ    Jesus Christ is our armor, Rom. 13:12,14.

ƒ    The Cross and our armor.  Putting on Christ must be preceded by our death with Christ (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:5).

ƒ    The armor described (Eph. 6:14-18).

w   The belt of truth.  This holds the armor on.  Truth is light and it reveals the work of Satan (i.e. the darkness).

w   The breastplate of righteousness.  This is a heart protection.  The heart must be free from sin (Acts 24:16).

w   The gospel of peace.  Our walk on earth should be one of  witnessing of the gospel.  Witnessing has an important part in a victorious life.

w   The shield of faith.  The shield covers the whole armor.  Faith quenches the fiery darts.  Let a fiery dart fall and find the believer questioning the keeping of God, then how quickly the sting is felt.  See 1 Peter 5:8-9.

w   The helmet of salvation.  Satan directs his fiery darts at the head and it's thoughts.  We may experience evil suggestions or evil thoughts about people.  We cannot live in victory when we are harboring these.  This part of the armor is greatly needed today.

w   The sword of the Spirit -- the Word of God.  Satan cannot stand the Word of God.  We must not parley with Satan but say "It is written" (Matt. 4:4,7,10).

The prayer battle.

The main work of the armor-covered believer is the prayer battle: for his own safety and for all the saints (Eph. 6:18).

Before we are told to "resist the devil" we are told to "Submit yourselves to God" (James 4:7).