EPHESIANS 6:10-11 – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

THEME OF THE DAY. THE DAILY WAR IN AND AROUND US. War. That is one word the Bible uses that describes the Christian life. Conflict is another. Battle still yet another. And every true Christian knows these spiritual experiences up close and personal. No believer in Jesus Christ is ignorant of the intense spiritual battles unfolding on the journey to heaven. No believer in Jesus Christ remains ignorant of the foes in these battles either. There are three and they are strong.

First, we face a malicious devil who is described in the Bible by at least 22 names revealing his evil and power. Here are just a few. He is “the accuser of believers” (Revelation 12:10); “the ruler of darkness” (Ephesians 6:12); “the deceiver” (Revelation 20:10); “Beelzebub, prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24); “the wicked one” (Matthew 13:38); and “the tempter” (1 Thessalonians 3:5). He is also called “a liar” (John 8:44); “a murderer” (John 8:44); and “a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). His power is great. His schemes crafty, and if we fail to recognize him as real and personal, he will devour us.

Another foe we face is the world. Obviously not the physical world, but the world of corruption, sinful pleasures, and ungodliness. In our battle with the world, it normally falls in the realms of pleasure and feeding the material, lustful desires of our flesh. The Apostle John warns us, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). Guard against the pull of the world toward materialism, excessive ease, pleasure, and recreation. If the world has our hearts that means God’s Word does not. The result is indifference. Or a more accurate assessment of the Christian defeated by the world comes from the Lord Jesus in His searching and serious words to the church at Laodicea, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15-17). Daily watch for the world’s subtle ways of drawing us into its traps. The world and its ways promise pleasure but only deliver pain.

The final foe we face is our flesh, not our physical bodies, but our unredeemed humanity that is full of evil desires, thoughts, lusts, corrupt speech, and a bent toward selfishness that, unless conquered by the Gospel, will destroy lives and relationships. The Apostle Paul describes these workings of our flesh, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21). Jesus would also educate us on the workings of the flesh which is really the outworking of our sinful hearts, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone” (Matthew 15:19-20). This foe is our greatest and never sleeps. Stay awake. Our spiritual lives depend on such vigilant watching against our flesh.

Praise the Lord, we are headed to heaven but through many conflicts. Arm ourselves with this thinking. It will equip us to win many spiritual battles on the way home.

PRAYER: “Father, help me in the day-to-day living of my life to be aware of the unseen spiritual conflict I am in.”

QUOTE: “The Christian life is one of constant war. To be ignorant of this or not engaged produces a casualty of war.”