EPHESIANS 6:10-18 – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”
THEME OF THE DAY: ARE YOU AWARE OF THE BATTLE? What is the first thing we did when we woke up this morning? Did we immediately get that sickening feeling inside of us overwhelmed with all that is ahead of us – demands, responsibilities, and the loud screams of errands, duties, and people needing us? Did it make us feel like “calling in sick” and just staying in bed? Maybe letting the world go on without us today? Or did we wake up and immediately lift our hearts and minds to the Lord, thank Him for a safe night, and acknowledge to Him, we are entering a day of spiritual warfare, and then begin to put on our armor – the pieces detailed by the Apostle Paul in today’s scripture?
Friends, we don’t live life on a pleasure cruise or playground. Life is lived, daily and moment-by-moment on a battleground. Christians are living in enemy territory ruled temporarily and under God’s sovereignty by Satan who is known as “the god of this world” – In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). And we must remember, he is never passive. He never rests in fighting against believers. The Apostle John would remind us of the day and night activity of the devil in the Revelation – And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God (Revelation 12:10). We simply cannot let the world define our arch enemy Satan. He isn’t a little guy with a pitchfork, red leotards, and “cute”. Nor is he some little kitty not creating much fear. The Apostle Peter also offers a description of him and his malicious activity – Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8b).
Such a foe and activity should shake us up each and every day with what life is truly about. It is not about careers, retirements, investments, pleasures, achievements, travel, entertainment, recreation, or anything else of a temporal nature. It is about war. Intense war. All the time. The greatest theologian and philosopher America has ever known was Jonathan Edwards. He wrote of the true nature of life, “God has appointed this whole life to be all as a race or a battle; the state of rest, wherein we shall be so out of danger as to have no need of watching and fighting, is for another world.” Don’t forget that and don’t forget today’s scripture and what we need to put on and wear every day.
So, here is the fundamental question of application. How did we wake up this morning? Aware that we are in a battle and entering a battlefield? If not, we are already spiritual casualties and don’t even know it.
PRAYER: “Lord, forgive me for being so focused on the temporal things in life, I forget I’m in spiritual battle all of my life.”
QUOTE: “To daily enter life unaware we are in a spiritual battle each moment of life guarantees spiritual defeat in life.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim