I have said many times, but will remind you again, that "The Battle" I refer to in the title of this blog is the battle Satan wages against our souls. It is based on the scripture that describes the Armor of God, found in the Book of Ephesians.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17 (NIV)

If you skipped over the scripture, please stop here and go back and read it. Slowly. Hear what it is saying. I'll wait.

I don't know how long it will take me to get all that is in my head and heart into print. 

I trust you will be patient. 

As most of my readers know, I battled cancer twice (and won).  Most of that journey was recorded here in 2008 - 2011. I have often referred to those years as my time in "The Cancer Valley." I thought that was "my" battle. I thought that was the darkest valley I would travel through.

I was wrong.

It's now 2017, I am almost 6 years cancer free and I am without a doubt in the darkest valley I've ever known. I've been here for...a long time. I am wounded. Literally. I have been beaten and battered in more ways than I can express. My heart is heavy. My dreams are dark. My brain is clouded.  I honestly don't know when I will get to the other side of this...or if I will. 

If you know me or have read my writing for any length of time, you know that writing is my therapy. Everything seems to make more sense if I can just get it in print. I hope that will be the case with this. As with most everything I write, this is for me, but I am glad to share it with you. 

Starting Thursday, I will begin to post weekly, and in those posts will try my best to share what lead up to where I am today. After that, I hope to be able to share this journey to healing with you as I did when I battled cancer. It is my humble and earnest prayer that my journey will shed light on the reality of Satan's attack on Christians through Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide as I try to seek God's face, feel His presence, and find peace in the midst of this darkness. 

Until next time, 

Big hugs,

K

Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 6:19-20

 

 

 

 

I love that Paul is bold here and asks for prayer for himself.

Please use this as a reminder....Pray for the Spiritual leaders in your life.

It is safe to say that anyone openly, actively, and intentionally sharing the love of Christ and the message of the Gospel is in Satan's Cross hairs.

 

When you pray for your own guidance, your own protection, your own discernment, your own endurance, please remember the others who have chosen to dedicate their lives to boldly share the message of Jesus Christ and His Saving Grace.

 



Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 6:18

 

 

Paul reminds us that Prayer is not an option.

 

Pray at ALL times in the Spirit.

 

I see no need for further explanation. 

 

 

Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 6:14-17

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 

Ephesians 6:14-17

 

In the past post, we looked at the desired outcome of a battle with Satan. Paul reminds us again in verse 14, that our goal is to stand. Remember, this is not a casual standing to watch something go by. Paul is  emphasizing the need for immovable steadfastness in the face of a relentless, ruthless foe.

 

He uses a key phrase to introduce the Armor of God: "Therefore, having".

• therefore - because of everything Paul has told us thus far
• having - assuming we have sense enough to do what he is about to tell us to do

Lets look at the Armor...

 

"Girded your waist with TRUTH"

Since Satan is a liar, we must oppose him with God’s truth. In Paul's day the people wore belts or girdles to bind up their flowing garments and hold everything together. It is God’s truth that must hold everything together in our lives. As Christians, we must love truth and live truth.

 

Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS

Righteousness is not what I do for God. Righteousness is a result of my surrender to Him and my adherence to His truth. It is the deeds that come from that surrender to the Spirit Who then fills and controls me. Adhering to truth affects the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate was used by a Roman soldier to cover him from the shoulders to the loins covering the vital organs. Paul is saying, "It is like that Roman soldier. He wouldn’t go into battle without his loins girded. But secondly, he wouldn’t go into battle without that breastplate on, because that breastplate is what protects the vital things of his life."

 

 

"Shod your feet with the preparation of the GOSPEL OF PEACE"

The Roman sandal was furnished with nails that gripped the ground firmly, even when it was sloping or slippery; so the good news of peace keeps us upright and firm.

 

 

Shield of FAITH

So far  there is no moveable equipment. In other words, these are immoveable pieces that we have put on. Now we come to something that can be moved. It is a weapon, but it is a defensive weapon. In ancient warfare, the enemy would wrap the arrows with flammable material, dip it in pitch, set it on fire and shoot these flaming arrows at the enemy. Now here is the picture Paul is drawing for us. First, I am to obey God. Then when the devil throws his flaming missiles at me, because I have purposed to obey the Lord Jesus at all costs in everything, that obedience becomes like a shield to ward off the flaming missiles coming in, even extinguishing those flaming missiles.

 

Helmet of SALVATION

Roman soldier would be foolish to enter a battle without his helmet. He knew that the helmet would protect his head from arrows, but that it's primary function was to ward off blows from the enemy's broadsword, which was from three to four-feet long with a massive handle that was held with both hands like a baseball bat.The helmet on one's head was the only way to deflect it. 

Satan’s broadsword has two sides to it: discouragement and doubt.  Many people suffer from doubt and discouragement, but the helmet of salvation is our protection.  A good hope of salvation, a Scriptural expectation of victory, will purify the soul, and keep it from being defiled by Satan.

 

Sword of the SPIRIT

To the Christian armed for defense in battle, the apostle recommends only one weapon of attack; but it is enough, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It subdues and mortifies evil desires and blasphemous thoughts as they rise within; and answers unbelief and error as they assault from without.

 

A single text, well understood, and rightly applied, at once destroys a temptation or an objection, and subdues the most formidable adversary.

 

Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 6:13

 

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

Ephesians 6:13

 

 

When we mention Spiritual Warfare, it seems that the only things we want to discuss are demons, angels, and The Armor of God. While these certainly are the main topics in Spiritual Warfare, Paul reveals other important things that are just as necessary for us to know. Ephesians 6:13 is contains one of those gems of information. 

 

What is our goal? When we say we are "in battle against Satan", or when we are "experiencing Spiritual Warfare", what is the outcome we are aiming for?

 

According to Paul, our goal is to stand. Our goal is to WITSTAND and having done all, STAND.

 

This tells me (and this is only MY personal feeling), a few very important things about Spiritual Warfare:

• This is not a battle for the timid, weak, immature, or semi-committed.
• If our BEST, if what God expects of us, is to simply stand when its all over, then this is serious stuff.
• We are not battling for our salvation.
• Christ took care of that. We are battling for our WITNESS, our TESTIMONY, our INTEGRITY.
• Our goal is to STAND against Satan.
• Resist him and his tactics and protect that which we have been given.

It is important to understand what it is that we are fighting for, and what the desired outcome is to be.

 

When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit equips us with everything we need. Salvation is a free gift to us, paid for by Jesus Christ. We do not battle Satan for our Salvation. We defend what God has given us. Satan will attack.  The day of evil will come. Our job as Christians is to be prepared when that day comes and to stand against whatever Satan attacks us with.

 

Our goal is that, when each attack is over, we remain standing, having lost none of our witness, integrity, or testimony to Satan.

 

 



 

Spirtual Warfare - Ephesians 6:12



I LOVE this verse!

Oh! I have used it and used it and used it, in my own struggles and in ministering to others.

I have learned that I am much better able to deal with difficult people when I remember that my battle is not against THEM, but against Satan working in them! It is easier to blame circumstances on Satan than to blame Satan when someone acts all crazy. Why? Because of my OWN sinful nature. (ouch) It is MY sinful nature that wants to set someone straight, get revenge, tell them what I think, and retaliate. It is MY sinful nature that finds joy and satisfaction in letting everyone know "What goes around comes around," and "You make your bed, you lie in it," and "You reap what you sow". Satan gets a 2 for 1 deal when he can make someone treat me poorly and then can in turn make me retaliate in kind.

Oh my goodness. What a mess.

When we remember that our enemy is not the person who has wronged us, but Satan, a few things happen:

• we trust God to take care of the situation
• we take away Satan's opportunity to cause US to sin,
• we protect and preserve our witness,
• we show the love of Christ to the person who wronged us. 
• we grow spiritually
• our integrity remains intact
• Satan's grip on us is loosened

I've learned that this is a huge part of understanding "In your anger, do not sin."

So if "that" person is not your enemy, then who is? Satan of course. I will let you do your own research on how Satan works. There are a few earlier posts here about it...

Under Attack?

Under Attack / The Ambush

Under Attack / Easy Prey

Under Attack / Caught Not Paying Attention

 

Satan is truly the craftiest of all God's creation. His methods have not changed since the Garden of Eden. As we discussed in an earlier post, he has no real power so he relies on deceit to keep you in bondage. Let's look at how this applies specifically to today's discussion before we part ways...

 

That obsessive feeling you get when someone wrongs you....you want revenge, you want to make them hurt the same way they hurt you, you wait expectantly for God to strike them, etc. ... all this is from Satan. Satan uses this to keep you angry, keep you hurting, keep you focused on the one who wronged you because as long as he can keep you focused on your anger and your pain, he knows that you will not seek God for healing. Satan knows that only God can heal wounded people. If you "just can't get over it", then Satan is having his way with you.

 

God can heal wounded people, but Satan deceives us into believing that we are better off being wounded. Satan keeps multitudes of people in bondage by simply deceiving them into believing that they cannot forgive someone who has done wrong to them. If you believe this lie, then you are in bondage to Satan. Any reason that comes to mind for NOT forgiving someone is from Satan.

How do I know? Because Jesus says forgive.

 

I am not in anyway saying that anyone should subject themselves to abuse. There are people in my own life who I have forgiven for hurting me... but will never allow them to be close enough to me to ever hurt me again. This has nothing to do with forgiveness....its just being smart. 

 

As we move forward and look at the armor God has given us to fight Satan, please take a moment to make sure that Satan does not already have you in bondage because of unforgiveness.

 

Remember, We aren't battling people. We are battling Satan. And those people who hurt you....they are battling Satan too.

 

 

Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 6:11

When we visited last, we discussed the importance of tapping into the Lord's Mighty Strength. I want to stress again the importance of becoming a spiritually strong Christian. Without the Lord's Mighty Power, the armor of God will only get you part way through the battle. If you are not spiritually strong, you will not be able to stand against Satan. There is no way to sugar coat this. Without the Lord's Mighty Power, the Armor of God is little more than behavior modification. When you face temptation, changing your behavior will only buy you some time. In order to defeat Satan, you must allow God to change your heart, what you desire, what you love, what you crave...who you are.

 

Verse 11 speaks of 3 things: The Full Armor of GOD, Taking a stand, and the Devil's (or Satan's) schemes.

 

It is noteworthy that Paul instructs us to take on the FULL armor of God. To leave out any piece of the armor is to create a spot of weakness. Satan will attack you at your weakest point. With that, notice that Paul tells us to take on the full armor of GOD, and nothing else. This is GOD's armor. He knows how best to defend us against Satan, and the armor He offers is all we need. So, take on the FULL armor of GOD, which He prepares and gives to His children. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

We put on the armor of God so that we CAN stand. The original word translated "can" is "dunamai" which is the root of words like dynamite and dynamic. In this context, it is the enablement by supernatural power. (The Lord's Mighty Power). Note that this is written in the passive voice...this is an internal enablement by an outside source. What does all this mean? Simply that we must be WILLING to let God enable us. We must surrender, yield our "rights", let Him have His way, and allow His spirit to strengthen and control us. Attitudes such as self confidence, self sufficiency, and self assurance have no place in the life of a mature Christian.

 

We put on the full armor of God so that we can STAND. This portrays the image of standing one's ground, as opposed to rushing forward in a fight. This is not a picture of casual standing, but of "digging in ones heels" and bracing oneself against a coming onslaught... Hold your ground, don't be knocked off course,  don't give a single inch to the enemy.

 

 

 

Finally, we are to stand against the DEVIL'S SCHEMES.  Please understand this... this is not a battle of power against power. Satan has no POWER. This is a battle of TRUTH. Satan hates you and has an evil plan for your life. Satan wishes nothing on us but evil. The tactics of intimidation and insinuation alternate in Satan’s plan of campaign. He plays both the bully and the beguiler. Force and fraud form his chief offensive against the camp of the saints. His only weapons are deceit, distraction, and distortion.

 

Next time we will look at the different parts of the Armor of God and delve into the use and meaning of each.

 

Until then,

Spiritual Warfare - introduction

In all areas of our lives, we prepare for "battle", whether it be a war in the desert, the football state championship, competition for a job; firemen train before pulling someone out of a car wreck or fire, lifeguards train before saving someone who is drowning, police officers train before being sent out to arrest a criminal. Point is, all these men and women must be prepared before they go to work. To send someone into battle without training is to doom them to fail.

Why then, do we not prepare to fight Satan? Is it because we really don't believe that Satan is a real enemy? Do we not believe that he is seeking to destroy us? Do we think that we can fight him with no preparation?

 

Satan is the root of ALL sin, of ALL evil. Yet, we dismiss him as nothing more than a Sunday School lesson topic.

Satan wants to destroy every part of you and all that you hold dear. Your marriage, your children, your spouse, your friendships, your career, your integrity, your finances, your home, your family, your body, your emotions, anything and everything that you love. He will use any means necessary to destroy you. Not just you, but everyone you love. Not just everyone you love, but everyone on earth.

So, how do we prepare for battle?

Paul lays the plan out before us in Ephesians 6:

Christian Warfare

¹⁰ Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. ¹² For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. ¹³ This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. ¹⁴ Stand, therefore,

with truth like a belt around your waist,
righteousness like armor on your chest,
¹⁵ and your feet sandaled with readiness
for the gospel of peace.
¹⁶ In every situation take the shield of faith,
and with it you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,
which is God’s word.

¹⁸ Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. ²⁰ For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.

Over the next several posts, we will look into this passage. It is my prayer that you will put on the full armor of God and, when the time comes,  be prepared to stand.

 

 

 

From time to time I am reminded why I chose "In the Battle" as the title for this blog. Our recent ministry trip to New Orleans, LA, and a few things that have happened since we returned have reminded me once again that we are in a battle...every one of us.

 

In New Orleans, I met several people who, through various circumstances, have found themselves living on the street. There are more people in my life who have recently been diagnosed with cancer than I want to think about. One of our church members has a chronically ill 4 month old son. I have a friend facing bankruptcy and another facing divorce. At any given time, we can all make a long list of people in our lives who are obviously struggling with something.

 

You may read this and count yourself lucky. You may be thankful that you are not in the middle of a battle. Perhaps you are not fighting a battle for all the world to see. To me, unseen battles are much harder to fight than the types listed above. Perhaps you fight depression, anxiety, addiction, loneliness, anger, hatred, unforgivness, or bitterness. Perhaps you fight jealousy, lust, pride, envy, greed, or selfishness. Maybe you feel insignificant or left out.

 

There is a common thread that runs through all of these...the enemy who heaps these troubles on us. We are in battle, every one of us, but our battle is not against people or sickness or circumstance. I was reminded of this earlier today. My brother was telling me about an encounter my nephew had in Africa last summer. He came face to face with a demonic force and was so terrified that he stayed up all night praying. The comment was made that we don't see spiritual warfare here in the USA like they do in other places.

 

This has had me thinking all morning.

 

No, we don't experience spiritual warfare here in the States like they do elsewhere, but that is not because there is none going on. When someone like my nephew spends a summer as a missionary in Africa, his focus is on Christ and only Christ; His prayer life is rich; he is dependent on God's provision; he looks for any opportunity to share the love of Christ; he is completely separated from distractions like television, cell phone, laptop, etc...how very different from how we spend most of our days here in the States. How often do we stay up all night praying for God's protection against Satan and his minions? Truth be told, most days we are no threat to Satan. Most days. we are too busy living our lives to threaten his plans for anyone's eternity. I truly believe that we would see Spiritual warfare unleashed in full force if we, as Christians, made the commitment to live like missionaries. I believe it strongly enough that I admit I am hesitant to do so. I have in the past and suffered greatly. While I know that ultimately the Battle is the Lord's, I also know that no battle is without it's wounded.

 

All this is just a simple reminder of the importance of the battle....

 

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.  Put on the full armor of

God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.  For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.  This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.  Ephesians 6:10-13