Rejoice:

We are going into some exciting passages! Listen to this beautiful battle anthem while you read!

Read:

These next verses (including these) are pretty packed with truth. We cannot skim through them quickly just because we are familiar with them. Instead we ought to pray over them, read them, pray again, and then truly read.

Paul says be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. We have access to something far more powerful than many of us realize. We often endure Satan’s attacks like we are powerless and only a punching bag. This is NOT what God calls us to. He starts this section reminding us that we have access to a MIGHTY POWER, and furthermore we are able to stand strong in this power.

God has given us a complete battle fatigue. A wartime battle suite to equip us for the reality of major spiritual warfare. Notice, too, that we are called to “put on” the armor. This is not something God puts on for us. Instead, like soldiers, we can be rendered powerless if we are not proactive in utilizing the tools we have been given. We have been called to access our inventory and utilize the great strength God has endowed us with. For what reason? To stand against Satan’s attacks.

Too many christians go through life THINKING that the negative things happening around them, their emotional rollercoasters, their suffering, they assume all these things are just effects of someone’s sin. This is PARTIALLY true, but the reality is that Satan is at active war. He is utilizing his armor and weapons to attack us. If we don’t wake up to the reality that our world and life is a battle ground we will be standing defenseless against Satan. We will endure more and more oppression until we realize what’s happening and begin to fight back.

Spiritual warfare is real, it is happening now, and it is everywhere. Without these verses being actively applied to our lives we CANNOT expect to live a life of consistency and control. Instead we will be pushed back and forth by Satan’s attacks and we will experience great pain. God will offer peace, but He won’t force us to don our battle fatigue. We must be proactive and aware. We are at war.

No longer will we stand powerless in the way of Satan’s attacks. God has promised us a mighty power. He has promised us a solution to withstand every attack that Satan launches against us. The one who knit to together Satan before he had turned evil, has now given us the solution to defend ourselves. Do not fall as a victim to Satan but instead stand firm. Stand on the Word of God. We have been given victory!!

 

Respond:

Let’s pray this together:

God help me to realize I have access to this mighty power. Remind me to don the armor You have given me. Help me to realize I am in the middle of an incredible battle and the only way I will see a victory is if I am standing on Your Word and following it’s direction. Remind me, when Satan attacks, that the only way to experience a victory is to use what You have said. Help me to stand firm on Your Word. I love you King, and thank You for what You have done on the cross. Let me now apply the freedom from the power of sin TODAY in my lives. I am forever yours. Amen.

Relate:

Tell someone about these passages. It only takes a second to encourage someone. Maybe just post something quick on Facebook. As a pastor most of my job is just reminding people what God has already said. There’s no “great new revelation” that happens every week. It is just looking at the truths He has already said, and reminding us how to apply them. Maybe post the below pic on Facebook, remind people of what God said.