What can you do if the battle is unavoidable? Perhaps you have never thought about it before, but if you call yourself a Christian, you are a soldier in the middle of a battle.
If you’re wondering, how am I a soldier in a battle? I’m sure you know Satan has been waging war against God since the day God threw Satan out of heaven. Now Satan is, as we say in the business world, resource-constrained. He does not have the infinite resources and power that God has. So, Satan puts his resources where they will do the most damage.
So, you might ask, well where is that? Well, Satan doesn’t waste time with non-believers. He also doesn’t need to spend a lot of time and energy disrupting the lives of nominal Christians.
No, Satan’s goal is to disrupt the lives of active believers. So, my friend, if you are a leader who is a Christian, then you have the biggest target on your back. Make no mistake, you are in an unavoidable battle.
If you cannot avoid the battle, then you must prepare for the battle by putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Paul’s Battle Plan
As Paul was wrapping up his letter to the Ephesians, he warned them about the spiritual battle they were about to endure.
He warned them their struggle was not against flesh and blood but against rulers, authorities, and powers of the dark world and against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12).
Paul, with that warning in mind, then goes on to explain how Christians should prepare themselves to stand against Satan in the spiritual battle that is to come.
Rely on God’s Power
First, said Paul, we must rely on God’s power. This is a spiritual battle. We do not have the power to conquer Satan ourselves. We can only stand against Satan, and we can only do that if we remain steadfast in our faith and rely on God’s power (Ephesians 6:10).
Put on the Armor of God
Second, said Paul, we must put on the armor of God. The armor of God is what protects us and will enable us to withstand the attacks of Satan (Ephesians 6:11, 13).
In the Greek, Paul is not offering this advice as a suggestion. Rather, it is an imperative command. As believers, we are in a spiritual war and our very survival requires us to put on the whole armor of God.
Paul described the armor of God using the parts of a Roman soldier’s armor as a metaphor. According to Paul, the armor of God consists of a belt, breastplate, footwear, shield, helmet, and a sword.
Everyone in the 1st-century world would have understood exactly what Paul was talking about as he described a Roman soldier’s armor.
Belt of Truth
The Roman soldier’s belt protected the midsection and held the other pieces of the armor together. For the Christian, the belt of truth refers to the truth of God’s Word that undergirds and holds the rest of our armor together.
Breastplate of Righteousness
The Roman breastplate was usually made of leather, overlaid with metal, to protect the soldier’s chest. The breastplate of righteousness represents the righteousness of God in the believer’s life. It protects the believer’s heart.
Protective Footwear
Roman soldiers wore stout sandals or boots to protect their feet and give them a solid footing. The Gospel of Peace protects the Christian soldier’s feet. It gives them solid footing to stand against the enemy’s attack.
Shield of Faith
A Roman soldier carried a large shield made of wood covered in leather that would catch and extinguish flaming arrows. The Christian soldier carries a shield of faith that protects us from the fiery arrows that Satan aims at us.
Helmet of Salvation
The Roman soldier’s helmet protected the head and neck. It was made of bronze and was quite hot and heavy. For that reason, it was only put on when a battle was imminent. For the Christiaan soldier, the helmet of salvation protects the soldier’s soul in the battle.
Sword of the Spirit
Finally, the Roman soldier would take up their sword when going into battle. The sword is the soldier’s only offensive weapon. For the Christian soldier, the sword of the spirit is the Word of God which needs to hide in the heart of the believer.
Additionally, Paul tells the Christian soldier their offensive weapon in this spiritual war is prayer. He said we should always pray in the Spirit and making our requests known to God, and that we should always be on the alert, ready for Satan’s attack.
Stand Your Ground
Four times in this passage, Paul says we are to stand our ground. Satan will attack. We are to stand our ground having put on the whole armor of God.
Leaders, you cannot avoid the battle. Therefore, you must prepare for the battle by putting on the full armor of God. Then you must anticipate Satan’s attack by remaining on alert ready to defend your faith.
More Articles on Self-Discipline
I’ve written a few other articles on self-discipline. If you want to read them you can type “self-discipline” in the search bar. Here are four of my favorites.
- #116: 4 Types of People to Watch Out for in a Crisis
- #132: Roadblocks—12 Impediments to Success
- #171: Me and My Extraordinarily Big Mouth!
- #281: How To Avoid The Dark Side of Happiness
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. What can you do to prepare for the battle? How are you putting on the whole armor of God in your life?
I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?
Category: Personal Development | Self Discipline
