So today is my last devotional for this series “Going to war with Satan.” The main thing I wanted to do is just recap what we need to do concerning the fight against the evil of this world.
I first talked about “The Helmet of Salvation.” We need to recognize that the One who is in us is greater than the one in the world. We need to thank Jesus every day for dying for our sins when we do not fight against Satan’s temptations. We must praise God for His mercy and His willingness to give us the armor needed to fight. We have to be confident that we have the like-mindedness of Christ when we become a believer. It's up to us whether we want to use it. In 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 it says, “The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct? But we have the mind of Christ.”
Second is “The Belt of Truth.” This means you need to have integrity and moral behaviors. This is what holds the rest of the armor in place. This means you must be honest with yourself and to God when you pray or fight spiritual battles. You need to hold to that truth because Satan, the liar, would like to deceive you. He knows how to affect your fleshly emotions so you must use this belt to protect your inward parts, referring to the place where your feelings reside. The Belt of Truth helps control your emotions so that you don't give in to making wrong decisions. If the Belt of Truth is not in place, you cannot expect your prayer to be answered. In James 4:32 it says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Third, we discussed “the Breastplate of Righteousness.” Think about the Breastplate of Righteousness that Christ gave you and that has produced righteous living in you. Think about how this can protect your heart or God's will in your life. In order to be righteous, we must get any wickedness out of our heart and mind. You then need to confess this sin and asked the Lord to forgive you of this kind of heart. Once you have confessed your sin, have confidence that God has forgiven you. Don't hold on to that guilt, but tighten up that breastplate so you can remain righteous in your daily walk with the Lord.
Fourth is “Gospel Shoes.” Remember we need to be willing to be all laced up and ready to move forward to fight the battle against Satan. You must be prepared for anything that comes your way. If you need to share Christ with someone, but Satan is telling you it’s bad timing, you need to stand firm and do it anyway. You need to be willing to attack the enemy with prayer or through your witness. It may be your best attack is showing kindness and love to one who wants to destroy you and your character. 1 Timothy 2: 3-4 says, “I urge, then first of all, that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Fifth is “The Shield of Faith.” You must make sure you’re holding that wooden Shield of Faith so that you can stand behind it. The enemy is going to be shooting his fiery arrows in hopes one will stick in you. You must be willing to charge the battlefield and know that you and Christ can, and will, overcome this threat. Remember, faith without works is dead. If you do nothing and just stand there without the shield, you will be destroyed. When you pray, have assurance you’re going to have victory. Mark 11:24 says, “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” Do you have that kind of faith?
The final piece of the spiritual armor is “The Sword of the Spirit.” This means you have the almighty God speaking to you when you become a Christian, through the Holy Spirit. Let the sword in your hand remind you that God’s word is like a two-edged sword waiting to pierce any enemy that comes your way. God has given us direction, through his scriptures, how to protect and fight against the evil powers of Satan. Jesus could have used anything in his power to resist Satan’s temptation, but He chose the word of God to make him flee from His presence.
Armor of God
I know we do not have the power to destroy Satan and his demons forever. Jesus was not given the right to do that either, as a man. Jesus had to illustrate how to have victory over the temptations Satan brings to our mind and heart. God allowed Satan to have control of this earth for a short time, but He didn't leave us down here without hope. He wants us to choose right, and show our faith and love in Christ. Because of the free will and gift God has given us, we are now able to not only enjoy life but have the assurance knowing we will spend eternity with Him forever. Amen.
God bless, and continue to be armed for battle,
E.