Knowing What You Are Up Against

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:11,12

It helps to go into a day knowing what I am up against. So often I mistakenly think my struggles entail feelings of deprivation, insignificance, and loneliness. But the truth of the matter is these are simply the tactics the enemy uses against me. He knows the right buttons to push, the right doors to try, and the right arrows to shoot at me to get me discouraged, downhearted, and distraught.

A person asked me if I ever get down and lose that spiritual ‘high’ that I live on. He seemed surprised to hear me say, “Yes, daily!” The reason being is that I am in the midst of a battle every day. It is the battle that is waged against me by the enemy. Each one of us are in the battle. The enemy will not use the same tactics against us but the battle is just as real and just as tenacious.

Ephesians 6:14-18 gives me a list of the armor I have available to me if I would but pick it up and put it to use. It is truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer. These are my shield, breastplate, sword, and helmet. No soldier would think of going into battle without the offensive and defensive protection of his armor and neither should you or I!

May each one of us fight whispered lies with spoken truth. May we stand up against temptation and wrong with righteousness. May doubts be fought against with faith. May we cut the enemies tactics down to size with God’s Word. And may we implement the powerful weapon of prayer! Rather than take the blows let’s fight! Rather than allow ourselves to be wounded let’s come against the attacks. Let’s know our enemy and his tactics so well that we don’t allow him to be affective. His activity is evident with things such as discouragement, depression, and despair. Don’t be a sitting target! Stand firm and fight!

Father, too often I make the job of the enemy easy. Help me to be on the alert to each of his schemes today and to use the armor you have made available to me. May he feel the sting of defeat each time! Amen.