“Prepare for Battle”
Every day we must decide how we will face the enemy of our soul. Satan takes no time off and he is relentless in attacking us and wise enough to catch us when we least expect it. The Bible explicitly says that our struggles are not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
Satan’s attacks may be brutal or subtle, but he never gives up. I recently read about a lady who was bitten by a dog and was determined that the dog had rabies. When the doctor told her the news, the woman sat down and began to write. The doctor assured her, “You don’t have to write out your will; we’ll give you some shots and you will be fine.” The woman replied, “I’m not writing out my will, I’m making a list of people I want to bite.”
True or false, the story does describe the thoughts of way too many people today. That’s the way the world operates. You don’t like me, so I don’t like you. But when we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, our whole agenda changes. And one expression of that change is that we begin to have compassion for others. As followers of Christ, we develop a desire to serve others and even love the unlovely. What a great God we serve. Only with His transforming power are we able to do that.
Paul wrote, “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’ve done everything to stand, STAND FIRM with the BELT of TRUTH, with the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS in place, with your FEET FITTED for readiness, TAKE UP the SHIELD of FAITH, put on the HELMET of SALVATION, and the SWORD of the SPIRIT which is the WORD of GOD” (Ephesians 6:10-18).
You may wonder, where do I get this equipment? There is one place and one place only. You’ll find each of these protective measures in and from the Bible, which is God’s Holy Word. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing (or reading) by the Word of God. Without learning and adhering to the basics of God’s Word, you are defenseless and not only a prime target for Satan but a weak one at that.
Pastor Carnes
