Spiritual Warfare

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Have you ever seen a movie containing a scene of a battlefield … for example, a scene depicting a civil war battle? You see the scene from a distance; both sides standing out in a huge field, in lines, armed with nothing but their rifles. Sometimes there are so many soldiers that they are in groups. Each side faces the other, and begins to walk towards their enemy at the command of their leaders, who generally are sitting atop a hill or mesa, viewing the same scene that you are watching. They shout their commands, which are passed on down through the ranks to the front lines.

The suspense rises as the two sides march towards each other. When they are within range, one side is commanded to take aim. They shoot, and the front line soldiers on the opposing side drop to the ground, dead. While the front line that shot first reloads their rifles, the second line on the receiving side of the first rally takes aim and fires at the front line that just shot at them. Then their front line soldiers drop to the ground, shot dead. The battle continues like that until ammunition runs low, at which point the two opposing sides join together in hand-to-hand combat. More often than not, the scene ends by showing a “scenic” view of the country-side littered with the dead bodies of many soldiers. Maybe the heroes on both sides are walking through the war-torn country side, commiserating with their second in command about one or another of the reasons for this massacre.

Now, I’m not a military person, but every time I watch a movie with old-timey battle strategies like that, I wonder. I don’t know if it really happened that way, but if it did it would surprise me. It just seems ludicrous to me … both sides standing out there in the wide open field, with no protection from the shots fired at them from across the meadow, no chance of survival unless the man standing face to face with you is a poor shot. No protection … while your enemy has the power to shoot directly at you!

I am very grateful that the battles … especially the spiritual battles … we face today are not like that. I’m glad that God gives us protection ... the armor of God (Ephesians 6: 13 - 17).

The first order of business in any warfare, is to know exactly who your enemy is. Our true enemy does not line up in a field or meadow with a neatly-pressed uniform, and take aim across space against you, a totally unprotected, brave, but extremely fearful, human being, who is just standing there waiting to die. Your enemy is one you cannot see with your eyes of flesh. He is the evil one who is still around after having deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden. He puts his boney fingers into the “pot” and stirs up all kinds of strife and trouble, even in this day and age. He knows exactly what circumstances to use to get us off track, exactly what button to push and when. Without God, we would have no defense. However, as a first line of defense, God tells us exactly who our enemy is, so that we can know exactly who we should be fighting against … and who we shouldn’t.

Has anybody ever asked you: "Did you put on your armor today?" I've had that question asked of me many times in my Christian walk. I’ve thought about and meditated upon the armor of God for many years. I used to picture myself putting on this armor … placing the helmet on my head, buckling the breastplate around my chest, and folding my pant legs in exactly the right manner so as to be able to tuck them into my boots. Grabbing up the shield and sword, I was on my way into battle. But God doesn’t leave us in our foolishness for very long. I came to realize that spiritual armor is not just what we envision (through prayer) ourselves putting on every morning when we wake up.  These are very real pieces of armor that we must hone and manage our very lives with!

The first piece of armor I felt God gave me, was the helmet of salvation. That’s extremely important. We must know that we know that we are saved. This is not a matter of pride because we think we’ve done something good, so we’re going to Heaven. It’s a matter of accepting what Jesus did for us, and taking Him at His word. About this one point (our salvation) we must be absolutely sure. If doubt comes in to this issue, if we are unsure about our salvation, we will never win any spiritual battles.

Next comes the breastplate of righteousness. Interesting concept, righteousness. In this day and age when so many believe that “what’s right for you may not necessarily be right for me," it’s hard to get back to the basics of right and wrong. There are basic “rights” and “wrongs,” you know. God’s Word says so. Yes, some things are good and/or right for one that would not be good or right for another. But what is written in the Bible by the Holy Spirit of God, there can be no question or doubt about. If God says it, it’s a done deal. Righteousness is holy and upright living. Decency and honesty. It is not a bullet-proof vest that we need for protection, it’s a true and sincere desire for upright living. We don’t don a literal vest, or breastplate, we cultivate and develop a desire for doing what’s right, and then we begin to conform our actions to that desire. That’s what the “breastplate of righteousness” is all about!

Having our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace means that we “walk” (live) in peace with all, as far as we have the ability to do so. Once again, this is not an actual putting on of a pair of boots. It’s a style of living that will help keep us protected against harm. The shield of faith … that one’s pretty obvious. Developing and exercising faith, provides a shield that will protect us from the tricks and deceptions of our enemy. And the sword of the Spirit … come to learn and know God’s Word, because through it and by it we can have the weapon we need to win the face-off with our enemy. With it, we can avoid many pitfalls that could produce harm, or even death, in our lives.

So you see that the pieces of spiritual armor are not something you "put on" every morning when you wake up, and "take off" at night when you go to bed.  This armor is very real concepts that each of us need to be developing and living by.  It is this armor that will help us overcome the battles we face. With this kind of protection, we're sure to be the victor!