Last time, we noticed six things Paul says about spiritual warfare. We are involved in a war with the devil and his demons; and our battlefield is the prayer closet, where we claim the victory that is already ours in Christ. We wage this war from a position of victory, defending the ground already taken by virtue of the death, resurrection, and exaltation of our Savior. Therefore, we draw on His strength when the day of evil comes, so that when it has passed, we will not have fallen, but remain standing. Paul orders us to “put on the full armor of God” (v. 13). He then describes the armor of the Christian warrior (Read verses 14-17).
In verse 13, Paul says if we will daily put on the “full armor of God” we will be ready when the
“day of evil comes.” What exactly is Paul referring to when he mentions the “day of evil?” He is not referring to some end times event; but to what can be an any day event. Any day we live, we can encounter the forces Satan, who tempt us to make choices inconsistent with our position of victory in Christ.
You see, as we learn to walk daily in the victory that is ours in Christ, our daily condition will match our eternal position, and others will be drawn to our Savior!
Satan doesn’t like that, so he seeks to hinder God’s redemptive work through His people by trying to draw us into a life of inconsistency and perpetual defeat so that our lives might turn people away from Christ, rather than draw them to Him.
“This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you’re making things worse.” - Matthew 12:30 (The Message)
The evil day refers to Satan tempting us to make choices inconsistent with who we are in Christ. Satan’s objective is to ruin our witness by leading us to live in a way that our daily condition does not match our eternal position. Satan does not want Christians living victorious lives!
Using the imagery of the armor of the Roman soldier, Paul instructs us on the characteristics of a Christian warrior and on how we can make sure our daily condition matches our eternal position in Christ. Where do we begin? With . . .
1. The Belt Of Truth - v. 14a
The Christian warrior desires to walk in the truth!
A Roman soldier’s belt (“baldric”) was the most essential part of his armor. It consisted of a broad leather belt around the waist and a leather strap that went across the chest and over the shoulder. From it, thick leather strips hung down to protect the lower body and to it was
attached the breastplate. Without this belt, a soldier could not wear his breastplate. It was the first thing he put on when preparing for combat.
Likewise, in seeking to be a warrior for Christ - one who can be used to set the captives free - I must give priority attention to walking in the truth. And why is that? Because our enemy, the devil, specializes in lies! In fact, Jesus referred to him as “the father of lies.”
“When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies.” - John 8:44 (The Message)
Satan’s demons have filled this world with lies. Through these lies, he keeps unbelievers from coming to Christ. Through his lies, he keeps believers from presenting a testimony that draws others to Christ. The only way to stand against a liar or a deceiver is with the truth.
A liar will keep coming at you with his lies as long as they work. Suppose you come home one night and see a man standing at your front door. You park, get out of the car, and walk up to your front door. The stranger puts out his hand and demands 5 dollars before he will allow you into your own home. If you give him the money each time he demands it, guess what? He'll be back again waiting for you the next night and the next. The man will keep coming back as long as his lie works. But if you know the truth - that this is your home and he has no right to be there, you can say to him, “Get out of here, or I’ll call a higher authority.”
That’s how Satan works - and he’ll keep coming back as long as his lie works. But if you know the truth, you can say to him, “Get out of here, or I’ll call a higher authority.”
Remember, victory is experienced only as our daily condition matches our eternal position! Satan will lie to you about your daily condition - telling you you’re OK when you are not.
To counter his lies about our daily condition, the daily prayer of the Christian warrior should be that of David in Psalm 139:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” - Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)
The Christian warrior stands firm and moves forward by virtue of being honest about his daily condition.
The Christian warrior daily asks God to identify anything about his daily condition that is inconsistent with the his eternal position as a child of the King, so that he might deal with it honestly, repent of it, confess it, and claim victory over it. Through this process, he makes sure that his daily condition matches his eternal position of victory in Christ. As we put on the “Belt of Truth” we can then put on . . .
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness - v. 14b
The Christian warrior depends on the righteousness of Christ!
Satan loves to point to our failures and tell us we are no longer loved by God, accepted by Him, or useable to Him. He wants to deceive us about our eternal position. If he can, he will get our eyes off of who we are and what we have in Christ, so that we will live defeated lives.
Satan not only lies about your daily condition - telling you you’re OK when you are not - but he will also lie to you about your eternal position - telling you your failures are final, when they are not.
To counter his lies about our eternal position, the daily practice of the Christian warrior should be that of David in Psalm 119:
“Establish my steps and direct them by [means of] Your word; let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” - Psalm 119:133 (Amplified)
The Christian warrior knows that his daily condition does not change his eternal position. He stands firm in the righteousness of Christ, whereby he is eternally accepted and secure in the Father’s love. From this position of eternal safety, security, and victory, he rejects the devil’s accusations that his daily condition impacts his eternal position, but instead, allows his eternal position to impact his daily condition!
In my first church was a man who was a former minister. I don’t know why he wasn’t serving as a minister, but I was glad to have him in my church, because I thought he’d be a great asset to God’s work. After coming to the church I asked him to lead us in prayer. He asked to be
“excused.” I asked someone else to pray; then apologized to him afterward about not having asked him about praying in public before calling on him. He said that it just wasn’t praying in public that bothered him, but praying altogether. He didn’t relate the nature of his failure, but apparently, he felt it was so great that he was no longer worthy to approach God in prayer.
Instead of living as a victor, he was living as a victim. Satan was accusing him of being unworthy to approach God’s throne or of being used of God again. Sad to say, that man eventually dropped out of church altogether, a casualty in the conflict with the evil one.
Don’t let the Devil deceive you into thinking that failure is final! Though you may have failed God, because of the righteousness of Christ, you are forever His child and your position is forever one of victory! Confess your sin, appropriate the cleansing available bu the cross, and stand firm in the position of victory that is yours in Christ!
“Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ--that’s where the action is. See things from his
perspective.” - Colossians 3:2 (The Message)
The Christian warrior stands firm and moves forward by virtue of the security of his eternal position. Informed by daily time spent in God’s Word, the Christian warrior stands firm in the righteousness of Christ. He pays no attention to the lies of the enemy, but looking to Christ, moves beyond any failures on his part or even on the part of others to greater victory in his daily life.
Conclusion:
National Geographic ran an article about the Alaskan bull moose. The males battle for dominance in the fall breeding season, with antlers crunching together as they collide. When the antlers of one break, their defeat is insured.
The heftiest moose, with the strongest antlers, always triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The one that consumes the best diet for growing antlers will be the winner in the fight.
There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles await. Satan will choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious, or will we fall? Much depends on what we do now - before the battles begin.
The Christian warrior makes sure he is ready for the day of evil by daily spending time with God in prayer and in the Word.
