Armor Against Our Enemy
What is our armor against our enemy? Who is our enemy? What is temptation from him, and how do we overcome it? God rules over the world, over all. He is allowing Satan to act, but Satan himself is still limited. Satan has been at work since the beginning, wanting us to question God. Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?””
Satan likes to take what God makes beautiful you and I, His word and twist it. Satan used what God told Adam and Eve plainly to make them question if God really said what he meant, and we see it today. Satan has an act for twisting what God says, making us believe the lies. You may justify certain sins in your life, thinking you are just tweaking God’s rules. However, we see just a simple twist of God’s rules created destruction for all humanity, for the rest of time. This is how dangerous it can be. An example would be that we may think that we are not cheating on our spouse, because we are not physically cheating on them, thinking we will just flirt. Another twist that can always lead to destruction is God promises in His word when we place our trust in Him and His Son, we are His children and are forgiven of our sins. Satan wants us to question if we are really forgiven. He will lie and make you question to think “I mean, can you really be forgiven of everything you’ve done wrong? Does God really say that we’re righteous when we are in Christ?” We are, and he will say any lie to try and make you believe otherwise.
God’s Word is truth. Do you know that in the end, God wins? You know that today God wins? Satan has no hope, and he wants to convince you that you do not have hope either. He is trying to bring you down with him because we actually do have hope to our stories. Our story is not over, but his has been told from beginning to end in Scripture. Isaiah 14:12-15 is the origin of Satan, how he fell from heaven and was cast down to the earth because he wanted his throne above God. God says because of this, he is brought down to the realm of the dead. Satan was perfect before he fell. His very name, Lucifer, means light bearer or morning star. This is why when stars are referenced in the Bible, sometimes we need to realize this can mean angels. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 says, “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind, and God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can endure it.” We are told to be careful that we do not fall. God is faithful and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. He provides a way out, but you may be wondering, how?
First is to not even be put into certain situations. If some situations are unavoidable, God will provide you with the strength to resist the temptation. An example would be if you struggle with lust with someone other than your spouse. A way to avoid this situation is to not find yourself alone with someone of the opposite sex in a situation where temptation can strike. Now, let’s say that you’re a boss and meeting with the opposite sex alone is completely unavoidable. Then I truly believe God will give you the strength to withstand the temptation if there seems to be no way to avoid those situations. Ephesians 6:10-17 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore 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 have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
We need to constantly be studying God’s word as our armor because the enemy will relentlessly attack as long as he can. That person that you cannot stand, the one you know personally, the one you know politically, the one in your family, the one who ripped apart your life, the one who ruined your relationship? They are not the enemy. Our enemy is Satan. We are all on the same team as people. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are for us as our Savior and our coach to help us. Being bitter and trying to harm another person is like trying to harm someone on your team in a sport, or tackle your teammate…..when you are both on offense. It doesn’t make any sense because we are fighting for the same purpose. Your enemy is the other team, not each other. The enemy is Satan, disguised within his tactics of temptation toward others who choose to listen to them.
The only way to stand the devil schemes is God’s armor, encouraging others to put on the armor and resting in His armor, which is described as His word: memorizing it and applying it to our lives. Arrows from the evil one you may ask? Reminds me a lot of envy, discouragement, pride, doubt, fear, laziness, anxiousness, and hopelessness, just name a few. Temptation is not a sin, but to fall into temptation by choice is where we sin. However, we can take courage as God promises to always have a way out and we can rest, knowing there is always grace. We cannot wait, though, until we are tempted. We are to prepare for battle ahead of time. Ask anyone in the service or on a sports team how important preparation is before battle or game day. It is vital.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 says, “but since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.” Why the emphasis on being sober? Because when we are drunk, we are not ready to act. When we are drunk, we cannot withstand the devil’s schemes. Hence, why many will say that we have done things that we regret or felt that we cannot control when we are drunk. There is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol! The Bible is clear and encourages us to drink and be merry. Ecclesiastes 9:7 says, “Go, eat your food with gladness and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.” John 2:6-11 is the first miracle where Jesus turned water into wine. 1 Timothy 5:23 even says a little wine is healing as opposed to only drinking water. There is nothing wrong with alcohol in moderation. It is only to the point of drunkenness when it is a sin, or when we rely on it to the point we become addicted in order to feel complete, happy or satisfied.
I do not think much breaks my heart more than when people claim those who follow Christ “don’t like to have fun”, or they’re just “so good all the time.” God created fun! He knows what we have the most fun doing. Living in freedom is insanely fun! I can tell you from personal experience, how much fun life is with Jesus. I live in this freedom and I am not good. Christ makes us good. Satan deceives us by making sin appear fun, full of pleasure, but hides the deadly consequences. Many say whatever feels good, must be good. However, we see in Galatians 6:7-8 says “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Flesh means selfishness. God does not give us the law because he wants our lives miserable. It is the opposite. He wants to protect us. When we sin, we are not breaking the law but we are destroying ourselves, falling into our own trap that we might not even realize is set up. Jeremiah 5:25 says “Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.” Jeremiah 2:17 says, “Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord your God, when he led you in the way?”
Every sin is forgiven in Christ, but there are still consequences God wants to keep us from. Lamentations 5:15-17 says, “Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. The Crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned! Because of this our hearts are faint, because of these things our eyes grow dim.” Many people say it is okay to break the law, or go our own way, as long as we are following our hearts. The only problem with this is our hearts are really deceitful. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” The problem is not things. It is not guns, it is not drugs. The problem is sin. Who has the cure for sin? Jesus! Even though Satan will continue to tempt us, he cannot see our hearts. Only God can. 1 Kings 8:39-40 says, “then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone, know every human heart), so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.” David says in 1 Chronicles 28:9-10, “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek Him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, He will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” Luke 16:15 says Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.” Psalm 33:13-15 says, “From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-he who forms the heart of all, who considers everything they do.”
Since our enemy cannot see in our hearts, sometimes it helps to tell him to flee out loud. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 1 Peter 5:9 says about Satan, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” It takes a team of us to resist Him. God has provided us as the body of believers to be a team to resist his schemes. Just like watching film before a game to know your opponent, we have to do the same. In order to do so, we need to read the playbook, aka the Bible, and get other perspectives of those we trust on our team. Of course the best help is going to be from the coach himself; Jesus, who literally crushed Satan under his feet when he died and rose again on that cross.
1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The devil, prowls like a roaring lion, looking for any way to devour you. How does he devour you? He makes sin look fun, appealing and fulfilling, failing to tell you it ends in death of relationships, shame and consequences. He will tempt you, and if you do not accept the temptation, he will try to deceive you into thinking what he is presenting you with is not bad. He will take something in this world or an awesome relationship God has made good and he will try to destroy it. Once you finally reach your consequence and fall, instead of realizing the grace and mercy you can have from God every single time, the enemy will want you to sit in shame from his accusations. In Scripture, he is actually referenced as our accuser. This will lead to secrecy. Instead of asking for help, he will want you to fall even further such as coping with substance abuse or leading into other sins. He will, again, make something deceitful look good in order to escape the pain and shame from what he tempted you with in the first place.
You know that little voice in your head saying you are not good enough, strong enough, pretty enough or worthy enough to live? They are all lies. Jesus says this about Satan in John 8:44-47, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
Jesus gave us the perfect example of how to combat these lies with God’s truth in his word. After all these years of Satan thinking he has ruled over the earth, he finds a man fasting in the wilderness, weak from not eating. I find it fascinating to think at this point, before Jesus, there was never a human being who had not sinned. Then Jesus comes along. Matthew 4:3-11 says Satan tempts him saying, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”” Jesus answered him, “it is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “If you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Then the devil left him, and the angels came and attended him.” Combat Satan’s sinister lies with the truth of Scripture, just like Jesus did! He will flee. If you notice, even the enemy knows scripture but instead of using it what it is intended to be used for, he twists it to trick us. This is why it is so important we memorize scripture to stay rooted in the truth, since even our enemy has it memorized. Hebrews 2:18 says, about Jesus” Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Our enemy also wants us to be prideful. I mean, he became a fallen angel due to his pride. He wanted the glory instead of God, destroying the very purpose of why God created him. Pride can destroy us too. Pride destroys marriages and relationships, because it is what keeps us from showing others grace. The enemy never wants you to be satisfied when Jesus has paid it all for us to have it all. I have always received mixed compliments as far as if I was pretty or not, whether my teeth were straight or not, whether I was skinny or not, whether I was the most athletic or whether I was smart or not. I would base my view off these comments. Satan had me believe my value was based off of others. Once I knew who I was in Christ, it is not that others people’s opinions do not affect me or matter to me; however, I am able to pick myself up much quicker. The game changes and now the momentum is on your side. I care about what others say, in the sense I truly do care about them, and value what they have to express. I pray about what others say about me, asking God if I should take it as truth to make me better. However, I ultimately know what He says is truth and He has the final word. When we are confident in who we are and who our Father is, even though others may bring us down for a moment, it is really tough to stay down.
Deuteronomy 30:9-10 says, “Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous and all the work of your hands and the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, if you obey the Lord your God and keep His commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Satan is not only trying to get us to do evil deeds with our lives, He wants us to waste our life. He wants us to become idle. Titus 3:14 says “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.” Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:7-15 he not to eat anyone’s food without paying for it, but worked night and day to not be a burden; not because he does not deserve the help but Paul wanted to be a model for us to imitate. He says the one who was unwilling to work should not eat. He warns not be idle and disruptive. He talks says just because we are busy, we could just be busy bodies instead of bring productive. He commands in Jesus to earn the food we eat and to never tired of doing good. He warns us to pay attention if someone does not follow this instruction, and to warn them as we would a fellow believer. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 is saying the same and to encourage the disheartened, help the weak and be patient with everyone.
We are to want to work and to find joy in our work. Part of the fall was now our work, unfortunately, as we all know will be toilsome. However, when we realize this is what God made for us and part of our spiritual gift, it can still bring us joy and make us excited even within the turmoil; which can only be done with God’s help though. There are many times in my life I have just been a busybody instead of being productive. Paul is clear when we are busy to make it productive instead of just making it look like we are productive. Hebrews 6:10-12 says “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” God sees when you are working and when you love him by loving his people.
The opposite is true when we are lazy. Proverbs 13:4 says, “but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” Proverbs 14:23 says “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” God even throws some humor as he loves to do. Isaiah 30:7 says, “therefore I call her Rahab the Do-Nothing.” Amo 6:1 says “Woe to all who are complacent in Zion.” Zephaniah 1:12 says “and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, “The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.”” Proverbs 10:4 says, “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” The proverbs are not promises. I know there are exceptions to this, but the overall wisdom of Proverbs tells us that lazy hands, too much sleep and if we only talk without work without putting it in, it will make for poverty. Diligent hands will provide. Do not be complacent and waste the amazing ability you have to bless others in the work you’ve been gifted with!
God is clear to come to Him in prayer with assistance and provision of our finances, but part of God’s design is for us to work in this process, and to enjoy our work the best we can. If you are truly miserable at work, and feel like you have done everything to enjoy it and you can’t, definitely pray to Him about it. Ask whether you should get a new job or career change, or overall, maybe ask for a change in attitude if it seems like there are no other opportunities at the moment. It breaks my heart when some say, “I can’t just pray, I have to do something.” Prayer is the first and best thing you can do. It is a part of the good work. Pray about the physical steps God wants you to take. Once you have taken it to Him in prayer, you can act. Haggai 2:4 says “”Be strong, all you people of the land,” declares the Lord, “and work. For I am with you,” declares the Lord Almighty.” Work in this world can be insanely tiring, we have all been there. Giving up is Satan’s way of convincing you God does not have another plan for you and your next step when, remember, all the days of our life have been ordained in his book before they even came to be. 2 Chronicles 24:13 says “The men in charge of the work were diligent, and repairs progressed under them.” The repairs of your life will progress if you remain diligent and rely on the Lord.
1 Chronicles 28:20 says, “David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, My God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” 1 Kings 8:22-24 says, “Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said: “Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below- you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it- as it is today.” With all this talk about work comes something just as important, rest, which God is clear we need to take.
I am just trying to explain the difference behind rest and being lazy, as our enemy wants to use your entire life to rest and procrastinate so you miss out on God’s awesome opportunities He has for you. However, the enemy can just as quickly make a life of work become an idol, and lead us to pride in the sense of wanting others to see how constantly productive we are. Trust me, this is my struggle. How we find our balance is asking God to show us when to work and when to rest during our days.
Attacks from the enemy never seem to end in this life, and we can feel pretty beat down. We can stay encouraged as Paul says in Romans 7:24-25, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Christ Jesus our Lord!” God has rescued us from ourselves. We are no longer a slave to Satan or to sin. When we ask God to take away our guilt and to save us from death, He always delivers. Proverbs 12:5 says “The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.” The Devil’s advice is deceitful as he does not have your best interest in mind as Jesus does.
James 1:15 says, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” He tempts you with sin, starting in the mind, which then turns into actions if we let them. Eventually the consequence for our sin is spiritual death. In Matthew 26:40-41, Jesus told the disciples to watch and pray so we do not fall into temptation, because “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Prayer is so important because having a personal relationship with Jesus is the only way we can overcome our fallen earthly desires. Even if we are willing to do what is right, we do not have the power without prayer or without Jesus. This is why the best self-help book in the world cannot help us without Christ, because it cannot give us the power we need to overcome the dark spiritual forces and the desires that battle within us.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 says there are false apostles, deceitful workers and even Satan comes off like an angel of light, which his servants do too. I think people think of finding the schemes of Satan in the darkest places, and he most definitely can and has been there. However, as we can see, he appears as light. This can be in the church or by people or situations who appear to have light, but are not living by the truth. 1 John 4:2 says “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.”
Even though it is wise to prepare to face our enemy, I want to be clear that we are never to be fearful or consumed by, him as Jesus will always overcome. 1 John 5:18-21 says, “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourself from idols.” I am amazed that God chooses us to be a part of his family. He already saw our whole lives before we were born, all the wrong choices we were going to make and still decided to adopt us into His family. I think people struggle with the word adoption as they think more on the lines of “oh, their parents didn’t want them.” When you think about it, the whole concept of being adopted is that you have been specifically chosen.
Revelation 12:12 says, “Therefore Rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” Satan knows his time is short, and is trying to destroy all he can here on Earth, including me, you, us. Revelation 12:17 says “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring.” Those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus, we have to be ready at all times, remembering to be confident as his story ends in defeat. Revelation 20:10 says “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:15 says “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” I want to remind you God does not want or willingly throw anyone into the lake of fire. However, because He is a good God, He has to punish sin and evil. Yet, we have hope and good news!
The good news is if you come to Christ, your name will be in the book of life, saved for eternity with Christ, giving you hope in the darkest times we will face well in this world, and the life to come! Daniel 12:1 says, “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time, your people-everyone whose name is found written in the book-will be delivered.” The second you do not think Satan is real, he has much more of an advantage on you. Think about it. You can’t prepare against his tactics if you don’t believe he exists. He is or has influenced in some way. Remind yourself of God’s truth. John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” When Jesus is talking about having life to the full, it is not a life in which you get everything you desire. It is a life where with Jesus He is always enough and becomes all you desire. No matter what you have, or what you are going through God’s will is not easy for us to understand, and by not easy, I actually mean impossible; but we know the ending. Naturally being an athlete, I’m going to compare it to a softball game. Many different strategies and in skills go into a win, but the end is home base. Stay focused on home and all the steps leading up to it. God our head coach will make sense of it all in the end as he remains triumphant over our already defeated enemy.
