Preparing for Battle

Ephesians 6:11-18, Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we^[are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Last night a friend and spiritual mentor asked me to talk about preparing yourself to defeat temptation and sin. Spiritual battles is not a subject we think about often, yet it needs to be in the fore front of our hearts and minds consistently. One of the easiest traps to fall into is being offended.  Others maybe sexual sins, addictions and many other battles which are fought daily. God wants us to be prepared, so I thought I might touch on a few things I do to prepare and I am sure there are many other ways to get ready to do battle.

First, I pray every morning preparing for my day, I not only pray for myself but my wife, family and other spiritual warriors in my army. I invoke God and the Holy Spirit to keep me aware of any attacks so I will not be blindsided. Second, I read my devotionals to strengthen my mind to help me prepare and identify any potential attacks.  Third, I must know the sources of temptations and root causes of sin. Lastly I study my Bible, this is a powerful tool and can be used as the tip of your spear or your shield at any given time for battle. I find the attacks tend to come when I have not done these things and they come full force. We must pay attention to where we are, what we say, who we are addressing and how we are addressing them. If we place ourselves into an environment or place of sin, the attacks will come exponentially and you may not have the strength to resist. So be mindful of these things and fight on your ground, not Satan's. Luke 10:19, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

When I come under attack I first reach to God through prayer. I also utilize those men God has placed around me, to help me spiritually. These men cannot be more important. They will go into battle with me without question. They are my rear guard and protect my weaknesses. This allows me to focus on the enemy and defeat him head on. No retreat, no surrender. God gives us the ability to draw from supernatural power whenever needed for these battles. He does this with the Holy Spirit and without this your fight will be almost impossible to win.

My Church is also a great sanctuary during or after an attack. This fortress will lift you up and strengthen you for the next battle. The Pastors can prepare you, pray with you and ignite the fire of faith within you, so you are next to invincible. Our God knows you will come under these attacks and he will give you all the defenses to fight them. You just have to ask, prepare and He will do the rest. See preparing is an everyday event, if you follow through you will be victorious. I know since my release, I have been winning most of the battles. I have been scraped in a few, but by prayer and learning the enemies playbook, I have been winning more and more.

Start with your Bible, then a prayer and invoke the Holy Spirit, Build up your army and stand firm in the knowledge that your faith in our Father will not disappoint you. He will see you through it and you just have to be open and trust. Do not let your heart harden, keep it soft and God will show you things you have never seen before. Its like a vacation right in your own little heart. You can and will defeat the enemy, you will quit your addiction, restore your marriage or find that new job. God will lead you to this victory. Waive your banner high and praise our Father as he deserves. Isaiah 54:17, But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!

Lets Prey: Father God, help each of be prepared for when we meet the enemy on the battlefield. Lord this is a daily event for most. We must each prepare and trust in you Lord to so that we may be victorious in your name Lord. You will help us defeat the enemy Lord and you alone get the praise. God we are so very happy that you Love us and care enough to see us through everything. Father, help those who are not prepared, find the tools they need to ready themselves. Help them don the armor and sharpen their swords. Lord, we know only you can fill these warriors with the faith needed to win the battle. Prepare us Lord so that we can start winning back our lives, our families and our salvation Lord. Lord please forgive us for our sins, in Jesus name we pray...AMEN.