Do you recall the French & Indian War? From 1754-1763 the French & the British fought for control of land in North America.1 At the beginning of the war, the French and British engaged in their usual battle practices. They walked in straight lines over an open field while firing at each other.
However, the French tactics changed as they recruited Indians to fortify their troops. Utilizing the strategies of the Indians, the French learned camouflage, hiding and ambushing giving them the advantage in battle. At first, it was disastrous for the British.
It wasn’t until the British understood the enemy’s strategies and adjusted their tactics, that they defeated the opposition and won the war. Today, military leaders spend countless hours learning the enemies’ strategies in order to design plans to defeat them.
WHAT ABOUT OUR BATTLES?
We may not be in the military, but daily we enter into battles, some of which we don’t even recognize. Our battles are spiritual; of good versus evil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 6:12
What are some of this evil enemy’s strategies?
- Targeting our weaknesses to ambush us with guilt, rejection and fear.
- Hounding us with memories of sins to camouflage our forgiveness & freedom in Jesus.
- Goading us into numerous good works to steal our time to devote to His purpose for us.
- Hiding behind partial truths to convince us of lies.
So how do we fight these battles?
Because the Lord loves us, He has designed a plan with strategies and weapons for us to fight these battles.
GOD HAS GIVEN US-
HIS POWER
(2 Timothy 1:7)
HIS ARMOR
(Ephesians 6:13-18)
DISCERNMENT
(John 16:13)
AND PRAYER.
PRAYER!
Prayer is our weapon which actively engages us in fighting the battle. Through prayer we enlist God’s power not only as a defensive weapon, but as an offensive one to drive back evil. When we pray, we join forces with the Holy Spirit who helps us pray and intercedes with Jesus for our requests, (Hebrews 7:25).
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness,
for we do not know how we should pray,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings,
Romans 8:26 NET
TAKE AIM!
Like the Indians who hid themselves to ambush the British, our enemy hides behind our complaints, anger and irritation. These can be symptoms of hidden sin. When we ask Jesus, He will reveal any hidden sins thereby teaching us where to aim our prayers.
Recognizing sins, confessing them and asking for forgiveness, makes a direct hit on evil. Knowing God’s Word, praying and speaking it puts power behind our weapon of prayer.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN-
When evil ambushes us with guilt, rejection and fear?
Remember that nothing changes Jesus’ love for us. Hit evil back with:
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Romans 8:38-39
When evil camouflages our forgiveness & freedom?
Hit evil back with faith for forgiveness:
If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,
1 John 1:9
When evil tries to convince us of lies?
Hit evil back by revealing his lies with God’s truthful Words.
Your word is truth,
John 17:17b
When evil steals our time?
Hit evil back with prayer and discernment about how to use our time.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye,
Psalm 32:8
STAND!
Once we have hit evil, how do we continue to stand strong?
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being
watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:10,11,13,18
Translating the words stand and withstand above to Greek, directs us in how to stand. Withstand2 means to stand against, oppose, resist. To stand3 means stanch, establish, abide. To me this is saying, that we are to establish a stand opposing & resisting spiritual evil. Then in faith we abide there.
We can stand abiding in faith when we pray wearing the armor God provided: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation & the Word of God, (Ephesians 6:14-18).
We are not alone or without battle gear.
USING GOD’S BATTLE PLAN,
WE CAN STAND
AGAINST EVIL.
REFLECTION
Do you recognize the enemy?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write Ephesians 6:11 and say it aloud, increase my discernment and knowledge to recognize evil and target my prayers. Increase my faith to always wear all the armor that You have provided. In Jesus name. Amen.
IN FAITH FOLLOW GOD’S BATTLE PLAN
Comment!
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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
1 Wikipedia
2 Strong’s Concordance #436
3 Strong’s Concordance #2476
Photo boys, Taylor Allen
Photo praying, Bible keeper
Photo armor, Kar3nt
