The Spiritual Weapons We Need to Take on the Unseen Enemy
Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
There are many verses in the Bible about battle, weapons and the enemy. It was the way the times were and it's the world we live in today as well. Daily we are fighting an enemy that we can't see, but the effects of the battle can been seen in our daily life. Often this happens because we have given the enemy back territory and power that was rightly handed to us because of Jesus' death and resurrection.
Many Christians act like Switzerland when the Nazi's invaded, “Oh, Enemy, your here, well, we're not prepared for a situation like this, we don't really feeling like defending our country, our families or ourselves right now. We're not into the struggle or the fight. We heard you were coming, but instead of preparing, we thought we'd just make it easy on you, come on in. Rather than engage and fight for our freedom, we'll just walk over here and take down this flag that represents OUR country and put your flag up instead. We will comply peacefully and willfully. We're just going to lay down here, play nice and allow you entrance. You just take what you want, make yourself at home, go ahead and repress us. It's ok.” Are you kidding me?!
Now, imagine the battle that took place in the belly of the earth between Satan and Jesus during those three days Jesus was in the tomb. According to Colossians 2:15, Jesus whipped Satan and then made a open show of his defeated foe. Satan was stripped and plundered to nakedness and torn apart piece by piece.
Colossians 2:15 (KJV) And having spoiled principalities and powers, he (Jesus) made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Imagine this next scene, a victoriously returning Jesus riding in on a white horse dragging Satan behind in chains. It must have been a parade like no other with Jesus riding in having saved the day. I can just imagine everyone going wild. You know the angels and saints must have been having the party of all parties that day in heaven! Jesus defeated Satan for YOU! So, when you look in the mirror:
- Why do you say you CAN'T?
- Why do you say you'll never be able to make healthy choices?
- Why do you say you'll never be able to get healthy?
- Why do you tell yourself you'll never be able to stick to an exercise program?
Begin to see yourself as somebody victorious! Jesus gave you the authority to keep the enemy under your feet. He not only defeated Satan, but gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us and help us have daily victory over the enemy. How you see yourself through this training process is vital! Do you see yourself as defeated already before you've even started, or are you feeling strong and ready to take back what the devil has stolen from you?
Name the thing(s) he took and begin to ask the Father to restore it to you. What's been stolen from your life?
- Energy
- Health
- Confidence
- Willpower
- Intimacy with your spouse
Whatever it is, our Father is fantastic at healing broken things, we can trust Him!
It's time for war! You can't continue to see yourself as a struggling loser, you have to vision to see in the future with the eyes of faith. You are able to move past this place and conquer the areas in your life that are holding you back. YOU have to take back what the enemy has stolen.
Romans 8:37 (KJV) In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. This verse says "in ALL these things", "all" means "all", every last one of them. There is nothing that you and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit can't handle. The Greek meaning of "more than' should really encourage you, it means: over, above and beyond, something way beyond measure. It also means having superiority, higher than, paramount, first-rate, first-class, dominant, incomparable, more than a match for, unsurpassed, unequaled, and unrivaled by any other person or thing.
Now, that is the way we should start seeing ourselves! You may not even consider using words like this to describe yourself, but because of Jesus and who he is inside of you, you can take on his likeness. I believe that by adopting a new, Biblical way of thinking combined with positive action steps you will move beyond feeling defeated to a place of victory. Keep pushing forward, God is with you!
2 Corinthians 10:1-6 (NIV) By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Did you catch that? DIVINE power! Not the power of positive thinking. Not mind over matter. This is power that comes through meditation on God's incorruptible Word and understanding our authority in Christ Jesus. Verse 6 says: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Who takes these thoughts captive? We do. We take action! It's up to us to speak God's words. It's up to us to remember that we are more than conquerors. It's up to us to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit that has been given to us by Jesus. And, finally, it's up to us to take action steps through obedience so that we truly become free.
