Spiritual Battle
We need our brothers in the body of Christ. It’s easy to become casual about important things we’ve read in the Word of God. When we meet with our Christian brothers we’re often reproved by the Holy Spirit when we don’t apply the Word that we read. The armor of God in Ephesians 6 is one such passage about our spiritual battle. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high.
We don’t need to volunteer to find ourself in the midst of a spiritual battle. The adversary has taken the battle to us. The devil’s ploy is to take men of God off the spiritual battlefield. He works in the cover of darkness. When we fail to see with Christ’s eyes behind our eyes… without spiritual perception and awareness, the devil distracts us to focus on the wrong thing. He diverts our attention with illusions and shiny objects…the things of the world that take our minds off the things of the spirit. His deception will cause us to sin and fall into his snare when lose our focus on our Lord Jesus Christ.
There’s a video clip from a PBS production called “the ghost battle.” In WWII there were decoys set up to deceive Hitler’s army. While the Germans saw tanks and heard war sounds, these were actually props to deceive the enemy and to distract Hitler’s forces from the actual allied army.
Likewise, the world is surrounded by a spiritual battle. Prayer and the word of God are two of our offensive weapons in spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6 contains our defensive and offensive arsenal in the spiritual warfare.
There is a record in the Old Testament of a behind the scenes look at the spiritual battle. This record is in 2 Kings 6:8-17: “Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 9. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 10. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. 11. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? 12. And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. 13. And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 14. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16. And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
The Syrian king thought that there was a spy within his camp who was telling the king’s war plans to Israel their enemy. One of the king’s men advised him that the prophet named Elisha was telling Israel the king’s battle plan even down to the details he discussed in his bed chamber. The king sent his great army to intercept the prophet. The prophet’s servant panicked. Elisha said to his servant, “the forces that are with us are more than the forces that are with them.” Then Elisha prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes so that he could see God’s vast heavenly host ready to fight the battle on Israel’s behalf.
In Ephesians 6, Paul by revelation gave the church specifics about the invisible spiritual battle and the weapons of our spiritual warfare. According to Ephesians 6:10-14, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil. 12. 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. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;”
What does it mean to have your loins girt about with truth? This is a reference to the “belt of truth.” In preparation for battle, a Roman soldier would take the four corners of his tunic and tuck them into his belt so that he could run to the battle lines. This was called “girding up your loins.” The belt held the sheath for the soldier’s dagger. This belt also kept the breastplate tight and held the shield in position so that the soldiers on the front lines could “lock shields” in a defensive position. The belt was like a tool belt that held the soldier’s weapons of warfare.
The main tactic of the battle plan is “Know your enemy.” Our first defense in the spiritual battle is the Word of God. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual to the pulling down of spiritual strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4). Worldly weapons are considered “common sense.” However, the very next verse says spiritual weapons are uncommon: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…”
The battle is not against people or worldly circumstances and situations. The battle is spiritual. To those who walk according to the spirit and not according to the flesh, everything is spiritual. The battle is to uphold the truth of the Word of God for the glory of God. The Word of God is truth and our Lord Jesus Christ is the meaning of the Word for he said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father except by me.”
The battle lines have been drawn in our culture, our nation, our churches and our worldly institutions. The weapons of the world are deception, deceit, strife, contention, doubt, fear, temptation, and compromise. For each of the devil’s schemes there is a spiritual tool from the belt of truth of the Word of God. Ephesians 6:15-18 list the other types of spiritual armor that we’re commanded to put on so that we can stand against the schemes of the devil: “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
The light of truth will reveal the devil’s schemes and the armor of God will protect our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the midst of the spiritual battle, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael