Monday, November 5, 2007

spiritual warfare

 
Spiritual warfare is real.  We have an enemy who wants to devour us.  That liar and deceiver seeks to kill, steal, and destroy, and he's sneaky:
2 Cor. 11:14 ... Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
But take heart, Christ has overcome the world, and He defeated the Devil at the Cross of Calvary.  As I cling to Christ and His merciful grace, I am empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand against this aged foe - victoriously!
2 Cor. 10:3 We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. 4 We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
What are these "mighty weapons" of God?  Well, Ephesians 6:10-18 explains:
  • Belt of Truth
  • Bodyarmor of Righteousness
  • Boots of Gospel Peace
  • Shield of Faith
  • Salvation Helmet
  • Sword of the Spirit (Scripture)
  • Prayer and Fasting
So, how does this impact my life today?  Well, there are several situations in friends and family that come to mind straight away, and I'm sure there are others that I need to be sensitive to.  I need to fast and pray for my own life and the lives of my Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you for your power.  I trust that you are sovereign.  Lord, I know that you have allowed Satan to exist for some reason that I can't understand, but I trust that you will lead me and my wife to overcome that disgusting enemy.  Lord, I pray that you will knock down the Devil's strongholds in my life and the lives of my family and friends.  Lord, I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit will flow through me and that you will defeat the enemy of my soul, for your glory.  I pray that you will protect me from Satan's attacks and help me be aware of his trickery.  Lord, transform me by renewing my mind, and may I take on the spiritual armor listed in Ephesians 6.  Lord, may I cling to you as you sanctify me and purify me from all unrighteousness.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Victorious Warrior who has redeemed my life from destruction.  Amen.

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