A final word:
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so
that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
I like The Avengers super heroes—each one an individual, but together, a super force.
Captain America has his indestructible shield and super strength. Thor has his mighty hammer and super strength. Iron Man has his dynamic suit of armor, and through it, super strength.
Their powers and weapons, both offensive and defensive, vary, but they all have super strength…and it all comes from outside of themselves through chemistry, technology and power from other "worldly realms."
Here in the real world, we're not fighting against fictional villains, but we do have a very real enemy...Satan. We are in the midst of spiritual warfare, and to fight the battle, we must armor up. {Tweet this}
Fortunately, we also have a Source of super strength—God. He
provides what we need when we need it.
In
the book of Ephesians, Paul reminds us of this. Be strong in the Lord and in His
mighty power.
Not
by our own might, but through God’s. God’s strength. God’s power. For us.
Put on all of
God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of
the devil.
We don't have to go to extreme measures and different sources to acquire the strength and weapons we need. God provides what we need to stand strong against the lies of the enemy. We just have to be willing to turn to Him, and ready to don the protection He offers. {Tweet this}
Scripture spells out each piece of the armor God provides.
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.
Stand
your ground against the enemy with:
The belt of truth – the truth of God’s Word and who God is. Knowing the truth helps us identify and see through the enemy’s lies.
The body armor of God’s righteousness – through the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are made right with God. Satan will try
everything he can to make us believe nothing can make us right with God, and
that is a lie. Nothing can undo what Jesus has already done for us.
Shoes of peace that comes from the Good News – reliable
footwear is essential for all soldiers to advance and engage. For us to advance
the Kingdom of God and engage in spiritual warfare, we wear the Good News of
the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death for all time. The Good News of
Jesus gives us life and enables us to share this Good News wherever we are.
The shield of faith – our faith in Jesus Christ is the
shield that protects us from everything the devil throws at us. The flaming
arrows of Satan’s lies cannot penetrate strong faith that rests solely in our
Lord—in His truth and righteousness.
The helmet of salvation – the knowledge of our salvation
through Jesus Christ protects us from believing the lies of the devil.
And finally…
The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God – our only
offensive weapon against the evil of this world. The Holy Spirit, who lives in
every believer, works for us and through us, enabling us to share the Word of
God with others. One by one, building a strong offense against the enemy.
In Christ,
Laura
[Photo credit: Unsplash.com / This post first
appeared as a Find It Only Here on Friday feature at LifeLetter Café.]
Linking up with: Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, #TellHisStory, Let's Have Coffee, InstaEncouragements, #RechargeWednesday, #DestinationInspiration, Worth Beyond Rubies, #TuneInThursday, #FaithonFire, Faith 'n Friends, Grace & Truth, Spiritual Sundays, #HeartEncouragement
Thanks for this reminder, Laura. We've been completely equipped to live vicariously as children of God! Many blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteIt's so sad that we try so often to stand in our own strength when we have His available for the asking. Great post! Great reminder! Pinned and tweeted. Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
ReplyDeleteAmen! and Amen!Praising God for his mighty protection and plans!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder! Thank you for sharing this again!! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteYes, God's power is his grace and we can receive more grace every single day. And not just a little bit to survive but grace upon grace to thrive for Jesus. We can't but God can. Thanks for your empowering post! Blessings upon blessings to you, Laura!
ReplyDeleteAmen! The cross & resurrection of Jesus always gets the enemy itchy!
ReplyDeleteBless you this Easter Laura,
Jennifer
Thank you, I needed your words today. I have been listening to the lies of the enemy and I need to stop right now. I am so glad you shared your post on Grace & Truth Link-Up. Maree
ReplyDelete