Be Ready

I. Be Ready — There’s a Battle

There’s a Battle for Your Soul

If you don’t know there’s a battle for your soul, it’s because you’re blinded to the battle

2 Corinthians 4:3–6 NLT

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Every person starts here, blinded to the truth and beauty of God.

Salvation happens when you confess Jesus Christ as Lord

Romans 10:9–10 NASB95

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

When you are saved, you transfer kingdoms.

Colossians 1:13–14 NLT

13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

When did that happen for you?

When did you make this conscious decision?

You’re not saved because your parents are Christians

You’re not saved because you go to church

You’re not saved because you are a “good person”

You are saved by believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior and confessing Him as Lord of your life.

Vigilant Against the Enemy

Vigilant — alert and watchful, especially against danger

What kind of battle is it?

There is a spiritual battle for your soul

Ephesians 6:12 NLT

12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

We face a battle from three different places:

1. satan

1 Peter 5:8 NLT

8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

We often get a picture of satan as a red devil with horns and a pitchfork, but Scriptures says satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14)

Christians have an enemy. You don’t need to fear that enemy, but you do need to be watchful and alert.

satan is the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4).

For the non-Christian, he will do anything he can to keep you blind to the truth and beauty of Jesus Christ.

Once you become a Christian, then the battle gets real, because you have transferred kingdoms. Now, you face the full force of satan’s attacks.

John 10:10 NASB95

10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

2. Temptation

Matthew 6:13 NASB95

13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’

As Christians, we are asking God to not only lead us toward good, but to lead us away from evil.

Non-Christians are tempted too, but it’s not a battle.

3. False Teachers

Jude 3–4 NLT

3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

There’s a Battle for Your Soul

You will face persecution, trials, and hardship

2 Timothy 3:12 NLT

12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

This is a promise every Christian can count on

The Christian life is not easy, but like with so many things in life, it is worth it.

Put on the armor of God

Ephesians 6:10–13 NLT

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 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.

The battle is raging now, but with the strength of God we will find ourselves standing strong when it is over.

We lean on God’s strength and might, not our own.

God has given us everything we need

2 Peter 1:3 NLT

3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

God called us and given us every tool we need to be successful, because He desires for us to succeed.

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NLT

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.