Preparing for War

Introduction

The Christian life is a war that takes place in the unseen world

To have victory in spiritual matters, we are going to have to prepare for war!

1. We are prone to missing the order of things!

And because we do things out of order, we struggle more than necessary.

There was a little boy struggling to get his socks on. His mother said, “What’s wrong dear?” He said, “I can’t get my socks on!” She said, “Try taking off your shoes first and see how that works.”

We want to be a spiritual people.

Our problem is that we want all the power of God without doing things His way.

2. If we want power, we have to do things His Way!

Scripture tells us God’s procedures.

And if we’re not willing to follow the proper procedure, we cannot have victory.

What’s it going to take to be prepared for war in the Christian life?

Ephesians 6:10–20 NKJV

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

I. To Prepare, Get the Proper Training

Ephesians 6:10 NKJV

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

To be strong in the power of His might means to be continually strengthened.

What Paul is saying here is “For you to be strengthened, you must be strengthened in His might.”

If we are going to access the power and might of the Lord, we have do those things He instructs us to do, and we have to do them the correct way.

Unless we train ourselves to do the right things the right way, we will never be properly prepared for war.

Think of it this way: You can’t skip the instructions and still expect to make an A+ on the exam.

It works the same way in our spiritual life.

You can live your whole Christian life expecting to conquer sin and satan without ever receiving the proper instruction.

People who say they follow Jesus like to believe what they want to believe, act how they want to act, and live how they want to live.

To win, you cannot operate according to your own system.

Illustration: Get in the Proper System

A team (sports, business, or otherwise) that produces a winning team or a winning program all have a “winning system.”

Some people call it a culture, some call it a process, etc.,

but within a system, there are certain processes and practices that must be engrained into the minds of the people.

And to get make that system come alive, it requires extensive training.

There are spiritual things that you must be trained in if you are going to be prepared for war.

A. Trained With the Proper Doctrine

Doctrine is what the Bible teaches.

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

To help us understand, the doctrines of the Bible are divided into different subjects or categories that we must study.

I’m going to list 7 of them.

1. Study The Truth about God’s Word (Bibliology)

Within God’s Word, we see the Word of God depicted in several ways.

a. We See the Word of God as a Person

The person that we are referring to is the Lord Jesus

John 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelation 19:13 NKJV

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

b. We See the Word of God Spoken

This isn’t a hard concept! We know that in the beginning God said, “let there be light!”

c. We See the Word of God Written

We believe that what we call the Bible or Scripture is the inerrant, infallible, inspired, Word of God.

2 Peter 1:21 NKJV

for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Since we believe that it came by the Holy Spirit of God, we also believe that the Scripture is inerrant (without error) and infallible (never failing).

2. Study The Truth about God (Theology Proper)

This doctrine teaches us about:

God’s existence

God’s attributes

The Trinity

and God’s Power

3. Study The Truth about the Lord Jesus (Christology)

This is all about the Person and the work of the Lord Jesus.

From the virgin birth to His divine nature onto His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, the Christology covers it all.

4. Study The Truth about the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)

This is the truth of how He works in us and through us.

It speaks of His person in the Trinity

It speaks of His role in prayer, salvation, conviction, and guidance, etc.

Anytime you study the Holy Spirit in the Bible, you are formulating a doctrine.

It is absolutely essential that we have the proper doctrine.

5. Study The Truth about Salvation (Soteriology)

It’s all about how we were lost, but now we’re saved, and the process of how that happens.

This doctrine covers human sinfulness, faith, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

6. Study the Truth about the Church (Ecclesiology)

Knowing this truth will allow us to keep the focus in the right area.

If we don’t know and understand the purpose and function of the church, we will get distracted and turn the church into something God never designed it to be.

a. Essentially, the church is the community of all believers for all of time.

b. It is both local and universal.

Paul’s letters alone prove that there is such thing as a local church. He didn’t write one, but he wrote letters to several local churches that he ministered to so that they would function properly.

c. Churches must remain balanced in God’s Purposes

What are His purposes for the church?

To Worship God

When you go to church, you go to worship God.

In song

In Prayer

Through tithing and giving

and in the Word

To Nurture Believers

Nurturing does not mean entertaining.

What we so often call events and fellowships are outside of God’s intention of the local church.

To nurture believers means to mature them. Also called “discipleship”

1 Peter 2:2 NKJV

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

Now, events and fellowships aren’t wrong, so long as they are done with the proper attitude and focus.

To Evangelize the World

Matthew 28:19 NKJV

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

The local church involves itself in evangelism by

supporting missions

going on mission

sharing Christ with the community around them.

We are God’s missionaries to our area.

He didn’t plant us here to soak up the sun and get a great meal, he planted us here to bloom and to reflect His glory.

It is our job to to tell the world that Jesus has come to save them.

7. Study the Truth about the End Times (Eschatology)

This is how everything unfolds at the end of all time.

B. When we know what God’s Word teaches, we can begin to Discipline ourselves in the proper way.

1. What are the Spiritual Disciplines that we need in our lives.

Bible Study

Prayer

Service

Worship

Evangelism

Giving

You might think, “That’s a lot to be disciplined in!”

I like what Mark Twain said, “ The secret to getting ahead is getting started.”

2. Don’t be discouraged over discipline without first training in the proper doctrines

Many Christians get discouraged because they are working without ever knowing how to believe and why they believe it.

3. The Bible Constantly Uses Athletics and Farming as Illustrations

Both of these things require the correct process for there to be results.

Let’s use a farmer.

Illustration: The Hopeless Farmer

Let’s say there’s two farmers. One new and a veteran.

These new farmer comes to the veteran and says, “It’s been a rough season. I worked and worked and worked, and nothing to show for it.”

The veteran farmer starts asking a list of questions:

“did you till on good ground, did you plant at the right times, did you use the right fertilizer, etc.”

The new farmer says, “Yeah, yeah, I did all of that.”

“Well, let’s go see.”

The veteran gets over there and the ground he’s tilled isn’t any good, the crops he’s planted are out of season, and he didn’t use the right fertilizer.

That new farmer did all the right things. He tilled, he planted, he fertilized, but he did it all the wrong way and he didn’t produce anything.

That guy was farming, he just wasn’t growing.

4. You can study your bible, pray, give, worship, and serve and never grow.

Why is that?

Because you aren’t doing it according to truth. You are doing it your way on your terms.

You must do it according to the proper doctrines which comes from God’s Word.

C. Once You Get Trained in the Proper Doctrines and in the Proper Disciplines, You Need Repetition.

You cannot become an expert all in one day.

Consider this: How does a river cut through rock? Day by day it carves out the land until it’s able to flow freely.

God knows where you are in your walk. He is patient and He is kind, and He is going to honor the effort that you put in.

1. What you cannot do, is attempt these things legalistically.

That is, don’t focus on who you’re not, focus on who you are in Christ.

God says that His grace is sufficient for you.

God says that He is producing Himself in You.

God says that you are free to worship Him.

2. These disciplines of the faith aren’t made for you to feel like a failure.

They are there to show you how have success.

II. To Prepare, Have the Proper Focus

It’d a shame that get all of that training and then focus on the wrong goal.

Ephesians 6:11–12 NKJV

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

A. To Win the War, We Have to Know Who Our Enemy Is

Our goal is not to out do other Christians, and it is not to fight against other people.

Our goal is to subdue the devil so that we can accomplish God’s will for our life.

Are we really supposed to “subdue” the devil?

B. Scripture says we are in a Wrestling Match

Wrestling means combat in close quarters.

We cannot win against satan by running away.

1. Wrestling pictures that we are to subdue him to get victory.

That means we’re gonna have to get in the film room

Illustration: Get in the Film Room

When two teams are going against each other, they’re gonna watch film.

They’re going to watch and make sure their own team is trained and disciplined, but they’re also going to observe the movements and plans of their opponents.

C. I am Going to Show You The Film

1. You’ll see on the film that He is Organized

He has his army, and they are all in rank and file.

a. Notice it says “Principalities and Powers”

This appears six times in the Bible and it means “rulers and authorities.”

They are generals in Satan’s army.

i. They possess power in the spiritual and unseen realms, and they work to oppose everyone and everything that is of God.

If you think that you’re just going to discipline yourself to follow God without resistance, then you don’t know your enemy!

b. Notice it says they are the “rulers of the darkness of this age”

This just means that we are in enemy territory!

Ephesians 5:15–16 NKJV

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

That word “evil” means that there is evil that is set against you. It is Satan and his organized army.

c. Finally, notice it says “spiritual hosts of wickedness.”

These are his foot soldiers.

The Bible says that Satan took with him a third of the angels when he was cast out of heaven.

Revelation 12:4 NKJV

His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

Scripture also tells us of the many angels that are still in Heaven.

Daniel 7:10 NKJV

A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.

I don’t know how many demons satan has working under his command, but I know it’s a lot!

2. You’ll See on the Film that He is Methodical

Ephesians 6:11 NKJV

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

a. “Wiles” is Methodeia (Meth-oh-day-uh) in the Greek.

It is where we get our term methodical from.

b. He is watching you, and don’t think he’s not.

He’s got his legionary army looking over your shoulder, tracking your progress, and coming up with a plan to bring you down.

3. You’ll see that He is Ruthless

John 10:10 NKJV

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

All throughout history, Satan has tired to lie and murder his way to victory.

a. He lied to Eve in the Garden

b. He used Cain to Murder Abel

c. He used Pharoah and Herod to murder little babies

d. He even tried to lie to the Lord Jesus in the Wilderness!

He will stop at nothing to see you destroyed.

He is a ruthless, cheating, lying, murderer.

4. He is Purposed

2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV

Forgive, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

That word “devices” means both “mindset and purpose.”

a. Did you know that just as God has a plan for your life, so does Satan?

If you’re saved, then his plan A is out the window.

But his plan B is, “If I can’t bring them to Hell with me, I’ll make them go through Hell on earth.”

i. He wants you to live distracted.

Satan will give you all of the world, just as long as you don’t worship God.

We think that everything material comes from God, but satan promised the Lord Jesus the entire world!

Matthew 4:8–9 NKJV

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

He will give you anything, so long as you don’t worship God.

ii. If that doesn’t work, he wants you to live afraid and powerless

He wants you to make your service unto God legalistic. He wants to rob your joy!

He will tell you over and over that you’re not good enough and you’re not doing enough.

He wants you to believe that you cannot overcome sin, and that you cannot overcome emotion, and that you cannot serve God the way you should.

If he can keep you believing that, then he’ll never have to worry about you.

5. He is Crafty

1 Timothy 3:7 NKJV

Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Snare means “trap.”

a. You need to remember that we are in enemy territory.

There are all kinds of traps in this life that we can fall into.

We could fall into legalism.

We could fall into liberlism.

We could fall into laziness and apathy in our spiritual walk.

We could fall into horrible sin we thought we would never commit.

1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

b. That’s why Scripture tells us to “walk carefully.”

Ephesians 5:15 NKJV

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We cannot focus on flesh and blood, we must keep our focus on the real enemy, satan and his demons.

III. To Prepare, Choose the Proper Battlefield

We are already in enemy territory, the last thing that we need to do is allow satan and the forces of darkness to choose the battle field.

Your enemy isn’t going to wait until you’re in your spot and feeling good to attack, he’s going to attack when you least expect it.

Ephesians 6:18–20 NKJV

[Get dressed in the armor of God] praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Our battle field of choice is bowing before God in surrender.

A. What Does He Mean by Prayer?

What he means by prayer is getting before God and placing yourself under His Banner.

In that world, the banner of an army would go before them and would signify their allegiance.

Based on the banner the army was carrying, the opposing army would know what they were up against.

When we get with God in prayer, and submit under His authority, we march in His strength, under His banner.

B. How Should We Pray?

1. With a Surrendered Spirit

We have to recognize that we, in ourselves, are powerless.

Surrender means that we get rid of our will, and that we embrace the will of God.

When we pray in surrender to God, we are acknowledging His power, and inviting His power into our life.

2. With a Constant Awareness

Ephesians 6:18 NKJV

praying always

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV

pray without ceasing,

Prayer is simply our path of communicating with God.

We can communicate with God in our inner person without every speaking a word.

So, this doesn’t mean to be in a prayer closet all day.

What it means is to always be aware that God is at work and so is satan.

3. With God-Centered Supplication

Supplication is the specific form of prayer where you are offering up your personal requests to God.

God is never tired of hearing from us. He invites is.

Where we discouraged is when God doesn’t answer our prayers.

He doesn’t do this because He’s not hearing you, but because He loves you.

We have the tendency to ask for things that we don’t need and that God doesn’t have in His plan to give us.

James 4:3 NKJV

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

When our heart becomes God’s heart, our prayers will be answered.

4. Pray with Genuine Thanksgiving

James 1:17 NKJV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

We need to be thankful for and give praise to God in everything.

5. Pray with Unhindered Freedom

Sin hinders our prayers. We must get rid of sin through repentance.

That just means confessing to God what you’ve done, asking Him to remove it, and then obeying Him again.

But we must also pray with freedom from obligation.

If we go to God because we’re supposed to and not because we love to, then we’re operating in legalism and not in freedom.

Don’t make your “quiet time” a hinderance to your love for God.

Go to God free of obligation, and fellowship with Him in freedom.

6. Pray with Watchful Eyes

Ephesians 6:18 NKJV

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end

The idea here is of a watchman on the wall of a city.

That person’s job is to stand watch and wait for something to happen, and when it does, make a report on it.

When we pray, we are to pray with attentiveness to certain things.

a. The Bible Instructs us to Watch for The Lord’s Return

Matthew 24:42 NKJV

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

A watchman on the wall is doing no good if he’s not waiting for his ally!

b. Watch out for the attack of the enemy!

In the same way, what good is a watchman doing if the enemy attacks without him sounding the alarm?

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

C. I want to Address “Utterance” before I move on…

Ephesians 6:19 NKJV

and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

This is not some angelic language that comes from prayer.

This is simply Paul reminding them of the fact that He is responsible for preaching the Gospel and that there is no written word.

Paul made “utterance” because God was supernaturally using Paul to preach His Word where there was no Word.

That word “utterance” is the Greek word logos. It is the same word used to call the Lord Jesus “the Word.”

So, it simply means “Pray for me that I might preach God’s Word.”

IV. To Prepare, Wear the Proper Armor

If you’re going to win, you cannot show up to the battle field in a swim suit!

As you go to the battle field, and you hit your knees to pray, there are certain things you must be clothed in so that you will be properly dressed.

Ephesians 6:14–17 NKJV

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

To engage in war,

A. Your Life must be Held Together by Truth

Ephesians 6:14 NKJV

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,

1. There is a reason he starts with truth

In the Roman world, the “belt” was what secured the rest of the armor.

Without this belt, all of the other armor was useless because it would fall apart.

2. This is why training in Doctrine is important!

As the people of God, we cannot live by emotion or human reasoning.

We live according to the truth that is found in God’s word.

If we don’t know the truth, we cannot live by it, and everything falls apart!

3. This also means that we are to be completely open before God!

If we are going to live according to truth, we cannot attempt to hide things from God.

Illustration: Make Yourself Comfortable

Have you ever had a guest in your home?

What are we inclined to say?

We say, “Just make yourself at home!”

Well, what if after an hour or so you found that guest in your bedroom, digging through your dresser and closet.

You’d say, “What are you doing?”

He might say, “You said to make myself at home.”

You’re like, “Yeah, I guess I did. It’s not really what I meant but I said it.”

Then, he sees a safe of your with some personal things in there.

He says, “What’s the code?”

“I’m not giving you any code! Now get out of here!”

If we are going to live by truth, there is nothing in our life, no secret compartments that we cannot give the Spirit of God access to.

To live according to the truth means to be totally open before God.

B. Your Heart is to be Covered in Righteousness

Ephesians 6:14 NKJV

Stand therefore, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Righteousness means “right relationships.”

1. A person who is righteous will be righteous in heart.

Matthew 15:19 NKJV

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

2. They will treat every one and every situation rightly.

This means that in both their public and private life, they will not sin against God, others, or self.

C. Your Feet Must be Standing on the Gospel

Ephesians 6:15 NKJV

having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

1. The imagery is that you will have a firm footing on the Gospel Jesus Christ

Illustration: Wearing Steel Toe Boots in a Foot Race

Trying to live the Christian life without a proper understanding of the Gospel would be like trying to run a foot race in steel toe boots.

We might still finish the race, but it’s going to hinder our performance.

Romans 1:16 NKJV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.

If we are not running with the proper footwear, then we won’t have any power in our lives.

2. What is the Gospel?

It is the good news that the Lord Jesus made a way for us to be restored to God.

It answers every questions that we could possibly have about life.

It addresses evil, it addresses hopelessness, and it addresses the afterlife.

It includes the virgin birth, a sinless life, and the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of the Lord.

D. Your Life must Be Shielded by Faith

Ephesians 6:16 NKJV

above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

1. Truth nor doctrine won’t have any affect if you don’t have faith.

Faith is belief plus obedience.

To have truth, and not and obey it, is powerless.

People study their Bible and study their Bible, but it never produces anything because it’s not followed up with obedience.

It’s not true faith!

2. When we have truth, and have faith in that truth, it doesn’t matter what lies the Devil will Throw, faith will quench them.

a. What Lies does the Devil tell us?

Anything that will distract us or demoralize us.

b. The Devil tells lies, but faith in the truth sets us free

Satan says you are hopeless, God says you are protected

Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

God Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Satan says you are inadequate, God says you are perfected

Hebrews 10:14 NKJV

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Satan says you are unworthy, God says you are worthy

Revelation 1:6 NKJV

and He has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Satan says you are unusable, God says you are called

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Satan says you are weak, God says you are strong.

1 John 2:14 NKJV

I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

The devil shoots his lies at us, but we extinguish them when we believe truth!

E. Your Mind it to be Protected by Salvation

Ephesians 6:17 NKJV

And take the helmet of salvation.

The Bible speaks of a transformed mind once we’re saved.

Romans 12:2 NKJV

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

In our mind, we can always know that we are completely justified.

Even if we drop our shield or fall out of our sandals, our helmet will guard us.

We are saved, which means we are free from sins power.

And even if it seems like everything is defeated, we still have hope!

1 Thessalonians 5:8–11 NKJV

But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

F. Your Life must be Inspired by God’s Word

Ephesians 6:17 NKJV

And take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

1. We are engaged in close combat, like a wrestling match

We have the advantage at close quarters.

We are protected by our armor.

We also have the sharpest sword in existence.

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

But it gets even sweeter! There is one truth Satan and his army don’t want you to know.

Satan and his army have been disarmed and have no weapon.

Colossians 2:15 NKJV

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

The only weapon Satan has is the lies that he tells!

Conclusion

A. To prepare, Get the Proper Training

Scripture tells us that we must study to show ourselves approved!

We must also discipline ourselves to live in truth.

B. We also need the Proper Focus

Our real enemy is satan and his forces of darkness.

He is organized, methodical, ruthless, purposed against us, and crafty. Don’t let him distract you or demoralize you.

C. And Get on the Right Battle Field

Stop letting satan determine when you’ll have to subdue him.

Learn to do it in prayer.

When should you pray? “Before!”

Before you get started, before you go to sleep, before disaster strikes, subdue him in prayer.

D. Finally, Wear the Right Armor

Don’t show up to the battle in a swim suit!

Show up with the armor of God.