Prepare for Battle

How Do You Prepare for Battle?

Last week we talked about the enemy. We learned who our enemy is. We learned that he wants to destroy us. The enemy, Satan, once had a place in God’s Kingdom but he wanted to be bigger than God. Because of his rebellion, he lost his place in God’s Kingdom and was sent to this earth. Now he is active and wants to do all he can to destroy God’s people. And as God’s people, we need to know that we are in a fight for our life and we must know how to go to battle. Are you ready to find out how to prepare for battle?

If you have your Bibles, go with me to the book of Ephesians. I will be reading again from chapter 6. Today I want to begin at verse 13.

Ephesians 6:13–18 NIV

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Today, I want to give you a 3 point battle plan. This is a battle plan that you must put into play every single day. Do not let your guard down because the enemy won’t let up.

1. You Have to Decide to Fight

Look at verse 13 again.

Ephesians 6:13 NIV

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

You must decide for yourself to put the armor on. God isn’t going to do it for you. You have to make the decision to do it. God has given us powerful resources to be able to withstand spiritual opposition. But you must put it on. I know you won’t physically put it on, but you can visualize yourself putting on the resources God has given you.

In this same verse the New King James Version uses the word “withstand”. It says it like this.

Ephesians 6:13 NKJV

13 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.

The word “withstand” is a word describing standing against great opposition. When you decide to fight, you need to remember that you are going to face great opposition. And when you are facing great opposition it would be impossible to stand your ground on your own. You can not go into battle on your own. You need the resources that God provides for you.

You don’t have to fight. You can let Satan get the best of you. You can give up and cower down. But you can not be a Christian and do that. Because God has promised you a victory. So, as believers we must fight.

That brings me to my next point. After you have made a decision that you are going to fight this wicked enemy, you then have to put on the Armor

2. Put on the Armor

In verse 14 - 17 Paul lists the armor that you are to use. The order that the armor is listed here in scripture is the order that the soldier would put the armor on. Do not take this armor for granted. Each piece is important and it is important that you understand it’s purpose and function.

1 - Belt of Truth

This belt, also called a girdle, was about six inches wide. Probably made of leather, it held together the clothing underneath as well as holding the other pieces of armor in place, such as the breastplate and the sheath for the sword. It may have contained a “breechclout.” A breechclout was an apron that protected the lower abdomen. The belt may have also braced the back in order to give strength. When the belt was fastened, the soldier was “on duty,” ready to fight. A slackened belt meant “off duty.” Christians, however, must face each day with a fastened belt, ready to fight the battle when needed.

As the belt formed the foundation of the soldier’s armor, the truth is the foundation of the Christian life. This “truth” refers to the believer’s character as a person who can be relied on for the truth. It certainly also refers to the truth of God’s Word and his message in the gospel. If we could not be absolutely sure of our faith, if we were not sure that Jesus is “the truth”, then there would be little use for the armor or in attempting to fight any battle. God’s truth, as revealed to us through Jesus Christ, forms the foundation of victorious Christian living.

When the enemy, Satan, the father of lies, attacks us with his lies, we can stand on the truth we believe. Jesus prayed for his followers.

John 17:17 NKJV

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

2 - Breastplate of Righteousness

The soldier must put on the breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate was a large leather, bronze, or chain-mail piece that protected the body from the neck to the thighs. It would protect the vital organs. The breastplate was a vital piece in the soldier’s armor. No soldier would go into battle without his breastplate. Often the breastplate had a back piece too, protecting the body from hits from behind.

As believers, we have been made right with God. “Righteousness” provides a significant defense. Our righteousness has been given to us by the Holy Spirit. Believers have been made righteous through the blood of Christ. The believers then want to live in uprightness and integrity, desiring to please the One who saved us. However, it won’t be easy. Satan is ready for battle at every turn. He is willing to hit us unfairly from behind if given the chance. Righteousness is the opposite of Satan’s complete wickedness. Satan seeks to destroy righteous living.

There will be times that Satan, who is also know as the accuser, will try to convince you that you are not really saved and we just keep disappointing God. He may even tell us that we are “poor excuses for Christians. That is when we can stand up to him because of the righteousness we have been promised through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:22 NIV

22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

3 - Feet Fitted with the Readiness that Comes from the Gospel of Peace.

A soldier wore special sandals that protected his feet without slowing him down. Roman soldiers had special shoes made of soft leather with studded soles. This allowed them to march farther and faster as well as giving them facility of motion in battle. They would be able to dig in and hold their ground when in hand-to-hand combat.

The Word of God is the gospel that brings peace.

Philippians 4:7 NIV

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

You and I can stand firm, with peace, even in hand-to-hand combat, because we know that we are doing right and we are on the winning side. We are in a battle both with the inner peace Christ has already given and the desire to produce that peace in the hearts of others. But this can only happen as we share this “gospel of peace” with those who have not yet heard and accepted it.

When Satan, the deceiver, offers false ways to peace or tries to get us to focus on our concerns and fears, we can stand up to him.

Look at what Jesus promised us in John chapter 14. He said...

John 14:27 NIV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

4 - Shield of Faith

So, for the last few minutes we have clothed ourselves with quite a bit of armor. We have put on the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness and fitted our feet with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace. And even with all this armor the soldier needed to also carry extra protection in the form of a shield.

The best way that I can describe it is the image of a Roman shield. It was a large oblong or oval piece, approximately four feet high by two feet wide, made of wood and leather, often with an iron frame. Sometimes the leather would be soaked in water to help extinguish flaming arrows. The ancient “flaming arrow” was made of cane with a flammable head that was lighted and then shot so as to set fire to wooden shields, cloth tents and other items.

For Christians, this shield is faith. Faith is complete reliance on God. Faith means total dependence on God and willingness to do his will. It is not something we put on for a show for others. It means believing in his promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet. God gives us faith to protect the believer.

Ephesians 2:8 NIV

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

When the enemy sends his flaming arrows of temptation, doubt, lust, vengeance, problems, and trials into your life, hold up your shield of faith and quench them.

1 John 5:4 NIV

4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

You can not go into battle without the resources that God has given you. You can not go into battle without your shield of faith.

5 - Helmet of Salvation

The helmet protects the head. The helmets that soldiers wore back then were made of leather and brass, or sometimes bronze and iron. If the soldier had a good helmet then no sword would be able to pierce that helmet.

The soldier would take his helmet and sword from an armor bearer. In the same way, we are to take our helmet of salvation from God himself.

God sent His son Jesus to earth to be our salvation. He came and died on a cross for. He paid the ultimate penalty of sin and became a sacrifice for us. You and I have the assurance of salvation because Jesus Christ paid for our sins. And it will come to completion on the day that Jesus returns to claim his own. So, today we have the assurance of salvation protecting our minds. This allows us to withstand the attacks of Satan for our minds. If Satan can get your mind, he has won. You have to protect your minds. Protect the thoughts that you have. As you are getting ready for each day, visualize yourself putting on the helmet of Salvation and ask the God of the Universe to protect your thoughts for that day.

When a soldier took a blow to the head it was often a means to an end. It was his death. If there is someone that is without hope of salvation, then they can easily be defeated by the enemy. You need the Helmet of Salvation to protect your mind.

6 - Sword of the Spirit

The last piece of equipment mentioned is the only offensive weapon mentioned. The sword mentioned here refers to the short sword used in close combat. The sharp, short sword was one of Rome’s great military innovations. The Roman army was called the “short swords” because of its use of the short swords in winning battles. The sword’s double edges mad it ideal for “cut and thrust” strategy. The relative pronoun translated which could refer to “the spirit” or to the whole phrase, “sword of the Spirit.” The Word of God is the Spirit’s sword.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The Spirit makes the Word of God effective as we speak it and receive it. The Spirit gives the Word its penetrating power and sharp edge. Jesus’ use of God’s Word in his temptation prompts our use of it against Satan in Matthew chapter 4. With the Holy Spirit within, believers have the constant reminder of God’s Word to use against Satan’s temptations.

When Satan, the tempter, tries to tempt us to do evil, we have the power to send him away with the Word of God. The Spirit will bring words to mind, for Jesus promises us in John 14.

John 14:26 NIV

26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

These are the weapons that God has given us. Don’t go to battle without them.

Before I go to point number 3, let me recap the first 2. Number 1 - You Have to Decide to Fight. You have to put the armor on. You have to decide that you aren’t going to back down from the enemy. You have to decide to fight.

Number 2 - You have to Put the right armor on. God has given you the resources to win the battles that you are in. Just make sure you put the right armor on.

Number 3

3. Pray in the Spirit

Praying in the Spirit means that the Spirit helps us when we pray.

Romans 8:26 NIV

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

The Spirit prays on our behalf.

Romans 8:27 NIV

27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

The Spirit makes God accessible.

Ephesians 2:18 NIV

18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

The Spirit gives us confidence when we pray

Galatians 4:6 NIV

6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

The Spirit inspires and guides us when we pray. He helps us communicate with God and He brings God’s response to us.

We can not underestimate Satan’s forces. He will strike in different ways at different people; therefore, it is important for us to pray all kinds of prayers, allowing for all kinds of requests.

Satan will attack at various items, but he will always be attacking someone. All of us need to be praying always. Satan will attack when you least expect it, so we need to be alert to prayer needs when they arise. Satan will rarely let up if he thinks he can win the battle, so we must keep on praying, no matter how long it takes.

Maybe you are wondering, how can anyone pray on all occasions? You make quick, brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Order your life around God’s desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You don’t have to isolate yourself from other people and from daily work in order to prayer constantly. You can make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence. This does not happen by human efforts alone. Such prayers are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Only in him can we pray the effective, powerful and timely prayers that will change the world.

James 5:16 NIV

16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.