Ephesians 6:10-11, 14-17 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….
[14] Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. [15] For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. [16] In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. [17] Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
How do we deal with these situations that challenge our faith in God? We often become shaky in our trust in Him. Usually, our instinctive response is to retaliate. We want to do to others what they do to us. We want to punish others for our pain. That’s the old nature wanting to take charge.
The question is…”Who is behind this response?” Though Satan wants us to fall AGAIN, God wants to teach us how to overcome our instinctive, ungodly reactions.
Instead of acting before thinking, it’s time to stop and assess the situation. “How do I handle this one?” Run, fight, or stand my ground? Run is not an option. I cannot outrun the devil. Fight is not an option. Satan is far stronger than I am.
Our only and most powerful option is to stand. Like the way we are taught to face a wild animal, we must stand still and face the enemy. All very well, but how do we stand? Our battle ground is in the mind, remember? It’s our thoughts that are under attack. What we think will direct what we do. It’s our thoughts, then, that must be marshalled to stand against the attack.
Again, the issue is truth versus lies. The enemy’s most potent weapon is deception. He tries to convince us that we are on our own. We must deal with the situation our own way. “God doesn’t love us. He’s against us. He doesn’t care. Look what’s happening to us. Is this the way God shows His love to us?”
“Who do I believe, God or the devil?” Adam faced the same dilemma in the garden of Eden! The devil’s lie… “God is not to be trusted. Do what I tell you.”
The truth is… God and you are partners. He has delivered you from the power of darkness. He has clothed you in His salvation. He has covered every part of you with His armour, His Word. You have His Spirit in you. He has armed you with faith and truth. Your weapon is truth. The devil cannot stand in the presence of truth.
Stand, therefore, in the truth.
It’s not your circumstances that are the problem, it’s the way you deal with them that will enable you to trust or cause you to doubt. The devil is out to get YOU, through your circumstances.
Paul said, “Change your perspective. Change your attitude.” Spiritual warfare is not “taking authority over” or “praying against” the people or problems you are facing, which are both unbiblical ways to deal with tests. Spiritual warfare is about taking a stand against our sinful desires and responses by believing the truth of God’s grace. By believing the gospel of forgiveness and salvation from sin through Jesus, we have power to overcome our old nature with the help of the Holy Spirit in us.
Overcoming temptation, then, is not about will power. It’s about faith in the One who promised. We resist by standing on the truth of God’s Word.
James 4:7-8, 10 NLT
[7]”So, humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come close to God, and God will come close to you….
[10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”
Our battles are real. The outcomes depend on what we believe and what do with God’s promises. The victory us ours if we believe and stand on God’s Word.