Unarmed And Surrounded By The Enemy

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We all have gods and sins in our lives that we are commanded to overcome.  It is a spiritual battle to do so.  Is your armor uncomfortable because you do not know how to put to proper use?  Do you carry your "sword of truth" but have no idea how to wield it against your enemy, Satan?  Read on friends!

"POINT #2:  We must be fully armed when we cross into that place in our journey called the Promised Land, into the Holy of Holies where our gods will be dispossessed.  We must be prepared for this battle, and we must know what God's battle plan is.

Had Israel crossed the Jordan without any weapons, they would have most assuredly been annihilated.  The people who had been living in Canaan would certainly have banded together against an unarmed foe, and the defeat would have been a crushing blow to God's chosen people.  Without a battle plan, there would have been no organization, and therefore, no victory for God's people.   The same is going to be true for us if we attempt to just 'go in' and destroy every god, idol, attitude, or sin in our hearts that is contrary to God and His purposes.  Without weapons and a battle plan, we will surely fall to an enemy who does not want his territory encroached upon!

God has given us the perfect plan of attack when it comes to our spiritual battles, and the armor and weapons that He has chosen for us are perfect as well.  As our Commander-In-Chief, He has set us up to be victorious, if we will but utilize what He has already given us.  The problem is that we seldom choose to enter into this kind of battle, and when we do, our armor seems cumbersome to us because we have not been trained for this kind of war.  We are usually unarmed and unprepared because we have not even attended spiritual 'boot camp,' so we are ill-equipped for the battle with the forces of darkness."

(Quoted from Chapter 8, "Fully Following God's Commands" found in Cheryl Gnagey's Spiritual Healing:  The Surrender That Brings Victory)

Are You Dressed Appropriately?

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The Full Armor of God

If you are a believer, you are engaged in a vicious battle.  I bet you didn't need me to tell you that!  As Christians we know that there is a battle raging in the heavenlies over our souls.  God has us; Satan wants us.  We have been schooled in this topic; we know that we are often attacked in the area of temptation.  But there is just one problem that I can see, in my life as well as in the lives of the believers I know.  We do not often WIN the battle at hand.  What is it that keeps us from winning?  Simple.  We are not wearing the proper attire for battle!  All to often we find ourselves in the midst of an all out attack, and our armor is still hanging neatly in our closet!  Or maybe this sound more like you. . .You always have your helmet of salvation on, but the rest of your armor has gone missing.  You are not even sure where you left your sword!

Today while I was reading in I Chronicles 12, I came across a description of David's military force.  Think again of the picture in your mind of you, as a warrior against the enemies of God, inappropriately lacking pieces of your armor.  Now consider David's army as described in the  Word:

• Mighty men of valor
• Men trained for war
• Men who could handle both shield and spear
• Men whose faces were like that of a lion
• Men who were swift in action

As I considered how often I go out each morning to battle, with my helmet of salvation tightly strapped on to my head and the Word of God, my sword, in my hand ready to fight if necessary.   Yet, I lack the rest of my armor.  Realizing this,  I began to understand just why it is that I am prone to lose my battles with temptation.  You see, I know I am saved; but I set out each morning, knowing the enemy desires to do battle with me, leaving behind the rest of my armor except for the study I have done that morning.  Though having my helmet on and my sword in my hand, it is not sufficient armor to win.  On these days, dressed inappropriately for battle, I cannot win.  

In my case I must go to that closet, take out and put on the pieces I so often leave behind.  There is the breastplate of righteousness, that covers and protects my heart, and the belt of truth that helps me discern the lies that the enemy tells me.  Going barefoot is of no military help when I leave my shoes of the gospel of peace on the floor of my closet.  Those shoes are a reminder that God and I are on peaceful terms now because of the shed blood of His Son on my behalf.  And what good is a soldier without his shield of faith?  One cannot walk in both fear and faith at the same time.  It is one or the other.  Without faith in full bloom, the enemy will terrorize us fear, shooting us with one fiery dart after another.  With no faith in place, no truth in place, no righteousness in place, no peace with God in place, our relationship with God and His word will not prevent us from being hit over and over again by an enemy seeking to destroy us.

We must learn that it is vitally important to our walk with God that we be Mighty Children of Valor -- trained to fight, able to use our shield of faith and sword of the Spirit together, with a face of strength, being willing to act quickly against every temptation of our enemy.  

This was the description of David's mighty men.  Is it a description of you?  If not, you need to go to your closet and drag out that dusty armor, and put it on!  Don't leave home without it!

 

Our Fallout Shelter

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This symbol was very familiar to be as a little girl growing up in the 60's and 70's.  It hung on the door that opened to our tornado shelter in our school.  At the time I never realized that it was a bomb shelter as well.  Protected by my parents, I had grown up never realizing the impact that the "Bay of Pigs" had on them and the difficult thoughts and emotions that hung around long after the danger subsided.

As a tornado shelter this room, where I attended my Brownie meetings at the age of 8 and where I had 3rd hour study hall my junior and senior years of high school, also was a place where I felt very safe when we got on the floor with our heads between our knees when the tornado sirens went off in inclement weather.  It was below ground which lent itself to that great feeling of security.  Not understanding the real meaning of "fallout" I was more than happy to do just that in this shelter from the storm.

Today, I know the reality of the term "fallout shelter."  But my complete trust is in the Perfect fallout shelter--Jesus Christ, my Savior, Protector, and Refuge.  King David knew God as that, as well.  His psalm recorded in Psalm 18 and again in 2 Samuel 22 begins with his thanksgiving for to a God who had always been his "fallout shelter."

Through his words we discover that his shelter looked more like this:

 

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn (strength) of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior. . ."

Are you being battered by a spiritual storm?  Or are you, as David was, under a spiritual attack, led by an enemy of yours?  While our modern "safe places" may not help you in these situations, David's God can.  He is a rock of sure footing that you can walk confidently upon.  He is a mighty and strong fortress that you can run into, and be safe.  He is the shelter that protects you from the enemy who comes out to war with you.  It is He that is the best refuge.  He is your Savior.

What do you usually run to?  What are those things that you try to hide yourself in?  Is it a sin that brings you physical comfort?  Or is it the attitude that flows out of your victim mentality?  Do you seek the Shield that has the ability to deflect the fiery arrows, or do you seek a friend that will sympathize with you and let you stay in your pouting, whining, 'feel-sorry-for-yourself' moods?

As for David, he proclaimed, "I will call upon the LORD. . .in my distress I called upon the LORD, Yes! I cried to my God; and from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry came to His ears."  (2 Samuel 22: 4a, 7)  Who or what will you call upon?  Your Fortress is waiting for your call!