There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight. C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
As we saw in Day 1 of this week, Satan tempted the first humans into joining his rebellion, resulting in their spiritual separation from God. Throughout the rest of the Bible, we see constant warfare against God's people by Satan.
So how can we claim victory in this spiritual battle?
First, we need to be aware of Satan's schemes so he doesn't outwit us. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us, "Be alert and of sober mind. your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Though Satan would love for us to fear him, we also need to remember 2 Timothy 1:7, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." 1 John 4:4 tells us, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." We should always remember the devil is a created being, not equal to God. God will destroy him in the end.
Next, suit up for the fight of your life.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 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. Ephesians 6:10-18
This is the spiritual armor that prepares us to face any and all spiritual battles we encounter. These battles are not fought against "flesh and blood" enemies, but against the "powers of this dark world." Satan and his demons make it their mission to usurp God's place in our lives, displacing His authority with theirs.
We cannot defeat Satan in our own strength and we can't fight spiritual battles without God's protection and weapons. God provides supernatural defense by giving us His Holy Spirit and His armor to protect us and wield the power of the Lord of the universe. All our power comes from God's might. God hears us and gives those who call on His name the strength needed to claim victory in any difficulty.
There are six elements of God's armor. Each one is as important as the other and we can't be fully armed and ready for battle without putting on all the pieces.
All truth is God's truth, not just doctrinal truth, not just spiritual truth, not just biblical truth. God is the source of ethical, scientific, mathematical, historical, relational, and every other form of truth. As followers of Jesus we should never be afraid of the truth. We should pursue all truth that comes our way. Satan on the other hand is called the master deceiver. He takes truth and twists it. He adds a little lie here and there and makes it seem right. To the degree we embrace truth we can detect Satan's destructive spin. The foundation of spiritual, moral, and relational truth comes from the Bible. A child of God is called to arm himself or herself with God's Word. Jesus gives us a great promise regarding truth, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).
Righteousness sometimes has a negative connotation in our culture. It seems synonymous with self-righteousness or having a "holier than thou" attitude. That is not the biblical meaning of the word. Righteousness is simply pursuing what is right. Righteousness is not cutting corners at work, not lying to make things easier, not falling into a temptation. It is staying faithful to your spouse, following through on your word, being kind and generous. When we are righteous we don't give Satan a foothold into our life that he can eventually use to tear us down and damage our relationship with Jesus. Most importantly, the Breastplate of Righteousness is not ours; it's Christ's. We are only able to be righteous because of Christ within us. It is his righteousness that lives in us.
What does that mean? This has to do with footwear, the foundation of your armor. It doesn't matter if you have the strongest shield and the sharpest sword, if you are slipping around, you are done for. The Gospel of peace, or the Gospel, for short, is the foundational truth that God has created you, Jesus has saved you from your sin, and the Holy Spirit is restoring you and the world. This is the Gospel we are to base our life on and tell others about. Satan will do everything he can to undermine the Gospel in our life because he knows that our peace and power come from living in this reality. Satan cannot stand against the Gospel as it plays out in our life.
In battle, it was common for the enemy to shoot flame-tipped arrows that would not only cause injury, but also arouse panic and fear. Soldiers would be tempted to drop their shields once they were on fire, leaving their bodies open for further attack. Faith simply means to believe in God and to grab onto the tools he has provided for you. When you find yourself fearful, it is an indication that you've lowered your shield of faith. We are encouraged to do what we must to keep our faith strong: pray, read the Bible, and stay in close relationship to other believers.
Salvation is not just what happened when we trusted Jesus with our lives. It also means the eventual reality that our victory as a follower of Jesus is assured. Satan is a bully who wants us to believe that the sin still tripping us up, the habits or addictions that still entangle us, the pain we cause others, and the fear we still experience are all that should define us. He wants us to buy into his lie that we are weak, pathetic creatures that will never amount to anything. That is not how Christ sees us. Because of His salvation we are—right now—precious, adopted children of God being perfected and guaranteed of becoming everything God had in mind when He created us in the first place.
The only offensive weapon in the armor is the sword of the Spirit, a.k.a. the Bible. Of course it isn't the Bible by itself—just having a Bible on your bookshelf, or next to your bed, or even in your hand—is not helpful. It is only as we read, study, memorize and practice God's Word that it becomes alive and active. Tomorrow, we will see Jesus using Scripture to keep Satan at bay when He is tempted in the wilderness. In spiritual warfare, it's just not possible to gain victory in any practical way without knowing and applying the Bible.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Finally, Paul wraps up his description of the armor of God by addressing prayer. Perhaps it is the most crucial element in battling against Satan and his minions. Prayer demonstrates our active dependence on God. When we turn to Him, we acknowledge we need Him and remind ourselves of the truths of His Word that circumstances around us seem to contradict. When we pray, we remember who God is, what He has done, what He will do, and what He has promised. And not only is prayer a critical part of how we put on the armor God gives us, but when we pray, God gets involved in the battle on a whole new level.