The Cheerful Battle 12
Don’t go to battle without your armour on! This is one of the most fundamental activities in your life as a believer. Please, if you are facing any kind of trial in your life (and even if you’re not) make sure you are ready to attack the enemy. Without your armour you’re an easy target.
As we conclude our mini series on the Cheerful Battle we need to be dressed, mentally ready and prepared for action. You have been given a powerful and dreadful two-edged sword with which to do battle. It is a spiritual sword that cuts across the mental and physical worlds and it is activated and manifest in different realms differently. Our enemy, Satan and this world, also manifest differently in the different realms. Knowing how to use our sword correctly will make all the difference.
In the realm of the soul, (your mind, emotions, choices, will/actions, conscience, reasoning and imagination) your sword is manifest in godly and righteous thoughts. In the physical realm it is manifest in godly and righteous actions. However, the BATTLE takes place in the realm of the soul. It is here in your thoughts and feelings that the war between light and dark is waged. It is here where you are called to conquer and as you do you will find yourself being set free from the effects of sin and death and find the power to love God and your neighbour.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Satan’s first strategy against you is to temp you to fight against him from the physical arena. He uses circumstances, the media, people, etc., to draw your attention away from the heavens and keep you focused on your good successes and/or the problems you face in this world. Please note, Satan uses both the good and the evil fruit of this world to deceive you. Everything in this world that is outside of the knowledge of God’s grace and truth in Jesus will be used by your enemy in his warfare against you. He uses the physical world to attack your soul. Once he has captivated your thoughts, he will succeed in drawing you away from your life in Christ.
Satan hides himself in your mind by appearing as YOU. He speaks to you as if he were you and this is how he manages to deceive you. He needs the clothing of a “sheep,” which is the image of what you look like according to religion and this world, to cloak himself.
However, Jesus said, “Fear not, I have overcome the world.”
Jesus, on the other hand, does not appear to you through the physical world. He appears to your soul through the realm of the Holy Spirit who is within you. Jesus does not hide Himself. In the Holy Spirit is the Father and the Son, and so are you. They, together with you, live in you. As someone said,
“You are a mobile home, wherever you go They go.”
The sword of the spirit is the VOICE OF JESUS. His voice and His appearing within you come to bring your soul and your body INTO Him. The sword of the spirit is NOT about doing a whole lot of spiritual confessions, hoping that this will somehow defeat the enemy. Remember, Satan knows the Bible better than you do, and he knows how to use it to defeat you! He is the master mind behind religion and the philosophies of this world, and he plays that game very well.
Knowing Scripture is important. The more you know the easier it is for the Holy Spirit to use what you have read to help you think about the kingdom of heaven. And please focus on the NEW TESTAMENT. The goal of the Holy Spirit with Scripture is to help you to come into the reality of the kingdom of God/heaven and get to know Jesus through real experiences which will forever change you. As you determine to bring your thoughts into the LOVE of God, the love of God acts as a sword that separates you from your identity according to the world and into your identity in Jesus and His kingdom. As you become aware of who you are in Jesus your confessions will change accordingly.
Your battle is not about defeating the devil. It is about coming into the knowledge of who you are IN HIM. Humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God means to bring your thoughts into obedience to what GOD has declared about you and not what Satan, religion or this world thinks and says. The more you are able to experience the fullness of God’s love for you, the more powerful and fearful you become to the devil.
This truly does make for a very CHEERFUL BATTLE! 😂😄🤣
Thank you so much for the series on the cheerful battle, greatly encouraged
.to walk in His ways w
Ith my full armour on.!!
Impressed by the words “Satan knows the Bible better than you do”. For me that is powerful knowledge.
Also appreciate the advice to focus on the New Testament.
Love these small lessons that teach me.