Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:18

 

Ephesians 6:18

Praying always with all prayer and

supplication in The Spirit,

and watching thereunto with all 

perseverance and supplications for all saints.

PRAYING ALWAYS

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

ALL PRAYER & SUPPLICATION

Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication (request, petition) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

IN THE SPIRIT

Romans 8:26

In the same way, The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

WATCHING THEREUNTO

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

ALL PERSEVERANCE

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

SUPPLICATIONS FOR ALL SAINTS

2 Thessalonians 1:11

To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith.

Ephesians 1:16-21

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, That The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of glory, may give unto you The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is The Hope of His Calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. 

    This last passage in Ephesians 1:16-21 is an ideal prayer to pray over all of God's lost sheep. Praying the Scriptures over our families and churches and everyone else is easier than you think. When praying for one person at a time, just use their name. When praying for multiple, I just use the group names: family unto the millennial generations, friends, acquaintances, strangers and enemies. For example, beginning in verse 16 the prayer could read, "I have not stopped praying for ______, remembering him or her in my prayers. That The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of glory, may give _______ The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him." 

    So what have I prayed for this person (or people) here? I'm praying for their salvation, that they would be rooted and grounded in The Word of God so steadfastly, that they would be immovable when push comes to shove in their relationship with Christ. 

    I am praying that this person (or people(, would understand what they are learning about God and Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. That they would know The Hope of His Calling (salvation and faith in The Name Jesus Christ) and the riches of His glory, His inheritance: 2 Timothy 1:9 "He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began."

    I am praying that this person (or people) would know the great power of God in sending His Son to die on the cross bearing the weight of every sin across His shoulders, in effect becoming sin and then, taking the punishment for the sins upon Him. Though He Himself had never sinned, He chose to take our punishing torturous death that we might have forgiveness and newness of Life Eternal in Him. 

    ~If the one reading this study is not saved, born again through faith in Christ Jesus, these prayers are being prayed over you. ~

    This is my weapon, wielded in the Love of God, which I have raised against all ungodliness, unrighteousness, unholiness, unloving, unmerciful, ungrateful, evil spirits who attack God's people and the people God is calling back to Him. Prayer like this takes hold of the throne of mercy and intercedes on these people's behalf for their salvation, them to be Spirit-filled, and joining we who believe on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, in the service of our God in His kingdom. 

    Let us pray together even now for every lost sheep to come home; for every saint to be resolved and resolute in taking a stand for Christ; for the love of God to be evident in our daily lives, that our witness of The Testimony might be believed by those whom we interact with. 

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:17

 

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation, 

and the sword of The Spirit, 

which is The Word of God. 

OUR HELMET

    I love hats. Anyone who knows me knows that about me. And while I do own a couple of straw sunhats, I love the floppy cloth ones, too. I like to decorate hats with lots of flowers and ribbons. I'll wear them anywhere, as long as I know the wind won't blow said hat off of my head. But this helmet of salvation is different. This helmet only leaves my head if I take it off. I'm not taking it off. Ever. 

    The helmet of salvation is knowledge of The Word of God. It is knowing Who God Is and Who God's Son is and Who God's Spirit is. We contemplate The Word of God with our thoughts and meditate on (pray over and think about) The Word of God with both our minds and our hearts at the same time. 

    Paul, in writing to the church in Thessalonia, a city in Macedonia, speaks of this helmet as being our hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8), wherein we have the head and heart knowledge of our salvation, yet we have not received what we now hope for. But we do believe that we have it, for it has been promised us. 

    Doubt is a fiery dart that can pierce a person's armor. If is a fiery dart that can pierce a person's armor. We need to be fully equipped and armed in order to repel the fiery darts which are thrown with deft speed in our direction. 1 Peter 1:3-5 reiterates the blessing of this hope:

3. Blessed be The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4. and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,

5. who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

    

OUR SWORD

    1 Thessalonians 3:17

And we continually thank God because, when you received The Word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, The Word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe. 

    John 1:1

In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God. 

    John 6:63

The Spirit gives Life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are Life. 

    Hebrews 4:12

For The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

    The Word of God proceeds from the mouth of God - Isaiah 55:11. The Spirit of God is the breath of God, the wind of God, the fire of God. He goes where God sends Him and He accomplishes God's purpose wherever He goes. - Jeremiah 1:12; Psalm 147:15; Acts 2:2, 3; Psalm 33:6; Job 33:4

    The Word of God is food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, life to the dying. 

- Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; John 7:39; Matthew 5:6; John 6:48

    The Word of God is in our hands when we take up our Bibles to open them, read the words within them and study this Word out with the help, the aid, of God's Holy Spirit. It is impossible to really know The Word without having The Spirit to lead and reveal Him to us. 

    The Word of God is written on our hearts when we believe in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God for our salvation. Jeremiah 31:33 & Hebrews 8:10

    The Word of God is heard in our ears when we hear the words being read or spoken to us. - Romans 10:17; Hebrews 4:2

    Those who have not The Holy Spirit of God filling their spiritual lives will find it impossible to hold onto, much less interpret correctly, The Word of God for themselves. They are an unholy and unrighteous people and The Word of God will be heavy in their hands, but not their hearts. Without the helmet attached firmly by their faith in Christ Jesus for their salvation, neither The Sword nor The Spirit will be given them until they claim Him for their own Savior. 

    And  we pray that all whom we pray for will believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord. And we pray for them to have and live Spirit-filled lives, that we may all rejoice together in our salvation when we all get to heaven to live eternally with Jesus and God and The Spirit. 

    

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:16

 

Ephesians 6:16

Above all, taking the shield of faith,

wherewith you shall be able to quench

 all the fiery darts of the wicked.

    Above all, meaning remember this first and foremost, prioritize your armor with this piece of equipment. Never leave the armory without it. 

    Faith in God is priority number one. And since we have faith in God, since we trust in Him for everything, we can also believe (have faith) in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, Who died on the cross for our sins, saving us from the punishments of death, hell, the grave and eternal damnation in the lake of fire. We who have believed on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation have a better reward waiting for us in heaven. 

    This Faith is paramount to our success in the spiritual realm of warfare. It is believing that God not only hears our prayers, but is right here beside us. As He tells us in His Word, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." 

~Moses speaking to the Israelites: Deuteronomy 31:6

~The Lord speaking to Joshua: Joshua 1:5

~God's promise of deliverance and salvation spoken through Isaiah to the Israelites: Isaiah 41:10

~Paul writing to the Hebrews, the Jewish nation who were exiled to Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (cf. 2 Peter 3:15 and 1 Peter 1:1-2) 

    Because The Word of God is Alive, Living, we know that It is also thriving and spreading throughout the world even now, accomplishing It's goal of being brought to every nation, culture, and, specifically language: 'Til The Whole World Hears. 

    We take up our shield of faith with our hands in prayer and feet on the ground, and we spread the gospel message in every land. First within our own homes, then our neighborhoods, then our communities, then our towns, our cities, our counties, our states, our countries, our nations. 

    We take our shield of faith into our churches, our schools, our governments, our workplaces. Onward with the goal of upward, we mobilize our forces with the confidence that the perfect will of God will be accomplished by God through us. 

    We do not take up weapons of warfare in the physical sense, which would maim and kill the body, condemning the lost souls to hell. For we are learning to use our spiritual weapons, weapons not made by hands, but by The Word of God. Weapons that overcome the enemies of the souls we are praying for.  "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31. That's faith. 

    Our shield of faith is The Lord Jesus Christ ~ Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is My Strength and My Shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song." Proverbs 30:5 "Every Word of God is flawless; He is a Shield to those who take refuge in Him." Psalm 18:2 "The LORD is My Rock, My Fortress, and My Deliverer. My God is My Rock, in Whom I take refuge, My Shield, and The Horn of My Salvation, My Stronghold." 

    How can we fail when we take The Lord Jesus Christ with us into every spiritual battle?! We can't. We can't fail. When He is with us, we know that we have already defeated the enemy in battle, and we rejoice in the victory that is ours. 

    Come, join me in taking up our shields of faith. Let us enter the fields of spiritual warfare in which our God has placed us, that we may reap a harvest of souls for His glory, His honor, His praise!

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:15

 Ephesians 6:15

And your feet shod with the preparation

 of the gospel of peace; 

    This item of armor is more than what covers our feet: it laces all the way up the calf, just like the ancient Roman soldiers wore. Everywhere he looked he could clearly see how a Roman soldier was dressed. So this is how The Spirit led him to define our Christian armor. 

    Paul was surrounded by Roman soldiers at all times, though he could move somewhat freely, as his feet were chained, but his hands were perhaps, left somewhat unfettered, leaving him able to write all these lovely letters to the churches in the cities in which he had preached the gospel of peace, the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

    (Had he not been in chains, Paul still would not have run away. He had appealed to Caesar for his release, and to Caesar he must go: voluntarily. Yet, because he had been arrested for speaking The Name of Jesus Christ, and refusing to stop speaking salvation through Christ's Name, his arrest was inevitable.)

    Now we have here the preparation of the gospel of peace. Before we can even step out into spiritual warfare in the upper realms, we must needs have our feet and legs wrapped in impenetrable footwear. For it is our feet and legs which stabilize our balance and make it possible for us to move from one place to another. An unbalanced spiritual warrior will fail and fall. 

    Therefore we must place the preparation on our feet and lace our sandals all the way up to our knees, even covering the knee caps. We've seen enough action movies to know that if the knee gets shot out, the one being shot goes down and scrambles to remain upright and in motion. How do we do that? 

    We must be ready at all times to move swiftly when the need arises. And we must also be ready to take a stand for the gospel and not back down. Proper footwear is to be ready to give an answer for what we believe. It is to have the knowledge of The Word of Wisdom which makes it possible for us not only stand our ground, but withstand the oncoming assaults in spiritual warfare. We cannot run away from the battle we have either instigated, or joined in with. 

BE READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER

    1 Peter 3:15

But sanctify The Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of The Hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

WALK WORTHY

    Colossians 1:10

That you might walk worthy of The Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the Knowledge of God.

STAND FIRM

    1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.

WITHSTAND 

    Psalm 31:24

Be strong and courageous, all you who Hope in The LORD. 

WALK IN THE SPIRIT

    Galatians 5:25

If we live in The Spirit, let us also walk in The Spirit.

RUN TO THE BATTLE

    2 Samuel 22:30

For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

RUN FOR THE REWARD

    1 Corinthians 9:24, 25

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. 

    Preparation implies a need for readiness. The first step to readiness is our own salvation. Are you saved? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord? And if you do believe, are you listening to The Holy Spirit, Who is trying to teach you the holy way of righteous living which God has prepared for you to live? 

    And if you have these first two items in your quiver, are you also serving The Lord with Joy in your hearts? We should not be proud to be serving God, we should be rejoicing that God chose us to serve Him. We should be thankful and watchful at all times, ready to repel the darts of pridefulness, status, envy, jealousy which attempt to shoot through our armor. These things can knock us down in spiritual warfare. 

    Are you filled with the Knowledge of God's Holy Word on a daily basis? Even if you don't have the whole Bible at your fingertips, you can still hear from God every day, if you can only learn to distinguish His Voice from the devil's voice. The devil wants to destroy us. God wants to save us. The devil speaks lies. God speaks Truth. The devil hates us for many reasons, namely because he is jealous of how much God loves us. God loves because He love. 

    Get ready to stand. run forward, walk uprightly and speak The Word of Life! 

    

    

    

     

     

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:14b - Breastplate of Righteousness

 

Ephesians 6:14

Stand therefore, 

having your loins girt about with truth, 

and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

    The breastplate is the part of the armor that covers our chest area; both the left side and the right side. Our upper back is also covered. The righteousness of Christ covers us completely, especially our heart. 

    Isaiah 59:1-15 tells us how sin separates us from God, and how no one was found to intercede on our behalf, so God sent Himself to intercede for us. Isaiah 59:16-18 tells us how God will do this. 

    Verse 16: His own arm brought salvation and His own righteousness sustained Him (Isaiah 51:5)

Verse 17: He put on righteousness like a breastplate (2 Corinthians 6:7) and the helmet of salvation on His head (Psalm 140:7). He put on garments of vengeance (Revelation 19:13) and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal (Titus 2:14).

    Verse 18: He will repay each one according to their deeds (Revelation 22:12): 

        *Fury to His enemies: Deuteronomy 32:41-43 & Revelation 20:7-15

        *Retribution to His foes: Romans 12:19 & Revelation 19:19-21

        *Recompense to the islands/coastlands: Isaiah 42:4 

    Isaiah 59:19-21 tells us that:

    Verse 19: The Redeemer will be driven by The Breath of The Lord (The Holy Spirit will be with Him). Ezekiel 36:27 & John 14:16, 17

    Verse 20: The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression. Romans 11:26 & Ezekiel 18:30

    Verse 21: The Redeemer will give us His Spirit and His Words will not depart from our mouths, nor from the mouths of our seed (those who believe The Word we have shared with/spoken to them). Deuteronomy 32:14

    Every piece of our armor is Jesus Christ. We are covered from head to toe in The Word of God. Who is there to fear now? No one. Where Jesus goes, we go. Yes, we follow His lead, but we also walk beside Him and under His flag we ride. 

    That Breastplate is neither made of iron or leather, but every stitch is The Word. By faith in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ, the Breastplate is applied to us. To put on the armor is to believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. 

    He is our Breastplate. He not only lives in our hearts by faith, but covers our hearts with His righteousness, His justification. It is the 'judicial approval of God' on His people. For we have been judged according to His Word and we have been found not guilty because the blood of God's Lamb has been applied to our sins and washed them away. Woo-hoo! Praise The LORD! We are free! 

    No longer does guilt and shame thrive in our hearts, tearing us down and binding us up in them; for Christ has come into our hearts, tearing down the strongholds that kept us bound and afraid. Delivering us from evil and giving us Himself. God's most Perfect and Good Gift which He promised to give anyone who believes in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. 

    This Gift is our Breastplate. The Lord Is My Righteousness and He covers me with Himself because I believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. 

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:14a - Gird Our Loins with Truth

 

Ephesians 6:14

Stand therefore, having your loins

girt about with truth, and 

having on the breastplate of righteousness.

    Stand ready, be prepared. Having our loins. Loins. What are the loins? And how do we gird them? Physically, the areas of the body from the waist to the hips externally, and the areas of reproduction internally. Spiritually, the mind is referred to as loins.

    When we gird our loins in this way, we are protecting our abilities and possibilities. A strong waist to hip stance makes it possible for us to stand without aids, makes it possible for us to bend but not break, makes it possible for us to walk upright. When we gird our loins internally, we are protecting our ability to procreate, to have children. 

    Yet, here again, we are addressing the spiritual armor which God has prepared for us to apply to our spiritual loins: our seat of spiritual integrity - our minds: how we think, how our minds are to work. 1 Peter 1:13 addresses this as such, "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober-minded (vigilant), and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Our thoughts need to be brought into readiness for action, as well as our waist-to-hips. 

     Truth is gird about our loins. The Truth of God's Word is wrapped around our physical loins and our spiritual loins. We don't just memorize Scripture, we live It. While some may tattoo Scriptures on their loin areas to remind themselves, this is not what that means. It is the way we live The Scriptures, The Word of God, that strengthens us and makes us ready to fight in spiritual warfare. 

    Not many Christians are able to successfully win in a spiritual battle. Battles take time, energy, perseverance, and a continual pushing back against an age-old enemy who wants our souls, and the souls of our descendants. It's why we need to secure our loins with The Word of Truth. Our minds and our hearts and our procreational activities need to be wrapped in Truth, belted in Truth. 

    And though we have failed God in our pasts, it is our present and future that is important now. With repentant hearts we came to God and He forgives the sins we had committed against Him back in the days when we not only refused to listen to Him, but did not even know Him like we thought we knew Him. 

    Now, we are filled daily with His Bread, The Truth of The Word of God. We speak this Truth into our minds and our hearts and over our bodies. We speak Truth into our children, over our children who are grown and have families of their own, over their generations and beyond. We pray The Truth over each of you and your families and friends.     

    We tighten the cinches of divine unity in The Spirit, leaving no room for divisions, or false doctrines to enter our circles of ministry, nor be found in ourselves. We are constantly on the alert to reject philosophical theories, which may sound nice but are, in fact, in total rejection to God's Word. We, the Warriors of The Word, tuck in our shirts and blouses, making us more efficient workers, removing that which would hinder us and slow us down. 

    The days and times are nearly finished before our Lord and Savior returns to bring us to the home He has prepared for us. Tighten your cinches, your belts. 

    

    

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:13

 
 

Ephesians 6:13

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. 

    Our whole armor is laid, piece by piece, on top of each other waiting for us to pick up our stack of armor, and carry it to our dressing place. When the young shepherd was given armor to put it on, it didn't fit. That's because that wasn't his stack of armor. We each have our own which God has prepared for us. And while each piece is significant in and of itself, one size does not fit all. 

    However, what we are focusing on today is why we must take up our armor, why this armor must be worn. First, we must be able to withstand in the evil day. And when that battle is finished, we must be able to stand. Two different agendas, two differing battles in the same fight.

    Withstanding means being able to repel the onslaught of evil which comes against us. Without the Authority of God's Word alive in us, we are not able to withstand any temptation which is aimed towards us. Once we not only lived in sin, but enjoyed it. Perhaps we recognized that it was wrong on an immoral or illegal level. But when we got saved, when we let Jesus into hearts and His Holy Spirit into our lives, we began what seemed an insurmountable task on our part: becoming God's holy people. 

    We learned through intense study and unwavering faith how to become a holy people, how to love with the love of God, how to live a righteous sin-repelling life. We are yet an imperfect in the sight of the Law, but we are complete in Christ. Therefore, we are made perfect in Him. But the devil will still try to drag us down, attacking us wherever he can. 

    We withstand the enemy by being filled with Gods' Holy Word and with God's Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us breath to speak The Word in rebuke to the tempter's voice. It helps to remember that he is a mere worm and a dead one at that, for we have stomped on his head. The Word of God is Strength for the weak, Savior for the lost, Mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. And sin is a stronghold on the flesh. 

    The days of evil are days of adversity, days of distress, days of trouble. These are days of testing, days of trials, days of discipline. These days of evil are days of learning to submit, to live obediently, to overcome through perseverance of faith in God. 

    [[Ecclesiastes 7:14; Proverbs 24:10; Psalm 27:5; Job 2:10; Proverbs 3:11, 12; James 1:2-4]]

    And when we have overcome temptation in the days of evil, the days of disobeying God's Word (just this once won't matter will it), the days of not thinking before speaking (it just slipped out), the days of putting God second, or even last (not seeking Him out first thing in our waking up) (nor seeking Him for guidance on every matter), we will need to stand. We need to be ready, be filled with The Word and with The Spirit, to defeat the evil days in which we live and are challenged by. 

    We may not actually hear the cunning, sssneaky voice of that wily ssserpent in our ears, but he wins the duels when someone cuts us off in traffic or conversation and we respond negatively. He wins when foul language rolls off our tongues. He wins the duels when we reach for a weapon that is not ours to use. Stop picking up armor that isn't yours; it doesn't fit. 

    We stand when we have won the duels. We stand when we have rebuked the enemy with The Word of God. We stand when we have overcome temptation. We stand when we set fire to the little foxes who have invaded our gardens and fields. We stand when we lay aside the heavy armor that does not fit and remain strengthened in The Wisdom of The Word as it applies to us in that day. 

    We stand when we bless those who not only come against us, but appear to be negative towards us. We stand when we continue to glorify God while we are being assaulted and killed for His Name's sake. We stand when we pray for God's blessings to be upon our enemies. We stand when we have the demeanor of a faithful servant of The Most High God. 

    Though not many will stand with us, though some may leave when the battle stretches on and seems to be neverending, we will stand. We will remain upright in the face of overwhelming odds. Why will we stand? Because we love our Father God and His beloved Son. And They stand with us. 

    

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:12

 

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and

blood, but against principalities, against

powers, against the rulers of the 

darkness of this world, against spiritual

wickedness in high places.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

    The Lord's people do not fight against anyone with weapons that can harm or kill one's opponents. Remember when Peter attacked the high priest's servant Malchus? He thought he was defending Jesus against being arrested. But Jesus told Peter to put his sword away; then he healed Malchus. ~John 18:10-11 & Luke 22:51~ 

    We do not retaliate against the people who have wronged us. We are to love them just like Christ loves us. We are to pray for them; not to bring divine judgement, but to bring divine mercy. It is this message of love and forgiveness which the sermon on the mount reveals to us. ~Matthew 5:21-26;38-48. 

    When we pray heaven's blessings onto the heads of our enemies, we enter the realm of darkness. We should only enter here knowing ahead of time who it is we are really fighting against. Not only our spiritual eyes need to be open, but our perspective needs to be changed in how we view our enemies. 

    For the enemy of our soul is directing the hearts of those who knowingly and unknowingly follow his lead. People who don't know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior yet, are a people living in darkness. They are bound in their sins just as surely as you and I were. Until someone prayed us out of the darkness that surrounded us and led us to The Light, Who then filled us and surrounded us with Himself. 

    The arena of darkness is the heart and the award is the soul. Whoever wins the battle, wins the soul. We pray against every evil thought in the hearts of our families, our friends, our acquaintances; in the hearts of the strangers among us and the enemies of our faith. 

    We pray the Peace of Christ for every heart. We pray the salvation of God for every heart. We pray the Joy of The Holy Spirit be known in every heart. 

    We pray forgiveness to replace bitterness, revenge, malice, murderous thoughts and intents, judgements. We pray contentment to replace envy and jealousy. We pray that the knowledge of the holy be sought after; praying against the strongholds of darkness laid out in Galatians 5:19-21. We pray Ephesians 3 into our families, friends, strangers, acquaintances, enemies. 

    We pray for ourselves: to maintain our walk in The Spirit, to keep ourselves grounded in The Word of God. We pray Galatians 5:22, 23 be our hearts and our minds. We pray 1 Corinthians 13 over ourselves. We pray to be faithful witnesses, carrying The Light of Christ into the darkest corners of the world, until Jesus returns or calls us home by way of the grave. 

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:11

 

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to stand 

against the wiles of the devil.

     The entire armor of God is Jesus Christ. The first layer is the robe of righteousness, our tunic. Once that is on we can don the rest of our armor. 

     Putting on The Armor of God is the one thing we must do for the rest of the Armor to be put on. Each of us, at some point in our lives, made the decision to believe in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. (and if you have not yet done so, we urge you to make a decision for Christ, for the time is short). 

     When we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, we enter into a covenant relationship with Him. He covers us, He fills us. 'In Him we live and move and have our being.' Acts 17:28a

     Romans 13:14 But you put on The Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

      Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on The Armor of Light. 

     We are a new creation in Christ, and as such, we have lain aside the 'deeds of darkness' and have put on The Armor of Light, for Christ is The Light, and we must carry that Light within us in order to see where we need to go. We never have to walk in darkness again. Though we go into the dark to reach those who are still in it, we do not walk in darkness because we have The Light to shine the pathway before us. 

     Our Tunic covers us like a wetsuit: it embraces every curve and skeletal structure, but leaves no room for excess. Why would we have need of excess in the flesh anyway, when we can have the abundance which Christ has promised us? John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

     When we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, the battle begins, for along with the rest of our Armor, targets are placed everywhere on us, which our enemy the devil tries to penetrate and knock us down. We must guard our hearts, guard our minds, guard our back, guard our feet, guard our tongue, guard our ears, and guard each other. 

     And now that we have our Tunic on, we can put on the rest of our Armor. Tomorrow we'll start that. 

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:10

 

 

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, my brethren,

be strong in The Lord, 

and in the power of His might.

    Finally. A last word before I sign off. Remember this. 

To my brethren: my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

    Be strong in The Lord. Not just be strong in and of yourselves, but IN THE LORD. How do we be strong in The Lord? 

• Declare our trust in Him - Psalm 28:7; Proverbs 3:5
• Admit He is our Strength, our Shield - Psalm 28:7; Deuteronomy 33:29
• Live according to The Spirit - 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:25; Isaiah 42:16

    And in the power of His might. What is the power of The Lord's might? The Holy Spirit of God. It is the active, moving Word of God crossing into and overcoming the thresholds of darkness in cultural warfare and occultism. This power overcomes tradition and ethnicity boundaries (that's how we've always done it). Especially when those boundaries worship a different god than God. 

    This living power of God breaks down the walls of occultism and declares war on the dark spirits who surround the men and women who are stuck in its trappings. We speak with the authority given us against: witchcraft, sorcery and divination. We pray deliverance for those who practice necromancy: communication with the dead. 

    We pray against the spirits who lead people such as mediums, seers and oracles, into divining the future through means other than the prophetic Word of God. And we pray against their manipulation of The Word of God, for that is how the serpent tricked Eve. He questioned God's Word (Did God really say that?) Genesis 3:1. 

    The power of His might is still moving, still active, still living, still going into the darkest recesses of men's and women's hearts and minds. He is reaching out to draw others out of the darkness of this world into "His marvelous Light" by speaking words of love, words of grace, words of mercy, words of peace in Christ through His people. Us. 

    

Warrior of The Word - Waging War

 

2 Corinthians 10:3

For though we live in the flesh, 

we do not wage war according to the flesh.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

    We wage war with our prayers and with our worship to The Living God, Who is The Creator of All Things, Who is The Father of The Only Begotten Son; Who is our heavenly Father, Whom we can approach freely and frequently through The Son Jesus Christ.

    We wage war on our knees, with our tears and our hearts. But we do not wage war alone. When we begin to pray earnestly, God hears the first urgent breath before the words are ever spoken, if there are words to speak.

    We wage war together, when we pray with each other and for each other. Even if we do not know one another in this life, in Christ we are known, for we are His body. From the cellular structure inside to the outer appearance, we are the body of Christ, and we all need prayer to continue the work which God has given to each one of us. 

    We wage war when we speak with the authority which Christ has within us, when we declare triumph over injury, over sickness, over death. We pray that The Lord God bind our winds, heal our diseases and raise our dead to the advancement of His kingdom and for His glory, honor and praise. 

    We wage war when we pray for those who are dying without first believing and knowing Him. We pray for our missionaries who are willing to go to foreign nations to share the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ; even sharing with those who hate them for speaking The Name of Jesus. 

    We wage war when we pray for our church leaders. We pray for them to be Holy Spirit filled men and women of God. We pray for them to lead faithful and faith-filled lives that they would continue to lead God's churches in the way He would have them to lead. Our churches do not need to be bigger: they need to be fuller, so full that they spill into the streets, the byways, the highways and the alleys. 

    We wage war against spiritual darkness. We pray against witchcraft. We pray against star-sun-moon worship. We pray against tarot. We pray against fortune telling, psychics and the all-seeing eye. We pray against vengeance and bitterness. We pray against lust on every level. We pray against prideful hearts. Whomever we are praying for specifically, we pray against whatever is taking them away from knowing and believing and living The Lord Jesus Christ.

    We pray against anything that is not of God and The Lord Jesus Christ with the full knowledge that we are entering the arena of darkness with a quiver full of Holy Spirit power (arrows) and Word of God knowledge (bow). 

    We do not wage war lightly, for war of any kind is fraught with danger. One little setback could become a retreat. But we will not retreat. We will pray. 

    Let us pray even now for The Spirit of The Living God to have His way in us and in the people we are praying for. 

Warrior of The Word - His Word on My Tongue

 

2 Samuel 23:2

The Spirit of The LORD spoke through me; 

His Word was on my tongue.

    What a sweet exercise in faithfulness to our God. Some of the last words of King David of Israel are here written for our benefit. Here he remembers where he came from, his journey to kingship, and his life's work: songs of praise to His God.

In verses 3 and 4 David describes the office of an anointed kingship:

    3. The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.

    4. He is like dawn's first light, like bright sun blazing on a cloudless morning, glistening on grassland that flourishes after a rain shower.'

These are the words of wisdom spoken by King David to his son Solomon as the crown is set upon Solomon's head. The sad words of warning came next.

    5. Although my house be not so with God; yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although He make it not to grow.

    King David knew that though not all in his household were living in righteousness, that he had an everlasting covenant with God. And though it was his desire to see his household have this same covenant relationship with God, he knew that just wasn't going to be possible, for some of his sons had already rebelled against his crown and authority. (2 Samuel 18;1 Kings 1:5)

    Would that our nation would have an anointed ruler over it, whose authority and rulership were a blessing and a glory to the land. We must pray for the leadership of our country, that it would have the courage to hear and obey The Word of God, trusting in God and following His direction, even if it appears foolish to everyone else.

    We pray for the salvation of our leadership, and the indwelling power of God's Holy Spirit to direct them in the way they should go.

    We pray for evidence of these two things in their lives, both personal and public. We pray that our leadership serve with honor and integrity, leading our country with grace and dignity.

    And we pray for their families, that they, too, would believe that Jesus Christ is Lord; that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved; that they choose to live a life of faith in God, serving and loving him with all their hearts.

And we pray for ourselves, to serve God in Truth and Mercy, living lives that honor Him and His Word in His Spirit. May we, too, be filled with gratitude for all that our God has done, and is doing, in us and in the people around and over us. 

Amen.