Strengthened For Battle

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Ancient soldiers knew well how to use their armor to protect themselves in battle. The helmet, the breastplate, the shield, and the sword were common pieces of equipment that would save them under attack. Today as believers, we need to employ spiritual armor to guard against the attacks from our enemy, the Devil, who is like a prowling lion looking for anyone to devour.

Our young children today under the age of 18 spend over 40 hours each week in front of digital screens where predators actively use the web to lure kids into engagement and harm. One report described a 40-year-old man posing as an teen aged girl in an attempt to get kids to send pictures of themselves. Gaming platforms and social media hangouts are where young people want to go for fun and seem innocent, but they can be pits where they are approached in order to gain their trust and lure them.

But this is nothing new. Satan schemes to attacks us and use any means possible to destroy our relationship with God. In the Bible he caused wind and fire storms, incited terrorist attacks, inflicted diseases, caused men to betray their closest friends, and even led men to be killed. Why would we be surprised that he would use the internet to inflict harm on your family? We are warned to be prepared and to fight him using spiritual weapons.

You need to use the armor of God, provided by His Spirit, to defend yourself. The Bible is like a mighty sword where the power of truth will extinguish lies and emotional stresses that can often drag you down into doubt and despair. Feeding your mind daily on God's Word and memorizing verses is like having a bullet-proof vest and will give you clear thoughts from Him that you can hold on to when you are experiencing struggles.

Calling on other brothers and sisters in Christ when you are heading down a path of deception and depression will allow you to join together and be reminded of what God has said and how He is at work. The Apostle James tells us to resist the devil and he will flee. Standing firm, reminding yourself of God's truth that you have stored in your heart, and praying for one another is how we get through dark times that want to strangle us and help us to hold on to His peace.