You must fight if you are to win

(By Rick Lambert)

(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 firm).

When it comes to resisting temptation, most of us don’t desire to yield to sin, but often find ourselves unprepared to truly resist, fight against the tempter and hold our ground.   The reality of spiritual warfare according to Ephesians 6:13 is that we are actually to prepare ourselves to engage the enemy in battle over our souls. 

The evil one, the tempter, the accuser, comes in full battle array and will through everything, and use anyone to bring about an all-out defeat, or a breakthrough that leads to a defeat.  He is vilely persistent.

Part of a Christian’s strategy is to flee, but that won’t do all the time.  Eventually, we will have to face the enemy, and in that day, armed with the spiritual armor, you will not only be ready, but you will win.  Trust the promises of our Lord, trust your protection and go forth to engage and conquer.   This is why we are ordered to “fight the good fight of faith.”  We are ordered to “resist the devil,” and is doing this, he will flee from battle.  He cannot defeat obedient Christians, though he fires countless false propaganda into our thinking that this is not the case.

The Word commands us to be sober (not disoriented), and watchful as ones who are planning to be engaged at any moment.  We are to be circumspect regarding how he may attack our emotions, seek hijack our will or capture our thoughts.  He is the one that lays the ambush of temptation that entices our lusts.  He longs to see his ally of sin triumphing in our actions, and the discouragement and evidence of death contaminate our miserable lives.

The word “withstand” means to set one’s self against the foe.  There is no easy way, though the way has been made easier.  We are free from the dominion of sin, which means the enemy has no more right or claim over us.  Not only are we free to fight, but we are commanded to so by the protector of our souls, and we are told we cannot lose.  An enemy who is in retreat is hardly the winner. 

It all comes down to our preparation.  The battle and our weapons are spiritual in nature, and that implies our preparation must be spiritual as well.  According to Ephesians 6:10, our strength is “in the Lord.”  We are to be strong in him!  He should be our consuming thought, the delight of our emotions and the standard to which we submit our will. 

Every day we guides us through the discipline of training in order to prepare us for the real battle.  And be assured, that if you find yourself facing the enemy, it’s because your commander in chief knows you are ready.  That almost appears to us as a trite thought, but it is designed to provoke our faith.  When you encounter that evil day, hold your ground!

Colossians 2:15 – He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.  This is what Jesus did to empower us to do the same.