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The Christian Battle

There are few Christians who are unaware that the life of a Believer is often a struggle. So often we find ourselves in a fight against the power of the devil, who would seek to destroy us. With this in mind, Thomas Murray came to Listooder to deal with the topic of 'The Armour of God'.

In Ephesians 6:10, the apostle Paul challenges every believer to put on the armour that we may stand against the attack of the devil. Having described the people of God as 'soldiers' in this chapter, Paul urges Christians to prepare for battle.

This battle is against the poison of sin which is all around us. And despite the righteousness of Christ in our lives, the inner man still desires to follow after the 'sins of the flesh'. We live in a sinful world, a world which serves the devil, rather than God. We are not immune to sin, and so our minds become polluted by the thoughts which are placed before us. Thus our minds become a battle field between that which is of God, and that which is of the devil.

In calling believers to put on the whole armour of God, Paul is encouraging us not to place our strength and trust in ourselves, but in the mighty God of heaven. 'Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might' (verse 10).

We must realise that we, in ourselves, are no match for the devil. We cannot resist the temptation alone, nor can we challenge his influence in the dark world. But our God is mightier than the devil. Our all-seeing, all-knowing and all-present Heavenly Father has overcome the devil already. Therefore, it is vital that we call upon God for His help to defeat the devil in our lives.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

There are many believers who refuse to devote time to prayer, Bible study and Christian fellowship, yet wonder why they keep falling under the influence of the devil. But how can we expect to be able to stand against this temptation unless we first come to God for His strength, applying the armour of God.

Every day we must pray for His strength, plead for His protection and seek His wisdom as we step out into a world of sin. For it is only then that we can face the temptation of sin without fear of being overcome.

Notice that Paul reminds us to put on the 'whole' armour of God. It is not enough to pick and choose the areas of our lives which need protection. Many Christians have fallen into deep sin having believed that they were strong enough to resist a particular sin, and so never prayed for the wisdom of God in that area of life. It must be the whole armour, to seek God's full protection and follow His full commands to keep up on the true path, and experience the full blessing of God along the way.

Finally, Paul reminds us in the chapter, that 'having done all', having put on the armour, we must stand. We must stand firm for Christ, resisting the thoughts which the devil would try to place in our minds, and resisting the influence of sin in our lives. In doing so, we have the promise of God's precious Word that if we resist him, he WILL flee from us.