Your position of battle is the Word of God

“How is it that you can be strong in the Lord and the power of His might” against the strategies and deceits of the devil according to Ephesians 6:10? You are told that this is possible by putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11). But what does this instruction mean? Have you noticed that it is entirely based on the Word of God?

The first instruction for putting on this armor is truth. What truth? The truth of knowing the Word of God. The truth of knowing who God created you to be as His child. You must know who you are and what you are equipped with. It’s all about knowing your righteousness which means you know that you are holy, forgiven, and just like Jesus. Because you are a child of God you are equipped with supernatural power, filled with His glory, out of satan’s kingdom, filled with divine fullness, possessor of the Holy Spirit Who strengthens you, abiding in Almighty God, made more than a conqueror, possessing the authority of the name of Jesus Christ. You are a force to be reckoned with!

Knowing God’s Word causes you to be well balanced to stand during any circumstance because you know the truth of the gospel of peace. You are steadfast and respond from the place of knowing that Jesus has restored your relationship to God Almighty. You are no longer separated from Him. Jesus made peace between you and God. He is your friend now. You have the privilege of coming boldly before Him without fear. In love He chose you, hand-picked you, to be His very own child! And if God is on your side, how can you possibly lose? On this truth God has established you and made you ready to walk out your life according to His good plans and purpose, grounded in Him, in relationship with Him.

Because you are established in these truths, you have confidence in the Lord, confidence in His equipping and caring for you. Part of this equipping is knowing that like any good parent, God wants you to be successful in life. For that success He has provided you with the measure of faith. This is important because the devil has come to kill, steal and destroy. Although Jesus brought him to nought and made him of no affect against a child of God, he still tries to plant seeds of doubt against everything God has said. He is actually after the seed of the Word that you are instructed to plant in your heart. Although the enemy is not powerful against you, because you have the immeasurable and unlimited power of God within you, he tries to make you doubt this reality, so he can steal all that God has provided to you. These are the fiery darts that come against you. The darts distract and try to intimidate you. Your shield of faith quenches these attacks against God’s truth. These fiery darts can actually strengthen your faith instead of dismantling it, because you believe what God has said. You are steadfast and balanced on the truth! Your faith becomes stronger as it is exercised. You are able to be steadfast in patience and endurance, able to perform and fully accomplish God’s will and thus receive and experience all that He has promised. This shield of faith helps you to experience what Jesus accomplished by the finished work of the cross.

Knowing God’s truth helps you to understand His gift of salvation. Salvation is the Greek word Sozo, and it is used over 100 times in the New Testament. It refers to the fact that Jesus has saved you and delivered you out of satan’s control and from the penalty of sin. It also refers to the fact that you are healed, made well, made whole and complete in Jesus, protected and provided for. It basically speaks about your well-being. Salvation helps you to understand God’s provision for you by the work of Jesus. You lack nothing in Him. When temptation or trial comes, you know by the Word that you have been blessed to withstand the circumstance.

God’s Word itself is referred to as your sword. Every time a contrary thought to God’s Word enters your mind, or a situation in the natural looks impossible, you have the Word of God to help you. What does He say about the matter? Remember things of this world are temporary and fleeting, but the Word of God is everlasting, alive and filled with power! Knowing His truth is a powerful weapon. Renewing your mind to it helps you know a truth that will empower you. Believing God’s Word, speaking it out loud, confirming it over your circumstance, helps you to resist the enemy, causing him to flee from you! You are taking a stand on what God has said about you and your situation.

Having consistent communication with the Lord is also essential. Jesus is an excellent example of relationship with the Father. The Gospels reveal that He was constantly turning to Him for strength. It is the same for each of us. You need strength to live victoriously in this world. And just like any relationship, the time you spend together provides an intimacy that is precious and life changing. Jesus came to reveal the Father so that you could experience this intimacy and know His character. All of this is grounded upon His Word.

In summary this may be said:

You withstand the enemy, his lies and deceits, his strategies and attacks, by being firm in faith. Since your faith is strengthened by his attack, his plot to weaken, destroy, distract you from God’s truth and cause you to doubt Him, backfires! Instead, you stand in the power of God and His supernatural equipping because you know that you are a child of God, with a mighty Father. His power rises up within you, right out of your spirit where you are one with Him; you are more firm, more established, more rooted, more determined, more immovable! Rivers of living water, that is the power of the Holy Spirit within you, God’s ability, efficiency and might, are being utilized by you. You are stronger and stronger in His power. The wicked one is no match for God and therefore, no match for you! You have been transferred out of satan’s kingdom and transferred into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ! You are positioned in Him where you are not moved, and you are victorious!

(Based on Ephesians 6:10-18)