Onward Christian Soldiers

The Bible tells us that the devil roams to and fro on the earth, looking for who he can devour, or in other words who he can turn towards sin and destroy.

1 Peter 5:8 (CSB)
Be sober-minded, be alert.  Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 

The devil is crafty, he doesn’t turn up at your door dressed all in red with horns on his head, a pitchfork in his hand and a long tail, far from it, he is much more subtle than that.  He comes in the form of temptation!  He will look for weaknesses in the person he is going to attack, these could be lust, pornography, alcohol, drugs, a love of money or other idols which will ultimately take you away from God.  Often, getting hooked on any of the above will lead to depression, anger or an addiction.

Ephesians 6:11 (CSB)
Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.

The meaning of this scripture from Ephesians tells us to always be ready for battle with the devil, we are in fact protecting our very souls!

The whole armor, which can be found in Ephesians 6:11-18, refers to;

1. Belt of Truth (start your day by reading at least 10 minutes of the word of God and end your day in God’s word too).
2. Breastplate of Righteousness (If we live a right life, rooted in the word of God, we are protecting our hearts and winning the battle by defeating the devil).
3. Sandals, forming a firm foundation with the Gospel of Peace (as believers, knowing what Jesus has done for us, we can rest securely and have peace and joy in our hearts).
4. Shield of Faith (to remain steadfast in our God we need faith, we need to stand on the promises of God, which are found throughout the Bible with our reading of His word).
5. Helmet of Salvation (without the Holy Spirit within us, which we have through our salvation, the other pieces of armor aren’t much good.  Salvation = Victory).
6. Sword of the Spirit (the sword of the spirit is God’s word.  Jesus used scripture to have victory over the devil and we can do the same by following Jesus’ example.

James 4:7
Therefore, submit to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

It is also important to pray.  Prayer is very powerful, especially if you pray in the spirit (other tongues).  All prayer is a powerful weapon against the devil.  It is important to pray in the morning, throughout the day and last thing at night. 

 Prayer doesn’t have to be long-winded; it can be a quick, few sentences prayer.  The important thing is to pray.  We should thank God and praise Him when we pray.  The Bible constantly tells us to sing praises to the Lord our God, another powerful weapon against the enemy!

Psalm 113:3 (CSB)
From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of the Lord be praised.