SPIRITUAL WARFARE - Armor of God - ”Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

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Spiritual 
Warfare

Armor of God Bible Study

Ephesians 6:10-18

by Jack Zavada 

The Armor of God, described by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18, is our spiritual defense against attacks by Satan.

But if you were to leave home every morning wearing a full suit of armor, you would feel pretty silly. Fortunately, that's not necessary.

Although invisible, the Armor of God is real, and when used properly and worn daily, it provides solid protection against the enemy's onslaught.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT)

”Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

None of these six pieces of armor require power on our part. Jesus Christ has already won our victory through his sacrificial death on the cross.

We only have to put on the effective armor he has given us.

Belt of Truth

The Belt of Truth is the first element of the Armor of God.

In the ancient world, a soldier's belt not only kept his armor in place but, if wide enough, protected his kidneys and other vital organs.

Just so, the truth protects us. Practically applied, you might say the Belt of Truth holds up our spiritual pants so that we're not exposed and vulnerable.

Jesus Christ called Satan the "father of lies." Deception is one of the enemy's oldest tactics.

We can see through Satan's lies by holding them against the truth of the Bible. The Bible helps us defeat the lies of materialism, money, power, and pleasure as the most important things in life.

Thus, the truth of God's Word shines its light of integrity into our lives and holds together all of our spiritual defenses.

Jesus told us "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6, NIV)

Breastplate of Righteousness

The Breastplate of Righteousness guards our heart. A wound to the chest can be fatal. That's why ancient soldiers wore a breastplate covering their heart and lungs.

Our heart is susceptible to the wickedness of this world, but our protection is the righteousness that comes from Jesus Christ.

We cannot become righteous through our own good works. When Jesus died on the cross, his righteousness was credited to all who believe in him, through justification.

God sees us as sinless because of what His Son did for us. Accept your Christ-given righteousness; Let it cover and protect you. Remember that it can keep your heart strong and pure for God:

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (Proverbs 4:23, NLT)  

Gospel of Peace

Ephesians 6:15 talks about fitting our feet with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace.

The terrain was rocky in the ancient world, requiring sturdy, protective footwear. On a battlefield or near a fort, the enemy might scatter barbed spikes or sharp stones to slow an army down.

In the same way, Satan scatters traps for us as we're trying to spread the gospel. The Gospel of Peace is our protection, reminding us that it is by grace that souls are saved.

We can sidestep Satan's obstacles when we remember "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

Fitting our feet with the readiness of the Gospel of Peace is described in 1 Peter 3:15 like this: "... always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear ..." (NIV)

Sharing the gospel of salvation ultimately brings peace between God and men (Romans 5:1).

Shield of Faith

No defensive armor was as important as the shield. It fended off arrows, spears, and swords.

Our Shield of Faith guards us against one of Satan's deadliest weapons: doubt. Satan shoots doubt at us when God does not act immediately or visibly.

But our faith in God's trustworthiness comes from the unassailable truth of the Bible.

We know our Father can be counted on. Our Shield of Faith sends Satan's flaming arrows of doubt glancing harmlessly to the side.

We keep our shield held high, confident in the knowledge that God provides, God protects, and God is faithful to his children.

Our shield holds because of the One our faith is in, Jesus Christ.

Helmet of Salvation

The Helmet of Salvation protects the head, where all thought and knowledge reside.

Jesus Christ said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32, NIV)

The truth of salvation through Christ does indeed set us free. We are free from vain searching, free from the meaningless temptations of this world, and free from the condemnation of sin.

Those who reject God's plan of salvation battle Satan unprotected and suffer the fatal blow of hell.

1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that believers "have the mind of Christ."

Even more interesting, 2 Corinthians 10:5 explains that those who are in Christ have divine power to "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (NIV)

The Helmet of Salvation to protect our thoughts and minds is a crucial piece of armor. We cannot survive without it.

Sword of the Spirit

The Sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the Armor of God with which we can strike against Satan.

This weapon represents the Word of God, the Bible: "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)

When Jesus Christ was tempted in the desert by Satan, he countered with the truth of Scripture, setting an example for us.

Satan's tactics have not changed, so the Sword of the Spirit is still our best defense.

The Power of Prayer

Finally, Paul adds the Power of Prayer to the Armor of God: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." (Ephesians 6:18, NIV)

Every smart soldier knows they must keep the lines of communication open to their Commander. God has orders for us, through his Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Satan hates it when we pray. He knows prayer strengthens us and keeps us alert to his deception.

Paul cautions us to pray for others as well. With the Armor of God and gift of Prayer, we can be ready for whatever the Enemy throws at us.

Jack Zavada

Created and manages and blogs at Inspiration-For-Singles.com

Published several books about Christian lifestyle topics

Contributes to numerous self-growth and Christian-based websites

Former newspaper reporter, technical editor, and public relations director

Experience

Jack Zavada is a Christianity writer. Jack began his 45-year career as a police and government newspaper reporter and Associated Press wire editor. He later served as a technical editor at the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL). Other positions held include being a publications editor and a communications director.

As a writer, Jack focuses his work into three genres, Christian lifestyles, self-help, and western fiction. H contributes to several Christian-focused websites including Bible-Reflections.net, SelfGrowth.com, LivingWordBaptist.net, JustMeCatholicFaith.com, and WZAKClevland.com. Jack created, manages and blogs at his website Inspiration-For-Singles.com. The site also serves as a platform for marketing his self-help eBooks. He also writes and publishes western fiction under the pen name of Calder Boone.

Education

Jack Zavada earned a Master Arts (M.A.) in English Composition and a Bachelor Science (B.S.) in English literature, both from Illinois State University.

Awards and Publications

Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges (Pine Cone Press, 1st edition, 2017)

Outsmarting Loneliness (Pine Cone Press, 2012)

Learn Religions and Dotdash

Our mission at Learn Religions is to help you explore the practices of your own faith, understand your neighbor’s beliefs, and familiarize yourself with the world’s major religions — regardless of your own spiritual background.

Learn Religions is part of the Dotdash family.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication.

https://www.learnreligions.com/the-armor-of-god-701508

A SPIRITUAL WAR IS RAGING – Many Christians are virtually asleep while a battle rages all around them. They go to church, send their kids to school, and come home and watch TV or whatever they like to do — all seemingly oblivious to a shocking and destructive war that is capturing many of their kids and grandkids for the enemy and is destroying the culture. Many Christians support the “war” effort abroad through their church’s mission fund or by personally supporting missionaries. Many Christians seem to think the battle is only overseas — but the battle is everywhere. Every Christian must understand they are all soldiers in a battle — and they all need to be at the front line and equipped to engage the enemy, who is set to drag them down and capture the coming generations of children.

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A Spiritual War Is Raging

by Ken Ham 

Ken challenges the church to recognize and get equipped for the raging spiritual war.

Students in grades 7–12 can visit with representatives from Christian institutions across the country who hold to biblical authority and young-earth creation. Register now for this free event! Find Out More.

A friend of ours, knowing that Mally and I enjoy watching detective programs on TV, sent us an intriguing DVD series set in World War II.

As we watched the programs, I thought about what is happening today in the church.

You see, while soldiers were at the battlefront overseas in WWII, people back home in England were by and large going about their daily business.

The British people definitely knew a war was going on, but they were quite oblivious to much of what was happening where the battles were raging.

When soldiers came home, some with horrific wounds and startling stories, it was clear that the general population really did not know what terrible things were happening on the front lines.

Asleep During a War?

The series made me think of the church today. Why?

I must admit that sometimes I wonder if the average churchgoer really understands that there is a spiritual war raging around him — in his home, church, school — well, everywhere!

The New Testament contains a lot of war terminology. I was particularly reminded of this passage in Ephesians:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

And then this instruction follows to make sure Christians are equipped for the battle:

“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.

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:13–17)

It seems to me that many Christians are virtually asleep while a battle rages all around them.

They go to church, send their kids to school, and come home and watch TV or whatever they like to do — all seemingly oblivious to a shocking and destructive war that is capturing many of their kids and grandkids for the enemy and is destroying the culture.

Many Christians support the “war” effort abroad through their church’s mission fund or by personally supporting missionaries.

Many Christians seem to think the battle is only overseas — but the battle is everywhere.

I am burdened by the thought that every Christian must understand they are all soldiers in a battle — and they all need to be at the front line and equipped to engage the enemy, who is set to drag them down and capture the coming generations of children.

As you know, statistics show the enemy is winning a battle in our churches.

The majority of our young people are walking away from the church by the time they reach college age.

Secularism is on the rise in America, while around 4,000 churches close their doors in this country each year.

And atheists are becoming more aggressive as soldiers for the enemy, out to capture the hearts and minds of children. The casualties are huge.

We Are Here to Equip Believers in This War

AIG EQUIPS BELIEVERS WITH THE “WEAPONS” THEY NEED SO THEY CAN PUT ON THE “WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD” AND BE INVOLVED IN THIS SPIRITUAL WAR.

Through the ministry of AiG (the Creation Museum and all the outreaches of the ministry), we do our best to “fire up” Christians in this battle. AiG also equips believers with the “weapons” they need so they can put on the “whole armor of God” and be involved in this spiritual war that is raging around us more than ever.

I suggest that the battle lines are in our homes, churches, Sunday schools, VBS programs, Easter pageants, Christmas pageants, schools (whether public or private), workplaces, courts — in fact, everywhere in the culture.

I believe AiG is a leading supplier of the most advanced “weaponry” designed to counter the enemy’s attacks in this era (e.g., books, DVDs, curricula, websites, the Creation Museum, the coming Ark Encounter, radio programs, and so on).

We work hard to stay on top of the news and trends to provide key information of what is needed for the latest “counter attacks” of the enemy.

It’s hard work, so we greatly appreciate the many prayers and financial gifts of our supporters and friends. It’s costly and time consuming — but what price can one put on a soul in regard to eternity?

I praise God for the advances that many believers are making on various battlefronts as a result of the Lord using AiG to be a part of equipping them for this war.

We are thrilled that despite the lethargy of many Christians, God has an army of people that is becoming more and more engaged in the battle — and we are raising up “soldiers” to teach and equip their children.

Lives Are Changed by the Truth of God’s Word

We will never know how many people this ministry has been blessed to impact until we get to heaven. But here are excerpts from three testimonies we recently received:

I wanted to thank AIG from the bottom of my heart for opening my eyes to my terrible sin of compromising the Word of God.

Without even realizing it, I had let atheistic, secular views alter my perception of Scripture.

After watching a video of Ken Ham’s talk on biblical authority, I cried and got down on my knees to pray for forgiveness from the Lord.

I have a 6 month old son . . . . I’ve realized that the most important thing I can do with my life is to raise godly offspring to influence the world for Jesus Christ.

Your website and resources give me inspiration daily and I thank God for leading me to your blessed ministry.

Because of what I have learned through AiG, it has changed my relationship with God and with people.

 I am able to help others that are in my life to understand the truth of God’s Word and to stand on the foundations found in Genesis. Because of your work I have learned the truth about God and myself.

I have a family member going through a really hard time right now and because I understand God’s authority and His Word much better now, I am able to help her to stand on God’s Word . .  . . She is beginning to see that God loves her and that He wants more for her.

And then this testimony refers to an event 21 years ago, but we just received it:

Dear Andrew Snelling [Dr. Snelling heads up AiG’s research department] . . . I was encouraged by my wife to come to church.

I was not a Christian at the time, but she was. You were the guest speaker. It was in . . . about 1992, I think. Your presentation and the material I purchased convinced me that I could trust the Bible from the first word.

Shortly afterwards I confessed my sin, accepted Jesus as my Savior and His forgiveness. Your presentation started my way to becoming a Christian.

Thank you . . . . I now teach Scripture in schools and use creation materials to help. It is amazing how most of the kid’s questions can be answered from Genesis.

I love to hear these testimonies from people who are using AiG “weapons” and have become active in this war — battling on the front lines for the hearts and minds of people.

I trust you are as burdened as I am concerning the state of the church in America and the great need to reach people with the truth of God’s Word — especially its life-changing gospel message.

The CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, and the highly acclaimed Creation Museum, and the world-renowned Ark Encounter, Ken Ham is one of the most in-demand Christian speakers in North America. 

Ken is the author of many books on Genesis, including the eye-opening book Already Gone, coauthored by renowned researcher Britt Beemer, on why so many young people have left the church; the best-selling The Lie: Evolution, and a number of children’s books (Dinosaurs of Eden, D is for Dinosaur, A is for Adam, and so on). Other recent coauthored books include One Race, One Blood and How Could a Loving God …?, and the provocative book Already Compromised about Christian colleges and how they treat the authority of the Bible. As the Noah’s Ark replica opened, Ken coauthored the book A Flood of Evidence. In 2018, Ken released Gospel Reset, a book designed to help Christians evangelize more effectively in an increasingly secularized world. About 300,000 complimentary copies of Gospel Reset were mailed to all churches in the US and other English-speaking nations in September 2018.

https://answersingenesis.org/apologetics/a-spiritual-war-is-raging/