Are You Ready for the Battle by Joseph L Parker

Ephesians 6:13 (Amplified) Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. 

As you prepare for the battle today expect resistance from your enemy, but remember the battle is the Lords and he will cause you to prevail.  The Lord has enabled you for this war, but are you ready? Just like you get dressed everyday to go to work, so too you must “dress” yourself in the armor that the Lord has given you.  It is a spiritual battle that we fight everyday and we must prepare ourselves so that we can stand against the wiles of the enemy.  Know that each piece of armor is custom made for every believer, the cost of this armor was the very life’s blood of our Savior, when worn it will protect and serve you well.

The Lord gave us armor to protect us from the enemy the helmet of salvation guards our lives.  Just like in the natural, the helmet protects the head from injury.  This piece of armor is given to us to help protect us against doctrinal error.   When we first learn about Christ and allow his truth to enter our minds it will touch our lives.  When we allow the love of Christ to influence us it will determine our future and the way we walk.  It will help us to deal with our soulish nature, enabling us to overcome our flesh.  

When we allow the very nature of Christ to envelop our minds it will change our very nature, build character, and give us confidence about who we are in him.  It will cause us to become balanced and stable, it will keep us from being moved by false teaching.  By allowing the word of God to fully consume us it will keep us and light the path our feet are to tread.  It will keep us from deception and will not allow us to be swayed in what we believe. 

Next put on the breastplate of righteousness, its main function is to protect and fortify your heart.  Covering it to ensure no damage occurs to this vital organ.  The enemy locks onto this target, with deadly fury he launches fiery arrows at this target. Therefore you must guard your heart and plant the word of God deep within to avoid becoming an easy “mark.”  The adversary has taken down countless souls with thoughts that have been planted in the mind and taken root in the heart.


Girding up your loins pertains to the loins of your mind, according to 1 Peter 1:13 (KJV) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober…If he can get you to think contrary to the word of God he can establish a stronghold.  This will cause your thinking to be out of line with what God says.  The word says in Luke 6:45: Out of a good man’s mouth will come the words of the goodness that is contained within his heart.  Out of an evil man’s mouth will he speak the evil treasure that is contained within his heart.  It goes on to say out of the mouth speaks the words that are within the heart.

Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, as you put these on you are protecting your life and letting Christ influence your behavior.  As you learn the word of God and are taught it you become more and more Christ-like.  This will manifest as the fruit of the spirit and will make you willing to sacrifice your own wants for the good of others, “laying down your life.”  Taking the gospel to those who are in need of salvation, doing the word of God and not just reading it, taking action.  Returning good for evil and showing love in all things, looking for every opportunity to be a blessing.

Next take up the shield of faith, the word says in Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  Speaking the word builds faith in your heart, when you meditate upon it day and night it will pour forth from your spirit.  This will quench the fiery darts of the enemy it will help you to be able to withstand the onslaught that he has planned for you.  Faith will enable you to believe that through Christ you can do all things and become the mighty conqueror that he has made you to be.

Finally the sword of the spirit or the word of God, our only offensive weapon, which we can use to slice right through the lies the enemy tries to feed us.  When we fill ourselves with the word no enemy can stand against us.  The word of God is a powerful, potent weapon and when wielded by a confident soldier will discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.  It will make us immovable and unshakeable in our faith.  As we become “master” swordsmen the Lord will be able to use us for his glory.  We need to follow Christ’s example using the written word to combat the temptations that the enemy tries to lay at our feet.

Our flesh is contrary to the desires of God and when the enemy tries to tell you that the rebellion in your mind can not be put down remember he is a liar, it can be done.  God says that it is not by our might or power but by his spirit.  Mastery can be gained over the strongman when our hearts dwell in the presence of the Lord.  We can walk in freedom over the flesh.  Now you are ready for the battle.