Growing up we would go and visit my Grandparents in the state of Delaware. I would love to go down into the woods with my brothers and play capture the flag. We decided on forts in the woods, had our flags that had to be visible and accessible. Then we would strategize as to how we would sneak around the woods to capture the other teams flag. This would involve walking through the creek, swamp, over rocks, through thorns, and crawling in the mud. It was a lot of fun trying to out smart the “enemy.”
In our Christian life there is a real enemy that isn’t just trying to capture our flag he is trying to capture our soul. As we have been talking about this passage and working through v. 10 we learned to stand strong in the power of the Lord. However, as we move into v. 11 we learn a little more about our enemy. I have included here the Amplified version of v. 11 because it expounds the wording on the armor that the Lord provides.
Ephesians 6:11 (AMP)
11 Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
Notice that it states the “Heavy-armed soldier which God supplies.” There is the good news. God is not going to send us out into a battle unarmed. He will and does supply exactly what we need in order to carry out the orders that the Commander and Chief gives. He knows that we are battling a real enemy. He knows the devil’s strategies. He knows that he is crafty, tricky, he knows his methods, his strategies that he uses to wage war against us. God knows what the enemy will do to try and take our soul. When we played capture the flag we didn’t know what the other team was going to do, we tried to figure it out but we didn’t know for sure. I thank the Lord today that He knows what the enemy is going to do. Not only that, but He has given me the weapons needed to battle the enemy and if I call out to our Commander and listen to the orders and obey them I will have victory over the enemy.
I want to give you some of the strategies that the enemy uses that are in Scripture.
- He appeals to the lust of the eyes. Satan will see to it that something crosses our eyesight, something very appealing to the flesh and pride of life. Maybe some delicious food, an attractive person, a person who is exposing themselves, someone who has some possessions that you would like, maybe a position, someone with more authority or power. He will present something to the eyes that is so appealing that we are doomed unless we are clothed in the full armor of God. Satan will entice us to eat the second helping, take the second look buy the unneeded possession, begin to selfishly seek more power and more position. He will use all the strategies he can to appeal to our flesh and pride.
I would encourage you to take a moment to look up John 8:44; Romans 6:16; Romans 6:19; Ephesians 2:2-3; James 4:1-4; 1 John 2:15-16 between now and my next blog. These passages will help you as you think about the armor of God and the strategies of the devil. Next time we’ll look at some more strategies of the enemy. Until then put on the full armor of God and stand firm. Don’t let him capture your soul. I love all of you and can’t wait to hear about how God is sustaining you and the victory that you are having over the enemy.
Pastor Rob
