Battleground - Defending Your Territory

Throughout this month I have been focused on destroyed the enemy – my bad habits! After destroying the enemy I must replace it good habits lest the bad habits return. The Christian’s spiritual life is no different. Once we rid ourselves of our spiritual bad habits it is imperative that we replace them with good ones that bring glory and honor to the Father in heaven. The Christian life should not be thought of as a playground because to do so would only invite the enemy in to play. The Christian life should be seen instead as a battleground, the Christian – the soldier, and the Christian life - as a battle. Who is the enemy that we battle? Satan and his helpers. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and against powers, and against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” Ephesians 6:12.

God provides us with the equipment we need to do battle successfully. It is called the armor of God and we find the description of this armor in Ephesians 6: 14-18:

“14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

Christians are in a battle every day. We cannot rest or the enemy may move into our territory. We cannot let down our guard. We must always “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We must deal with sin on a daily basis so we “do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27). The Christian must also put on the armor of God each and every day. What type of soldier would march into battle without his gear? These are the ways we battle our enemy. These are the way we defend our Christian faith.