Point 6 – The weapons of our warfare 1 - 2nd Corinthians 10:3-4

As in any war, there are weapons and strategies to be considered if you desire to win. A wise soldier determines how to defend himself and his position to be sheltered or be able to escape the enemies attack. And he needs to understand his weapons to maximize his effectiveness. Thankfully God has provided His wisdom in regards to our defensive positioning as well as a few weapons. Let's look at a few of them that are essential to us in overcoming the enemy and wining our wars.

Spiritual discernment is the ability to vet interactions and content. It arrests our attention to spiritual activity and the need to distinguish between truth, error and deception. This includes the atmosphere, what we hear, read and view. It’s an inner sense that alerts, warns, leads and arrests our attention to the need to vet something accordingly. This is not the gift of discerning of spirits, we will look at that later.

Spiritual discernment is developed through prayer. Prayer causes us to be more sensitive to spiritual things. By setting yourself apart, quitting your environment, you fine tune your spiritual listening ear. And certainly, prayer causes us to be sensitive to the Spirit of God’s leading and promptings as well. Spiritual discernment is developed by reading, studying God’s word and applying it to our lives. This causes us to grow spiritually and naturally. The end result is our growth in spiritual discernment.

Our spirits will bare witness to truth as it relates to God’s word. When authenticity and sincerity is present with truth, our hearts will bare witness affirming it. This is because we have the Spirit of God living in our spirits. And He is the Spirit of truth John 14:17. When you hear something, does your spirit affirm it or is there a hesitation on the inside of you? When there is truth being ministered, your inner spirit will bare witness to it affirming it, giving you a green light. This provides safety in this war because there is a lot being ministered out there. And not all of it is truth. Your heart baring witness to truth is an essential defensive weapon in this war because it affirms or warns you accordingly.

Often when we are viewing something, listening to something, or you believe that you are in the company of a spiritual being, our inner spirits may perk up. It’s similar to the comic book character spider man. He would often say: “my spidey senses are tingling”. When this occurs, there is something that we need to test or try. We need to qualify weather it’s from God of not. This is a defensive weapon that can keeps us safe from deception and error.

We do this by ling it up with God’s word 2^nd Corinthians 10:5. Here again is where our knowledge of God’s word is essential to the war. If you don’t know what God’s word says about something you hear or view, you may receive it because it sounds good, appeals to your flesh or sensibilities, or because everybody else believes it. These are NOT good reason to follow or accept something. The end results can be devastating Matthew 7:13-14 / Matthew 15:10- 14. Therefore, we are to test or try the spirits by the word of God. We do this by lining it up with God’s word. You want to be a Beran: Acts 17:11.

Try the spirits; vet everything by God’s word. This is a wartime weapon that keeps you safe.

As mentioned before, our senses are gateways into our souls. Our soul houses our intellect and minds. Our soul is the toggle point between our bodies and our spirits. Whatever we allow into our souls can influence and impact our beliefs, perspectives and behavior. We are living in an information age. There is so much content available. The enemy understands this and presents their evil content everywhere they can. It becomes our responsibility to guard our minds by disciplining what content we allow into our souls. Remember Lot 2^nd Peter 2:8. If you desire to win this battle, you’ve got to guard what enters your soul. We do this by disciplining what we allow into our minds.

Spiritual leadership is not mentioned in most spiritual warfare teachings. This is because we often minimize the need and effectiveness of Godly mentors and council and don’t connect it to spiritual warfare. However, the enemy understands it. And that’s why many cults and deceptive religions try to isolate people from others and even their families. As believers, we absolutely need them in our lives. It keeps us safe in the event that we are being led away by a spiritual wile, deception, device or gravity to incorrect teachings. Godly leadership can step in to advise and provide leadership.

It’s a defensive weapon that defends us from making bad choices, or being led astray. Often, we can’t see the forest because we’re deep in it being surrounded by the trees of our own personal reasoning and justifications. Yet, a seasoned, mature believer has a much clearer view of things from their position outside looking in. And they are driven by their love for you and your growth. You need Godly, sound spiritual leadership in your life. It keeps us safe from ourselves and the enemy’s schemes in this war.

The apostle Paul was familiar with the Roman army’s weaponry and tactics. He often used them metaphorically to illustrate spiritual truths. This is what we find in this text. He uses military armor to metaphorically describes the armor of God. They are understood in the light of warfare and are to be applied and used to assist us in this war. As we look at them individually, consider how they function and are applied to our lives. They are spiritual weapons that we must learn, put on and live out in our lives ourselves. There is no need or use of an armor bearer in this New Testament dispensation.  No one can put God’s armor on you; you must put it on and grow in it yourself. Without it, we lose. With it, we grow, overcome the enemy and win the wars that we face personally and as a body.

The girdle is a belt like structure that has material attached to it that protects the loin’s area and it attached to straps around the thighs to secure it. It is used to attach, and secure other parts of the armor in preparation for war. We are to use truth as our girdle to anchor, secure and attach our armor to. Truth is what holds the armor in place. Without truth, your armor will have gaps that present unprotected targets to be attacked, hindering you in warfare and lessening your armors effectiveness. Keep in might, our salvation and the truth of the gospel is anchored in God’s word, and our knowledge of Jesus Christ and what He has achieved for us 1^st Peter 1:13. By anchoring our armor in Him and the truth of God’s word, we stabilize the remaining parts of our armor. This positions us to overcome the enemy and win. Be an ever learning agent; always looking to learn more. 1^st Timothy 4:13-16 The truth of His word will secure the remaining part of your armor and empower you to win this war.

The breastplate of righteousness keeps our hearts right before God and impacts our relationship with Him. When our hearts are convicted of sin, we should quickly run to God for forgiveness. 1^st John 1 You don’t want to harbor sin. It impacts your relationship with God, hardens your heart and causes it to become less sensitive to Him. You don’t want your position with God compromised in this war. And the breastplate of righteousness is associated with what we allow into our hearts. God’s righteousness should lead and guards what we allow into our hearts. You don’t want your heart fixated on the world. It becomes easy to lure you away from God, exposing your position.  This is why we should love God more than we love this world 1^st John 2:15-17.  The breastplate of righteousness protects our heart by warning us if there is something that’s luring us, trying to occupy God’s place in our hearts. This helps to keep you from developing worldly strongholds. John 14:30. 

By doing so, we help protect ourselves from the enemies lures. 1st Thessalonians 5:6-9 We are better positioned to win when our hearts are guarded and anchored in our love for God.

To shod means to put on shoes or sandals in order to advance and conquer. Romans 10:15. This term intimates the preparedness to extend the gospel to expand God's kingdom. 1st Peter 3:15 The gospel of peace is the message of salvation through Christ that brings peace with God. Romans 5:1 As solders, we should always be prepared to extend the gospel of Jesus Christ to advance God's kingdom in the hearts of people. We want to win that soul to God Proverbs 11:30. Never be reluctant or ashamed to share the gospel Romans 1:16.  Someone needs to know the answers to their issues and problems. This is a part of the ministry of reconciliation 2^nd Corinthians 5:17-20.

The shield is an elongated protective object meant to minimize the attacks of the enemy. Notice that it quenches the fiery darts. This alludes to the fact that some things will hit your life. It’s in these moment when the enemy attempts to discourage you trying to get you to give up the faith. Yet, your faith can quench that attack and hold you up through it.

Don’t base your faith in your strengths, but in God’s word and His ability to empower you through it. It’s about your faith and trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5–8. Remember, your faith is anchored in the word of the great I Am, Who is more able.

Although the solders needed to protect their natural heads, this also is speaking about the mind. It needs to be protected as well. As we mentioned before, it is a major field of warfare. There are some things we need to have settled in our hearts and minds. We need not be vacillating or unsure about our salvation. Study God’s word and gain an assurance of His salvation and heart. 1st John 5:13 / Romans 14:5 And certainly, the helmet of salvation helps us when the enemy presents his schemes, concepts and wiles to shake our faith. When bombarded with error or deception, you could be unmoved or dislodged. Notice Paul’s warning about this 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-2. The helmet of salvation secures our head space concerning our faith, giving us protection, soundness of mind and stability. 2^nd Timothy 1:7

The term word is used in different ways in the bible. In John 1:1 the term word used there is Logos. It is referring to divinity or deity. It is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ as a part of deity. While in Ephesians 6:17 the term word is Rhema, which means the spoken word of God. Often Christians refer to the bible as their sword. No, it’s your bible. It only becomes a sword when spoken out of your mouth. When looking at the temptation of Jesus, the spoken word was His primary weapon. It is a formable weapon when used correctly. We use this weapon by speaking God’s word. Psalm 149:6-9 

Our primary offensive weapon is the sharpest of all blades, which cannot be dulled by time and usage. Hebrews 4:12.

The wielding of this powerful sword not only defeats the foe but strengthens and builds faith when declared. Speak the word over your family, friends and circumstances. Boldly declare what God says. Believe it, trust Him and see the salvation of the Lord. The spoken word of God is a formable weapon of attack that the enemy cannot withstand or overcome, we win.

As we've reviewed, each of the six pieces of the armor of God it is clear how it is designed to help us maintain our position, attack the enemy and win this war. Notice that it is the armor of God, not man. God created it not man. He created it for our use to overcome and win our battles of war. As with anything with God, the more we study His word and pray, the more effective we will become.  

It’s the Holy Spirit who warns us when spiritual warfare is in play. It is the Holy Spirit who leads and guides into all truth when the enemy presents error and deception. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live according to God’s word and standards when the enemy attempts to lure us from God. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to put on the armor of God. Without the Holy Spirit we are outmatched by the enemy and would lose this war. Thankfully, with Him, we are more than able to win and overcome the enemy’s affords. Romans 8:37-39/ 1^st John 2:13 / 2^nd Corinthians 4:7