Battle Tactics Part Two

Scripture:
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might." Ephesians 6:10

Observation:
What does it look like to be strong in the Lord? How do I stand in the strength of His might? This morning as I work these questions over in my mind there are a few things that I feel God is saying to me with regards to battle tactics.

Application:
The first battle tactic is to know I am in a battle and who my enemy is. This is a critical step in the process. It is easy to forget that I am actually in a battle. A battle that will never cease. And that I face a vicious enemy. An enemy that will constantly attack. I have to be ready. Three times in verses 10-14 of this chapter Paul tells us to stand firm. Not just to stand firm but to prepare ourselves to stand firm. I need to stay suited up for battle with the armor of God. And I need to learn to recognize how Satan is working against me. I may not have a battle plan, but Satan does.

The second battle tactic is to defend my family. Family life is the primary place that Satan will attack. It is the easiest battle field for him to take ground and create strife. When I sit and I think about it, there is no great science to creating discord among parents and kids, brothers and sisters, or husbands and wives. It is easy. One sideways word in any of these areas can start of chain reaction of events that will lead to a split in relationships. These splits create wounds in our hearts that open us up to all sorts of destruction.

The third battle tactic is to be strong worker. This is another area that Satan loves to tear down. Whether that is at home, in the market place or in ministry; e spend most of our lives working for someone else. If Satan can get us miserable in this area of life, he can keep us miserable for most our time on earth. This is a huge warning for me. I need to keep my heart, mind and soul engaged in my labor. Regardless of where I am or what I am doing I need to do it as if I am working for God and as if I am a slave to the people I serve.

The final battle tactic is intercessory prayer. I can attempt to make myself feel better by trying to candy coat this, but what's the use. I am a self-centered, self-serving piece of work. I do not think about others nearly as often as I should. This final tactic takes place on two fronts; praying in the spirit and developing a heart for the pain of others. These are two things that are really difficult to do. Praying in the Spirit is a confusing thing. It is hard to know what that looks like. Developing a heart that is sensitive to the pain of others hurts as it requires me to endure the heart break of others. Be that as it may, God calls me to do both.

Prayer:
Father I pray this morning that You begin to clear my heart, mind and life of things that would distract me from clearly understanding the battle that wages on around me. Take me to a place in my spirit that is sensitive to what is taking place in the realm of the war between good and evil. As I face difficult people and circumstances remind me of the fact that I only have one enemy and that he is enemy to us all.

In battle, I pray that you teach me to war well against the forces of hell and darkness. Allow me the wisdom, knowledge, humility, and perseverance needed to defend my family and my work from the attacks of our enemy. I also pray that you give me a heart to enter the battles that others face. Keep my emotions strong, my head clear, and my words pure as I attempt to stay engaged in this great battle of the ages.

There are so many things about all of this that lie beyond my abilities. I am totally helpless. To be honest, I can’t even grasp this in my mind and I am full of doubt. I pray that You minister to my mind, spirit and soul in a way that will allow me to truly believe Your words of truth and to walk in them with a sense of urgency.