Life isn’t always a walk in the park. It can be a battlefield.

Sometimes the battle is physical. Often, we are in a war that nobody else can see. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a war you can’t win, you’re not alone. And the best news is, you’re not defenseless.

The Battles We Face

Does your life sometimes feel like a battle?

Sometimes the battle is obvious. This could be sickness, financial issues, car troubles, you name it. We are all familiar with the physical battles we face in this life. But not all battles leave bruises. Sometimes, the most difficult battles we face are the wars that wage within us.

For me, the biggest battlefield is often my own mind. I fight racing thoughts that won’t stop, lies that start to feel real, and fear of things I can’t control.

Whether you are in a physical or invisible battle, one thing remains the same: the enemy. The same enemy with different ugly faces.

The Real Enemy

Paul speaks to this spiritual battle in Ephesians 6:10-12

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (NIV)

The battles we face all come from a spiritual source. They come from an enemy who doesn’t play fair. They come from an enemy who lies, cheats, and steals. He often disguises himself as a friend. His weapons are designed specifically to destroy us. How are we supposed to fight this enemy that we can’t see?

How do we win when we are fighting an enemy who doesn’t play by the rules of war? Paul continues in Ephesians to tell us just that.

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:14-17 (NIV)

Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God. Let’s take a look at each piece to break down how we can use this in our battles today.

Belt of Truth

Secure your armor with truth.

Truth keeps you grounded so you won’t get lost in the enemy’s sea of lies. If you are secure in truth, you won’t fall for the lies that are planted to deceive you.

Breastplate of Righteousness

Righteousness doesn’t mean perfection. I think it means knowing that we have to rely on Jesus’ righteousness for when we fall short. Strive to live like Jesus, but ultimately, life FOR Jesus.

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

You know what they say. These boots are made for walking. Don’t wait for others to seek you. Go and spread the good news of Jesus to all that you meet. Tell of the hope we have in Him. Don’t just stand still on that truth.

Shield of Faith

When you are under direct fire, hold up your shield of faith for protection. Jesus is your refuge. When you are at your weakest, your faith will protect you.

Helmet of Salvation

The helmet protects your head, your mind, which is the control center of your body.
Just as your mind controls your body, salvation controls your spiritual life.

Without salvation, you might as well go into battle with a pillow for protection. Salvation is the only thing that can truly save you. Even if your body suffers, your soul is secure through the blood of Jesus.

If you have to start somewhere, start with salvation!

Sword of the Spirit (The Word of God)

Our final piece of our armor is our weapon. Most of our armor is defense, but this is our offense. We can’t use our sword if we don’t know it. Read God’s word. Memorize verses. Sharpen your sword so when the enemy comes, we can fight back.

Why it Matters

If we put on the full armor of God, we will be prepared to fight in the battles we face every day. Just because we have the armor to fight doesn’t mean everything will turn out the way we want it to.

I think sometimes we fight our greatest battles when we are closest to Jesus because the enemy sees us as a threat. But we aren’t fighting unarmed. We aren’t fighting alone.

Ultimately, the battle doesn’t rest on you alone. It rests on Jesus, and He already holds the victory.

Final Encouragement

Don’t walk into any more battles unarmed. Don’t rely on your own strength that fails. Don’t just “make it” through it. Put on the full armor of God. The war is real, but so is the God who fights for us.