Recognizing the Attack

      Recognizing the attack

  Now we talked about being in the battle; now we need to recognize the attack.  That is what is being used... and what weakness... is being attacked.  The first type of attack is that of the flesh.  Our fleshly desires; involving the 5 senses.  

So let's take a typical struggle of most of us, the sense of taste and smell.  Your over wieght, you need to cut back... God has put it on your mind to cut back... Or even your not over wieght but not eating right has affected your health.  

  The attack from a distance your driving down the road and the smell of burgers and fries comes your way.  The breeze just shifted in your direction...  Tempting! Or the television ads, signs... things of every day life!  Used by the enemy!  Let's call these arrows coming our way.  

  We put up the Shield of Faith, asking God for strength to keep it up.  For strength to not give in... (Putting our focus on Him,praise, prayer, reading His word...) Thanking Him for His help as we go through this attack; an attack from far.

  Now the enemy is very persistant.  He moves in closer!  Where?  Home? yes! But let's move to dinner out with friend's, family;  something special.  It's is not a bad thing in fact it is good.  But the smells and sights of great food...  Next thing your ordering a big meal or a meal you should not be eating... not even recognizing that your in the middle of the battle, it's in your face.  Then comes the waitress, " would you like to see the dessert menu"  or even worst she comes over with the dessert cart.  All defences are down...  

  We need to take up the sword wielding it.  Satan you will not control me with food! (As Jesus did, Matt. 4 ).  Ah, reminding our self that the one of the fruit of the Spirit is self control.  That is where, how we want to be.  

  As I write this last night after a special Church service; there was "snacks".  You see temptations can be any where and at any time.  How did I do?  Well not great at first,  but I did walk away from those tables of goodies.  Sometimes it is us who walk to the temptation  and it us who need to flee!  We do not need to stop going to good events...  But we need to put the armour on and use it!  

Recognizing the enemy

            Recognizing the battle              

  This recognizing the battle is of most importance.  We need to see through the physical; and look at the spiritual.  Eph. 6:11-12 tell's us that it is a spirital battle.  It is against Satan.  In there is rulers, authorities, powers in this dark world and spiritual evil forces in heavenly places.  When we are looking at the physical, we see people doing bad things, we see authorities doing bad things, even rulers doing bad things...  people!  Which we are also!

  We need to look past people to the one or ones who influence them... Now if we go looking it always leads us to spiritual forces, which leads us to the chief force Satan.  Oh yes the are demons... but the chief... is Satan.

In John 16:21-23  Jesus rebukes Peter!  "21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

  You see, Peter was not/ is not Satan but right then Satan was present and influencing Peter.  Peter's mind... were off focus.  The concern of humans/men... replaced the concerns of God.  Peter was looking at the physical not the spiritual, nor was he looking at the Heavenly, nor was he listening to God ( like a few verses before),  nor was he concerned with the will of God...  

  The reason I put this here is that Satan can use men/women when they are 'weak' , when they are 'struggling' , when there focus is more 'worldly' ,  when they are off guard...  

  You see the battle is not just about you!  It also involves others who Satan is attacking... and believe it or not there are many who do not realize they are being attacked...  There focus is on the wordly...  not the Spiritual things of God.  so we need to recognize the attacker; the real attacker, Satan.

The Fight-not a lone warrior

 The fight         

  So the battle is raging; you have put your armor on!  Yes you are standing in the strength of His might.  You are on the alert.  You are praying...  you are ready!  But all is quiet in your area, your small circle if you will.

  But the battle is raging!  Where?  It is all around.  You must recognize that you are not a lone soldier; you are part on an army!  The battle is raging!  Maybe not in direct contact with you now; but the brother next to you is fighting hard... He might/does need help.  That is verse Eph. 6:18 

"18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. " 

  We are part of the body of Christ.  We are not independent...  Not as individuals or as local Churches...  We are member of the body of Christ as Believers.  Yes there are times you are fighting alone; but how much more' power' ... when we unite together in the battle.  When we call on brothers and sister to pray... join you/ me in the battle... When you are in a battle and you are all alone, not good.  I'm not saying you are going to loss... but as Ecc. 4:9-12 says,

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

  How blessed each of us would be when brothers and sisters in the Lord recognize others in the mist of the battle; and join them, support them, pray for them... and celebrate the victory... United under the Lord Jesus Christ!

The armor of God and Prayer

            The armor of God 

  So we went through the 'list' of the armor; belt(truth), breast plate(righteousness), shoes(Gospel of peace), Shield(faith), helmet(salvation) and sword(word of God). We mentioned that this armor is spiritual armor.  It is needed!  Now comes to the important questions how do we get this armor and how do we put it on?  

  As we continue in Ephesians 6 verse 18 says this, "Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit."  Prayer!  how important... but how neglected.  Sometime the spiritual side of the Christian life is hard.  Let's be honest it would be easier if we could just put that armor on like getting dressed for work, physically speaking.  Oh yes it would be invisible, not heavy...  But that is not the case.  The armor is spiritual armor and to put this on we need to use prayer.  Prayer is what is needed to do Spiritual.  Prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Do not miss that!  Remember pray through out the day(all times); prayer for every occasion(specific).  

  Now let's talk a little bit of how the armor comes off.  Lack of prayer, lack of reading God's word...  doing our own thing,  working but not keeping our focus on God the father, Jesus Christ the son and the Holy Spirit.  The list goes on...  I heard this phase during a sermon,  No prayer, no power.  How true.