Number 1-Know your enemy-My oldest son tried to tell the snake would be more active at night because he's cold-blooded and warm weather makes him sluggish, I thought it was the other way around. That's when I realized I'd failed to plan for this battle.
Number 2-Don't underestimate the enemy-This battle began as mano y mano. I was out to get rid of this snake that had lived in my strawberry patch for three years. I was declaring war. After yesterday, I realized I'm fighting more than one.
Number 3-Be prepared-As I watched my husband try to ferret out the snake last night I realized he had something I didn't. Boots. And jeans. What was I wearing? Shorts. And flip flops! No wonder I didn't feel confident, I wasn't prepared for battle!
How about you? Are you prepared? 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." and verse 9 says, "Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering." How are we to resist him? Standing firm in the faith it says, but what does that look like?
Look at what Ephesians 6:13-18 says, "13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
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 told how to dress for battle people! We even told how to engage in the battle, "pray in the Spirit on all occasions". We are given the battle plan! We don't need to go into battle unprepared. Are you ready? Or, are you like me who had to dust the cobwebs off my boots this morning to put them on. Is your Bible covered in cobwebs? How can you fight effectively if you don't know the battle plan?
The Bible covers the three lessons I've learned so far,
Number 1- Know your enemy- The Bible tells us he's prowling around looking for us. The Bible tells us Satan is the great deceiver among many other things. The Bible has the background on the enemy you only need to read it.
Number 2-Don't underestimate the enemy-don't think you're smarter or too strong for Satan. That's pride and he'll use that too. And if you think you're only fighting Satan, don't count out his demons and those under his control in this world. He will come at you daily, multiple times.
Number 3- Be prepared-The Bible tells us how to dress for battle and how to fight the war. The Great General has already laid it all out and we just have to follow.
You know the best part about reading the Bible and discovering God's battle plan for your life? We know who ultimately wins the war, the question is, who's going to win the battle for your soul?
