Dressed to Win

by Donna Williams |  March 4, 2016

Last month we talked about “Empowered To Overcome.” I would like to share a quote of Dr. Tony Evans that links to that topic as well as today’s subject:
 
“As an overcomer, always keep this truth in mind: You are not fighting for victory, you are fighting from a position of victory. Christ has secured the victory for you, and He offers you this victory through the armor of God. The victory is yours when you are well-dressed for warfare.”
 
The “well-dressed for warfare” phrase resonated with me,
 
Because
 
If We are Well Dressed For Warfare
We are Well Dressed For Success
And We are Empowered To Win
 
Ephesians 6:11-18 is a familiar passage of scripture to most of us; in this passage Paul describes each piece of armor in which the believer should be clothed.
 
Let’s take a look at the pieces of armor that are absolute to the believer’s wardrobe:
 
Ephesians 6
11 Put on the whole armour of God [every piece] that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

• The spiritual armor described by Paul mirrors the natural armor worn by the Roman soldier of those days. Every piece of armor that the soldier wore was created for victory, defensive and offensive. Though a soldier knew the enemy would be on the attack, fully clothed in his armor, that soldier always expected to win! 

Do you expect to win?

•  War is not a personal attack against any one soldier. The rulers of enemy forces do not target any one soldier in particular. Their ultimate goal is to destroy a Kingdom. That soldier and his comrades simply stand in the way of a kingdom being overthrown. 

It’s not personal!

•  I hope you caught that spiritual application to a natural expectation. In spite of the enemy forces he might face, a soldier expects to win the battle.
• Understand this, that even though the victory has already been won by Christ, that will not stop the enemy from doing all He can to prove that God is not “all that” and he does that by coming against God’s women, God’s Men, God’s army.

It’s not personal!
 
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
 

• Paul mirrors the above precept in 2 Corinthians 10 when he writes “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”

 

• We have the power to pull down strongholds, but only if we are well-dressed for warfare! Every piece must be in place; every piece must stay in place!

 
Piece# 1  - Know your enemy

• It is not the woman who barely speaks to me or the neighbor whose dog poops in my front yard or Sister Amen who did not compliment me on my new Sunday Best suit or the spouse who is always working my last nerve, etc. The real enemy are those hierarchies of evil who are out to destroy the witness of Christ in us!

 
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

• Piece #2 - Do not underdress! Make sure every piece of armor is in place. Do not leave any spiritual body part exposed to injury, doubt or fear. Stay in formation; do not desert in the heat of the battle.

 
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

 

• Rule #3 - Always walk in integrity, moral uprightness rooted in God’s Word. Be blameless! People may point the finger but there should be no foundation to the accusations.

 

• Rule #3A - Protect your heart and your emotions. The breastplate protected the Roman soldier’s heart and stomach/abdomen area. If the heart or visceral organs were pierced by a sword, the injuries would be life threatening!
• In Paul’s day the visceral organs were thought to be the seat of emotions. Today, we think about the heart and emotions.
• Clothed in the righteousness of Christ, our emotions will not be susceptible to injury or succumb to the attack of the enemy.

 
How?
 

• Philippians 4:6-7: Through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

 

• The word “guard” speaks to a sentry that is the watchman on the wall around the city, a watchman always on the lookout for the enemy.            

 
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

• Rule #4 - Always be ready to share the good news wherever you go
• The opening lines of the Great Commission (Matthew 28) in the King James Version, “Go ye therefore. . .” translates to “As you are going.” We are to share the gospel of Christ wherever we go.

 
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

 

• The Roman soldiers’ shield was covered with strips of leather that were soaked with water so when the fiery arrows of the enemy hit the shield, the flames were extinguished.

 

• Rule #4 - “Above all. . .,” e.g., This is very important!
• Our faith is our absolute shield, our strong defense against life’s fiery darts, those darts of illness and need and want and loss and persecution and abandonment, every big and little thing that would blind us to God’s sovereignty in all things.
• We must walk in the knowledge and absolute certainty that God is in control of all things. Even when we cannot see His hand we can always trust His heart.

 
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God:

 

• Piece #5 - This piece is twofold

 

• 1)Assurance of your salvation. Salvation means deliverance from harm or danger. You are saved from the penalty of sin (justification); you are saved from the power of sin (sanctification) and one day you will be saved from the very presence of sin (glorification).
• 2)The Mind (the intellect) and The Will (decisions)
  • Romans 8:5-6: For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

 

• Piece #5A - God’s word is our offensive weapon, with it we are able to stand against the lies and the deceit of the enemy. Through it we are able to persevere in the day of adversity.
• Hiding God’s word in our hearts not only keeps us in His will and off the path of sin, but with it we also contend for the faith as well as give a reason for the hope that lies within us.

 
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
 

• Piece #6 - Prayer holds everything together; when we pray, God sends His peace to watch over our hearts and our minds so that we are not distracted or swayed by our emotions and we do not begin to doubt or fear.
• We pray before battle, we pray in battle and we pray after battle for the enemy is always planning another attack.
• We keep our focus as we continue to move forward (Philippians 3:13-14) clothed in the whole armor of God.

 
If We are Well Dressed For Warfare
We are Well Dressed For Success
And We are Empowered To Win
 
March Mission Possible for March
Before you leave the house, whenever you leave home, make sure you are Dressed for Success, clothed for battle with each piece in place! Oh, and don’t forget to stay clothed in the house, too.
 
Post reminders on 3x5 cards or Post-It’s in places you are sure to see them. Write on the card or Post-It,  “Is every piece in place? Ephesians 6:11-18”
 
Because of His Love
Donna
 
www.lifepainlaughter.com
www.DonnanotDiva.com
Donnanotdiva@gmail.com
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Twitter: @donnanotdiva
 

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