Finally be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.  For our battle is not with flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.  This is why you must take on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.  Ephesians 6:10-13  HCSB

Once I committed my life to Christ, one of the biggest mistakes I made was underestimating the devil.  1 Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.  So let’s take a look at this.  First I want us to look at how we leave ourselves open for attack. In this scripture passage, Paul tells the Ephesians to suit up in the armor that God provides.  He tells them to wear truth like a belt around their waist and righteousness like armor on their chest.  He tells them to have their feet dressed with readiness for the gospel of peace.  He tells them to take the shield of faith into every situation to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.   He tells them to take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.  Now you will notice the sword of the spirit is the only offensive weapon.  Everything else mentioned is protective gear.  He then tells them  to pray at all times and to stay alert.

Two years ago we did the Priscilla Shirer study, The Armor of God, at our church.  As I pulled into the church parking lot for the very first session, I received a phone call that would begin an 18 month all out battle within our family.  I literally lived out this study session. The devil brought on a full on frontal attack.  I praise God for giving me this study when I needed it the most.  I learned to rely on God’s vast strength.  I learned to use every defensive tool and even the offensive weapon mentioned in these verses.  Oh and just so you know, God is never defeated by the devil.  There may be times when it looks like the devil is getting the upper hand, but God is just shaking things up so that they can fall into place.  Don’t be scared.

If you are reading this, then I encourage you to read this entire scripture passage of Ephesians 6:10-18 and do a little self assessment.  Are you leaving yourself open for attack?  We need to dress daily in our battle gear to face whatever the devil throws our way.  Often times, the devil attacks us through people who actually believe they are doing God’s work.  That’s a scary thought isn’t it?

What about your family?  Are you protecting your family?  I know that there are those of you reading this that have state of the art security systems installed in your home.  There are those of you reading this that always carry a weapon on you.  There are those of you that have elaborate fences and your property is guarded by ferocious dogs.  This is all good to have.  I applaud you for keeping your family safe, but are you keeping them safe from the devil?  Let’s face it, you can’t be with your kids 24/7 but God is.  Are you bringing your children to a good, Bible preaching church?  Are you encouraging your children to get involved in Christian organizations both at church and at school?  Are you encouraging your child to become familiar with the Sword of the Spirit through daily Bible reading and devotional time?  Are you putting them in situations where they can develop strong friendships with fellow Christian students? Are you modeling good Christian behavior in front of them and teaching them to have faith in God? If you are not doing these things, then let me tell you my friend, you are leaving your child wide open for attack by the devil.  You may as well put them on a street corner in New Orleans and tell them to do the best they can do.  Yeah, I know that sounds harsh, but it is what it is.  If you are teaching your children to lock the doors and arm the security system when they are home, then shouldn’t you be teaching them to be protected from the devil’s attack away from home? Just sayin’.

Now we all know that a drowning man can’t save anyone else, so if you are defeated by the devil, then you certainly can’t save your family.  If you are unsaved, then I beg of you to consider salvation.  Read God’s word. Get a good study bible so that it’s easier to understand.  Don’t be afraid to ask a trusted friend or pastor for guidance. You are always welcome to contact us through this website for more information.  Pray to God, talk to Him like He is the loving heavenly Father that He is.  Remember that your heavenly Father is the King of Kings, the Creator and Master of the Universe. There is nothing He can’t do.  Live your life like the prince or princess that you are.  He loves you and He wants good things for you.  He wants to protect you.  Take a minute to read Psalm 91.  This Psalm tells us how God protects us from all things.  We only have to trust Him.

Don’t leave yourself or your family wide open for attack!

Have a great weekend!