Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.     Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV

We often hear people say you have to fight fire with fire. What does that really mean? According to Phrasefinder, this phrase originated in the 19th century when they would set controlled fires in an attempt to stop a wildfire. They would set these controlled fires to destroy the flammable materials ahead of the wildfire in hopes of depriving the fire of fuel. The problem was that this approach sometimes backfired and actually caused even more harm than good.

The same can happen when we use the same methods our enemy uses in a fight. We want to stop the fight, not keep it going. This is why firefighters spray water on a fire and not gasoline.

Either way, you must know your enemy before you start the fight. It’s just as important to know what or who you are fighting as it is to wear the proper gear. How we fight is determined by who we fight. And one thing we must always remember is that it’s a spiritual battle.

We fight differently because we understand that it’s a spiritual battle. We suit ourselves up in the armor God provides. We gird ourselves with the belt of truth. We use the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts. We shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace so we can stand firm. And above all, we take the shield of faith. We trust in God. We know that He works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

The helmet of salvation is used to protect us from evil thoughts. We are told in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 that though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Paul also said in verse 6 that we should be ready to punish disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled. We shouldn’t step out to fight evil if there is evil in us. We must be obedient to Christ if we expect Him to give us victory. In the Old Testament, the Israelites did well when they obeyed the Lord, but they lost battles when they were not obedient. We can learn a great deal from them.

When we wear that helmet of salvation, we must train ourselves to think like a saved person and not like a person of the world. We must remember that He who lives in us is greater than the world (1 John 4:4). We are told in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to take our thoughts captive to be sure they are obedient to Christ.

Finally, if you must engage in battle, be prepared. Spend time in prayer and Bible study. Know your Bible. Ephesians 6:17 tells us to take the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s holy word. Jesus used God’s word to make the devil flee when the devil tempted Him in the desert. We can do the same today.

When the time comes for us to stand and fight, God’s way is the only way.

Have a great day!