— From the distaff side —

Dressed for battle?

A must for survival and victory

Hey soldier, how’s the battle going?  Do you have all your “armor” on?  Ever found yourself to be less than fully dressed in our God-given protection for the spiritual battle that ever rages?  I know I have!  If not alert, the arch enemy of our souls can catch us in our “civies” — unawares in comfortable chaise lounges of complacency or caught up in the busyness of life.  A brutal ambush can hit hard and bring us to our knees.  We’ve all been there!

Ephesians 6:10-18 tell us that God’s given us all-powerful armor; invisible weaponry and a strategy for successful combat against “the fiery darts of the wicked” (v 16).  Every enemy lie, tactic, wile and trap of deception; every accusation, persecution, oppression and affliction can be brought to nought through the victorious finished work of Jesus Whose Spirit lives in believers.  Oh, how much our God wants us to personally enjoy the victory Jesus won for us through His death and resurrection!  "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" — 2Pe 1:3.  He wants us to be "more than conquerors through Him Who loved us" — Rom 8:37; to "triumph in Christ" — 2Cor 2:14.

Through Christ, God has given believers everything needed for victory over all the powers of darkness (2Cor 10:3-5) — to resist and defeat our unseen, powerful enemy foes that ever plot to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10a).        But, trying to merely act righteously or to pray without true faith won’t gain the victory — just ongoing powerlessness and more empty rhetoric.  To be a victorious soldier for Christ, we must be fully protected and divinely armed.

The Apostle Paul explains how the shield works: "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" — Eph 6:16.  It’s not merely a “thing” to brandish, but a solid trust that our Father has “clothed” us with His Son, Jesus.  He, in Whom we live; Who is forever in divine union with God — is our garb (Eph 4:23,24; Acts 17:28).  Acceptance of this truth is imperative to living in power and victory over sin, the god of this world and his cohorts.  It can be hard to see ourselves clothed in Christ, especially when we blow it (as I too often do).  However, since we “walk by faith”, let’s trust in His Word as we strap on the armor.  "You, Lord, are our hiding place and shield; we hope in Your word" — Ps 119:114.   — D.

ABOUT US:  Founded in 1993, Hallelujah Living Ministries is a donation-based, non-denominational Christian outreach to uplift, inform and challenge followers of Jesus Christ.  For more information or a copy of our always-free print newsletter, please include a  postal mail address along with your comments and prayer requests. Thank you for visiting This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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