This last month we have been discussing the practice and purpose of personal and community “Spiritual Check-Up”. We’ve looked at common ways Satan blinds us, the doors we leave open to the enemy, and how we can keep those doors shut. Through these teachings, along with reading “The Christian in Complete Armour”, my attention has been keenly focused on our spiritual well-being, our enemy, and our need to fight.

Our Spiritual Well-Being…

We’ve looked at the following common ways Satan blinds us, hampering our spiritual well-being:

• Spiritual Delusional Disorder (i.e., we can’t tell what’s real from what’s imagined)
• Spiritual Switzerland (i.e., we look for a middle ground, a compromise, safety)
• Comfort and Lethargy (i.e., we have too much to lose)
• Isolation (i.e., we take our church community foregranted)
• No Joy, Peace (i.e., we look for happiness in worldly things, rather than Joy and Peace in Christ)
• Lack of Discipline (i.e., we are tired, don’t want to hold the hard line anymore)

Our Enemy…

We also looked at the doors we leave open, that our enemy exploits:

• An uncontrolled tongue (Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 13:3, James 1:26, James 3:5-6)
• An uncontrolled imagination (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
• Fears (Philippians 4:6-7, 1 John 4:18, 2 Timothy 1:7)
• Sinful Habits (Ephesians 4:26-27, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Mark 7:20-23)
• Stubbornness (Proverbs 29:1, Psalms 81:11-12)
• Emotional Hurt (Proverbs 15:13, Hebrews 12:3)
• Anger (Psalms 37:8, Proverbs 14:29)
• Rebellion (1st Samuel 15:23, Psalms 68:6)
• Unforgiveness (Hebrews 12:15)

Our Need to Fight…

We can’t avoid the fight if we are Christian (2nd Timothy 3:12, Acts 14:22). The enemy is coming, whether we ask for it or not (Genesis 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8). Paul puts it this way,

“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)

First, this fight is addressed to a community: “my brethren… For we”. There is an aspect of fighting in which we are all in this together. None of us is exempt. We fight with and for our brothers and sisters.

Second, this is personal: “we wrestle”. As William Gurnall puts it,

“Wrestling is primarily a ‘one-on-one’ contest where one opponent singles out another and enters into an arena with him… Each wrestler exerts his whole force and strength against the other… Each contestant is the sole object of his challenger’s fury.”

“Wrestling is close combat… wrestlers grapple hand-to-hand… When Satan comes after you, he moves in close, takes hold of your very flesh and corrupt nature, and by this shakes you.”

Third, God gives us the tools to win: “be strong in the Lord… and the power of His Might”. But it’s on us to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand...“

Are We Ready…?

If we are going to be any good at this, preparation is required. Let’s examine ourselves in light of the above:

• Am I strong in the Lord… and the power of His might? (i.e., Does He come through victoriously for me in the battle… Or do I give in to my flesh?)
• Do I put on the whole armor of God? (i.e., Do I read, study, and meditate on His word… Do I pray and seek to remember his directions, so I can quickly maneuver and react?)
• Do I take up the whole armor of God? (i.e., Do I recall his truth when needed, to win arguments against Satan… to fend off the enemy’s temptations?)
• Do I fight for and with “the brethren”? (i.e., Am I surrounding myself with able men and women who can train me… Am I leaning on them for advice and feedback… to be a better wrestler?)

If we are going to make it, we can’t be ignorant of our spiritual well-being, our enemy, and our need to fight.