Soldiers of the Cross – Part 4 by Pastor Joshua Olaleye- Digging Deep

INTRODUCTION: 

In the previous parts of this series on soldiers of the cross, we have identified our enemy and his soldiers and we have been assured by the promises of God that with God on our side, we shall win. 

We have discovered the conditions for enlistments in the Army of the Cross as total submission to the will of God and unquestioning obedience. We have also learnt that we have to put on the whole Armour of God, which we can only do if we put off sins and lusts of the flesh first. Finally, we have learnt of the strategies of Satan and that God does not expect us to run from battle but to stand courageous. In continuation of this series, we shall study in some details, Ephesians 6:13-17.

1) FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL, THERE IS AN EVIL DAY: This is the end time we are living in. Therefore, days are generally evil. But for every person, there is a particular evil day when he comes face to face with the adversary. Only those who are fully prepared will survive such a day. However, for the whole human race, there is a period called “The Evil Day” or “The Hour of temptation”. Those who belong to the Lord completely shall miss that terrible period. Eph.5:16, Eccl.12:1. Amos 6:1-7, Luke 8:13, Rev.3:10, Mal.3:2, Luke 21:34-36, Rev.6:15-17.

2) THE GIRDLE AND THE BREASTPLACE: Your loins must be girded with the truth because Satan delights in hitting below the belt. If you ever tell a single lie, it is enough to neck you. Telling the truth always is a sure road to holiness because if you sin, you cannot lie when challenged. You must protect your chest with righteousness, i.e. good works done in Christ. Protecting your chest implies protecting your heart out of which are the very issues of life. Eph.5:9, Luke 12:35, II Cor.6:4,7, I Pet.1:13-16, Isa.59:16-17, I Thess.5:8, Prov.4:25.

3) THE BOOTS AND THE SHIELD: Satan is under your feet if you are a child of God. Moreover, Satan is a serpent. Consequently, your feet must be well protected or you might be bitten. Take Jesus wherever you go. Witness for Him always and you will always be on the mountain top. God is the shield of Abraham and we are of the seed of Abraham. Therefore God is our shield also. Consequently, our protection is in faith in God, a simple trust in the Almighty God as being the all-sufficient, the El-Shaddai. Habakkuk 3:19, Deut.33:25, Luke 15:22, Isa.52:7, Rom.10:13-15, John 15:16, II Cor.5:18-21, Gen.15:1, Ps. 56:3-4, 10-11, Prov. 18:10, II Cor.1:24, 4:16-18, Heb. 11:24-34, I Pet.5:8-9, I John 5:4-5.

4) THE HELMET AND THE SWORD: The helmet of the victory is true Salvation. That is the only protection against all the false philosophies and religions of this world. Without genuine Salvation, one is likely to be confused by the various religions and ideologies claiming to the true way. Your mouth contains the most powerful weapon ever created: your tongue. Therefore, if your mouth is filled with the word of God, you stop Satan dead in his tracks always. To overcome Satan perpetually, you need both the blood of the Lamb and your own word of victorious testimony. But how much of the word do you know? Isa.59:17, I Sam.16:46-49, Isa.49:2, Heb.4:12, Rev.1:16, Rev.2:16, 19:15, Matt.4:4,7,10-11, Heb.13:5-6, Rev.12:11.