The Lord, Most High Equips Us for Battle

 

Jehovah Elyon – Lord, Most High

 Equips Us for Battle

 Psalm 18:39 You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet. (NIV)

                The devil is running loose throughout the world and is causing chaos in various places. Sin is the newly celebrated norm and many people are falling lure to its seduction. The enemy knows that his time is short and what his final destination will be; therefore, he is on the prowl to collect as many souls as possible. The souls that he already knows he has are not his primary concern, but he is seeking the ones who claim to be followers of Christ. His ultimate goal is to destroy the bride of Christ and defeat her by any means necessary. Revelation 12:17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the nest of her offspring – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (NIV)

               The only way to defeat the enemy and his tactics is the allow Jehovah Elyon to arm us with His armor. We are not able to defeat the devil through our own means. This is a spiritual battle and we are in spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:10-12 ⁽¹⁰⁾Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ⁽¹¹⁾Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ⁽¹²⁾For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (NIV) The enemy will use all kinds of tactics against the body of Christ, so it is necessary to allow the Lord, Most High to fully arm us for battle. No soldier will win a battle if he/she doesn’t have the proper gear needed. It is the same way with God. We must allow Him to prepare us for the enemy, so that we will not fall down at the first strike. How does Jehovah Elyon prepare us for battle? Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything , to stand. (NIV)

 

               In order to be prepared for battle, we must recognize the Source from whom we draw our strength. That Source is Jehovah Elyon…Lord, Most High. Because there is no one greater then God, He is the only one who has the power to defeat the devil. We already know that God can defeat the enemy because Satan was expelled out of Heaven. Revelation 12:7-9 ⁽⁷⁾And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. ⁽⁸⁾But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁽⁹⁾The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (NIV) The devil was not powerful enough to win the battle in Heaven, so we do not have to fear him down here on earth. The Lord, Most High is our refuge and strength. Psalm 91:4-7 ⁽⁴⁾He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. ⁽⁵⁾You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that files by day, ⁽⁶⁾nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. ⁽⁷⁾A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. (NIV)

               A few things that we must do to be victorious against the enemy is to make sure that we stand firm in truth, righteousness, and have our feet planted in the perfect peace of God. Ephesians 6:14-15 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (NIV) During the days of the Roman Empire, they wore armor that protected their body to ward off attacks of their major organs. If a major organ of the body was hit, it could cause death. Therefore, the same applies when fighting against the enemy. A warrior for Jehovah Elyon must stand firm in His word and not be swayed by every wind of doctrine. Ephesians 4:14-15 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. (NIV) The devil is the father of lies and therefore, he will attempt to use schemes to throw God’s people off the right path. However, a soldier for Jehovah Elyon will not listen to the enemy, but will recognize and stay steadfast in the truth of the Lord, Most High.

               We must also carry the shield of faith because the devil tries to plant seeds of doubt in our minds with regards to Jehovah Elyon’s promises. Once God makes a promise, you must have faith to believe that what He says, He will do. Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil? (NIV) The Lord, Most High loves to honor His children and reward them. Therefore, we must not allow the devil to enter into our minds and make us question Him. There are times when you may have been praying for something and years have gone by without God’s word being fulfilled. However, you must remember that Jehovah Elyon’s timing is not like our timing and though it may linger, it will surely come to pass because He is a God of His word. Habakkuk 2:2-3 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. (NIV)

 

 

               We must also wear the helmet of salvation and have the sword of the Spirit. Salvation is only given through Jehovah Elyon. He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that we may be saved. This is why Salvation is our helmet because we must never let our good works go to our head, but remember that Jesus Christ died for our sins and it is only through Him and not our own that we are saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV) The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Some people make the mistake of thinking that they can overcome the enemy without being in their Word. However, the Word of God is what sustains us doing the time of tests and trials. Jesus used the Word of God to defeat the devil when He was tempted after His forty days of fasting. Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ ” (NIV)

               And finally, you must pray because prayer is key to allowing Jehovah Elyon to strengthen and encourage you for battle. Without prayer, there will be no power to ward off the enemy’s darts. You will find that without prayer, you are weak beyond measure, and when you are at your lowest, the enemy comes in for the kill. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

 

 

               Jehovah Elyon…Lord, Most High is the power that we all need to make it in this world. The devil comes in all forms to distract, disrupt, and tear down those who are serving God. However, his power is limited because Jehovah Elyon has given His children the tools we need in order to fight against the enemy. It is not through our own might, but because we serve the Lord, Most High who is the ultimate Power of the universe. Tap into His supply and the devil will flee.