THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE (Part 1-4)

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE (Part 1)

Our reading of the Word today is taken from 2 Corinthians which reads:



“For though we walk in the FLESH, we do not WAR according to the FLESH. For the WEAPONS of our WARFARE are not CANAL 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 into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).



We thank our LORD JESUS CHRIST for the Word giving to us. Having studied in detail in our previous studies about THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE, it is absolutely necessary for us to also know THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE.



Our Scripture reading tells us that, “For though we walk in the FLESH, we do not WAR according to the FLESH.” This passage is proving to us once again that Christians who live and walk according to the “FLESH” by focusing on the activities of their “FLESH,” are spiritual LOSERS.



God is Spirit (John 4:24), and therefore unless we walk with spiritual FAITH, we cannot see the POWER of His Word. When it says that “we do not WAR according to the FLESH,” it means that those walk in the “FLESH” will surely suffer defeat because they are not living according to “the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is from God by FAITH” (Philippians 3:9b).



The LOSERS  don’t have spiritual FAITH, and so they always pray to God that they are SINNERS who need forgiveness because of  their “FLESH.” The Devil has OVERCOME such people and made them captives of “WAR.” He has bound them with the chains of SIN in his camp, dragging them into hell.



The Devil was able to capture them because they were FIGHTING him with their own strength in the FLESH. They couldn’t WIN the FIGHT against Satan because they were FIGHTING him as SINNERS instead of FIGHTING him as the RIGHTEOUS children of God.



Therefore when it says that “For the WEAPONS of our WARFARE are not CANAL but MIGHTY IN GOD,” it means that our “WEAPONS” are spiritual and they come from GOD. That’s why they are “MIGHTY IN GOD.” Those who are truly born again of the WATER and the SPIRIT of CHRIST (John 3:5), have been ARMED by God with “MIGHTY WEAPONS.”



Satan and his demons can never defeat the RIGHTEOUS children of God because they BELIEVE that JESUS has saved them forever from their SINS. God has truly ARMED us with His “MIGHTY WEAPONS,” and we must give Him all the more the PRAISE for preparing us for the battle with the assurance of WINNING always.



David who won all his spiritual battles in the NAME OF THE LORD JESUS said, “Blessed be the LORD my ROCK, who trains my hands for WAR, and my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1). When David says “the LORD my ROCK,”  he is referring to JESUS CHRIST. The Apostle Paul confirms this when he said, “...For they all drank of that spiritual ROCK that followed them, and that ROCK was CHRIST” (I Corinthians 10:4).



My dearly beloved Brothers and Sisters, it is our LORD JESUS CHRIST who “trains” our hands to make “WAR” and our fingers for “battle” just as He did for David. You can never get this training in theology or the Human Bible Schools or in the false churches. He “trains” us in the Holy Spirit to wage spiritual WARS through our FAITH in His WATER BAPTISM, His BLOOD, and RESURRECTION.



Our Scripture reading tells us the reason why JESUS ARMED us with “MIGHTY WEAPONS.” It says, “for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST.”



When it says that our “WEAPONS” are “for pulling down strongholds,” it means we must move forward as ATTACKERS with the Word of God to “pull down” the “strongholds” of Satan where he has bound SINNERS with chains, and preach the TRUE GOSPEL OF SALVATION to them by breaking and cutting off the chains with the sword of the Spirit.



Also when it says that our “WEAPONS” are for “casting down arguments,” it means that when the Devil throws his weapons of 1 John 1:8-9, Proverbs 28:13, and the Lord’s Prayer to make “arguments” against us in order to COUNTER-ATTACK us, we must DEFEND ourselves with our “MIGHTY WEAPONS” such as Matthew 3:15,  1 John 3:9, Romans 5:19; 6:14, Galatians 2:20-21 to cast down every “arguments.” We have so many “WEAPONS” to DEFEND ourselves.



Satan normally use some quotations as a “high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” When we become truly born again of the WATER and the SPIRIT of JESUS, we come to know that JESUS fulfilled  “all RIGHTEOUSNESS” for us in His BAPTISM before paying for our SINS with His DEATH on the Cross.



However, Satan the Devil always tries to use any “high thing” which “exalts itself against the knowledge.” In other words, the Devil tries to use some things to prevent us from knowing that God has SAVED us perfectly with WATER and the BLOOD of JESUS.



The Devil does this in our minds because it is a battlefield. That is why the Word of God is telling us that we must bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST.” It means that any “thought” which makes us think that we are still SINNERS is not  from God, and so this “thought” must surrender to CHRIST that He has made us RIGHTEOUS. This is what it means “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST.”



And this is what the Apostle Peter was supposed to do when the Devil came to whisper into his ears. However, JESUS Himself brought that “thought into captivity” to His “obedience” by rebuking Satan who was FIGHTING Peter and trying to overcome him in his mind.



Don’t forget that recently we studied about PETER’S FAILURE TO RESIST THE DEVIL, and our reading here in Corinthians is telling us that, when Satan came and drop that “thought” into Peter’s mind, he was supposed to bring that “thought into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST,” but he failed to do that.



My dearly beloved Brothers and Sisters in the FAITH, let us put this always in our minds: Every “thing” and “thought” which tries to point out the SINS of our FLESH and which accuses us as SINNERS is not from God. It is from the Devil, and all that we have to do is to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST.”



We must know that our LORD GOD is the One who “trains” our hands for “WAR,” and our “fingers for battle” just as He did for David (Psalm 144:1). Therefore we can NEVER become LOSERS, but we are more than VICTORS, CONQUERORS and OVERCOMERS!



The part two (2) of this message continues.....



Let us give all the PRAISE, HONOR and THANKSGIVING to the LORD JESUS CHRIST because He has truly BLESSED us!









THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE (Part 2)



Our Scripture reading for this day is from the Book of Ephesian. It says:



“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” (Ephesian 6:10-12).



We are bound to give THANKS to GOD for His thoughts of goodness towards us. He has not only SAVED us from our SINS, but He has been feeding us with the PURE WORD, providing comfort to our hearts, and giving us the complete protectiong from our enemies. JESUS CHRIST is the one who has established peace for us, and He is the One who has done all our works in us (Isaiah 26:12).



Before the Apostle Paul spoke about puting on “the whole ARMOR of God,” he made a very relevant and a crucial statement in the preceding verse which most Christians often ignore. He said “Be strong in the LORD and in the POWER of His MIGHT.”



My dearly beloved reader of “The True Living Bread & Water,” you can never be “strong in the LORD and in the POWER of His MIGHT” if you don’t BELIEVE in the fact that JESUS has washed you from all your SINS once and for all with His WATER BAPTISM of RIGHTEOUSNESS (Matthew 3:15) and with His BLOOD of the Cross.



Our Scripture reading tells us to be “strong in the LORD and in the POWER of His MIGHT.” However, it is important for us to know that, nobody can be “strong in the LORD and in the POWER of His MIGHT” if he is not saved from SINS forever. If God cannot SAVE you from your SINS once and for all, then where is His “POWER” and where is His “MIGHT?”



Christians must not BELIEVE in the Word of God with the expression of their mouth, but they must do so wholeheartedly. Believing in the SALVATION of JESUS is the core-truth of the entire Bible. Everthing in the Bible revolves around this. And unless a person is REDEEMED from all his SINS through the WATER and the BLOOD of CHRIST, the Scriptures becomes a puzzle, unable to be understood.



We must know that it is our SALVATION from SIN which reveals God’s “POWER” and “MIGHT.” For example when the Scripture says that, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of JESUS CHRIST once and for all,” and that “By one offering, He has PERFECTED FOREVER those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:10, 14), it is revealing to us God’s eternal “POWER” and “MIGHT.”



Also when God says that, “I, even I, am He who blots out your TRANSGRESSIONS for My own sake; And I will not remember your SINS” (Isaiah 43:24), He is revealing to us this very “POWER” and “MIGHT.” And when He said in Isaiah, “But My SALVATION will be forever, and My RIGHTEOUSNESS will not be abolished” (Isaiah 51:6b), it is the manifestation of His unlimited “POWER” and “MIGHT” in the REDEMPTION of sinful mankind.



But how many Christians BELIEVE in what God is saying here in the above passages of Scripture? Meanwhile Paul the Apostle was saying that we must be “strong” in the SALVATION “POWER” of CHRIST and in His “MIGHT” before we can “put on the whole ARMOR of God.”



If your FAITH is not SOLID (firm or strong) in the SALVATION of JESUS CHRIST, you cannot even “put on the whole ARMOR of God” at all. In our next or subsequent study, you will even realize that all the ARMORS being spoken in Ephesians talks about JESUS CHRIST and the SALVATION work which He has accomplished for us through His WATER, BLOOD, and RESURRECTION.



In our previous study of 2 Coringthians 10:3-5, we were told that the purpose of the WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE is “for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST.”



Here too in Ephesians, Paul says the same thing but in a different way. He said that the reason why we must “put on the whole ARMOR of God” is so that we may be “able to stand against the WILES of the devil.” We must take notice of this very well because it is the ultimate purpose of putting on the “whole ARMOR of God.”



Now when the Scripture talks about “the WILES of the devil,” the word “WILES” refers to the use of tricks to deceive someone. In other words, Paul was saying that we must “put on the who ARMOR of God” so that we can stand against Satan and his tricks which is meant to deceive us from knowing that JESUS CHRIST has perfectly SAVED us from all our SINS.



Don’t forget that in Revelation 12:9, God tells us that Satan the dragon who is also called “that serpent of old,” is the one “who deceives the whole world.” And it is this deceptive nature of the Devil which the Apostle Paul is referring in Ephesians as “the WILES of the devil.”



However, God doesn’t want us to be deceived once again by the Devil as he did to our ancestor Adam and Even, and that’s why He has shield us with the full protection of His “ARMOR” in order for us to withstand the Satanic attacks of deception.



When our LORD and Master JESUS was on earth in the likeness of our sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), He was also spiritually ARMED with the “whole ARMOR of God.” That’s why when the Devil came to Him with his many strategies to trick Him by using the Scriptures, JESUS fought him with the ARMOR of Gods’ Word, and He was “able to stand against the WILES of the devil” as receorded in Matthew 4:1-11.



Many Christians are not even aware that the Devil deceives people and trick them by using the Words of the Bible which they are reading every day. Satan has succeeded in using the cleverness of his intelligence to deceive many Christians to DISBELIEVE in the fact that JESUS CHRIST is the LAMB of God who took away all their SINS by the laying on of hands by John the Baptist in the WATER of the Jordan River (John 1:29).



The Devil with His cunning craftiness has convinced many Christians to BELIEVE that JESUS CHRIST couldn’t pay all their SINFUL DEBT with His precious BLOOD on the Cross, and they have accepted what the Devil has presented to them. As a result, they have become beggars, who are always imploring God to pay off their debt every day even though God has already paid it in full.



So how can such Christians “put on the whole ARMOR of God” when they don’t even BELIEVE in the “POWER” of Gods’ “MIGHT” to SAVE them from their transgressions and iniquities? But those of us who BELIEVE have God’s full protection, and He has already ARMED us with all His “whole ARMOR.”



That’s why God is telling us through the Apostle Paul, that we must be “strong in the LORD” JESUS and “in the POWER of His MIGHT” because all the “ARMOR” are based on the “POWER” of His SALVATION in JESUS CHRIST.



In our next study, we will look at all the ARMORS one by one and what they represent or mean.



If God is teaching us these things, then we are BLESSED!













THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE (Part 3)



Today’s Scripture reading is a continuation of what we read in Ephesians the previous day. It says:



“Therefore TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God, that you may be able to withstand in the EVIL DAY, and having done it all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).



In the previous day, we were able to study in detail what it means when the Scripture tells us to “be strong in the LORD and in the POWER of His MIGHT.” We were also able to look at standing against “the WILES of the devil” and what it means. But in our study today, we will understand the fact that, without receiving the FORGIVNESS OF SINS, it is impossible for anyone to “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR OF GOD.”



To be able to stand against “the WILES of the devil,” our Scripture reading tells us to “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God.” But the question is HOW do we “TAKE UP” the whole “ARMOR of God?” How does this “ARMOR of God” look like? Can we see it with physical eyes of the FLESH? And can we “TAKE” them “UP” with our FLESHLY HANDS?



The answer is NO! And this tells you that everything about the Christian Life is a spiritual FAITH. God is Spirit (John 4:24) and His “whole ARMOR” is also spiritual. The sad thing however is that, whiles many Christians have accepted the fact that the “whole ARMOR of God” is spiritual, when it comes to their SALVATION, the Devil has deceived them to BELIEVE that it is their FLESH, and when it comes to FORGIVENESS OF SINS they believe that it is their FLESH which must receive FORGIVENESS on a daily bases.



Even worse, the Devil has been able to deceive many Christians to separate the FORGIVENESS OF SINS from SALVATION. They are so ignorant to know that when the Bible talks about SALVATION, it means a person’s SINS has been FORGIVEN because of his FAITH in the WATER, the BLOOD, and the RESURRECTION of JESUS.



Meanwhile God made a COVENANT with us and He said, “Their SINS and their LAWLESS deeds I will remember NO MORE” (Hebrews 10:17). When you read the verse 15 of the same chapter of Hebrews, it says that it is the HOLY SPIRIT who bears witness to this COVENANT of FORGIVNESS. But how many Christians BELIEVE in this COVENANT of GOD and the witness of the HOLY SPIRIT?



God who cannot lie (Numbers 23:19), made a COVENANT about the FORGIVENESS of our SINS. And the HOLY SPIRIT who bears witness to this COVENANT, and Who is also our TEACHER, is telling us through the PURE WORD of GOD, that if a Christian does not BELIEVE in the WATER and the BLOOD of CHRIST or the FORIVENESS OF SINS, then he should not even think about taking up “the whole ARMOR of God.”



Such people should forget about “speaking in tongues” because the SPIRIT of GOD says that He cannot dwell in the hearts of those who have not received the COVENANT of the FORGIVNESS of SINS. Their tongues speaking is a Jibber-Jabber, and the Apostle Paul calls it “a sounding brass” and “a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1)



God’s everlasting FORGIVENESS is the greatest gift, and unless a person BELIEVES in this gift, the HOLY SPIRIT says he cannot “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God.” It simply cannot work. The SPIRIT OF GOD works according to the principles of SALVATION.



This package of SALVATION includes becoming Born Again, receiving the Forgiveness of Sins, being Sanctified and Justified. However, by “the WILES of the devil,” he has outwitted many Christians to separate being Born Again, Forgiveness, Sanctification, and Justification from SALAVATION.



As we all know, the purpose of TAKEN UP “the whole ARMOR of God” is to be able to stand against “the WILES of the devil” (his tricks and deceptions). But how can those who have already been deceived by the Devil concerning their SALVATION or the FORGIVNESS of SINS be able to “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR” of God? This is absolutely impossible.



We must know that Paul wrote about TAKEN UP “the whole ARMOR of God” to the Church of Ephesus. These Ephesians were True Christians who BELIEVED in the FORGIVENESS of SINS. That’s why the Apostle Paul told them, “In Him WE HAVE redemption through His blood, the FORGIVENESS of SINS, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).



When Paul says “In Him,” he is talking about JESUS CHRIST. Therefore when he says “In Him WE HAVE redemption through His blood, the FORGIVENESS of SINS,” it means “redemption” which is SALVATION and “the FORGIVENESS of SINS,” is something that we already “HAVE” in JESUS CHRIST, and we don’t ask for something that we already “HAVE.”



For example, when you are already added to “THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD” Group, you cannot tell us to add you to the Group again. If you do that, the Administrators of the Group will inform you that you are already in the Group. But if you still insist and you keep on asking to be added, the Administrators will declare you as insane (having a mental problem). And this is the disease which the Devil has infected many Christians with.



Therefore if a Christian refuse to BELIEVE in the PURE WORD of GOD, and he still keep asking for “FORGIVENESS” which the Scripture tells us clearly in Ephesians that we already “HAVE” in JESUS, then the Administrator in Heaven (JESUS) will refuse that person from entering the Kingdom of God. This is because Heaven cannot accepts those who have been mentally handicapped by the Devil since they belong to him.



The Apostle Paul also told the Ephesian believers, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ FORGAVE you” (Ephesians 4:32). Please just pay attention here! Did it say “even as God in Christ FORGIVES you?” Is that what God said? God didn’t say that, but you will find that in the quotation of the Devil.



In English Grammar, we have past, present, continuous, and future tense. Therefore when the Scripture says, “even as God in Christ FORGAVE you,” it is something which is already done because it is in the past tense. But the Devil deceives Christians by telling them, “You see, it is not a done deal yet, so just keep asking.”



It is therefore very regrettable and unfortunate that many Christians have BELIEVED in “the WILES of the devil.” This is simply too bad. Our readings from Ephesians 1:7 and 4:32 shows clearly that the Ephesian Christians were TRUE BELIEVERS because they BELIEVED in the FORGIVENESS of SINS according to God’s COVENANT. Therefore they were able to “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God.”



We must know that a person can only “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God” when he is completely delivered from Satan’s deceptions and FALSE GOSPELS. And it is the TRUE GOSPEL that is able to deliver a SINNER from all his SINS and “the WILES of the devil” through the spiritual PURIFICATION by the WATER and the BLOOD of CHRIST.





If you are a Christian who really wants to enter the Kingdom of God, then you must be very HUMBLE to accept GOD’S CORRECTION when your FAITH is on the wrong path. You must be like Jeremiah who was so HUMBLE to accept GOD’s CORRECTION when he prayed, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not a man who walks to DIRECT his own steps. O LORD, CORRECT me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing” (Jeremiah 10:23-24).



All Christians must be HUMBLE like this, and God will teach them the mystery of JESUS BAPTISM in addition to His BLOOD which they already BELIEVE but in a wrong way. It is then and only then, can they “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God.”



Our FLESHLY HANDS cannot “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God” because it is SPIRITUAL. Therefore when a Christian receives the SPIRITUAL FORGIVENESS which is not according to his FLESH, but which is according to GOD'S COVENANT, then his SPIRITUAL FAITH can also “TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God.”



God wants us to know these things before we look at all His “whole ARMOR” one by one. Therefore our study continues.....



You have been BLESSED abundantly.











THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE (Part 4)

Our reading of the Scripture today is still in Ephesians. We will take a quick look at some few things in our previous text, and then we will proceed to study “the whole ARMOR of God” one by one. It says:



“Therefore TAKE UP the whole ARMOR of God, that you may be able to withstand in the EVIL DAY, and having done it all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).



When the Holy Word tells us to TAKE UP the whole ARMOR OF GOD so that we may be able “to withstand in the EVIL DAY,” the words “EVIL DAY” refers to any other day, period, or time when Satan and his principalities and powers attack us.



Also when it says, “and having done it all, to stand,” it means that when we are completely ARMED by TAKEN UP “the whole ARMOR of God,” we will be able to “stand” against the Devil and his host of demonic angels.



THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD



We are now going to look at “the whole ARMOR God” for the spiritual soldiers of CHRIST one by one. Through  this study, we will come to understand the fact that, all the WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE and “the whole ARMOR of God” is based on our SALVATION from SIN. So we are going to take them verse by verse and phrase by phrase from Ephesians 6:14-20. It says:



(1) “Stand therefore, having girded your WAIST with TRUTH,”



God is telling us in the above passage that we must wear the belt of “TRUTH” around our “WAIST.” But what is the “TRUTH” being spoken here? Our LORD said, “And you shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you FREE.” Then He also added, “Therefore if the SON makes you FREE, you shall be FREE indeed” (John 8:32, 36).



JESUS is telling us here that it is the “TRUTH” which sets us “FREE” from “SIN,” and that “if the SON makes you FREE, you shall be free indeed.” It means that the “TRUTH” which sets us free is JESUS CHRIST Himself. That’s why He said, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).



JESUS came “by WATER and BLOOD” (1 John 5:6) to set us FREE from all our SINS. And it is by KNOWING and BELIEVING in this “TRUTH” that we are able to gird our “WAIST” with the belt of the “TRUTH.” That’s why Paul said in the same book of Ephesians, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the Word of TRUTH, the gospel of your SALVATION; in whom also having BELIEVED, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).



This means that when the Scripture tells us to gird our “WAIST” with the belt of “TRUTH,” it is  referring to “the Word of TRUTH” which is “the gospel of our SALVATION.” Therefore God is speaking to us through these passages that any Christian who is a SINNER cannot gird himself with this belt of “TRUTH” because he has made JESUS a liar (1 John 5:10).



God spoke to us through John the Baptist when He said, “Behold! The LAMB of God who TAKES AWAY the SIN of the world” (John 1:29). Therefore if a Christian does not BELIEVE in this, can he put on the belt of “TRUTH” around his “WAIST?” The answer is emphatically NO?



JESUS said that “there is no truth” in the Devil, and when he “speaks a lie,” he speaks from his own resources because “he is a liar and the father of  it” (John 8:44). Therefore if a Christian BELIEVES in the lies of the Devil that JESUS couldn’t wash away all his SINS with His WATER and BLOOD, then such a Christian cannot gird his “WAIST with TRUTH” unless he BELIEVES in the “TRUTH” of SALVATION.



(2) “having put on the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS,”



We must know that a “BREASTPLATE” is an Armour plate that protects the chest. And don’t forget that the HEART is also located at the chest area. Therefore when God tells us to “put on the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS,” it means we must BELIEVE in His “RIGHTEOUSNESS” with all our HEART.



That’s why God used the same Apostle Paul to tell us that, “For with the HEART one BELIEVES unto RIGHTEOUSNESS, and with the mouth confession is made unto SALVATION” (Romans 10:10). It means that when our “HEART” believes in the RIGHTEOUSNES of GOD, then we have actually “put on the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEUSNESS.”



But the question is how, where, and when was GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS fulfilled? When JESUS went to John the Baptist for BAPTISM, He told him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Matthew 3:15).



Therefore if you are a Christian and you don’t believe in the purification power of the BAPTISM OF JESUS which fulfilled “all RIGHTEOUSNESS,” then it is obvious that you cannot “put on the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This is not a denominational doctrine! It is God who is speaking to us from His Holy Word. So you either believe or reject, which will also determine your destiny in Heaven or Hell.



Let us be aware that most of the New Testament script of the Bible were written before 70 AD including the Epistle of Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. This means that the New Testament alone is more than 1,900 years older than any denomination. Therefore we must put our own denominational doctrines aside and believe in the Holy Word of God which has no impurities.



(3) “And having shod your FEET with the preparation of the gospel of peace”



What does this passage means, and what is it telling us? God used Paul once again to explain this when he said, “And how shall they PREACH unless they are SENT? As it is written: “How beautiful are the FEET of those who PREACH the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things” (Romans 10:15).



Therefore when it says that “And having shod your FEET with the preparation of the gospel of peace,” it is talking about our preparedness to go anywhere which represent our “FEET,” to share “the gospel of peace” with others.  That’s why Paul said “And how shall they PREACH unless they are SENT?” The word “SENT” is implying our “FEET.” This is because when you are “SENT” you go with your “FEET.”



In fact the verse in Romans 10:15 explains it clearly when it says “How beautiful are the FEET of those who PREACH the gospel of peace.” Also when it says that, “who bring glad tidings of good things,” it means that “those who PREACH the gospel of peace” preach about the GRACE of JESUS, and they don’t tell people to obey the 10 commandments and the 613 articles of the Law.



Those who “PREACH” the Law of Moses cannot “bring glad tidings of good things” to people. This is because the Law brings condemnation, and when people are unable to obey, they become transgressors which brings separation from God and sadness. But those who PREACH the GRACE of GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS which is given to everyone as a free gift (Romans 5:17), are the ones who “bring glad tidings of good things.”



The words “glad tidings of good things” refers to the RIGHTEOUS WORKS of JESUS by which He gave us His own Life (John 10:11), made us born again (John 3:5), forgave our sins (Acts 13:38), sanctified us (Hebrews 10:10), justified us (Romans 4:25), wrote our names in His Book of Life (Luke 10:20), gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever (John 14:16-17), and His promise of going to prepare a place for us, and coming back to take us to be with Him in Heaven (John 14:2-3).



Therefore those who have “shod” their “FEET with the preparation of the gospel of peace” are the very people to whom JESUS said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). I think last week our own Brother Pastor Genesis Philip Boadu explained this to us on the platform, therefore I will not go into much details.



My beloved Brothers and Sisters, we will continue or study and take a look at the remaining four (4) ARMORS of God.



You are highly BLESSED!







THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE (Part 5)



Brethren, in our previous study, we were able to look at the first three (3) ARMORS of God which are:



(1) “Stand therefore, having girded your WAIST with TRUTH,”

(2) “having put on the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS,”

(3) “And having shod your FEET with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”



So let us now look at the remaining four (4) ARMORS and what they mean to us. They are:



(4) “Above all, taking the SHIELD of FAITH with which you will be able to QUENCH all the FIERY DARTS of the wicked one.”



My beloved Brothers and Sisters, not too long ago we did a Bible study on a topic which is entitled “WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.” Everything we learnt in this topic is the “SHIELD of FAITH” which the Scripture is talking about here. A “SHIELD” is an Armour carried on the arm to intercept (stop) blows.



Regarding our “FAITH” God said, “Now the just shall live by FAITH; But if anyone DRAWS BACK, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). It means that if anyone does not take this “SHIELD of FAITH” and move forward to fight against “the wicked one,” but he “DRAWS BACK” from the “FAITH,” then Satan will beat him with blows and that person will die spiritually. That’s why we say “No Retreat, No surrender!”



Don’t forget that God said “the just shall live by FAITH,” and we know that  the opposite of life is death. So if you don’t live, you die. That’s why Christians who don’t have “FAITH” in God’s perfect SALVATION of the WATER and the SPIRIT do not have eternal life, but they are spiritually dead. This explains the reason why they are afraid of God’s judgment.



When God says that “if anyone DRAWS BACK” He is talking about those who lose their “FAITH” in His RIGHTEOUS SALVATION which came by the WATER and the BLOOD of CHRIST. Those who lose their “FAITH” will also lose their “SHIELD.” And when a person loses this “SHIELD,” then when Satan throws his “FIERY DARTS” (a missile of fire) against him, there is no “SHIELD” to intercept or stop it.



Honestly speaking this “SHIELD OF FAITH” is so important that anyone who does not have it will be consumed by Satan’s missiles of fire. That’s why God is telling us that if we continue to hold unto our “FAITH” in His only begotten SON, we will be “able to QUENCH all the FIERY DARTS of the wicked one.”



The word “QUENCH” means to put out the burning flames of fire coming from Satan the dragon. When the dragon spews his fires of missiles at us, our Father God Almighty has given us a “SHIELD OF FAITH” in JESUS CHRIST to be able “QUENCH” it in the POWER of His WATER and the SPIRIT.



(5) “And take the HELMET of SALVATION,



Brethren, a “HELMET” is an Armour plate that protects the head. Therefore the moment we BELIEVED in how JESUS saved us from all our SINS with His RIGHTEOUS WORKS, we were able to put on this  “HELMET of SALVATION.”



Concerning this “SALVATION,” the Apostle Paul told the Ephesians, “For by GRACE you have been SAVED through FAITH, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT OF GOD, not of WORKS, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8). This passage is so clear that it doesn’t need any explanation. But it is so sad that the Devil has deceived Christians to BELIEVE in their own “WORKS” to make their own “HELMET of SALVATION.”



However, one thing we must know is that, there is no “HELMET” which is stronger than the one prepared by JESUS Himself. Many Christians have prepared their own “HELMET of SALVATION” through their “WORKS.” But Satan has already crushed the head of all such people because their “HELMET” which is invented by denominational doctrines is not the original, but artificial which cannot withstand the WEAPONS  of Satan.



That’s why for most of them, no matter how you share and explain the “TRUTH” of “SALVATION” with them, they cannot reason to understand GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS. This is all because the Devil has smashed their head. Only few of them who really “hunger and thirst for GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Matthew 5:6), are able to understand the TRUE GOSPEL.



(6) “and the SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the Word of GOD,”



The phrase above is self-explanatory. As soldiers of CHRIST, we cannot combat in a spiritual WARFARE without “the SWORD of the SPIRIT.” This “SWORD of the SPIRIT” is explained in detail in Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews. It says, “For the Word of God is LIVING and POWERFUL, and SHARPER than any TWO-EDGED SWORD, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).



Brethren, Satan is really afraid of this “SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the Word of GOD.” Satan and his demons cannot stand in front of this “SWORD” at all because it is a “TWO-EDGED SWORD” that is LIVING, POWERFUL, and SHARPER. This is why we must study the “Word” regularly and continuously so that we can pull it out from the sheath whenever the Devil approach us.



When we pull “the SWORD of the SPIRIT” in front of Satan, it is the same as what the Apostle James mean by “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). If you will remember, recently we did a study on this. And we learnt that the Apostle Peter failed to pull out the “SWORD of the SPIRIT” to fight Satan, and he was nearly killed by the Devil had it not been the intervention of JESUS who made intercession for him (Luke 22:31-32).



Therefore whenever Satan attack us and we FIGHT him without “the SWORD of the SPIRIT,” he will beat us with his blows. But when we stretch this “SWORD” which is the “Word of God” towards him, “he will flee” from us because it is “POWERFUL.”



(7) “Praying ALWAYS with all PRAYER and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints– and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth BOLDLY to make known the MYSTERY of the GOSPEL.”



If somebody thinks that “PRAYER” is not a WEAPON, then he is mistaken. A born again saint of the WATER and the SPIRIT who doesn’t PRAY is like a car without fuel which cannot go anywhere. It is “PRAYER” which enable us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).



We must know that “PRAYER” does not only refer to our communication with God to entreat Him (making a request), but it is also a declaration of our FAITH in the Word of God. Therefore when we claim God’s promises in His Word, it is also a form of “PRAYER.”



Our PRAYERS should be in the Spirit. That’s why Paul says, “Praying ALWAYS with all PRAYER and supplication in the Spirit.” Jude who was the brother of Apostle James also confirms this when he said, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, PRAYING in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). Have you seen that even right here Brother Jude says that our FAITH is “most holy faith”? This tells you that nobody can be a SINNER if he has this “holy faith.”



In addition to our PRAYERS, we are told to be “watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Our Lord also told the disciples to “watch” and “pray” (Luke 21:36). However we must not only “pray” for ourselves alone, but “for all the saints.” Paul told the Ephesians that he needed their prayers so that “utterance” may be given to him so that he may open his mouth “BOLDLY to make known the MYSTERY of the GOSPEL.”



We all need PRAYERS. And just as the Apostle Paul needed it, so is Brother Eric Aboadwe. And that’s why recently our own Brother Philip Genesis Boadu told all members on the platform to pray for Brother Eric so that “utterance may be given” to him in order for him to share (The True Living Bread & Water) on THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD group and beyond.



In fact all of you are also in my prayers, including all the people that we have been forwarding the message to them on WhatsApp. Let’s pray for all things. PRAYER is a WEAPON.



You are RICHLY BLESSED by JESUS CHRIST!