(NASB) Ephesians 6:11-12 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

No matter your position, power, positive thinking, possessions or passions – it is God’s strength alone which gives hope to stand firm.
(NASB) Ephesians 6:10 “…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”

The schemes of the devil many times is blatant arrogance; and other times, subtle entrapments.  Bold-faced lies, twisted truth, deceptive words and ideas which are without foundation in Christ Jesus, these are some of the schemes which the devil uses.

So where can anyone go from the onslaught of Satan?  Turn to God, put on the full armor He has provided.

Your battle may seem to be against antagonists, but the instigator is Satan.  This is the reason you need God’s full armor, to be fully clothed and protected for battle.  Your struggles may come from choices you have made in the past.  Your struggles may have come from another person’s choices…but God’s word goes back to the fact that Satan works to alienate you from God.  Remember: this is why you need God’s full armor, for your battle is against God’s antagonist, Satan.

Job was a righteous man who loved the Lord; yet, he was hit economically, emotionally, physically, socially.  He was in agony and his ‘friends’ blamed Job for his own suffering.  What Job and his friends did not know: the real battle was in heaven between God and Satan (See Job 1:1-22; 2:1-7).  Job’s faith in God did not waver even when he questioned ‘why’; he never doubted that God was God.

Your battles are real and you need to be fully clothed for the battle.  (See the Prayer of the Week for the armor you need.)

Tomorrow’s devotional will address the armor of God.