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Spiritual Warfare

Be empowered in the Lord and in the strength of his might.1

God is Spirit, we worship God in Spirit and Truth. As believers we are in a battle, so it would be wise to know how to fight. As a military strategist will tell you, one of the most important things you should do, is know your enemy. It is important that we know what the schemes of the devil are, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.2 We are against rule, authority (influence, power), of the ruler of this world (Satan and demons influencing the lives of people), of demonic powers of darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm (realm of spiritual influence, referring to the impact of influence on the particular situation or person). We are to be empowered in strength of the might of God, putting on the whole armor of God.3

I am to stand against these spiritual forces by putting on the armor of God. I am to gird (from perí, all-around (on every side); encompassing, and zónnumi - to gird, i.e. "to pull the belt" to remove slack so a person could move quickly) the belt of truth.The truth should encompass me, be all around me, so I can move quickly against the lies of the devil.  I am to demolish the authority and rule of evil forces. I am to put on (clothe, to invest with clothing) the breastplate (breastplate of faith-righteousness which protects the heart and its emotions (desires) as they bear on our decisions (resolutions, sympathies, etc.)) of righteousness (divine approval), We are justified, made right in the eyes of God by the works of Jesus.4 Paul refers elsewhere to this breastplate as of faith and love, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.5 I need to protect my mind and heart from the influence of evil spirits. I will not stand firm in my own self-righteousness, it will not withstand the schemes of the devil.

I am to shod (from hupo under, as under authority and deó, to bind) the foot with preparation (make ready, firm footing, foundation) of the good news of peace (eirḗnē (from eirō, "to join, tie together into a whole") – properly,wholeness; peace (God's gift of wholeness)). I am to stand firm, a defensive posture, to be founded in the good news of peace. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.8 When we set our minds on the Spirit, its fruit is peace. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.6 The Peace of God is not of an outwardly one, it is a peace within the storm. Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.10 My mind must be on the spiritual, if it is not I will not have peace, For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.7 

We are sealed with the Holy Spirit, born again, it is a source of love, joy, peace (of mind), long suffering (patience), useful kindness (goodness, virtue), faith (belief, trust), gentleness, self-control...10 Those who plan peace have joy.11 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.12 Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.14 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.15 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.16 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.16 

We are not given a spirit of fear. The emphasis of peace is that of a sound mind. Not indeed has God given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control.17 The word fear here is derived from deidō, "fear-driven", dread of losing, causing someone to be faint hearted. God is a God of hope, we abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, who fills us with joy and peace.18 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.19 God gives us a spirit of power, derived from dunamai; force; specially, miraculous power; ability, abundance, meaning, power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work. Our English word dynamite is derived from dunamai. God gives us a power of love (from agapáō, love that focuses on preference – properly, to prefer, to love.) Because we love Him, we are actively doing what He prefers, by His power and direction.

God gives us a spirit of self-discipline or self-control, literally "living in divine moderation", a radical moderation which expresses a settled state of mind which embraces what the Lord defines as true, it is living as God defines true balance, soundness of mind. The pendulum swing of the history of Christianity goes back and forth; on one side a "cheap grace" a license to sin or a "winging it" attitude where confusion reigns and on the other side a legalistic approach, of following rules, the Law for righteousness. True balance of Grace and Truth is found in the ability to be self-disciplined. Herein lies the confusion, I don't read my Bible out of some religious duty, I have made it a habit because I have learned it is the bread of life, living water, like a deer that pants for water, my soul longs for this living water. I read the word as it transforms in the renewing of my mind, God's will is perfect, pleasing, and acceptable. It changes my thoughts, purpose, it focuses my mind on the Spirit, which gives life and peace.

Jesus gave a woe to the scribes and Pharisees, who had cleaned the outside but not the inside, this was full of greed and self-indulgence.21 This word for self-indulgence is akrasía (from akratḗs A, "without" and krátos, "prevailing power", lacking self-control, self-discipline, self-restraint) This word is used when Paul writes that we give the devil a foothold when we have a lack of control.22  To be self-controlled (from en, "in" and kratos, "power") is to be in power, mastered from within. Henceforth be empowered in the Lord, in the power of his might.23 Herein lies the deception that the Law brings me power; I can like the Pharisees perfect the outward, while having no prevailing power within. Whether it is eating, drinking, or other sensuality we give ground to the devil when we lack self-control.
God gives His Spirit as power to master self-control, to exercise dominion, exerted power over our flesh and the enemy, power to break down strongholds and footholds. I am to be empowered (enabled, filled with power) in His strength (power) of His might (ability) Not my own strength, nor ability, but by the strength of His might. His Spirit gives me this power of self-control.
It is a battle of the mind, the mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.24 The mind here is derived from phrḗn – properly, the midriff , the parts around the heart; it is what a person really has in mind, i.e. inner outlook (mindset, insight) that regulates outward behavior. Living indeed is the word of God... it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.25 The word helps us to judge (discern, decide, think good; to pick out (choose) by separating) the thoughts (inward thought, reflection; literally, inner-passion, the emotional force driving meditation and reflection (underlying conception)) and intentions  (from en – properly, in, within and from noús – mind, the capacity of each person to think; to exercise reflective thinking; -- properly, the "engaged mind") of the heart (kardia, inner man, inner life, intention). The word of God is able to bring discernment from the intentions of the heart and the thoughts of the mind, bringing our minds into captivity to our inner being, born gain spirit.

Besides all having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench, all the flaming arrows of the evil one.26 Upwards I take hold, raise up, the shield (full-body shield) of faith (belief, trust, confidence). Faith quenches (extinguish, suppress, thwart) the flaming (fire, trials) arrows (a missile, dart) of the evil one. The schemes of the devil are missiles, precision targeted at the kinks in your armor. The evil one knows you well, you should know him well. Without the full shield of faith, the missiles will penetrate; they seek to to kill, steal and destroy. The evil one is the ruler of this world, because of sin man toils the earth. This evil (from pónos, "pain, laborious trouble" – properly, pain-ridden, emphasizing the inevitable agonies (misery) that always go with evil) brings death. We need to operate in faith, to quench the fiery arrows of the evil one.

The helmet of salvation protects our mind, the gateway to our heart. It is a helmet of assurance of salvation, of deliverance, of healing. the helmet (properly all around the head) of salvation (save, heal, preserve, rescue, make whole). When we understand his great love for us our motive will be to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.25a We learn to trust him, to hide in him, to take refuge. Our mind, our thoughts drive our inner passion, we engage our heart in the mind. Each person is tempted by his own desire, being lured and trapped by it.25b It starts in the mind, a focus on desire (epithymía (from epí, "focused on" and thymós, "passionate desire") this focus entices, lures (from ek "out from and to" and helkó, "induce (draw in), focusing on the attraction-power involved with the drawing") this power takes me captive and traps me. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.25c

The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, a double edged sword, it penetrates the heart, it separates our thoughts from the intentions of the heart, our mind from our inner being, it literally guards our heart from the desires of the flesh, the evil spiritual principalities of the world, and the schemes of the devil. It is our offensive weapon, tearing down strongholds. The Word of God created all things in the beginning, it gives eternal life, it nourishes the soul, living water, bread of life, it renews and restores. It transforms by the renewing of the mind.

Prayer is a weapon, as the weapons of our warfare are spiritual. We are to devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.26 Prayer offered in faith will prevail much; it will make the sick person well,27 Prayer helps to overcome our unbelief, it can cast out demons. Some of the disciples tried to cast a demon out of a boy, they were unsuccessful, Jesus said it was because of their unbelief and suggested they do so through prayer, this kind nothing is able to go out, if not by prayer.26 Faith prayer is our way to ask from he Father, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.27

Indeed, the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful, divinely, to the demolition of strongholds.27 It is possible, because of the dynamite, the power, the Holy Spirit divinely gives us, to destroy stronghold. The destruction of strongholds (a fortress, strong defense) is the duty of Christian warfare. Destroy strongholds and do not give the devil a foothold (a place, opportunity, power). If we have learned (fact-knowledge as someone learns from experience) from Christ, then you were taught to put off the old self, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.28 It is important to have His power within us. There are other spirits at work, The Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.29 

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