[… and what’s available because of those two qualifiers]
“Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you. Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” [Luke 10;19-20, AMP]
Do you believe this for yourself? If not, why? Were these words and authority only available to the disciples? Does it say that? I know Jesus was speaking to His disciples… but… aren’t we also His disciples? Is this not for us as well? If not so… then how do we fight against the devil and all he tries to be and do? Has anything replaced this ability? Besides, exactly how can anyone live in this world if they are defenseless? I really don’t read in the Word a command to live defenseless. How can we be about our Father’s business if we aren’t prepared for warfare – not against people but against those lies – deceits, temptations, seductions – the devil has planted in people? After talking about our armor in Ephesians 6, it says:
“…so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground…”
[Ephesians 6: 11b-14a, AMP]
Why would God provide us His armor and then expect us to not utilize it? These verse go on to tell us who our enemy is, what our struggle is against. Then it tells us to put on the armor so we will be able to resist and stand! Actually… when considering what we do, how we fight against (the devil) part of our answer is in Ephesians 6 – Stand! That’s what we do – STAND. James [4:7] also tells us – RESIST. In our lives, these are 2 mindsets, actions we do, but we can do them otherwise we wouldn’t be asked to stand, to resist.
Who we are… Who we are becoming… Whose we are. Those answers tell us everything. If you are breathing in and out then you were called to this time… no mistake, and it you are called to this time, then the Lord equips His own – He would never expect us to fight, to occupy without preparation. He has also demonstrated one of the most critical pieces of our defense that is also an offensive weapon – it was how Jesus defeated the devil… reminding the devil that ‘it is written’. The sword of the Spirit in Ephesians is the Word. We have the Word as our defense and offense.
If we hide the Word in our heart [Psalms 119:11] then when we are in a battle all we need do is to bring forth from this treasury and say, boldly – It Is Written. I tend to think that Whose we are tells us Who we are. And Whose we are has all the answers to all our questions, will always equip and train us, and who cares for us and loves us unconditionally.
