Life is never just going to be easy! There are spir­i­tual bat­tles that we can’t even see some­times, but we have to be ready to bat­tle. We have to be ready to stand guard. We need to be filled with knowl­edge and under­stand­ing and be able to use it at any­time. 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.

Endure hard­ships like a soldier…Christians are sup­posed to be at war with evil…
Chris­tians are sup­posed to be sol­diers in the war…not just stand idly by.

Be STRONG! But be strong in the LORD, not your­self. Be Made STRONG…this is not some­thing that you do your­self. God empow­ers us and makes us strong. We are not to be left to our own Strength…we need Jesus on our side. Be Strong in HIS might! If there are sins are in your life that you have been bat­tling against…are you try­ing to fight it with your own strength? I WANT to be made Strong…how do I do that? Put on the full armor of God! Are you going to go into a bat­tle with bermuda shorts and flip flops.

• First thing — you have to be fit. Read the Bible! Pray! Prayer Changes Things! We have direct access to Jesus, be involved with Dis­ci­ple­ship. Be famil­iar to the weapons…take apart the armor and put it back together. Fig­ure it out. Train.…Empower…
• Sec­ond — Be dis­ci­plined! Have self con­trol. When we lack discipline…people get hurt.
  1 Peter 5:8 — Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roar­ing lion look­ing for some­one to devour.
  The devil doesn’t catch and release…he catches for keeps. He looks for peo­ple to devour.
• Third — Go to War! Take a STAND… not take new ground. Jesus takes new ground, we hold the line. The devil attacks with fear. When you get off the couch…grab your bible…stand up to and get into the war, you become a threat and he tries to attack you. If you are just sit­ting on the sidelines…why does he need to go after you? It is usu­ally when you take a stand and get deeper in his word where you will expe­ri­ence new lev­els of battling…and you will have a GIANT on your side.

God is BIGGER…depend on him for strength.