An ongoing war exists on the earth right now that many are unaware. We don’t read about it in the newspaper or hear about it on the news. There are no firearms, missiles, tanks, or nuclear weapons but this war involves us all. Everyone on the earth is involved and something more important than our mortal lives is at stake – our eternal salvation. This war is an extension of the War in Heaven and we are living in the final battle for the hearts and minds of those who wanted to be here on the earth at this time and for this very purpose. Many who promised to be valiant to the Savior of all mankind are now deceived and lured away into vain and foolish distractions, or caught up in selfish aspirations. Those who have eyes to see, ears to hear and courage to do are the valiant warriors in this earthly war of good vs. evil. It is the day of reckoning and the wheat and tares are being seperated. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
Even though we don’t physically see our enemy, we know he’s there. Satan is real and seeks to destroy us at every opportunity during a day. He especially seeks to capture the young and impressionable early. He knows his best approach is to reach the masses by controlling the largest avenues that control the thoughts, hearts, and minds of the masses. If Satan has control over those who are in powerful government positions he can control those under his rule.
The lust for personal gain as well as the powerful influence of Satan’s many counterfeits to true joy and happiness has captured the hearts of many of our brothers and sisters here on the earth. Some conspire on their own to feed their lust for money, power, sex, drugs and/or the many other powerful and addicting decoys that become our ambitions and life aspiration. Others form cabals of power with like-minded conspirators to get gain, and some even turn to the mystical powers of darkness to gain knowledge and power, forming pacts with even the devil himself. There is much evidence that many of the world’s elite have done just that! Satan knows that time is limited and is pulling out all of the stops. He’s more organized in his campaign to rule the earth than any of us might have imagined. His minions have been working diligently to promote their evil while cleverly disguising it to mask their true evil designs from the unsuspecting public. Every day our minds are subjected to powerful lies, deception, and propaganda with the aim of leading us away from our true purpose on earth which is to come to knowGod the Father and His son, Jesus Christ, and to follow Him by excepting him as our Savior, doing the things he taught us to do, and resisting evil.
Satan’s war is one that attacks us from every angle imaginable – psychologically, physically, emotionally, and most certainly spiritually.
For those that have a firm moral compass or eternal perspective, a foundation of hope and faith lead them to want to be good, while on the other hand the lure of repeated indulgence in sin to desensitize our spirits from the associated guilt will lead many to unspeakable evil.
http://www.latterdayconservative.com/education/a-course-on-liberty/the-war-in-heaven-on-earth-today/
Why Are we Here?
Everyone you see around you, no matter their race, religion, or nationality is a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father (“Ye are gods, children of the most High” (Ps. 82:6); “We are the offspring of God” (Acts 17:29); “Be in subjection unto the Father of spirits” (Heb. 12:9). He is the Father of our spirits.
Coming to earth is part of His plan of happiness for us, which allows us to receive a physical body in His image and continue to increase in wisdom and faith. When we are born into this mortal earth, we have a veil placed over our spirit and forget our pre-earth life, which means we have to live by faith rather than our memory of God. Everyone is born with an internal compass, the light of Christ, that helps us know right from wrong, and we have the promise of the Holy Spirit to guide us once we choose to follow Christ and accept Him as our Savior. Each time we feel the quiet comfort of His Spirit, we know that God loves us and cares about us. Discovering truth and applying it in our lives are the most important things we can do while on earth. Only by gaining knowledge of the truth are we able to build the kingdom of God and prepare for eternal life. Satan is a master of deception and very artful in his camouflaging of evil as good and good as evil. He uses lies and fear mongering to strip us of our liberties, possessions, justices, and the pure worship of God. All divine truth is possessed by God and imparted by Him to His children. God is a god of truth (see Deuteronomy 32:4; John 14:6) and enhancing our knowledge and love for him will only lead us further to truth and happiness.
It is vital to know that there really is a God, that there really is a Savior, that there really is a plan of eternal happiness, that there really will be a judgment with genuine personal accountability, and that there really is purpose in life and a divine plan of happiness for man. This earth-life has a valuable eternal purpose with dire consequences for our evil thoughts and choices should we not repent of them. When we know such basic truths as these, then we know what really matters, how to approach life and how to view man in the universe. We are not merely creatures of chance evolved from a big bang and some primordial soup. Science proves the big bang theory and evolution to be nonsense and so does the Bible. We are of intelligent design and divine origin with purpose, accountability, and the love of our Creator.
The Apostles Peter and John had little secular learning—being termed ignorant, but they knew the vital things of life – that God lives and that the crucified, resurrected Lord is the Son of God. They knew the path to eternal life was to follow Him.
During our time on earth we make choices and distinguish right from wrong. We gain happiness and become more like our Heavenly Father when we make good choices. Because God loves us and wants us to receive the blessings that come from following His plan, He has provided ways for us to stay connected to Him. Prayer is an important way we stay connected with our Heavenly Father. When we speak sincerely to Him, He will answer us through His Spirit and help us through our problems, no matter how large or small.
Other ways we can stay in touch include reading the scriptures and serving others to help lighten their burdens. Our life on earth has purpose. Coming to earth is part of God’s plan for us to gain a physical body (something that a third of the hosts of heaven (demons here on earth will not receive but seek to experience through portals created by sin) and learn to choose between good and evil. Our life didn’t begin at birth and won’t end at death. Because God cares about us, we don’t need to wander through life, wondering where we came from, who we are, and what we should be working toward. Our lives have direction because Heavenly Father has a plan we can follow to return to live with Him.
If we follow God’s direction, we’ll make it to our destination. Those who follow His plan will receive unending happiness with God. This is what God wants for all of us. God’s plan for us is simple to understand, but it takes a lifetime to follow. Following the plan of happiness is easier when we do the simple things, like studying the word of God, going to church, praying, and serving others. Jesus Christ was the perfect example in following God’s plan. Though no amount of good deeds can save us, it takes faith and works for us to be like Jesus, and it is worth it now and will be in eternity.
One of the challenges in our mortal existence is in loving all of our premortal brothers and sisters here on the earth and seeing them as God’s children, because many of them choose to wrong us in various ways. There are numerous stories in the scriptures of men and women who experienced a tremendous change of heart once they felt the long-suffering and enduring love which God has for them and all of his children. He wants us all to return to his presence again someday, but gives us our free agency to choose our own eternal destiny – whether it be good or evil.
Arm Yourself for Spiritual Warfare
With such a formidable and experienced opponent, can we defeat this great enemy? Of course. “With God all things are possible” (Matt 19:26). Consider David’s victory over Goliath. First of all, it’s important to have the proper equipment to defend against the enemy’s attacks. A boxer without gloves will find it more difficult to defend himself; a linebacker without shoulder pads will be less effective in stopping a running back running straight at him; a baseball defender without a glove…, an army without bulletproof vests…, etc. will all be ineffective against attacks without the proper equipment. Likewise, our mortal enemy will have success if we are not prepared and know him, his tactics, and the tools we need to defend against his relentless attacks on us.
The great unrest in the world today and the wars and rumors of wars are affecting us greatly. Shockingly, since the United States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during 222 out of her 243 (as of 2019) calendar years of existence. In other words, there were only 21 calendar years in which the U.S. did not wage any wars and a 91.3% chance we were at war in any given year. But as Paul says (Ephesians 6), our greatest and most deadly struggle will be “not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, [and] against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Paul then warned the Ephesians, which warning is applicable to us today, that we can only withstand the evils which surround us by putting on the whole armor of God, which he then described. Real courage includes standing against the evil one, even when we stand alone, often feeling the disdain and the ridicule of others. This is courage and strength.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
By doing so we can defeat Satan and his forces of evil by power of the “blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11). We may lose some battles here and there, get knocked down, injured badly at times, but we get back up and continue to battle every day. Why? Because we know we are of divine heritage, our Father’s beloved children. We feel him lifting us when we’re down, encouraging us as we face the fiery darts of the adversary, and watching over us each day of our journey through life. How often have we been inspired by an injured person, perhaps physical or mental, that has risen to overcome seemingly impossible odds to do something extraordinary. Challenges make us stronger if we keep our focus on the goal. When those fiery darts do get to us each day, we have a pretty good medic waiting to heal us. All we need to do is ask sincerely and He has paid the price to heal our spiritual wounds, making us whole again in an instant.
Examine your armor often. Are there any chinks in your armor that need to be repaired? Are you sufficiently humble? Do you seek only for the praise of God and not for the praise of man? Are you charitable with your time and money? How much time are you spending on your knees in prayer? Or reading the Bible? Are you courageous in standing for truth? Are you kind to your family? Do you love your enemies? What are you doing to help their spiritual welfare? Do you seek wholesome entertainment? Are you 100% honest in all of your dealings? Could you give up all of your worldly possessions for the Lord? These are only a small sampling of the questions you can evaluate yourself with on a daily basis.
Satan has many weapons, great and small, and some, like a cancer, are there without us realizing it before it’s too late. Through the miraculous principle of repentance anyone can turn their life around and begin clothing themselves with the armor of God through study, prayer, and a determination to serve God and keep his commandments.
Loins Girt About with Truth
First, the Bible says, we should have our “loins girt about with truth” (Ephesians 6:14). Loins means the area between the hips and abdomen. Girding your loins is something typically done in Biblical times around the Mediterranean just before they attempted anything strenuous and physical such as going into battle. The floor length robes would hinder their movement unless tucked away. Thus, the action of pulling up the long robe to make a shorter skirt and tying it around the waist, converting the attire to make it suitable for work or battle, was a pre-battle requirement. Therefore, it makes sense from this that the phrase has now come to mean getting yourself prepared for some trial to come. We prepare ourselves to take action in the battle against evil by learning the truth.
Many patriots defend truth and liberty because it is the right thing to do, they love freedom and the rights of freedom guaranteed by the constitution. George Washington said, “To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” The Lord established a land of liberty through the founding patriots of this country and they were mostly Christian and all readers of the Bible.
Knowing where to find the truth is important. If a team were to prepare by asking another competitor about his opponent he may not get the truth. That is why players and athletes prepare for their opponents by studying video tape in our current day of technology. As they say “the tape never lies”. It shows the opponents strengths and weaknesses, tendencies, etc. God is our source for truth. He has given us knowledge and understanding to prepare us to be successful in our quest to return to His presence. It is up to us to seek wisdom by studying and feasting on those words of truth, and “take heed that no man deceive[s] you“. Through prayer and studying the words of Christ, we can come to “know… the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom (He) hath sent“, thus preparing us (as David was) when the enemy (Goliath) presents himself.
The loins were also considered the seat of the emotions and passions in Biblical times. The reproductive organs are also in the loins. The human passions and emotions can be protected from sin and error by being “girt about with truth,” which is a knowledge of things as they truly are. Truth gives us the ability and the perspective to make virtuous and compassionate choices. “Girding up your loins” implies action, not just squelching passion or remaining innocent. We must use our passions and our emotions to reach out virtuously and compassionately, to do the work of the Lord in service to others, and to act in ways of truth. “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:21).
Breastplate of Righteousness
We should wear the “breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14). A breastplate protects vital organs such as the heart and lungs. The heart pumps blood and nutrients to our body and lungs, while removing carbon dioxide and other wastes. We nourish our bodies by feasting on the words of Christ and those words are symbolically written in our hearts. The heart is synonymous with courage, and it takes courage to be firm in truth and righteousness. The lungs are vital for bringing air into the body and providing oxygen to the capillaries so they can oxygenate our blood, thus giving us life, while also purging waste product (carbon dioxide) from our body. Likewise, our righteousness requires a vital ingredient that we cannot see, the spirit of God, and the purging of that which is not nourishing, or rather, harmful to our spirit. Our righteousness, both in thought and deed, protects the core of our spiritual lives. A kind & loving heart, and gratitude for He who gave us “breath of life” are vital to our spiritual well-being.
Righteousness builds confidence, engenders trust, and brings blessings from God. If we love God we will keep His commandments and seek to be pure in all of our thoughts and actions. We will be honest in our dealings and act with integrity and discipline when faced with temptations. We will more clearly discern right from wrong and see through the cloudy deceptions of the devil. The strength, courage, and discipline derived from righteous living will make us much more powerful instruments in defending liberty, exposing the counterfeits of Satan’s kingdom, building the true kingdom of God, and protecting our own spiritual welfare.
Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel
We should have our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Shod means wearing shoes. Your feet represent your goals or objectives in life. Preparedness is the way to victory. Benjamin Franklin famously penned that, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Long-time Alabama head football coach, Bear Bryant, said “It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”
- Kobe Bryant prepared by learning from the great ones before him and watching their film. We need to be prepared by reading and studying the teachings of God.
- Steve Young was 8th on the QB depth chart, told he would never play QB at BYU and moved to defensive back. He was determined to play QB and worked to overcome his own weakness (throwing the ball) by throwing thousands of balls in the off-season to improve his accuracy and studying how Jim McMahon (his predecessor) threw it and improved his accuracy tremendously, thus remaining at QB and becoming the eventual starter, and not just an NFL QB, but the most accurate QB in NFL history and a Hall of Famer.
Ellicott’s commentary on the New Testament explains:
“The context certainly suggests that we should explain the word here by (the) Hellenistic use, as signifying simply the ‘footing’ or ‘basis.’ The caligœ, or sandals, of the Roman soldiers were heavy sandals studded with hobnails, to give a secure foothold to those who would stand firm. St. Paul identifies these with the firm ‘footing of the gospel of peace.’ Clearly the word ‘peace’ is here emphatic. The gospel is looked upon as the declaration of ‘peace on earth, goodwill towards men.’ The firm stand on this message is the firm assurance of God’s love. In this, and this alone, we stand. No doubt, this is in some sense faith, but faith of a wholly different character from the defensive faith of the next verse.”
Shield of Faith
We should pick up the defensive “shield of faith, wherewith [we] shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). A shield is the most versatile and effective means of defense in battle. All of the other means of defense mentioned by Paul are worn, but the shield of faith is something we must take up. Our faith, if it is built upon Christ and His gospel, can defend us against the adversary’s numerous onslaughts, just as a shield, if it is made of the right material (love, courage, chastity, repentance, forgiveness, compassion, etc.), will withstand thousands of fiery darts. Satan is always hurling his fiery darts of fear, doubt, lust, greed and envy, among many others, in our direction, but the only time they can hit us is when we let our shield of faith down – when we lose our focus on Christ and His kingdom, who we are, or become complacent, forgetting the subtle and crafty methods Satan implores to get us to lower our guards.
The Apostle Paul taught that “faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for something that we cannot yet see. Satans fiery darts would tear us apart if we only raised our shields to defend the darts we were able to physically see. We must always keep our guard up because Satan is constantly waiting for an opportunity to ensnare us with those darts of temptation, laced with poison, and clearly meant to destroy us.
Helmet of Salvation
We should put on the “helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17). The word helmet is diminutive from helm, a Medieval word for combat protective headgear. The Medieval great helm covers the whole head and often is accompanied with camail protecting throat and neck as well. Originally a helmet was a helm which covered the head only partly. The helmet of salvation is symbolic of our need to protect our mind from unworthy thoughts, to keep our eye single to the glory of God, and our ears tuned to hear the still, small voice of the holy ghost. Eight times the Savior said, “He who hath ears to hear, let him hear,” as he preached his gospel. We must also learn to hear the voice of the Lord because he can guide and direct us to find answer our prayers and protect us from dangerous circumstances. In 1 Kings, Chapter 19, the Lord speaks to Elijah the prophet:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it…
The Lord’s voice is one that is felt more than it is heard. It comes in the form of thoughts, feelings, and impressions. To hear such a still, small voice, you must be still and quiet in your own soul, treating sacred things with reverence and avoiding lying, cheating, stealing, drugs, pornography, foul language, raucous living, immorality, violence or anything that clouds our mind and hardens our heart. It’s also important to seek wholesome entertainment as the entertainment industry has a great influence to desensitize us to all of the aforementioned with their war on family and Christianity. While it may not seem easy to so discipline your life, hearing the precious, loving voice of the Lord will sustain you in every circumstance and is therefore worth every effort. Of course, His words are not meant to be heard only, they must be obeyed. James, the half-brother of Jesus, explains in his Epistle:
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (purge bad & nourish with good)
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Our actions are a byproduct of our thoughts. If we keep our thoughts pure, then our actions will also be pure.
Our head or intellect is the controlling member of the body. It must be well protected against the enemy, for ‘as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ Salvation means the attainment of the eternal light to live in the presence of God the Father and the Son as a reward for a good life in mortality. With the goal of salvation ever in our mind’s eye, as the ultimate to be achieved, our thinking and our decisions, which determine action, will always challenge all that would jeopardize that glorious future state. So it is a necessity that we must guard our thoughts from the cunning and deceptive wiles of the adversary, designed to ease us down a slippery path from which is difficult to return.
Sword of the Spirit
We should wield the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). A sword is a weapon used to strike at the enemy. The word of God is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Christ’s words are true, and his spirit penetrates the hardest of hearts to the core like a sharp sword. It is the only article of the Armor of God to be used in the offense; its purpose is not just to defend or protect, but to conquer.
We can study the word of God by reading the Bible. By reading, pondering, and studying the words of Christ and his prophets and disciples, we will have a yearning to share those truths with others. These words are a mighty and powerful thing and can change hearts and influence nations to change. It is a power we need in order to overcome the temptations of Satan both individually and collectively as evil and its influence surrounds us in the last days.
Full Armor of God
David is an example of wearing the whole armor of God: The Philistines were at war with Israel, and Goliath, the Philistine, was challenging Israel to send a man to fight him, with the understanding that the losers would be slaves of the conquerors. We are told that Goliath had a helmet of brass upon his head and was armed with a coat of mail; that he had brass upon his legs and between his shoulders; that the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; that his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and a shield bearer went before him. On the other hand, when David agreed to meet the Philistine he took only his staff and chose five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in his shepherd’s bag.
When Goliath saw this young man the Israelites had sent to challenge him, he was disdainful and said: “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.” Then said David to the Philistine,
“Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; … that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Sam. 17:44–46.)
Then David, clothed with the armor of God, took a stone from his bag and, with his sling, shot it into the forehead of Goliath, an unprotected part of his body, and he fell dead. Later in his life, David made a terrible mistake (killed Uriah to marry Bathsheba) after he became king because he did not continue to have the whole armor of God. We must put on the whole armor of God, or we will be vulnerable to temptation in those areas where we have weaknesses and where we have failed to give ourselves the protection offered through keeping the commandments. Goliath had armor, but his faith was in his own strength, and the strength of his armor and weapons. David’s strength came because of his faith in God and his preparation with the TRUE Armor of God. It’s not the physical armor, but being armed with all of the traits the armor symbolizes that gives us strength and only when our faith and confidence are centered in Christ. It’s also important to note again that it is the whole armor of God that will help us stand against the wiles of the devil, and “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, [and] against spiritual wickedness in high places”.
Courage
However, we need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan’s power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat like the globalist rats retreat when light is shone on their evil works. The Apostle James counseled: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). He cannot know our thoughts unless we speak them.
So Satan and his angels are not all-powerful. One of Satan’s approaches is to persuade a person who has transgressed that there is no hope of forgiveness. But there is always hope. Most sins, no matter how grievous, may be repented of if the desire is sincere enough. There are forces which will save us from the ever-increasing lying, disorder, violence, chaos, destruction, misery, and deceit that are upon the earth. Those saving forces are the everlasting principles of the eternal gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Be sure to start each day by putting on the whole armor of God. Get up early and read, pray, and prepare. David got up early the day he slayed Goliath. You’re not going to slay your giants lying in bed hitting the snooze button. When you learn to set your mind on God each morning, He’ll give you all the strength and wisdom you need to conquer the day.
Sources: The King James Bible, The Great Imitator
