Battle Training Part 2: Fight the Good Fight

(This post is a continuation of the previous post.  The focus is on Ephesians 6:10-17)

From the previous post, we identified who the enemy is in this battle - it is ALWAYS satan.  Because this is a spiritual battle, we cannot fight it using merely human resources because if we do - we will lose every single time...

Have you ever tried to fight this battle on your own?  I have.  It did not go well.

One reason I pour my heart and soul into attending and serving at Celebrate Recovery (CR - a ministry for those with hurts, habits, hangups and addictions) is because it is a high powered training ground for fighting spiritual battle - the focus is on Biblical Principles for fighting the good fight.  Most people who show up for the first time at CR come beat up - emotionally, physically and spiritually exhausted - which is actually the perfect place to begin our training.  

Ephesian 6:10 states, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might”.  We come finally realizing we don’t have the strength so we must rely on Him!  This is Principle 1 at Celebrate Recovery.

PRINCIPLE 1: Realize I’m not God.  I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. 

Okay, so we admit that we are a bunch of wussies… then what?

Next, we put on the armor – the armor of God!  The greatest piece of this armor is the helmet and the sword… it is the armor of salvation and of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 6:17)!  This is the one time decision we make to allow Jesus to become what He came to become - our SAVIOR!

Then we start learning to gird our loins with truth (Eph 6:14)!  We learn what the Bible has to say about restoration and recovery… and guess what, it has a lot to say because God has been into restoration ever since the day that Adam and Eve believed satan’s original lie!!!  

Then after hearing the truth from the Bible, the next training exercise is to put the principles into action… live them out moment by moment, day by day!  This is called the breast plate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14).  Even though we don’t feel righteous, as we choose to live the principles - whether it feels natural to us or not - we do become righteous through Him who has made us righteous. 

Obtaining the helmet, shield, gird, and breastplate is Principle 2 and 3.

PRINCIPLE 2: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and the He has the power to help me recover. 

PRINCIPLE 3: Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.   

Next in our training, we obtain the shield. The shield, in my opinion - is so difficult.  This is the shield of faith with which all flaming arrows from the evil one will be extinguished (Eph. 6:16).  "Faith" regarding what?  Faith that God’s word is true and that we are a new creation.  Faith that, when we go to make amends to people, even if they don’t accept our apology  - it was still the right thing to do and God will honor that.  Faith that, even if someone has done some terrible and horrifying things to us, forgiveness is possible.  Faith that, no matter how screwed up we've been in the past, our Heavenly Father has the power to strip us of our shortcomings.  It’s a long hard process, but that shield is irreplaceable and will extinguish all the lies of satan!  This is what we do in Principles 4-6 – confessing our sins, seeking amends, offering forgiveness.

PRINCIPLE 4: Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.

PRINCIPLE 5: Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. 

PRINCIPLE 6: Evaluate all my relationships.  Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others. 

Now only the feet remain unprotected and untrained… so we must shod our feet with the gospel of peace (Eph 6:15).  All of this training gives us the courage, the faith, and the experience required to give us an unexplainable peace.  And because God gives our feet this armor - this covering from the harshness of the ground we walk – we can now travel anywhere to share the good news of what’s been done for us and allow others to know that it can be for them as well.  This is Principle 7 and 8.

PRINCIPLE 7: Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

PRINCIPLE 8: Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and words. 

Holy cow, people.  We now have a super power and super armor – this is some powerful stuff.  If you haven't started your training - get in the Word today and get going!

(To find a Celebrate Recovery near you click here)