In "Part I", we discovered that our warfare is very real, very deadly, and that it brings an opportunity to abide in fear continuously (because the evil isn't going away). It is not at all a "fleshly" or "carnal" war but rather it is a "spiritual" fight literally "to the finish" (i.e. to the end of the age/world). The victory will be "to him who overcomes". In other words, if you don't fight, you will lose the "good fight of faith" by default just as a football team would lose a game by not showing up to play. That doesn't make sense in the natural realm and it certainly doesn't make sense in the spiritual realm. Surrender has never been an option in Christianity at any time for any reason!
We are in a fight, a warfare that isn't subject to cease and to not submit to God and not resist the enemy is extra-Biblical. It is a non-acting on God's word that requires action:
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22)
Many teachers in the body of Christ are in abject denial of this dynamic. Scripture is more than clear that, "Faith without works is dead". Yet, they surrender to Satan without expending so much as an erg of energy towards defense or even resistance. This is a lack of understanding altogether.
The scripture doesn't mince words:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world" (1 Peter 5:8-9). This is with the tacit understanding that, without a corresponding action, faith is dead.
They teach that God will excuse them from the fight and that the operational laws and principles of the Kingdom of God simply don't exist (or they are ignorant of them because they don't fit their respective doctrines). This is defeat, captivity, and even destruction by default. No fight, no win. The Bible is abundantly clear:
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:7)
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:11)
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Revelation 2:17)
"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations" (Revelation 2:26)
"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels" (Revelation 3:5)
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him] my new name" (Revelation 3:12)
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Revelation 3:21)
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son" (Revelation 21:7)
God did not give us His armor and then step back and say that, "You don't have to worry. I'll fight your battles for you". He did say, "....I'll be with him in troubles and I will deliver him..." (Ps. 91:15). Our God is with us and in us and has given us His Spirit who is called alongside to help. He has given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness and to not use those things is an abdication of one's responsibilities as a Christian. An "irresponsible" Christian is a defeated and captive Christian.
Let's say it again: God is not going to do things for us but rather with us! Any doctrine that asserts that "God will fight all of your battles for you. Just rest in Christ" is patently false and is utterly deceiving and of the "spirit of error". Such a doctrine promotes "blind faith" and blind faith leaves one walking in darkness and not "walking in the light as He is in the light" (i.e. faith is not blind and can't be because it is predicated upon God's word and God's word is light and brings light).
Part of that spiritual battle is one against our own "flesh" which cannot be spiritual at any time as it is impossible for it to do so because it abides in death. This point is particularly pertinent regarding our mind because our flesh wars against our mind. In other words, if we don't conquer the war happening in our minds (against our flesh and against fear, particularly) so that we are "spiritually minded", it isn't at all possible to stay in peace and be able to resist and/or conquer the enemy. In other words, we must have peace in our spirit and peace in our soul (the mind is part of the soul) or we are a "house divided". That's why it is so vital that we "put on the mind of Christ" which is to be "spiritually/peacefully minded" . We must renew our minds from darkness (i.e. "un-peacefulness) unto light with the word of God ("The entrance of thy words bringeth light" - Ps 119:130). This allows us to fight a spiritual battle with spiritual (i.e. Godly) weapons that can only bring victory because they are God's weapons.
Full Armor of God:
Let's make a note that, when the Bible tells us to put on the full armor of God, there is no mention of ever taking it off. That's because the default darkness of this world (including our flesh) will never cease to war against us until we die. This is literally a fight to the finish of our lives. That's why we must "die daily" to our flesh. We must be, through faith, which speaks of/calls those things that are not as though they were (exactly as God does - Romans 4:17), crucified with Christ so that our carnal flesh doesn't interfere with our prevailing in the warfare against darkness, death, evil, un-peacefulness, or any other thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and His word.
We must have our loins, the middle part of our body that controls the upper and lower parts of our body, gird about with "truth". It is the truth that makes free and, in this instance, it makes us free from fear (especially the kind of fear that causes men's hearts to fail). It is truth that will be the controlling factor as to which direction our body turns and it will always turn us to the path of righteousness and the peaceful paths to dwell in as we are led by the Spirit of Peace.
The breastplate of righteousness is next. This imputed (imputed at the new birth but now manifested as we mature) righteousness will protect our heart. If we understand the truth that we are guiltless and without condemnation, our heart will not condemn us. We will abide in peace in our hearts and where peace is, God and His word are. Where God's word is, faith is and it is the mountain-moving God-kind of faith required to overcome all things but especially warfare.
Then, having our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace is required. This insures a stable footing in truth because the gospel is the gospel of truth. It's with this understanding that we can "stand therefore" against all evil. It is also the gospel of reconciliation unto "the Truth" who is Christ our Lord. Christ is the "Prince of Peace" and He is "the Truth". Therefore, truth and peace can never be separated. It's the truth that makes free and freedom is always unto peace.
We are all ministers of reconciliation and, though at war, must be ready not only to defend ourselves, but to be ready to reconcile our enemies to Christ. If we are abiding in peace and ready to minister to those who hate us, we will not be in strife with them; we will be ready to minister life unto them. We must love those who hate us; we must pray for those who despitefully treat us. We must be rooted in grounded in the gospel of peace and that requires preparation just as any soldier must be properly trained prior to combat.
