We have an enemy. A mortal enemy. He is not Republican or Democrat. He is not your spouse, your neighbor, or your boss. He is not flesh and blood and therefore cannot be defeated with guns and an alarm system won’t keep him out. His objectives are to kill, steal, and destroy. We have an enemy.

But thanks be to God, we also have everything we need to be victorious over this enemy. First, his power and authority was stripped 2000 years ago at the cross and the resurrection. Jesus made him a toothless dog. His only weapon now is his bark. But if you don’t know a dog is toothless, his bark can be very intimidating and distracting.

So our enemy barks. Loudly. Frighteningly. But God has given us a powerful weapon to combat his bark. He has given us His word. Paul likens the Word of God to the Roman soldiers’ sword. Their swords were highly effective in mortally wounding their enemies and designed to inflict the most pain. It was two-edged and literally ripped the insides of their opponents to shred.

This is our weapon. The Word of God. It is to be used in this battle against the enemy. Like Jesus in the wilderness, when the enemy comes to do his thing – kill, steal and destroy, we stand fully armored in our belt of truth, our breastplate of righteousness, our feet of peace, our shield of faith, our helmet of salvation and we speak God’s words and rip the enemy to pieces.

As Christians, we were not created to react to the world’s woes. We were created to advance the kingdom. To be on the offensive. To subdue the kingdom of darkness and shed light, hope, and love wherever we go. We were called to rescue the widows, parent the orphans, love the unlovable and bring the flavor of the Lord wherever we go. We were created to kick some major enemy butt.

Yes, we have an enemy but greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. Yes, we have an enemy but our weapons of warfare are far superior to his. Yes, we have an enemy but the victory has been won. Yes, we have an enemy but we were not made to cower and fear, we were created to be as bold as lions and to conquer and subdue evil.

Saints recognize who you are. Suit up and let’s go advance the kingdom of God.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:14-17 NIV)