Read 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God…” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4)

One of the greatest tactics of warfare is the decoy. It gives you the advantage to gain ground where your enemy is not focused. We know that our enemy, that serpent of old, the devil, is cunning and crafty. He knows the tactic of the decoy better than anyone — even more, he invented it. His greatest ruse is to get Christ's army to focus the fight on those things which are carnal and fleshly. If he can get the church to feel they are gaining physical ground, then he can move in and take our spiritual ground.

Does it matter how physically mighty we appear if we lack spiritual stoutness? Our weapons are not the church building, the attendance numbers and the slew of ministries operating under the church name. Our weapons are spiritual, not carnal. They are of the Spirit, not of the flesh. They are mighty in God, not in a man.

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12)

Satan has more reason to fear one spiritually-minded Christian than he does ten thousand fleshy ones. Carnal Christians are like children playing sword fights. It only plays the part in an imaginary world, but children pose no real threat to a legitimate army. How much less do Christians fighting in the flesh pose little threat to the forces of spiritual darkness?

This is what the devil wants — Christians pretending and pacifying the time in physical fights. Lucifer will take a political Christian over a praying Christian any day! He is threatened in the testimony of a saint, not in the sovereignty of a senator. The devil knows that one spiritually-minded Christian can make ten thousand flee, and one Spirit-led believer can shake a whole demonic battalion.

Paul commanded Timothy with these words:

“This charge I commit to you, son Timothy… wage the good warfare!” (1 Timothy 1:18)

Wage the good warfare — how so?

“No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:4)

We cannot be distracted by battles which have no affect on the spiritual war before us. For this reason, as Christians, we must take the fight where the fight is; and we must fight with the weapons of warfare that work against principalities and powers of hell. Souls should not be perishing while we’re busy signing petitions. Satan should not be binding up eternal destinies while we’re bolstering up temporary vanities —

“lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

Therefore, let us treat the subject of the Armor of God, not as a leftover Sunday School lesson for children, but as a pledge to our spiritual duty as the redeemed army of the King of Kings!

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—” (Ephesians 6:10–18)

“But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God… by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left…” (2 Corinthians 6:4, 7)