Truth is our Soul Armor
The other day, as I fell into bliss thinking about God and all He has done and is doing in my life, a jolt brought me back to the fullness of reality – there is a battle going on.
After talking with an acquaintance who is an unbeliever, God reminded me of the realness of the evil at work and the spiritual battle taking place, in lives like hers; one that I need to always be aware of, ready for, and engaged in – not in la-la land.
The spiritual warfare is strong. It can seem overwhelming when you look at all the evil in this world (blatant evil and evil disguised as good), but He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
As God’s children, we need to realize this power we’ve been given and use it. When we are prepared and fighting, we are more powerful than we know in the methods of spiritual warfare like speaking truth, acting in love (true love), praise, prayer, and fasting. Jesus Christ has given us the power to trample the enemy (the self-will; individually and collectively). He has given us ALL power over the enemy Luke 10:19. We need to use what we’ve been given. How do you use it? Know the truth, know your enemy, and know the power that works in and through you and act on it.
Battling in the Mind
I’ve been learning to fight the spiritual battle that occurs in our minds. The enemy feeds us lies whether through the messages of society, others, religion, and so on. It’s a brilliant strategy on his part, because if we believe those lies we act on them, then WE destroy ourselves. However, if we know the truth, those lies have no power. As I saw on the back of car – Truth, Soul Armor – how true that is!
In our spiritual walks, we come to a point were we “get it”. You can see this in Apostle Paul’s writing. There is a deep knowing of the truth, that gives him an incredible power in his life and over the enemy. Though we are always learning, we come to a point of knowing that the battling in our minds gets easier in a sense, thus us stronger. It reminds me of Neo in the movie the Matrix (movie I recommend full of interesting symbolism). As he understood that the enemies he saw were actually computer code he could alter, he battled effortlessly. His understanding of the truth was his power to defeat the enemy.
Getting to that point of discerning the truth from the lies is a process. We start blinded to the lies and therefore live by them. As we abide in God’s truth, the lies start to become unveiled. As truth takes ownership in our souls, we are equipped to fight the lies we’ve lived by for so long. At first, it’s difficult because they are so “engrained”. Yet, over time as we continue abiding, our clarity and understanding expands and discerning truth becomes easier. Like Neo, the truth gives us power to defeat our enemies. The moment a lie crosses the pathways of our mind, we recognize it for what it is and disregard it. We block every attack with ease and thus victory. 1 John 5:4 Truth, Soul Armor.
What the Holy Spirit reminded me the other day was once people take in the lies; they are opening up to much more.
Battling Spiritual Forces
Without truth, we invite all sorts of evil into our lives. Many, even those named Christians who lack a love for the truth, and are falling into the hands of the enemy. (M’kayla’s Korner) 2 Thessalonians 2:10. And at that point, what are they opening up their spirits to?
Ephesians 6:12 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.
In the movie, when Neo first learned the truth, the true state of world he lived, the extent of deception, and the real evil that existed – it was hard for him to believe it. It seemed unreal. But it didn’t change the fact that it was very real. This world has done a good job of making the presence of evil non-existence or comical. More and more the happenings of life are explained disconnected from the spiritual, the real spiritual, another clever tactic of the enemy. If we don’t know or recognize our enemy, it doesn’t change whether we are being impacted by it, and it completely affects our ability to “fight” it. Suppose you were in a physical fight. Your opponent was obliterating you, yet you refused to believe he was the reason for your pain. You felt the sting of the blows and the wounds on your body, but you didn’t believe he was attacking you. You intellectually explained it as something else. By not admitting the truth, how could you ever win? You couldn’t. You have to know your enemy in order to defeat him. You have to know how he works. 2 Corin 2:11
It was a good reminder last week of the battle that is raging around us, the realness of it and how we’ve been given the power to defeat it. Realize the power you have in Christ over ALL power of the enemy. Don’t let the distractions of this world distract you from the battle we are in, the battle God is calling His people to fight.
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Living Light 
July 27, 2010 at 5:02 am
When you are awakened to and believe the fact that you are truly a new creation in Christ you can begin to see a clearer separation of the physical and spiritual realm. Your spirit is confined to a human body in the physical realm for the purpose of knowing Him, making Him known and living by His life. I feel the enemy trembles when a child of God realizes who they are in and through the power of Christ. To me, most of the lies that he has and does feed us keeps us from that truth. The lies seem to fall into two categories; ones that keep me from or makes me question my true identity and the others are separate me from God and his body. I thank Jesus every day that he has awaken me to this fact. In Christ am able to freely walk before the Lord and I know who I am. I have enjoyed reading your post they are encouraging.
Your sister in Christ.
July 27, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Carrie – thanks for your insightful comment. It is true freedom to know and to be a new creation in Christ. Sometimes the newness of life that God brings to us is overwhelming.
September 17, 2010 at 1:15 am
Hello Rachel,
I’ve truly enjoyed your insight and video on allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to you, and how to go about doing that. This is a fantastic website and I am interested in being apart of your vision. I am a poet, and Graphic Designer, Something the Spirit of God told me to pursue and in doing so. He placed in me to write this poem last year showing me what he was about to do in my life and how it is now in process. As I saw the name of your website it reminded me of a poem God had given me to write. The title of this poem is called:
LAUNCHING INTO THE DEEP
Launching into the deep with no gravity beneath my feet,
Let’s take a walk in the depths of your fear
the unknown challenges, God has made clear.
The grip of comfort has loosen its hold
While strategically placing faith in control;
Launching into the deep; your hidden treasure awaits
Each soul that is touched, the bondage breaks,
Launch into the deep, a place I’ve never been before,
God has placed a mandate upon me, saying; from you I want much more.
Awakening the ability to try something new,
which released the hidden surface of the real you.
Not sure of the capabilities, not sure if I’ll be denied
The possibilities are endless once effort is applied.
Launching into the deep is an expression I’d like to define
It’s more of a challenge and being persistent is mine.
I’ll take that step to conquer the unknown
While visualizing my future and leaving my past alone.
I’m now persuaded to live this life
Preparing for my adventure to make that sacrifice
No longer will I hide the abilities I have within;
Launching into the deep, is how this journey begins.
Written by: Gaye Hallman
September 17, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Hi Gaye – LOVED the poem. It is such a wonderful description of what I think of when I say stirring the deep — thanks so much for sharing it with me. Can I put it on my page – Mission – where I talk about what stirring the deep is? I love how God puts similar visions into people’s hearts and then connects them together. Do you have a blog or website where you post your poems?
October 13, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Hello Rachel,
Yes you may post my poem on your mission page, No I don’t have a blog yet, though I am working on one to place my poems. I hope it will help the way it is intended to. regarding your logo, I am interested in designing your logo, if that is still available.
October 14, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Gaye, Thanks so much. I’ll keep you in mind for a logo if I decide to do one. 🙂
July 27, 2010 at 7:14 am
The greater one presses into God, the greater the battle, but we would not change it for anything eh Rachel?
Love for truth makes it all worthwhile. It is that which will leave us standing in the end, when lovers of lies will fall in a heap. Thanks again.
Roger
July 27, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Roger – absolutely not – wouldn’t change a thing :-). And well said Roger. Truth is our shield.
July 27, 2010 at 4:53 pm
I have been reading a lot of blogs lately dealing with the Christians battle against darkness. Truth is our weapon isn’t it? I sense we live in a day when there is a famine of HEARING the Word of the Lord. There is no famine of the Word just of hearing it and without hearing it faith cannot be built for as Paul said “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Thanks for your thoughts
July 27, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Jelillie – yes, I agree – just as Amos 8:11 says “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:” People don’t want the pure word of God – they want teachers who say what they want to hear – and there are plenty out there doing just that 2 Tim 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;” And because there is a lack of love for the truth many will fall. But if we seek truth in God’s Word and abide in Him then His truth will be ours and will give us the discernment and wisdom we so desparately need — Thanks for your comment.
July 28, 2010 at 12:39 pm
“Know the truth, know your enemy, and know the power that works in and through you and act on it.” Thanks, Rachel. I love this line. For a long time, the Holy Spirit has brought to mind the verse where Paul says we do not fight after the flesh but with weapons that are “mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds”. I don’t think I’ve even begun to glimpse His power yet, but I know it’s working and I trust it will continue to work in my life.
Just since I’ve started writing, I think the Holy Spirit has shown me a new aspect of the statement I quoted above. Knowing God is so important. I think to truly KNOW God is also to believe Him, trust Him, love Him, and serve Him…because, well, how could man not do those things if we really truly KNOW Him? God gave me a promise a long time ago: “I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and THOU SHALT KNOW THE LORD” (Hosea 2:19-20). My trust has wavered as I see my faithlessness and the devil reminds me of it, and yet my trust grows as I see it is HIS promise who is faithful … and I see it happening. And this is what the Holy Spirit just reminded me of; God is allowing me to know Him – I knew of Him already and maybe already had begun a real acquaintance with Him but months ago, He started this new work – first it was to know Him as a holy and just God who hates sin and does get angry at those who sin – then it was to know Him as the holy and just God who also delights in mercy and is pleased to turn away His anger from His children who turn to Him repentant and seeking because He drew us to repentance and a desire to know Him – and now it is to know His power…something I think has only barely started. I see His power in the world He created, but I am trusting His power in me to work in my mind and bring every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Thanks for a great post! It is always good to be stirred up and ready for battle! Love to you sister.
July 28, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Hi Ruth – I love the way you write and explain what God is doing in your life. You made many wonderful points.
What you said about knowing God – I remember when that truth struck me — all else is built upon that truth. As you said it’s the foundation to believing Him, loving Him, walking with Him, serving Him . . . Knowing Him as He is is His request throughout the OT and NT. And in order to truly and intimately know Him we have to engage Him and His pure Word on a very personal level with a heart desirious to know who He is and not just to serve our needs.
As for His faithfulness – isn’t tremendous that we are told to “feed on His faithfulness” ? It isn’t so much about ours but His — that’s to be our focus, and how liberating it is to our lives to have that focus.
There is great power given to us through Christ. God has been teaching me a lot about it the past couple of weeks. It is wonderfully amazing and I know I’ve only but tasted. I’ll be praying for your growing relationship with God and your intimate knowing of Him.
July 29, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Thank you for your prayers, Rachel! I value them and need them very much! keep praying.
July 29, 2010 at 9:36 pm
This was sooooooooooooo precious and timely for me. Loved this and so grateful for it. Thank you, and blessings and writing mercies to you!
July 30, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Hi Amy – so glad it did! It’s an important truth for us to realize – especially these days!
August 1, 2010 at 4:22 am
Great message, Rachel. One of the weapons of mass destruction that the enemy uses on us is simple “distraction”. If he can keep our eyes on our problems or on the things of this world, he can keep us from being effective for the kingdom. So you are right to say that we need to know the enemy as well as having a knowledge of his methods!
August 1, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Hi Marianne – oh yes, those distractions – how very harmful the extent of them these days in our lives. People have given so much of their lives over to empty distractions – and neglected the things that are truly important.
‘v
August 1, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Good morning. This really falls into line with part of what’s been on my heart this morning; that of understanding the battle that we’re in and knowing how to battle the enemy. The other thing that’s been on my mind is the tendancy to become dull of hearing. One way that this happens is when we watch events; knowing the scriptural conclusion of these things, and then the continuance seems to stay intact. Consequently, over time, we become desensitized.
This is an incredible danger. While we don’t want to resort to sensationalism, we do need to be aware of what’s truly taking place. And even in times of supposed continuance, battles are raging 24/7. The enemy is continuously seeking to devour and each day offers an arena wherein battles are either either won or lost.
We know that scriptural fulfilment will transpire in the proper timing and we must be atuned to the Holy Spirit at all times. It’s also interesting that you mention the movie “The Matrix.” CR and I have used that analogy so much over the past couple of years. Even in casual conversation we’ll say things like “nobody sees what’s happening; it’s kind of like they’re glued to some kind of Matrix.” I still remember Morpheus (is that right; it’s been a while since I saw it) trying to explain what the Matrix is to Neo before he was set free. Try as he may, he could not offer even a remote description to a person who had spent their entire life believing a falsehood. And then when Neo was unplugged….what a ride.
As incredible as this movie was, the reality is far more profound. II Corinthians 4:18 is a favorite; along with the first few verses in chapter five.
Thanks for a most insightful post that I’m already planning to link to in an upcomming post. Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
August 1, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Hi Timbob – you make an excellent point about becoming “desensitized” – that is exactly what I felt the spirit reminding me not to do. Glad you are a fan of the Matrix – yes, it was Morpheus 🙂 The symbolism is fantastic. There are so many elements of that movie that provide an excellent analogy for spiritual things, like the one you mentioned. And great verses. Thanks for sharing.