January 4, 2026
Havasu Christian Church
Are you Battle ready?
Ephesians 6:10–20
What are we up against?
INTRO: Our Nation goes to great expense to know what they are up against. From satellite images, to human intelligence, (spies) and everything in-between, it’s good to know what you are going to be going up against.
For the next several weeks, we’re going to take a deep dive into being Battle Ready! But before you go into battle, it’s always good to know who and what you are up against.
Ephesians 6:10–20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
So who and what are we up against?
- The devil
- What do we know about Satan?
- He is a “father” to evil people!
John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
- Satan has plenty of people working for him.
- He’s “their father.”
- In all kinds of jobs.
- In all kinds of places.
- He is a murderer.
- In this life.
- He has “his children” who certainly will murder.
- “His children” will do whatever they can to make you miserable.
- Satan hates us all!
- In the next life.
- He wants you and everyone else to go to hell.
- By any and every means possible.
- By mistreatment.
- By a life of ease.
- Whatever it takes.
- There is no truth in him.
- Satan will lie, even when the truth would serve him better.
- He is “the father of lies.”
- He urges everyone to lie! It’s part of his nature, and he wants it to be yours too!
- Our struggle is against other “spiritual forces” as well.
- Satan has a lot of help we cannot see.
- Rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness, spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places
- We know there are different angels that serve God.
- Seraphim (fiery, six-winged worshipers near God's throne)
- Cherubim (guardians of holy spaces like Eden and the Temple)
- Archangels (chief angels like Michael and Gabriel), and
- general Angels (messengers and protectors)
- It’s a safe assumption that there are different kinds of demons as well.
- These designations may be speaking of what they do, rather than being names.
- But it is certainly possible that this is a hierarchy of the demonic world.
- These demonic forces are active in our world.
- They are not seen, but their presence is felt.
- They work in our world to lead people astray!
- They work in our world to physically harm people.
- Damage from drug abuse.
- Damage from hatred.
- Damage from self-pity.
- Damage from acting on sexual temptation.
- Damage from anything that comes between you and God!
- Satan’s forces, demonic and human are working hard to cause this kind of damage!
- Satan and those who serve him are at work promoting false religions.
- Any religion that does not have the real, true Jesus at the center is false!
- There are many roads to “g” gods…
- But there is only one way to the true God! JESUS!
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
- Satan can’t harm God, but he can do damage to those that God loves!
- This includes the persecution of Christians that we see, all around the world.
- It is our job to fight!
- Armor up!
- The FULL armor, not just a bit or a piece.
- We’ll be looking more fully at these pieces of armor in the weeks to come.
- Resist! To be in opposition, or set yourself against something. To oppose. To be resistant to some kind of power.
James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
- We are called to resist… but to resist what is WRONG! Not to just resist for “resistance’s sake!
- Stand firm! Eight New Testament verses tell us to Stand firm! Two of them are in Ephesians.
1 Cor 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Eph 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Eph 6:14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Phil 4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
1 Thess 3:8 for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.
2 Thess 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
1 Pet 5:12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!
- To stand firm means we will not be moved!
The men were exhausted from fighting all day in the heat. Of the 386 men of the 20th Maine who came to Gettysburg, 44 men, all of Company B, have been cut off from the main body. 29 are dead, 91 are wounded, and 5 are missing. They are virtually out of ammunition, and the 15th and 47th Alabama are coming up the hill again. Retreat was not an option. The 20th Maine were at the end of the battle formation and if they did not stand firm, the enemy would be able to sweep around the rear of the Union army and attack from the front and the rear. Col. Chamberlain cannot retreat, his men have so little ammunition that they cannot keep from being overwhelmed! So, according to Col. Chamberlain’s account, he simply shouted “BAYONETS” and the men began attacking down the hill! The battle was won! The Union army was saved from a terrible defeat. If these men had given up, all would have been lost!
- You don’t give in!
- You can’t resist & stand firm while giving up!
- Remember that we are not alone!
- We have Brothers & Sisters who are also in this fight!
- Turn to others when you need help.
- Be available for others to turn to when they need help!
- There is also help in the Spiritual realm.
- The Angels of God will always win over the forces of Satan.
- We also have the Holy Spirit, Who lives inside of us!
- We are fighting a battle that is already won!
- Satan is a defeated enemy!
- The entire book of Revelation can be summed up in three words. God’s Gonna Win!!!
- Jesus’ death on the cross made our victory possible!
- If we’ve given Jesus our lives, we will be victorious as well!
- No matter how it looks to those who see what’s going on in our lives.
Conclusion: So, there’s the intel we need to begin our series.
- We are up against Satan.
- He’s nasty, but with Jesus on our side, we do not need to fear!
- We are up against those who follow Satan.
- Demons
- People who willingly follow Satan.
- People who unknowingly follow Satan.
- Many more of these…
- Many of these folks will want to change sides, if they are given the chance!
- With the Grace of God, we can stand firm!
- We have the armor!
- We are not alone!
- We have each other!
- We have angelic help!
- We have the Holy Spirit, living inside of us!
