The following post is taken in part from Good Things to Come, Hebrews 10:1.Â
How does our battle with the forces of evil relate to good things to come?
 Good things to come will come through the battle of life against both the spirit of Satan and the spirit of man.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1st Peter 5:7) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1st Peter 5:8) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1st Peter 5:9) But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1st Peter 5:10) To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1st Peter 5:11)
  These words of the Spirit of God are to touch deeply into our heart, soul and spirit. We are in unfriendly territory. We are IN a present evil world where both Satan and sin reign. It is THEY, the world, who kicked out our King. And they afflict us daily because of our life in Christ. Under Adam, all men have a heart that is wicked, desperately wicked, it is a heart of deceit, and the very words that man speaks comes from that deceitful heart. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) Man does not realize the depth of deceitfulness because of sin neither does man realize that God still has the power to search the heart of man, and to try his reins, and to reward man according to his evil with the judgments of God according to the fruit of his doings, nor his way of life in sin. I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:10)
  We have been given, as the redeemed of the Lord, the gospel of reconciliation. We are to preach, teach, write and to act according to that gospel. We can act one on one, or with all manners of communications, however, the Spirit of God must guide ALL ministry, and only through His guidance can we minister the truth of the word of God to the sons of man. All must be reconciled through the faith which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) The Lord Jesus knew of our battles. He knew that we would go against a great host of unbelief and darkness. This is why the Holy Spirit of God in Chapter 6 of the book of Ephesians presents to us the whole armor of God. I want you to realize that this armor is a heavenly armor, and it is NOT of this world. It is what God has given to us so that we might stand in an evil day when lies, deceit and betrayal are considered normal in all of society, and we, as the children of God, have to fulfill our servitude to Christ. These words concerning the armor of God in Ephesians 6 are from the voice of our Redeemer THROUGH His Spirit.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Ephesians 6:10)
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)
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. (Ephesians 6:12)
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;Â (Ephesians 6:14)
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;Â (Ephesians 6:15)
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Ephesians 6:16)
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:Â (Ephesians 6:17)
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;Â (Ephesians 6:18)
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:19)
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:20)
  Is not this the largest battlefield? Is not this the greatest conflict that demanded the greatest cost, and will reveal the greatest glory of good things to come? In Ephesians 6, the Holy Spirit of God knows just what we need in order to stand in an evil day. We should remember that since the death and resurrection and ascension of Christ, the world is covered with the darkness of sin and evil.
  All these articles of armor are the fundamentals of our warfare. And we need to embrace the importance of the armor of God with all spiritual presence and precepts that we might WAR against the children of evil, and against the evil one himself: Satan, who is actively trying to devour those who walk with Christ.
   The first aspect of our warfare is our training, and how do we train? Scripture tells us to be strong in the Lord. And where did our Lord Jesus Christ get His strength? His strength came by communing with the Father of lights and perfection. We receive instruction and training through the scriptures presented to us by the Spirit of God. Every good and perfect gift comes from above. And before we put on the armor of God, we MUST be spiritually strong IN Christ for as we represent Him, we must hold up His majesty, His glory, and the wonder of the power of our great Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. We rest IN Him and IN the power of His might for He is able through the scriptures to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) According to Hebrews 4:12 it is the power of God’s word THROUGH the Spirit that directs us and discerns the thoughts and intents of our heart. Through the power of the Spirit of God we resist the works of the devil for the spirit of the devil is a devouring spirit, and to fight against this spirit you must put on the WHOLE armor of God. The wiles of the devil take in ALL evil and spiritual wickedness of this world. This is also the collective, the accumulative evil that grows as weeds and tares, and Satan is joined to the goats of wickedness which are the children of Cain who was of that wicked one, Satan himself.
  Cain was the first seed of the serpent. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. (1st John 3:12) There is not one battle, but many battles for the evil spirit of Satan goes to and fro throughout the whole earth. He is seeking to devour, to overcome that which is good. He has enmity in his being against God and against every child of God. We have battles within ourselves to stay on the right path lit by the word of God, and then we have the battles with our foes who use ALL guile to deceive us and the biggest deception of all is how they pervert the word of God. Therefore, if we are going to stand in an evil day, we must put on the whole armor of God. Thus, we need to examine the battlefield, and realize the spiritual warfare that we are up against. The Spirit of God tells us in verse 12 of Ephesians Chapter 6 that our battle is 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. This is a great armada against us and only the Captain of the ship, the Lord Jesus Christ, can go before us in this great conflict for the souls of men. So, the stage is set, the battlefield lies before us, all things seem impossible, BUT with our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)
  The evil spirit of Satan, the devil, the old serpent, the prince of the power of the air has many cohorts and counterfeits in this world, however, we should not be frightened, for greater is He that is in us then he that is in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1st John 4:4) So we need to be able to identify his cohorts and the counterfeits of Satan. Once again, in 1st John we are given the formula: the means of examination for those of the truth and of those of error. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (1st John 4:5) We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1st John 4:6)
  One thing that we should be aware of is that the word ‘commandment’ is put aside in the Church today. However, in John’s 1st epistle, the word commandment is mentioned seven (7) times through four (4) verses and the word commandments are mentioned seven (7) times throughout six (6) verses, for a total of fourteen (14) mentions in ten (10) verses. The Spirit of God gives us the number seven (7) twice which is the number of perfection doubled, we also see the number of verses in being ten (10) which again reminds us of The Law and commandments for the total verses in the number fourteen, thus showing us that it is the commandments in the number ten and that those commandments are for the world, in the number four.
  In 1st John Chapter 4, the Spirit of God within us speaks the words of Christ. If the world will not hear us, then they are NOT of God. This is a good platform to examine the counterfeits of Satan. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1st John 4:6) This is how we stand in THIS EVIL WORLD in THIS EVIL DAY. We must do ALL to stand . . . leave nothing out. You have God’s power within, and the Spirit of Christ is on your side.
  The first element of our armor is found in Ephesians 6:14, Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Ephesians 6:14) The first article is truth for truth must be the first defense against ALL evil, and that truth is IN Him, the Lord Jesus, who is ALL truth. For grace and truth came by Jesus Christ; therefore, it is the truth that set us free, and the truth must be our first line of defense. The Spirit of God instructs us to gird up our loins in truth for this is the place of man’s power with the Spirit of truth for we have been given the Comforter, the Spirit of God, to lead us into ALL truth. For our protection we must cover our heart with the breastplate of righteousness for Christ has been made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. As we saw in Jeremiah 17, it is the heart of man that is the seat of man’s wickedness. And yet God examines the heart first, He tries the reins or heart of man, man believes unto righteousness with the heart. And the righteousness of Christ is imparted to the newborn child of God with the Spirit of God within his heart. So, the breastplate of righteousness covers the heart from outward attack and preserves the heart by the inward dwelling of the Spirit of God.
  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15) We are all aware of the footprints that the Lord Jesus left here on earth, and how He exhorted us to pick up the cross and to follow in those footprints. We need to watch where we walk. We need to keep the word of God as a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105) We walk in the light of Christ, and we become the light into this world with the gospel of peace. Consequently, we declare into the world the message of life and death. I come to show you life . . . choose this day life or death. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ belongs to the One who created heaven and earth. We are His ambassadors bought with His blood. He fought for us in both the SEEN and in the UNSEEN of His sacrificial death upon the cross of Calvary. Now we pick up that fight. We offer to the world peace with God to as many as receive Him, who are not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God through God the Holy Spirit. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13)
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Ephesians 6:16) We have the shield of faith. Remember, FAITH is the substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence of things NOT seen. (Hebrews 11:1) So the shield of faith is that tangible object of faith and we arrive by FAITH into the family of God for we are under the Law of Faith. (Romans 3:27). We are under the fullness of Faith for Christ is the Author and Finisher of faith and the shield of faith confirms to us ALL the promises of God and these promises are kept by the shield of faith against all unbelief in this wicked world. The shield of faith has upon it the emblem of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as a symbol of faith in His blood.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1st Peter 1:2)
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:24)
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;Â (1st Peter 1:18) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1st Peter 1:19)
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;Â (Revelation 5:9)
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;Â (Romans 3:25)
  These are some of the elements of the shield of faith. The Law of Faith began with Abel who was the first partaker of God’s faith offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. And through Abel’s faith he offered a more perfect sacrifice looking FORWARD to the good things to come. Abel’s faith was a divine window to the fullness of time when Christ, the anointed of God with the oil of gladness, would offer Himself as that shield of faith and shed His precious blood for those of His redeemed. And we take that shield of faith IN His blood and declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the determinate counsels and foreknowledge of God through His forbearance through His grace and His divine love. For God is NOT willing that ANY should perish. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2nd Peter 3:9) Again, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the gospel of life, and it is also the gospel of death.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:Â (2nd Corinthians 2:15) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2nd Corinthians 2:16)
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;Â (Deuteronomy 30:15)
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:Â (Deuteronomy 30:19)
  When we embrace the Law of Faith and the goodness of God in Jesus Christ, the evil one, the prince of this world musters up his forces against us. Here is the fortitude of faith, remember that Satan has the world on his side, it is a PRESENT EVIL WORLD, it is a world of darkness with spiritual wickedness in high places.
  The political side of this world will condemn you for your faith in Jesus Christ – that is one fiery dart. The economic system will condemn you for walking IN and BY faith – that is two fiery darts. The dark side of this world condemns you for you are of the light in Christ and they cannot abide that light – that’s three fiery darts. The spiritual wickedness condemns you for not agreeing with their spiritual wickedness – that is four fiery darts. The counterfeit church condemns you for not swallowing their lies – that is five fiery darts. The ministers of Satan condemn you for standing up against them with the shield of faith and the truth of the word of God – that is six fiery darts. These darts are all launched from wickedness in high places.
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1st Peter 1: 4) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1st Peter 1: 5) Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (1st Peter 1: 6) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1st Peter 1: 7) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1st Peter 1: 8)
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: (1st Peter 4:12) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1st Peter 4:13) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. (1st Peter 4:14)
  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:17) The helmet of salvation . . . there have been many types of helmets to protect the mental stability of the warrior in battle. The helmet has been used in many fields, in sports, and even in space travel, but the helmet of salvation is the greatest helmet of all. With it, the child of God, maintains his spiritual continuity and his conscience before God. The child of God submits his thoughts to the will of God’s righteousness. When the world denies you of your service for God, the helmet of salvation (with its assurance) directs you in God’s path and in God’s service. The helmet is marked with the power of Christ, and the power of the cross to keep you mind SET on the purchase price that God gave for that helmet of salvation that He has given you life from above. The helmet of salvation is also a mind of defense. For the mind is first attacked before the heart is attacked. What Lot SAW and HEARD in Sodom vexed his righteous soul. The helmet of salvation filters thoughts to our hearts. Therefore, we must have the mind of Christ. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5) So you see that this helmet, this spiritual helmet, guards against evil thoughts and allows your mind to be stayed on Christ.
  In verse 17 of Ephesians 6 we move from a defensive position to an offensive position with the same Spirit of holiness that gave the word and preserves it. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:17)
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1st Peter 1:23)
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
  The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. Words would mean nothing without the force of the Holy Spirit of God behind them giving His attention to the truth of every word, every line, and every precept. The sword of the Spirit of the word of God is a mighty weapon against evil.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13)
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)
  We cannot say or write enough about the written and Living Word for all the thoughts of God to man are encompassed in His holy word. God’s thoughts are revealed in the Word of God both in heaven and in earth. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89) The testimony of the Lord Jesus (when on earth) proclaimed that His words were spirit and life. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63) Much more can be said about the supernatural Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His supernatural book. As you study the scriptures, the armor, the words themselves become part of you, and they give you understanding by the Spirit of God and the mind of Christ. All doubts fade into the light of Christ. He gives His word to the simple, simple in life, not simple in thought for the workman knows his tools, and those tools perfect his work.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2nd Timothy 2:15)
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2nd Timothy 3:15) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2nd Timothy 3:16) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2nd Timothy 3:17)
  Good things . . . . the Lord Jesus has given us and much more . . . . good things to come. The last part of the address in Ephesians Chapter 6 is the garment of Eleazar, the priest, the robe of righteousness and truth, and the power of all supplication entering into battle for others, condemning the evil and upholding the truth through fervent prayer.
And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. (Numbers 25:5)
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 25:6)
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;Â (Numbers 25:7)
And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. (Numbers 25:8)
And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. (Numbers 25:9)
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (Numbers 25:10)
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. (Numbers 25:11)
Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:Â (Numbers 25:12)
And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. (Numbers 25:13)
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Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. (Psalm 106:29) Then srood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed, (Psalm 106:30) And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. (Psalm 106:31)
  We have been given all these articles of truth that we might be able to stand in an evil day. We belong to the same Body that cannot be divided, and this armor is for our conflict with the world, and with all spiritual wickedness in high places starting with the counterfeit church that boasts itself as the voice of God and the vicar of Christ under many names and premises, but we come before you with the sword of the Lord and the Spirit of truth. Amen.
© Copyright 2023, Michael Haigh
This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJB)