Got one of those 911 type of calls from a friend last night. Potential for some stormy weather on the homefront. Earlier in the day a fuse had been lit and, knowing himself, he didn’t want to throw any gas on even such a small fire. “Talk me down,” he asked. So we talked.

And as we talked, we talked about our enemy. Not that we want to see the devil behind every disturbance, but also not wanting to be “outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2Cor. 2:11). And recognizing “his designs” isn’t all that hard sometimes, for our foe isn’t particularly creative in his approach. After all, he’s called “the accuser” for a reason (Rev. 12:10).

And a couple of verses in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians hit me this morning as an “Amen!” to last night’s brief conversation.

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

(2Corinthians 10:3-4 ESV)

The weapons of our warfare. That’s what I’m chewing on this morning.

A reminder that while the skirmishes may ebb and flow, there is always a battle going on. Even when times are good and the pressure is off, every morning I awake and the old nature within me is ready to butt heads with the Spirit within me (Gal. 5:17). Apart from any external influences, apart from any supernatural interference, there is always an internal struggle.

But the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh.

Then throw into the mix an adversary who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pet. 5:8), and the potential for some pretty serious flare ups shouldn’t be surprising. Add to the mix a lying destroyer (Jn. 8:44), often masquerading as an angel of light (2Cor. 11:14), who loves to chirp untruths and misquoted scriptures into our ear (Matt. 4:1-11), and the battle can get pretty intense pretty quick.

But the weapons of our warfare have divine power to destroy strongholds.

Sometimes it’s a cage match and often we’re not even aware of when we entered the cage. An MMA fight (Mixed Metaphysical Attacks) and we haven’t even changed out of our street clothes yet.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

(Ephesians 6:12 ESV)

But we refuse to wage wage according to the flesh.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

(Ephesians 6:11 ESV)

The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, they are the armor of God. The belt of His truth. The breastplate of the righteousness credited to our account. Shoes able to endure for however long we must tread the battlefield as they endure through the gospel of peace. The shield of faith able to deflect anything and everything thrown our way. The helmet of salvation protecting our mind, confident that the work God has begun in us He will complete in us. Along with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, able to pierce through all our enemy’s lies. And praying in the Spirit providing the air cover needed and sufficient for every battle, great or small. (Eph. 6:13-18)

And so, last night, we talked a bit. We prayed a bit. And we entered our different battles with the weapons of our warfare.

By His grace. For His glory.