Weapons.

 "We cannot tell how Peter was enabled to walk on the water when the waves were rolling about him, but we know that at the command of the Lord he did it. So long as he kept his eye fixed on the Master, divine power enabled him to walk as easily as though it were solid rock underneath, but when he looked at the waves, possibly with a feeling of pride in what he was doing, as though he himself was doing it, fear very naturally took possession of him, and he began to sink. Faith enabled him to walk on the waves; fear made him sink beneath them.

Says the apostle, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days." Heb.  11:30. Why was that written? For our learning, "that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4. 

Why, is there any prospect that we shall ever be called upon to fight armed hosts and to take fortified cities? No, "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." Eph. 6:12. But the victories which have been gained by faith in God over visible foes in the flesh are placed on record to show us what faith will accomplish in our conflict with the rulers of the darkness of this world. 

The grace of God, in answer to faith, is as powerful in these battles as in those, for says the apostle:

For though we walk in the flesh,

we do not war after the flesh,

for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal

but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;

casting down imaginations and every high thing

that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,

and bringing into captivity every thought

to the obedience of Christ.

2 Cor. 10:3-5 "

(Excerpt- March 25, 1889  "The just shall live by faith." Rom. 1:17.

Signs of the Times Articles - by E.J. Waggoner)

2Co 6:7  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left

Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 

Eph 6:13  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. 

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 

Weapons/Armor -- of righteousness, light, truth, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Spirit, love, prayer.

Weapons. You envision a sword, a gun, a knife, a chain, a bow and arrow, a bomb, etc. If I ask you for a weapon instantly your mind would go to what would I need a weapon for, and then if I gave you a response that was acceptable to you, you'd ask me what kind of weapon I'd need, or you may even suggest what I might need to use as a weapon. The warfare would determine the weapon. What is needed in cyber warfare? Surely not a gun. You need cyber weapons. If the warfare were chemical, you'd need chemical weapons. If the war were infectious diseases, yes, you'd need infectious diseases to use in combat. In our world we try to match weapon for weapon, forever trying to outdo or at least keep up with the weapons our rival countries have- no matter what kind of weapons they have. In news recently I read about China amassing ships and weapons, and I read about Russia having a new never before kind of weapon out there that puts all other weapons to shame.  The more powerful the country the more powerful the weapons and we try to make agreements to not use these weapons that could literally destroy us. If one uses their weapons, another will use theirs and leave the world as we know it in complete and utter chaos. Weapons. Powerful things of destruction.

The weapons of God, the weapons given to us to use are SPIRITUAL.

Righteousness is a weapon.

Light (knowledge) is a weapon.

Truth is a weapon.

The Gospel of Peace is a weapon.

Faith is a weapon.

Salvation is a weapon.

The SPIRIT is a weapon.

Praying is a weapon.

Love is a weapon.

When we hear that word weapon we think weapons - the things used to hurt, to protect, to intimidate, to boast of possessing. Do you have any weapons? Some people have guns in their homes and they keep them there to protect themselves against others. Others have collections of weapons they've acquired as a hobby. Some use weapons to hunt wild animals for food. This small list tells of weapons that aren't used in an evil manner. We use knives daily in a non-violent way. Various items that can be used as weapons also serve very useful purposes. 

When I ask you to please pass me the knife that is next to you and out of my reach, you don't think that you are handing me a weapon but rather a piece of cutlery. When I ask you to give me the knife when I see a threatening person coming my way, that knife is now a weapon. The intention in the implement truly means something.

We don't normally consider righteousness, knowledge, truth, peace, faith, salvation, the Spirit, praying and love as weapons because that gives the connotation of using those things for purposes that aren't of God. Yet, it is God who tells us they are our spiritual weapons because we ARE fighting against things that AREN'T flesh and blood-

Principalities

Powers

Rulers of Darkness

Spiritual Wickedness

Eph 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. 

We CAN'T SEE THESE THINGS! 

We CAN'T TOUCH THESE THINGS!

THEY ARE ALL REAL!

Are these things real-- righteousness, knowledge, truth, peace, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit, praying, love?

Yes, they are all real. 

If they are REAL and UNSEEN- not tangible for the most part- why do we doubt the reality of their counterparts of evil?  We know there is evil, we live with it every day. We are exposed to evil all the time, it exists. 

We are TOLD to use the Spiritual Weapons against Spiritual Evil. 

The unseen evil that fills the lives of those who have abandon the truth of God. The unseen evil that swarms around us all seeking to enter our lives in any way possible. It's real.

We need all the weapons God provides. 

God's righteousness, knowledge, God's truth and peace, God's gospel, the faith and salvation that are God's, the Holy Spirit God, praying by God, loved by God, loving through God. All the GLORY is God's, all of it! It's through God these weapons are used. It's through God these weapons work. We must believe, we must trust- all in God. All through the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior we will use His weapons as He needs and wants us to, for His will, for His purposes, knowing all we do for His glory is righteous and good- for us, He only desires our ultimate good found only in Him.