Girgashites

Last week we talked about having Hittites in our promised land.  If you missed that Post, I encour-age you to go back and read it, as it lays the foun-dation for our study. This week, let's deal with the Girgashites, the second enemy listed in our focus Scripture (see Deuteronomy 7:1-2).  First, let's define them; Girgashite means:

• warfare
• strive, strife, to stir up strife, contention
• quarrel
• agitate
• opposition
• neck, throat
• to dread
• be very afraid, terror

Do you feel like you're under attack in some area of your life? Do you have strife or contention in your family? Have you run into opposition at eve-ry turn; does it feel like life has you by the throat? Do you dread getting out of bed in the morning?Are you afraid of what tomorrow might bring? You may be battling Girgashites.  

Although there are many topics we could discuss,   I want to focus on warfare.  Let's read these ver-ses, then take a deeper look.  

"Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up a-gainst all the schemes and the strategies and the de-ceits of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11).

(14)"So stand firm and hold your ground,  having tight-ened the wide band of truth around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm- footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. (16)Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can 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 [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all persever-ance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God's people." (Ephesians 6:14-18)

The first thing I want us to see is that Paul begins by saying, "His precepts are like the splendid arm-or". This whole passage can be summed up by say-ing, obey God's Word; learning and doing it IS putting on the armor of God.  

Now, let's break down each piece of armor listed in verses 14-18.  I'll start with what the pieces are, then give Scripture you can pray to put them on. 

For example, the belt of Truth:

1.  The Band (belt) of Truth:  personal integrity and moral courage. "Let integrity and uprightness protect me, For I wait [expectantly] for You." (Psalm 25:21).  

When you think of putting on the armor of God, start with the belt of truth; it's your integrity. David prayed his integrity would protect him. I love the picture of having moral courage; when you do, you've got the belt of truth fastened tightly a-round your waist (loins). Your loins represents your future; your destiny.   To put on the belt of truth, simply walk in integrity.  Integrity is who you are when you think no one is looking.

Let's move on to the second piece of armor:

2.  Breastplate of Righteousness:  an upright heart. "He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God..."  (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

To put on the breastplate of righteousness, we simply receive (by faith) what this Scripture says God did.  We choose to believe we ARE the righ-teousness of God in Christ. 

3.  Feet Shod With the Gospel of Peace: the good news. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked ...but his delight is in the law of the Lord, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.  And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its sea-son; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]."  (Psalms 1:1-3).  

Where do you go for advice?  Do you go to the 'wicked' (secular)?  We can go to Christian friends or books, but better yet, we're to go to the Bible and "meditate on it day and night."  To meditate on the Word means to mutter it.  Delight in the Word; study it, think on it, speak it.  Doing so will make you firm-footed to stand your ground against the enemy.

4.  Shield of Faith:  believing God, not your cir-cumstances; not denying them, but choosing to believe God's Word will prevail. "But My righteous one [the one justified by faith] shall live by faith [re-specting man's relationship to God and trusting Him];  And if he draws back [shrinking in fear], My soul has no delight in him."  (Hebrews 10:38).  

We quench the enemy's firey darts with the shield of faith; fear is the opposite of faith.  As you keep your feet shod with the gospel of peace, you'll have the strength to hold up your shield.  

5.  Helmet of Salvation: protection for your mind; your thoughts. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed and progressively chang-ed by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2) 

What you [continually] think on matters.  "As he thinks, so is he..." (Proverbs 23:7).  You can't stop thinking negative or depressed thoughts by telling yourself you're not going to do it anymore. You can only fight thoughts with thoughts.  "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and con-firmed by God's word, whatever is pure and whole-some, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any ex-cellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things." (Philippians 4:8) 

6.  Sword of the Spirit: the Word of God. "All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspir-ation] and is profitable for instruction, for convic-tion [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learn-ing to live in conformity to God's will, both publicly and privately - behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage];" (2 Timothy 3:16).  

Jesus overcame the temptations of satan (in the wilderness) by using the Word; we overcome him the same way.  But we have to know the Word before we need it.  This verse also says the Word will instruct, convict (not condemn), correct, re-store, and train us how to behave publicly and privately.  It will help us walk in integrity; this circles us back to the belt of truth.  All pieces of armor refer back to each other. 

7. Pray With all Prayer and Petition at all Times: prayer is simply talking to God. "If you remain in Me and My Words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you." (John 15:7).  

Prayer is an offensive weapon and we're to do it at all times, under all circumstances; not just for our-selves, but for others.  When we're totally united with Christ, He knows we're not going to pray for irresponsible, selfish things; we can have confi-dence our prayers will be answered. Just remem-ber, sometimes the answer is 'no'.  

We need to take our land from the enemy; to do so, we'll have to do spiritual warfare.  We'll have to put on God's armor; walk in integrity and keep the Girgashites out of our lives. 

Join me next Friday for another Devotional In His Word