How to survive the battlefield is to know your God-given authority and power in Christ. You have the keys of the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 16:19.

Life is a journey and from time to time the journey gets rough sometimes. You need to know how to survive the battlefield. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, Matthew 18:18.

God Knows

God knows what battles and fiery trials we face long before they come to us. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you and is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed, Deuteronomy 31:8, for the victory is His, for in Him we are overwhelmingly conquerors, Romans 8:37.

The real battle is in the spiritual realm, for the spirit world is like a parallel universe. Therefore, the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses, 2 Corinthians 10:4.

It is vital the Christian also remains alert, 1 Peter 5:7, and resilient. After you have suffered a little while, the God of grace will Himself retore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast, 1 Peter 5:10. We are to operate in His strength not our own. Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts, Zechariah 3:4.

Know the Word

Knowledge is power, Proverbs 24:5, so the true follower of Christ should be constantly learning. Your weapon is the Word, for the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. Piercing as far as the division of the soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow. Able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart, Hebrews 4:12.

When Jesus was confronted with temptation from Satan He answered only with the word of God, Matthew 4:4,7,10. Therefore, it is vital to not only know the battlefield, but to have knowledge and understanding of God’s word. Christians must seek it out for themselves, not just take the word of others, and then use the word of God effectively.

Alone With God

It is vital for the true follower of Christ to take time to be still and alone with God in order to continue faithfully in the battle. This is an important part of protecting yourself for he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty, Psalm 91:1. Be still and know that I Am God, is a major key to survival on the battlefield. 

 The Lord is my rock in whom I take refuge. My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, Psalm 18:2. God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam. Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride, Psalm 46:1,2.

Rest in Him

No soldier can fight endlessly on the battlefield without taking a rest, Matthew 11:28, or getting food and water. The Word of God is our food, Matthew 4:4. Just as you eat food daily, you also need to ‘eat’ the word of God every day. Meditate on it when you lie on your bed, think on it when you rise up in the morning, Psalm 1:2.

It is vital for the soldier to have a deep inner peace that daily struggles cannot touch. An assurance that the creator of the universe, the great I Am that I Am and your Commander in Chief, Joshua 5:13-15, is in control and knows the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10. It’s His fight not yours,1 Samuel 17:47.

Prioritize

To survive the battlefield, you need to prioritize. God is not just your protector but also your provider for your every need, Philippians 4:19. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you, Matthew 6:33.

Survival in the battlefield also depends on how you decide where to invest your effort. Satan will ensure you have many distractions, and it is easy to get caught up in good works. However, this needs to be balanced, placing your hunger for the things of God above all else.

The real battle is between Satan and God, Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-17. Satan knows he cannot win, but that doesn’t stop him lying about his position, for he is a murderer and a liar, John 8:44, and a thief, John 10:10. However, intellect and patience will win over brute force. There is total victory is Christ, and the blessings of being an overcomer are limitless as revealed in the book of Revelation.

Not Alone

Soldiers fight more effectively when they are accompanied by like-minded people. It is the same in the spiritual realm It is vital to align yourself with like-minded authentic worshippers of God though these are few and far between.

Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it, Matthew 7:13,14.

Degrees of Preparedness

All Christians fight the battle whether they want to or not. However, just as there are degrees of preparedness in the natural, there are degrees of preparedness spiritually.

It is important that the Spirit of God finds fertile soil in the heart of the true soldiers of Christ, Matthew 13:1-23. We need to be fully equipped to face the enemy. The enemy does not quit because we are not properly prepared.

Purpose of the Battlefield

The spiritual battlefield is not just games, as some would see earthly battlefields. It has a deadly and eternal purpose, which is to equip the saints, until we all attain to the unity of the faith. To a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ, Ephesians 4:12. God has a standard of measure that never alters and how much we yield to that standard is how we will enter the gates of heaven.

There is a heavenly purpose to what we go through in our lives, for God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. To those who are called according to His purpose, Romans 8:28. There are things which the eye has not seen and ear has not heard. And which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him, 1 Corinthians 2:9.

How to Survive the Battlefield

To survive the battlefield is the goal of every true believer. Our citizenship is in heaven, Philippians 3: 20, and we fight for a spiritual cause. Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, Philippians 3:14.

It is not just about survival but taking down the strongholds of the enemy in the process, 2 Corinthians 10:4. We are God’s own possession, 1 Peter 2:9, called to do the work of God on earth, Matthew 6:10. God indwells and empowers His people with the Spirit of God, John 14:23.

We are called to make disciples of all men, Matthew 28:19. We are to go into the enemies camp and take back what he has stolen from us. There is a heavenly purpose beyond our commission and beyond our comprehension.  In Christ we have the victory for He goes before us, Deuteronomy 20:4. We are His overcomers with all the God-promised benefits.

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Dr. Wendy Stenberg-Tendys is a freelance writer who enjoys researching a topic and sharing words of encouragement from the Word of God.

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