I was recently asked how I prepare for teaching God’s Word. I began to share how I prayed and researched for message preparation, but, that wasn’t what this person wanted to know. They wanted to know how I cope with spiritual opposition from the evil one and his forces. Here is what I said, “Every Sunday when I get in my car and drive the few minutes it takes me to get to the church, I put on the whole armor of God. I do this every Sunday. I do it before every time I teach or preach. Generally, I say something like, "Lord, I know eternity hangs on what I’m talking about today. There may be somebody who will hear me speak who will never come to church again." I recognize that I am in a spiritual battle, and so I use four biblical principles in the fight:

1. I ACKNOWLEDGE THE ENEMY
Satan is real. (1 Peter 5:8-9) If there were no devil, why would God send His Son to fight what does not exist? The Bible says in 1 John 3:8, "Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.”

2. I ACCEPT MY GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY
Matthew 28:18-19 says we have all authority in heaven and earth. Then Jesus says, "Therefore go and make disciples.” My authority is not to rebuke Satan. Instead, Jesus has authorized me to tell everything I know about Him and how to know Him in a personal way.

3. I PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD
Our battle is not against people (even thought it may sometimes feel that way.) Our battle is against spiritual forces intent on destroying everything godly. To counter that attack, Paul said for us to put on the spiritual armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17.) I do this before every time I teach or preach.

4. I FIRE THE ARTILLERY
The battlefield for spiritual warfare is primarily in the thought life of the mind (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). In this battle for thoughts, I use the only weapon that will change lives and defeat the enemy’s strategy—I proclaim the Word of God.