Prepare for War: Your Godly Battle Plan for a Life Under Siege

Dr. Spencer R. Fusselman

Do you ever feel like you’re fighting a battle you can’t see? A sense of opposition that goes deeper than your daily circumstances? You’re not alone, and you’re not imagining it. According to the Bible, the life of a disciple is a constant spiritual battle. As Pastor Steve put it in a recent sermon, every true follower of Jesus Christ is going to face "battles, plural, wars plural, and enemies plural".

The problem is, many of us walk onto this battlefield unarmed and unaware. We misidentify the enemy, use the wrong weapons, and wonder why we feel defeated. But what if you had a detailed set of orders from your Commander-in-Chief? A heavenly “Operations Order” that lays out the entire strategy for victory?

The book of Ephesians is exactly that. Let's unpack this Godly battle plan, using insights from the workbook, "The Christian Operations Order," and a powerful sermon from Pastor Steve, to learn how to prepare for war and fight from a position of absolute victory.

The very first step is to open our eyes to the conflict raging around us. The Apostle Paul makes this crystal clear, explaining that  "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places". This single truth radically reframes our life’s struggles. The person who frustrates you, the challenging circumstances, the societal issues—these are not your primary adversary. Pastor Steve powerfully reminds us of this: "Husbands, your wife is not the enemy. Wives, your husband is not the enemy. Children, your parents are not the enemy" . Our true enemies are organized, malevolent spiritual forces. Satan’s most effective strategy is to convince people he isn’t real at all. When we don't believe in his existence, he gains "free rein". He uses deception to twist God’s Word, accusation to make us feel unworthy, and discouragement to stop us from taking steps of faith.

Understanding this spiritual reality isn't meant to bring fear, but to lead us to the only One who can fight for us. It forces us to ask the most important question: Where does our strength truly come from? This is the most liberating truth for any Christian warrior: we are powerless in our own strength. We are called to
"be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might", a strength we don't generate but simply receive. Our role is to acknowledge our weakness. Paul learned this lesson intimately, and God’s response to him is His promise to us, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness".

When we finally admit, "God, I cannot do this," and call upon His strength, we receive His mighty power. This leads to the most crucial strategic mindset, a quote from Warren Wiersbe that Pastor Steve shared:

"We're not fighting for victory. We are fighting from victory".

 Jesus has already declared the outcome, promising that even though we will have tribulation in the world, we can "be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. This heavenly assurance doesn't call us to passivity, but to a specific kind of action. If our strength is in God, what then is our role? In a single, powerful word: Stand. Paul commands us to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil". Pastor Steve defines "stand" as "to remain firm in the face of opposition". But before you can stand, "you have to stand up". We cannot be passive. This requires us to stand on the only firm foundation there is: Christ, the solid rock. David’s cry becomes our own as we declare, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust".

We stand for Truth in a world of subjective feelings, holding fast to Jesus' prayer for us: "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" . This is why the Belt of Truth is the first piece of armor—it’s the foundational truth of God's Word that holds everything together . From it flows the Breastplate of Righteousness, which guards our hearts , and with it we wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God—our only offensive weapon .

Knowing about the armor is one thing, but how do we respond in the heat of a spiritual attack? Here is a practical battle drill for the soul, a protocol called B.L.U.E.

B - BREATHE. The very first thing that happens under stress is your body hijacks your mind. The first step is to get your body back under the control of your mind. Take a slow, deep, diaphragmatic breath. Spiritually, it is a declaration: "My mind, led by the Spirit of God, tells my body what to do, not the other way around." You are choosing to be led by the Spirit, not the flesh.

L - LISTEN. In the chaos of an attack, there are competing voices screaming for your attention. The voice of fear. The voice of accusation. They are all liars. Your job is to intentionally quiet the noise and listen for the one voice of truth: the voice of God. What does God's Word say about this situation? Jesus assures us, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

U - UNDERSTAND. Once you hear the voice of truth, seek to understand the difference between what God says and what the enemy is screaming. The enemy will tell you, "You are a failure." You must understand that this is a lie about your identity. God's truth says, "Your worth is not in your performance, but in my Son's." The enemy accuses to condemn you; the Spirit convicts to lead you to the cross for forgiveness.

E - EXECUTE. Once you understand God's truth for the situation, you must act on it. Execute the next righteous task. Do not hesitate. If the Spirit convicts you of sin, confess it immediately. If you need to seek or grant forgiveness, do it without delay. The enemy uses time and hesitation as his greatest weapons. We are called to "be a doer of the Word, and not a hearer only" (James 1:22).

This in-the-moment protocol is our first line of defense, but the war for our hearts is won on an even deeper level. Pastor Steve highlighted a stunning strategic secret: while we "wrestle" against spiritual powers, our most important wrestling match is not with the devil.
We win by wrestling with God.

Think about it. How often are we in opposition to God’s will? Pastor Steve shared an incredible story of an old monk named Makarios who, when asked if he still wrestled the devil, replied: "No... I now wrestle with God" . When asked if he hoped to win, the monk gave a revolutionary answer: "No... I wrestle with God and I hope to lose".


This is the heart of the Christian battle. We don’t wrestle with God to change His mind, but "hoping that he will change our minds". We wrestle with Scripture until we submit to it. We wrestle with His will in prayer until we surrender to it. If you wrestle with God and "win" by getting your own way, "you have really lost". But if you wrestle with God and "lose" by submitting to Him, "you will ultimately win". Our foundation on the Rock becomes so secure that "the wiles of the devil cannot knock us off". This is the powerful reality when we obey the command to "submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you".


The war is real, but you are not left defenseless. Your Commander has given you a clear battle plan, heavenly armor, and an unending source of power. You have His Godly 'OpOrder' in your hands: the Word of God. So, prepare for war. Acknowledge the spiritual battle in your daily life. Consciously reject your own strength and rely fully on His. Ground yourself daily in the truth of His Word. And have the courage to wrestle with God until you lose, finding true victory in surrender. And so we move forward with the confident question ringing in our hearts:


"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?".