Armor
I sometime wonder how men fought with a full suit of armor in medieval times. I mean the protection of this heavy suit had to make them slower and more vulnerable to the enemy at times. Today when S.W.A.T. comes on the scene, they are equipped with an armor of sorts – the bulletproof vest, helmet and sometimes a shield. Most police in the field are equipped with the bulletproof vest to protect their heart and other vital organs. I think it’s wise to think about protection when stepping up to battle a fire, a perpetrator or an enemy combatant.
Paul speaks about a different kind of protection – armor. He talks of a different sort of battle as well. Check this out…
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV)
I often feel like that I’m squarely in the midst of a spiritual battle. The enemy can’t be seen, but he’s often personified in another person. They aren’t aware of being used by him for him. Most of the time the battle is straight up battle with an enemy that is in the spirit realm and not in the physical realm. I try to live my life to honor God and he’s attacking me at my weakest point, trying to snag me in his trap. In way too many battles, he gets me. I’ve learned over the years that when I equip myself with the Word of God, I am putting on the Armor of God. I have discovered more about Who my Help is and Where He comes from while studying the Word. He is real and He is ALWAYS READY to help me defeat the enemy. I am suiting up this morning and ready to take on the day. This Armor is not cumbersome and big, it’s actually pretty light-weight, yet tough!
Pressing On! Dwayne