If we are to live in the light and be like Christ, there is absolutely no way humanly possible we can get there on our own. It is up to us to be mindful and on guard. Each step we take closer to Christ, the more Satan wants to destroy our lives. He will use any tactic in his arsenal to get us sidetracked and deter our focus off the things Christ has for us.
Knowing that Satan wants to destroy our lives and will do anything to make that happen, we have to be prepared to “do battle” every day. Ephesians 6., beginning in verse 10, Paul encourages us to be strong in the Lord by wearing the full armor of God. Like any soldier on the front lines of a war, we also must put on this armor every single day. The armor of God will help us fight against Satan and his evil tricks (v.11).
Go with me for just a minute to tomorrow morning. Are you ready? Consider this scenario. When the alarm clock goes off, turn it off of course, and go through this little exercise. Pretend that you are preparing for the “battle” of the day. I realize this may not be a stretch for some of you – especially those who have been jolted out of bed by the cries of a hungry baby and not the soothing buzz of an alarm clock…but stay with me. Envision yourself putting the belt of truth around your waist and the protection of right living on your chest (v.14).
What is the belt of truth you ask? It’s the word of God and must be the standard by which we live our lives. Everything we do, everything we say, and every thought we have needs to be aligned with the truth of God’s word. People are watching you and Satan would like nothing more than to trip you up. It is important to know the truth of God’s word and then live it out or clothe ourselves with its protection for the day ahead.
Next, we put on the good news of peace to help us stand strong (v 15). This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He died so that we could live abundant lives. This good news brings peace because we know our future is secure. We continue putting on the armor by taking the shield of faith. We must ask the Lord to release the gift of faith in us so that we are able to stand firm. Imagine yourself putting on the helmet of salvation. We must remember that our own future is secure because of Christ’s redeeming work on Calvary. He paid the price – our home is in heaven. Then lastly, pick up the sword of the spirit, with is the word of God.
With this armor securely in place we’re now ready to take on the day. How do you look? I bet you look great! Are you ready to face anything Satan throws at you? Did you notice how important it was to clothe yourself with the truth and fight with the sword of the spirit? That means we must know what God’s word says and apply it to our daily lives. We have to be aware of the “things” that can easily “entangle” us so that we can slash through them with the truth.
While this armor that we’ve just put on is great protection, we also need one more thing. We must pray, and when we think we’ve prayed enough – pray even more! Nothing is too small to pray about. In fact we should replace worry with prayer (Phil. 4:6-7), pray in faith (James 1:6) and then praise God whether he answers our prayers or not (Psalm 105:1-4).
Have a great day today and be confident knowing you’re protected by the armor of God!
As I continued to listen to the pastor, I was reminded that if I was going to win a fight against Satan, I had to use God’s weapons. I can’t do anything on my own, but by the power of the Holy Spirit I can forgive. I can conquer unforgiveness by choosing to forgive. Before I left the church that morning I chose to forgive. I had allowed the chains of unforgiveness to weigh me down for far too long. Now as I move forward, I will keep my eyes focused clearly on Christ and pray – not just for me but for the other person too.
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