Dressed, Ready, and Alert

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

If you haven't realized the innumerable forces standing against you, it is likely you've 'felt' their influence all around you. Unseen, in the periphery, and right there in front of you - the forces exist, are at work, and are constantly looking for any opportunity to call into question your faith and trust in God. Why? They don't like your determination to follow Jesus. You are a threat to them, so they want to make you think they are a threat to you!

Every piece of armor has been provided so we stand stronger than any attack they bring. Everything we think they have to use 'against us' is nothing more than them fighting against us with NERF guns! We have the Word of God to dispel all manner of untruth they fling our way. The breastplate of righteousness is ours because in Christ Jesus we bear his protection over our heart. Feet shod with the Gospel of Peace - making all we stand upon secure and certain. We take up the shield of faith, knowing God's protection outweighs anything the enemy can hurl our way. Our minds are protected by the helmet of salvation. The Spirit of God is like a sword to cut down all manner of attack against us. 

What does the armor do? It helps us to 'resist'. It doesn't keep us from attack, but it prepares us to be ready and able to resist the attack. We can withstand the actions and effects of evil all around us. The darkness still exists, but we aren't overcome by it because light dwells within. There is no better 'prep' for our day than to spend time with Jesus. It is like we are 'putting on' that whole armor of God as we do. Be more than an armor-bearer. Be an armor-wearer. Just sayin!

The baddest, meanest dudes

What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars, signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers. Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble. But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing. (Proverbs 6:12-15)

Have you been around those who 'plot evil' as though it were a hobby? They go through life treating others as though they were 'pawns' in their game of life and live as though they were 'above the rules'. I try to get out of their way whenever I encounter them because I am aware their end will not be good at all! These kinds of people like to be on the receiving end of all that they desire, but whenever they receive something they didn't want, watch out. There will be some form of backlash!

"I don't believe a champion is the biggest, baddest, meanest dude in the world. I think the champion is like a warrior; it's like the head knight or lead samurai: humble men of integrity, respect, and honor that treat people kindly." (Jon Jones, American Athlete) The baddest dude we may have met will never be able to stand up to the God we serve. He may think he has made his way in this life by walking on others, demanding his own way, 'telling his own story', but there is only one person who know the end of that 'bad dude's' life - God. 

When we encounter these types of individuals, we might be tempted to 'talk some sense' into them, but if you have ever tried to combat their wickedness with kind words or deeds, you know there is no amount of talk or 'nice actions' that will change their ways. It will take an act of God to change them - not our words, reasoning, or pleas to change. Why? Their hearts are actually tainted by their desires - there heart is hard, bent on doing evil, and completely depraved. The only one who can change a heart is God - through the work of grace and the power of Christ's blood.

What can we do when we encounter the hard of heart, wicked to the core individual? We can pray for their change of heart, but when we stay close enough to them to be an example of God's love and grace, we had better be prepared for the trouble they will continually stir up. They thrive in that form of chaos, so if we are going to be around them, we need to prepare for the chaos. That means we put on the full armor of God and then we stand. The bully in them will attempt to knock us down, but when we are standing in the power of God, even their 'baddest' attack won't send us packing. Just sayin!

Armor is meant to be worn

11 Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. 12 Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. 13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing. (Ephesians 6:11-13 ERV)

It was Abraham Lincoln who penned the words, "Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm." Where we have our feet planted is an important thing to take notice of as it determines just how secure our stand will be in the end. I have planted my feet on occasion on more than one "moving stone" and ended up getting a little wet, muddy, or losing my footing all together. It is too late to consider your next step when you have already lost your footing!

One of the ways we determine our "footing" in life is just how well we are "secured" within the armor God intends for us to put on in our lives. If you have ever been in a museum or at a movie studio, you may have come across the suit of armor worn by someone, or used as a movie prop of some kind. The true armor of yesteryear was made up of some pretty impenetrable stuff - heavy metals that kept the wearer safe against attack, but also made it a little less than easy to move! The good thing about the armor we are told to "don" is that it not only protects us, but it makes it easy to move when we need to and stand firm when that is the best plan!

The armor we "don" isn't made of stuff that we can see as much as it is made of stuff we can sense and lean into when we are experiencing attack. The helmet of salvation, for example, can be sensed when we are receiving all manner of accusation - those voices that want to wear us down with thoughts like "you aren't good enough" or "you have gone too far to ever come back again". The belt of truth may not seem significant until we are faced with confusing choices that need to be sorted out, weighed in the balance of truth until we see clearly which choice rises above all the rest.

While armor is helpful to the warrior, the "everyday commoner" didn't usually wear a suit of armor in yesteryear. It was the knights, warriors, and such who donned such suits. In case you didn't realize it, none of us is an "everyday commoner" in God's family. We are all members of his army and as such, we are given the very best "suit of armor" to wear that both protects and defends us in times of attack. A soldier doesn't want to be "unprotected" when under attack, as much as we don't want to lose footing when we know to do so would result in wet feet, twisted ankle, or other not so pleasant results. To be "secure" we need to surround ourselves with the things provided to us that help us to stand as strong as a tall, immovable cedar. Just sayin!

No afternoon athletic contest here!

Rarely do I consider each waking breath as a "life or death" moment, yet for some reason, there are days when I feel ever so grateful and aware of each breath, each rhythmic thump of my heart, and each wisp of air as it gently passes through my hair.  Perhaps we get too caught up in life at times to even realize the type of fight we are really in.  In the moments we take to actually pause long enough to look around, we often discover we are in the fight of our life!


^10-12 God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.  (Ephesians 6:10-12 The Message)


It is a good thing we are given well-made weapons of the best materials, isn't it?  Yet, a weapon in a locked cabinet is of little use!  Paul reminds us of the need to "put on" all we are given - not just parts and pieces, selectively chosen as the "attire" we WANT to put on.  To be truthful, there are days when I don't want to be in shoes (no, I am not admitting to be a redneck!).  I just want to walk around barefoot - comfortable, not bound up in shoe leather.  But...my toes are a whole lot more likely to get stubbed!


I may not WANT to wear the shoes, but they actually protect me in ways I might not fully appreciate.  At work, for example, I wear them to keep me from getting unwanted germs on my body - from creeping into the dark spaces between my toes and under my nails.  As I walk on the street, I wear them to keep my feet from frying to a crisp in the hot Arizona sun!  The shoes serve a very worthwhile purpose - different from circumstance to circumstance, but a significant purpose nonetheless.


Paul says it very well - this is no afternoon athletic contest!  For most of us, this escapes us because we no longer engage in those Sunday afternoon football skirmishes on the family lawn, or a leisurely game of stick ball.  An afternoon athletic contest is not really a "contest", but a time of "playing around" with being an "athlete".  This walk with Christ is not a leisurely thing!  It is a fight to the death!  Someone is after our hides and it is a pretty devious enemy!  If he has skin in this game, isn't it time for us to put as much skin in the game!


We don't go up against our enemy unprepared.  We have been given the best of all weapons - the Word of God holding us strong, the righteousness of Christ guarding our hearts, the peace of Christ guiding each step we take, faith grounded in assurance of the protective power of our God at our fingertips, the blood of Christ covering and making our minds strong.  Above all, we have the sword of the Spirit - the Word of God.  All in all - no one piece stands alone - no one piece is to be left off.  


We can be all "clad" in armor and have no weapon to launch an attack of our own!  At best, without a weapon in our hands, we can only stand against the attack for so long!  This is why we need the Word in our hand - the Spirit of God using it to defend us and to divide truth from lie.  


So, as much as we might want to take shortcuts in life, maybe we need to be consistent with the application of what we have been given for our defense more than we need to take the shortcut!  We are in the fight of our lives.  This is no afternoon athletic contest!  We need the real deal!  I don't want an unprotected heart, or an easily influenced mind!  You don't either!  So, gird up!  The battle's on!

Prepared, Ready, and Fit

^13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

(Ephesians 6:13-18)

Be prepared - isn't this one of the mottoes of the Scouts?  Preparation is really a a state of being properly expectant - the idea being that we are equipped and ready for whatever comes.  How many times do we hear people tell us, "That caught me off-guard!" and wonder just how something that seems so "simple" to us was almost "overwhelming" to another?  It is not uncommon for us to say that we feel "ill-equipped" or not quite comfortable with the events of the moment.


The key to this passage is the next statement - you are up against far more than you can handle on your own!  The fact is that we are up against stuff that we haven't faced before and may never have to face again.  In those situations, we don't have the "natural" ability to face them - we need the "divine" ability to do so.  Paul tells us that there are actually "issued" weapons for the one who follows Christ - those things that are both defensive and offensive in our armor.


When we realize that we cannot walk alone - we begin to look for assistance.  Think of the baby that reaches out to mom or dad in confidence that their hands will hold them upright, allowing them to toddle along in supreme confidence each step of the way.  That is exactly what our Lord does for us when we reach out to him in our "unsteadiness" of daily choices.  We are asking for his "steadying" influence over our walk.


One that is "prepared" is ready for the challenge - there is a sense of being in a "fit" condition and able to take immediate action.  Preparation is a daily thing - it doesn't just come "magically" when the moment of challenge arises.  In fact, that is when we get caught off-guard and find ourselves calling out for mercy!  Preparation is described as using the tools we have been given by God on a consistent basis so that we develop a familiarity with their use.


Consider just two of these "tools" - prayer and the Word.  We are to pray hard and long - speaks to our tenacity with the prayer.  We are to pray for each other - lifting up the other because no one can go it alone.  The Word is a defensive weapon - likened to a sword.  It is indispensable - we cannot make headway without it.  Think of a warrior without any defensive weapons - they may be able to avoid being "beat up" by the armor they wear, but will they drive the enemy back by just standing there in their shiny armor?  Not likely.


Prayer is as much a defensive weapon as it is an offensive one.  It builds us up and keeps us connected to the source of all hope.  It also drives the enemy back and puts him in his place.  The Word used in prayer is like a double-whammy!  Try it sometime - pray the Word.  Stand upon it and see what God can do in sending the enemy to flight in the power of his spoken Word!


Armor is of no use in the closet - we have to put it on.  True, it is a process and takes us some getting used to, but without it, we are sitting ducks for every wacky idea or scheme of the devil.  Truth applied to our minds acts as a filter for the messages we are hearing.  Righteousness applied is a covering over our hearts to keep us focused on the fact that we are not made right in any action we take, but in the completed action of Christ on the cross.  Peace and faith go hand-in-hand.  Peace permeates our emotions, gives us balance, and keeps us calm enough to hear the Lord's instructions.  Faith gives us the "umph" to make the next move as he directs.


Salvation is more than words - it is a lifestyle.  Worked out every single day in every aspect of our lives.  We put on our armor, take up our weapons, and walk strong into the battle.  Be prepared!  Be ready!  You haven't done this before!  When we think we have done it all, we are in a dangerous place.  God makes every day new for a reason - new challenges, new victories!  Without challenge, we don't grow.  We grow through resistance, not through comfort.


So, put on what you have been given.  Begin to live as PREPARED citizens of heaven.  In doing so, you will be less likely to be caught off-guard by what comes your way today.