PREPARE FOR BATTLE

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:10-18 New King James Version).

How strong our armor is depends on whether or not we’ve reinforced it lately.  We must make sure our belt of Truth is cinched tightly and placed correctly, since the belt mainly holds the sword.  Our sword, the sword of the Spirit, is the Word of God.  It’s important we be thoroughly grounded in God’s Word so we can adequately wield the sword.  The breastplate of righteousness protects our heart and internal organs.  When our heart is fully devoted to God, we wear our breastplate correctly.  We must have proper footwear on our feet; improper footwear causes fatigue.  Have you ever tried walking in bad shoes?  It’s neither easy, nor fun, and our feet get so sore and tired we need to sit down and rest them.  The terrain we walk as Christians is very rocky and sharp at times and we can slip easily without the correct shoes.  Wearing the gospel of peace on our feet indicates we are following Jesus and continuing to be His example on this earth; it also ensures a proper fit so we are able stand.   At last, we cannot forget our head protection, the helmet of salvation.  The helmet protects the head; when we accepted the gift of salvation, we became new creations.  The enemy will always try to attack us in our minds. Holding tight to the fact Jesus has given us new life and we are not who we used to be is the helmet is protecting us.

How do we wield our sword and engage the enemy?  Prayer, praise, worship and studying God’s word.  Prayer keeps us connected to God, keeps us watchful, holds the enemy back and helps to keep the armor strong and whole.  Prayer is not complicated and it’s not only for pastors and church leaders on Sunday mornings.  Prayer is available to, and should be practiced by everyone.  Prayer only costs the time and effort you put into it.  Praise keeps our eyes focused on God, no matter what we go through, no matter what type of situation the enemy throws at us, with attitudes of praise we are telling God we trust Him to fight on our behalf.  As Christians, our lives and lifestyle should be considered worship to God.  All we do, all we say, all we are is for the glory of God.  Studying and reading the Bible will reveal more and more of God’s character and His will for our lives, making it easier to discern spiritual attacks and stand firm against them.

Take time today to reevaluate your armor.  Are there pieces of armor that have grown weak and dingy?  Do you need a complete armor overhaul?  Do you even wear your armor or are you standing behind someone else to fight your battles for you?

Let’s Pray:  Dear Lord, thank You for blessing us with another beautiful day.  It is a gift and we offer all we do today for Your glory and honor.  May you accept our acts of worship and our sacrifices of praise, and may they be a sweet aroma to You.  Lord, we ask that our armor be fortified.  Reveal to us any holes or dings that need patching and strengthening.  Show us how to wear it correctly and to properly wield the weapons You have given us.   Grant those of us that are already engaged in battle strength and endurance to make it through, protect us from any sneak attacks of the enemy and grant us discernment to know what warnings are from You and what the enemy is trying to fool us with.  Please grant us watchful eyes, and may we heed the warnings from the watchman.  May You raise up Your watchman and grant them discernment and boldness to speak Your warnings and Your word.  Let us not grow complacent and compromising in the midst of battle, pinch us when we begin to become weary, and reinforce us when we become weak.  We give all glory and honor to You, our worship and praise our Yours.  In Your name, Jesus, Amen.

Today’s Attitude of Worship: If you find that your armor is slack and weak, strengthen it.  Spend time in prayer, sing along with some praise songs, make a mental note to offer all that you do today as worship to God, and begin reading His Word.

Additional Scriptures: Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Shalom,

Prudence