Take up your shield!

Ephesians 6:16: "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one".

"Incoming!"

A distant cry rises up from the battlefield  -- you raise a weary eye towards the heavens in time to see a flaming arrow coming your way... it's bee-lining straight for you... for your heart... for your mind... for your soul... you cower in fear... hands raised towards the sky in the hopes -- however in vain they may be -- that you can stop this one from making contact... 

You've seen this arrow before haven't you?

- Flaming arrows of depression, a broken marriage, alcohol, lust or greed?

- Rocks of insults, shame, slander and anger?

- A sharp stick of inequities, surrounded by catcalls of indignities and reminders that "you're not good enough"

- A spear of hurt, past regrets, broken hearts, poverty, a failed job, a bad investment...

You cower at the thought of the arrow -- and yet, over and over again, you've allowed it to make contact, to push into you, opening up an old wound or, worse yet, breaking open another new one when you have yet to heal any of the other open sores you carry on your soul.

Let me ask you something: Aren't you tired of trying to fend these weapons off on your own? Isn’t it time you stepped behind something better than the feebleness of your own hands? Are you tired of letting the enemy get the upper hand with the same old tricks?

If you can answer yes to any of those questions, then my friend, you're ready to take up one of the most important weapons in the Armor of God:  The Shield of Faith!

Can't you see it there... gleaming white gold, bejeweled in splendor, with a crown -- His Crown -- of majesty in the centre.  It carries with it not only your protection, but the promise of better days.  It's a shield that is glorious enough to light up our every celebration and strong enough that we can lean against it in every moment of angst or uncertainty.

That, in a nutshell, is what it means to have FAITH in Christ... and to use that Faith as our protection or guiding principle in every situation we face.

Oh but you worry -- what if He doesn't come through? How will I know that He is there? How can an unseen God possibly understand what I'm going through right now?

Friends, your faith tells you that that "unseen God" not only knows -- but feels -- for every moment that you are going through.  He understands it better than you do, and His promise of comfort and protection is greater than you could ever comprehend.

How do I know this?

Because He's been there -- He's stood on that battlefield, He's weathered the arrows, the hurts -- and He's emerged VICTORIOUS:

Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:15: "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin."

A general never rises to the top of the military if he has never experienced the fight.  Point being, that God is the ultimate general -- the King of Kings and Lord of Lords -- He's fought every battle, He's beaten the scourge of death and it is faith in this God that you have the choice to hide behind when your times are toughest.

But it is -- ultimately -- your choice.  You can choose to pick up the shield when you're face-to-face with your personal nightmare... you can choose to feel the weight lifted off your shoulders and onto God's when you lift that shield... Or, you can choose to leave the shield leaning against the wall and try to swat your way through life with your wits and your weak hands.

If you choose the latter, you may succeed in knocking a few arrows down, but you'll experience a lot more pain... and eventually you will lose.

Faith in God promises NOT that what we are going through will not hurt or be tough.  Rather, God's Shield of Faith simply promises that it will "... extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one".  Take it at face-value: a shield that will be impermeable to the enemy and to whatever other junk comes your way... or a shield of your own making, fleshly, worldly, temporal....

If you choose to get behind the Shield of Faith that God provides, you're choosing to get behind a God that will cloak you under the shadow of his wings to help you weather the storm.  You're choosing to worry NOT about the next incoming arrow because you're opting to be safe behind an eternal shield that will see you through to victory.  And with every successful "thunk", "thud", "bam" and "ping" of the Shield of Faith deflecting arrows from you in the midst of battle, your faith grows... allowing you to trust more, to fear less and to experience a rejoicing at every victory you experience with God, be it small or large.

Faith is about standing strong regardless of the battlefield, regardless of the challenge. Seizing opportunity by confidently pushing ahead knowing that God has both your back and your front. (Psalm 91:11-12). 

But you have to want that victory -- you have to want to pick up that Shield not only when you are in battle, but each and every day... because you never know when an arrow may land.

I understand how tough it can be to just trust... to wait upon the Lord to lead you to victory... but true faith demands that we do just that... that when God hears the cry of our heart, He will answer... and we just have to have confidence that He will come through.

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see".

I encourage you to take some time and read through Hebrews 11 and to see for yourself the examples of faith  of others who have stood in battle before you.  See for yourself how the might of God can deliver you through whatever trial you are facing.  He will.  He has.  He always does.

Do yourself a favor -- quit swatting at arrows.  They sting.  They hurt. Your efforts will prove useless.

Instead, pick up the Shield of Faith that God is offering you -- it will get you through better than you can ever imagine and will leave a lot less scars.

Wearing our shoes of peace

Ephesians 6:15 "... and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace"

It's almost been a month since my last entry on this series and as I thought over the course of the last week about coming back to write something, I always found myself getting distracted, finding something else to do or, as we can all attest to at some points in our lives, putting it off and resolving to "get to it tomorrow".

Aha.

Today as I was giving thought to what it was that I would write about feet fitted in readiness, a question kept coming to my mind in light of my absence from blogging:

Where are your feet taking you? 

Are your feet taking you towards God in times of challenges and opportunities, or are they taking you through the meaningless drift of everyday life... washing the car, a busy work schedule and social life, money issues, going to the gym... in other words, are your feet running you into the ground so to speak with the worries of the world versus the promise of the Kingdom?

The reality is that too often we face life's most challenging battles with feet suited up with the world's sneakers as opposed to God's own Nikes.  The world's sneakers don't fit half as well, they provide no real stability and, frankly, after you wear them a few times your feet get sore and it drags you down.

By contrast, God's Nikes -- built by the Gospel of Peace -- ground the wearer in wisdom, in confidence, in strength and in comfort.  Everyone wants that in a shoe... especially when they are facing a battle.  Paul himself talked about the need to press on (Philippians 3:14) in the face of every difficulty because the prize (eternal life with our loving Father) is so worth it.  But, he says, you ultimately need to stand (Philippians 4:1).  With His peace.

I love the imagery of kicking off those old worldly sneakers in that ante-room off the Throne Room of Heaven... Angel Gabriel jumps out of the way as your old sneakers get booted across the gleaming marble, and you push your feet into a new pair -- a lasting, eternal pair -- of knowledge, of abiding love, of salvation.  

Can't you see yourself -- you have to face another day of monotony or hardship... your feet, your very soul (no pun intended) are weary, you don't think you can face or literally stand, another minute... and then God pulls out a pair of shoes... HIS PEACE... that give you a new lease on life, on energy and on strength.  It's what good shoes do. It's what God DOES. All. The. Time.

But there's more... with the privilege of wearing those shoes, that critical piece of the Armor of God, comes the realization that with the "readiness" (read: stability, strength, certitude) of the gospel of peace comes the need to not only stand your ground but to ensure you are moving His will forward with every step you take.  Because, yes, shoes help you stand strong and to be grounded... but shoes help you to move too... and that's what God wants -- commands -- you do ... to move His Word among the family you love, the friends you hang out with, the colleagues you share 8+ hours a day, 5 days a week with... He wants you to use His shoes of the gospel of peace not only to ground yourself but to spread yourself so as to ensure that the knowledge and hope you have from knowing Him is shared with as wide a circle as possible.

And what exactly are these shoes -- or rather, how does one define a term like "the gospel of peace"? Simple: Jesus.

Ephesians 2:14-18: "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit".

We have confidence in the gospel of peace because we have accepted Christ as our Savior... it means every battle has been won, including the ultimate one which is the one where Christ defeated death, sin and destruction so that we might enjoy the eternal gift of life with Him.  As you wear these shoes, don't you feel the need to spread the peace that you know? People are hurting all around you .  We must exercise our responsibility to share that peace God has given us -- it's one of the requirements of our salvation primarily, but also something we recommit ourselves to whenever we dress in God's Armour.  

Each day is a battle, my friends... one side seeks nothing less than the destruction of man (John 10:10), while the other seeks more and more children to bring home to eternity with Him (Luke 19:10)... if we're wearing the Armour the way we should be, we need to point our shoes in the direction of sharing the truth and move that way for God.

Which gets me back to the beginning... 4 weeks without blogging... without sharing what God places on my heart is not what I am called to do.  Wearing those shoes of the gospel of peace have grounded me, and ground me daily, but I have a higher responsibility beyond just focusing on what it has done for ME... I have to use that peace that grounds me and share it around me, through all the talents and means God has blessed me with.

At the end of the day, when you're wearing the shoes of God, you are never too busy to go in the direction He points us.  When He wants us to stand, we stand.  But we always have to be looking for the next path on which we can walk with our special special shoes.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Ephesians 6:14: "... with the breastplate of righteousness in place..."

Years ago, I read a book by Agatha Christie called "And Then There Were None". At one point in the book, the characters are gathered in a room trying to work out a part of a mystery they find themselves in. As part of that discussion, they begin to share intimate details about their lives -- sharing long-held secrets, grievances, past hurts or attitudes. Everyone in the room shares their story or situation with the exception of Emily Brent -- a lady who bills herself as a Christian, beyond reproach, and whose pious behaviour and attitude towards others indicates an attitude far from that which is Christ-like. I want to share with you a few lines from that book to help set the scene for the discussion about the breastplate of righteousness:

"There was a silence in the room. Everybody was looking, covertly or openly, at Emily Brent. It was a minute or two before she became aware of the expectation. Her eyebrows rose on her narrow forehead. She said:

"Are you waiting for me to say something? I have nothing to say." The judge said: "Nothing, Miss Brent?"

"Nothing."

Her lips closed tightly.

The judge stroked his face. He said mildly:

"You reserve your defence?"

Miss Brent said coldly:

"There is no question of defence. I have always acted in accordance with the dictates of my conscience. I have nothing with which to reproach myself."

There was an unsatisfied feeling in the air. But Emily Brent was not one to be swayed by public opinion. She sat unyielding."

Are you like Emily Brent? Do you wear a real breastplate of righteousness or do you wear one of righteous indignation? There's a difference. But few of us ever realize it.

So we're back in that dressing room, just off the Throne Room of heaven. God is at the door, smiling as you prepare for battle. You're marveling at the Belt of Truth that you've just donned, and start feeling a sense of confidence... a strength you didn't realize was even inside you until now. You nod to yourself: "Yep, I'm ready! Let's do this!" You turn to the door, chest puffed out, arms back, eyes closed, chin in the air... the stance of a warrior, you think and you walk.

"Wait my child -- you're not ready yet!" God says and motions you back towards the mirror. You turn around and gasp...

Michael and Gabriel are holding the Breastplate of Righteous -- it is laden with 10 large sparkling sapphires, each one inscribed with one of the Ten Commandments. But behind the sapphires on the white, crystal gold, are the words from Mark 12:30-32: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."

You stand, arms outstretched, as the angels buckle the breastplate into position and you instantly understand something that for years you have never realized before:

That righteousness is not just an attitude -- it is not an Emily Brent display of piousness -- but a living, breathing shield of right living. Righteous is not, as the Pharisees would have you believe, a litany of things you must do to innoculate yourself from eternal damnation, but instead it is living out the mission that God has for you as His child -- his Ambassador on earth.

The world says that you have been hurt by the same person so many times, its better to write them off? Matthew 18:21-22, via the Breastplate of Righteous, reminds that you forgive and forgive and forgive again -- even if it hurts each and every time. The arrow of hurt may hit that breastplate and take your breath away, but your choice to forgive means it bounces off without leaving a dent.

Your temper is out of control... you blow up all the time, you're know to throw a few punches and don't care who or what you hurt in the process... The Breastplate of Righteous when we make that choice to follow its precepts -- God's precepts -- reminds us of the words of James 1:19-20: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires".

You drink too much -- so much sometimes that you find yourself staring into the mouth of the porcelain bowl, and with each flush you drain a little bit more of your livelihood, your self-respect and your family life, down to the depths... Ephesians 5:18 -- as reminded by the breastplate - reminds that we should be filled with something more lasting, more fulfilling, more life-giving than anything alcohol or drugs could provide: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit".

You're known as a gossip -- you enjoy the stories about Liz's indiscretions, Dave's money problems, Jada's attitude problem and surgery mishaps... it goes on and on... you tear people down to build yourself up, but in the end all that you really have is a stronghold of slander, malice and innuendo to overcome. The Breastplate of Righteous offers a better way -- it tells you that honor in the way you speak is the better part of valor: Proverbs 21:23: "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity".

For years I tricked myself into believing that righteousness was just talk -- that it was piousness not right-living. I thought if I guarded myself from every kind of problem, everything the world flung at me, and held myself to a standard of not sinning then I would emerge the victor. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Righteousness - as God wants us to view it - is holding ourselves to HIS standard and allowing HIM to work through us to achieve His goal. Frankly speaking, we don't have any sort of power on our own to changes our lives. You can resolve to stop gossiping, but I guarantee you that unless you release that to God, the first good story that comes your way will have you running your mouth. You can say a million Hail Marys and resolve to get a handle on your temper by yourself, and then watch yourself explode the next time you get caught in a traffic jam.... point being is we can resolve to do all these things but we can not live for God if we are not living in community WITH God. Part of that comes from reading the Word. Part of that comes from fellowship with other believers. Part of that comes from prayer. But part of that is applying what you READ, HEAR and KNOW to be the Will of God to your everyday life. That is, you allow the beautiful weight of God's breastplate of righteousness, to direct your path.

James 1:22-25 reminds us: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does".

The Breastplate of Righteousness (Right Living) is resolving to action the very things in the Word of God that you know to be true. Loving your neighbour. Holding your tongue. Forgiveness. Each one forms a shield over a part of your heart and with each arrow that comes your way -- arrows of anger, temptation, hatred and malice -- the more you have lived out the Word of God and applied it to your day to day life, the more able you will be to stand and remain standing during your battles.

satan wants to kneecap us in terms of how we live our lives. God wants the way we live our lives to kneecap the schemes of the evil one.

If you're wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness in the way God has asked you to -- over your heart, guarding your actions, protecting your honor -- I guarantee that any arrow flung your way will be broken by the power of your Christ-like example.

Resolve to allow your righteousness to be dictated by the conscience of God.

Don't be an Emily Brent.

Next up, we're putting on the shoes of peace.

The Belt of Truth

Ephesians 6:14: "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist..."

Your choice to wear the Armor of God is a good one - it is the best choice you will make when it comes to living a life worthy of imitation... a life where your eyes are fixed on hope eternal and salvation everlasting, and where you strive - each day - to battle on behalf of a God that needs each and every one of us to tap into our inner warriors.

But that first time you go to pick up the Armor, are you a bit nervous? Do you size it up and wonder how this glittering piece of workmanship -- the very embodiment of the strength of God -- could ever fit onto the frail frame of a simple human? If you're like me, perhaps you feel like a bit of a klutz as you try to put it on the first time... flitting and flopping every which way as you struggle to figure out how the breastplate of righteousness tucks into the belt of truth or why the shoes of the readiness to spread the gospel of piece are a bit snug while your sweaty palms make that sword of the spirit slip in your grasp... point being, you're not sure what to do first... the strength of God, every part of it, is so special you long to wear it right there and then... and you will... but as with all things that God intends, each piece is intended for a specific purpose and His Armor is no different. He spells out what needs to be put on first -- and then leaves it to us to seek Him more to determine why each piece goes where it does.

I love the way He lays out - like an instruction manual - how that Armor is to be worn:

v.14: "Stand firm then..."

Picture yourself - you're standing in heaven's dressing room, the Armor is to your right and you have a couple of angels -- let's say Gabriel and Michael -- charged with dressing you... they've seen a few battles, they're regaling you with tales of stomping on the devil's head... but instead of feeling confident, you feel a bit morose... holy cow, you think to yourself, what have I gotten myself into... you start to wince a bit as they continue telling their stories, you start to shrink as they continue talking... your back bending bit by bit... and then a voice from a doorway booms so loud it shakes the very mountains to their knees... "Stand firm then!"... it's God, He gives you a wink and a smile... and there's something in that one moment -- that one command -- when you realize that this is a battle you're brave enough to fight... and He needs you to remember that... "Stand firm then my son/my daughter... I've got your back and we don't just toss Armor onto those who can't wear it... we're going to be right there with you, we've been there, we've done it, and we WILL succeed" is what He is saying... And so you do, you stand a little taller, toss a few laughs in the direction of Gabriel telling you how he took down the spirit of depression and anxiety and you take that belt of truth from Michael's hand....

v. 14: "with the belt of truth buckled around your waist..."

No sooner has that buckle clicked than you realize exactly WHY that belt is the first piece of the Armor -- because the belt of truth is Jesus Christ... it is the one piece of the Armor that holds every other part together... it is made of gold as white as a million lambs to symbolize the purity and sinless character of Heaven's greatest warrior, and of rubies to symbolize the blood He shed on Calvary for the sin's of all mankind... into the belt are inscribed the following words:
John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

Way. Truth. Life.

You wear the belt because it not only holds your Armor together but also because it is the guiding compass toward God's ultimate prize: eternal life and rest with Him. With the belt around your waist, you can measure everything that comes your way - in ANY BATTLE - against what you know to be TRUE through Christ... let's think about a few examples....

The enemy tells you that you're all alone and that nobody cares -- that he's got you cornered and you're about to be defeated? The Belt of Truth - through Deuteronomy 31:6 - tells you something else: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Or in other words, shut your mouth satan... cause my re-enforcements are about to kick you and your discouragement into the lake of sulphur.

Consider what the Belt of Truth reminds you of... The Battle is wearing and you think it will never end... you're too tired to go on? 1 Peter 4:12-14: "... do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you". How awesome is that -- "... the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you..." -- and here you just thought you were getting pummeled for nothing... once you remember this, once you look at the example of a Christ who suffered every sling, arrow, whip, humiliation that mankind and the enemy could throw His way, how can you not help but be inspired to continue going on? Jesus had to battle and it was not until He had realized the ultimate purpose God had for Him -- death on the Cross, salvation of man -- that His work was done... (John 19:30). So every struggle you are in, every battle, every moment is but part of the grand work God has planned for you... seize that truth and move - like a lion - in that direction: Hebrews 12:1-2: "... and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God".

The enemy telling you that you're no good? Perhaps you believe it... maybe you've said it to yourself a few times as well, or your family has, or your peers have... whatever the case might be... you are good... and what's more, you're even better BECAUSE of what Christ did for you on the Cross... so you don't need to listen to the discouragement of a fallen angel or of an angry boss or a critical parent, you need to tap that Belt of Truth and remember 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!". God doesn't - and never did - create garbage. You are not garbage, nor are you worthless or useless... A great trick of the enemy is to prey on our view of ourselves to beat us down and to defeat us... but remember, you are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and last time I checked, the image of God was not a piece of rubbish to be discarded, insulted and demeaned. Pick yourselves up and recognize the truth: God made you, adores you and has a purpose for you. Why else would He send His Son - the Living Belt of Truth - for you?

The great thing about the Belt of Truth is its versatility. You can - and must wear it - when you put on the Armor of God, but you can also wear it with any outfit you have. Pair of jeans? Top it off with the Belt of Truth. That plaid skirt in the back of your closet? Spice it up with the Belt of Truth. Bathing suit? Belt of Truth would look great on it too! Christ IS the Belt of Truth. You can measure every lie, every insult, every wound you have against the eternal truth and promise of Christ dying on the Cross to find your strength to keep going in your battle and in this life.

Cheating spouse? Tap the Belt of Truth. Cancer-stricken body? Belt of Truth has something there for you too. No money but mounting bills? The faith that comes from wearing this Belt will feed you long after the cupboards and wallet have gone bare.

Take heart my fellow warriors... that Belt of Truth has been the anchor for many Christians before you, and will be for many after you... but it must be worn, and worn with pride. Pick yours up and wear it.

The Belt of Truth -- the love, sacrifice and example of Christ -- never goes out of style.
Next up... breastplate of righteousness....

Visualizing the Armor

Ephesians 6:10-12: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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".

What's your routine when you get up in the morning? Do you stumble out of bed, rub those sleep-filled eyes, shower, eat your breakfast and then get to work in just enough time to make that morning staff meeting you'd rather avoid? In your morning routine, I'm sure, you have a certain pattern -- maybe you start with brushing your teeth before moving onto shaving, showering or getting dressed... or maybe you get dressed, then shave and then brush your teeth... but when you suit up for a day at the office, are you preparing yourself with the spiritual armor that you need to get through your day? Or are you content to just go through your day with the very clothes on your back and leave it to God to make sure He has your back if anything challenging comes your way?

Up until a couple months ago, I was definitely the latter. I'd wake up, get ready for my day, eat my breakfast with a 10 second prayer thrown in for good measure, and then head out for another day at the office. Now, however, I make it my routine to add another more important layer to my daily uniform.

The Armor of God.

Over the course of the next six entries, I am going to outline for you how each element of the Armor of God should be utilized to the benefit of your spiritual battle. From the Belt of Truth to the Helmet of Salvation, we'll go through them together, suit up and get ready to rock and roll the enemy and his minions.

But before we get to examine the uniform, let's break down what the Bible says in the introduction to the pieces of the Armor of God:

v.10: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power".

Be "strong in the Lord and His mighty power". What a great line -- but, if you're like me, you need help in visualizing what that looks like. Strength is easy in the human form -- it normally, physically at least, takes the form of muscles, agility and speed. But in its heavenly form, what exactly does the "strength of God" look like?

Visualizing the strength of God is a hard thing to do -- afterall, when you can not see God or touch God in the same tangible way that you can other things, learning to visualize, depend and grasp onto His strength is bound to be a difficult thing to do.

But I think that is precisely why God describes His strength as being an "armor":

v.11: "Put on the full armor of God...".

Picture it with me, won't you?

It's there just outside God's throne room, against the wall of heaven's largest mansion -- the Mansion of God, Yahweh, the Great I Am. It looks at once like the lightest and strongest armor imaginable. It radiates a light that could eclipse a thousand suns and yet sparkles with the intensity of an infinite number of stars. Worn in millions of battles with the enemy by scores of Christians, martyrs and others since Creation, yet not a single dent or tear in it. Engraved with every word of Scripture and the promise of eternal life, it is all at once the most perfectly flawless uniform made to be worn by God's most special, if flawed, creations: man and woman. Built by God himself it stands ready to be given to any of His earthly warriors -- His children -- who ask for it.

When you take a moment to visualize that armor, aren't you eager to put it on? Can't you see its strength and don't you desire to feel it?

Then why not wear it -- and why not dress yourself in it, daily, just as readily as you do the very clothes on your back. You may not be able to see it with your eyes, but I promise you, it's on you as soon as you ask for it.

It is God's own armor, provided from His heavenly barracks for His earthly children, to be used not just when we face trials, but daily so that we are prepared for any sort of warfare that the enemy may launch our way. God wants us suited up for anything satan (and I use lower-case purposely) catapults our way. Afterall, isn't that what He makes abundantly clear in the rest of verse 11?:

v. 11: "... so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes"?

What schemes, you may be asking yourself? I'm just a simple office drone or construction worker or retail clerk... friends, you're exactly what satan wants to trip up... maybe it's the incessant demands of an impatient boss... you swear to yourself if they say one more thing, you're going to lose it -- and maybe your job in the process... maybe it's endless fighting with your husband and a very friendly co-worker at work who says he understands and why don't you get together over drinks and talk about it?... or maybe it's using that paycheque not to pay bills but to try your luck at the casino... maybe it's that extra drink before you get behind the wheel of a car... whatever it is, you had better realize that you fit perfectly into the devil's desire to seek and destroy:

1 Peter 5:8: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour".

For the devil, you're an easy mark, an irritance that he'd love nothing more than to destroy... and how easy it is to do if you are not prepared for battle. No matter how nice you are or how innocent you look, you are in satan's line of fire and he'd love nothing more than to pummel you with bullets.

As verse 12 reminds us:

"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".

And the battle is a tough one -- consider this reminder from Daniel about the strength and tenacity of the enemy:

Daniel 10:12-13: "Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia".

That was spoken to Daniel by an angel -- an angel basically saying, I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner to help you out but I was in one heck of a battle with beelzebub that lasted for 3 weeks and which I needed re-inforcements to help me out with.

So if an angel - one of the toughest guys this side of heaven - has this much trouble with the enemy, why would we think we are immune enough from satan's arrows to walk on our own?

Your battle may begin and end quickly. It may last a long time. Whatever it is, if you're wearing the armor, you've got God and the armies of heaven working with you. And that beats that suit and tie you were planning on wearing today!

Just because you can't see the battle with your eyes doesn't mean it isn't going on around you. Indeed, that is very clear in verse 12 -- the battle is SPIRITUAL! It may manifest itself in other ways but it begins and ends in the spiritual realm. Arm yourself.

Friends, that armor is in the hallway -- and the battlefield is strewn with men and women who chose the blue tie or the pink dress over the inpenetrable armor of the King of Kings.

Do yourself a favor -- ask God to suit you up tomorrow morning. Pray Ephesians 6:10-20 over yourself. And then do it at least once more throughout the day -- like every armor, it may shift a bit during battle, so make sure you're always wearing it the way you should be. You'll be glad you did. And unlike most armors, it isn't heavy to wear - but light! (Matthew 11:30).

Next we'll take a look at the belt of truth.... in the meantime, here's some music to dress to:



Battle on!

My First Series: The Armor of God

Starting on Easter Monday I am going to begin this blog's first series: The Armor of God.

As you know, I believe that I have been caught for awhile in a bit of spiritual warfare and one of the things I have said consistently to myself and others is that I wish that someone had given me a bit of a manual so that I knew how to fight back. I know that we have the Bible -- the written, living, Word of God. But at the same time, I wanted some sort of road map to inform me how to wield the weapons outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18.

The Armor of God is a powerful - in fact, the MOST powerful - thing we can cloak ourselves in next to the blood of Christ. The Armor is effective not only in spiritual warfare but also in our day-to-day lives. However, sometimes, it's difficult to know what each piece is for and how we can be using it in our walk with God and in both the challenges and opportunities we face.

I don't claim to have all the answers but I do believe that God uses our experiences to speak hope, encouragement and direction into the lives of others while at the same using those very same experiences to teach us something special about the plans He has for our own lives.

I hope you'll join me for the journey. I'm looking forward to it.

It starts, here, on Easter Monday.