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.
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.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your
waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes
from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with
which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil
one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.
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)
GOD
is preparing us for battle, not against people, 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. He wants us to take our stand against
the devil’s schemes.
So lets take a look at the armor of GOD as Paul describes
it. He uses the Greek soldier for his example. The soldier
he is talking about is one for defense, not offense. These
soldiers made a line to hold the ground and keep the enemy
from advancing. Here’s how the armor is described:
The
BELT: The belt was placed around the waist. It
held everything in place. And it firmed up body, much
like one used in weight lifting. It made the core of the
body secure. It represents TRUTH (GOD”S TRUTH).
The
BREASTPLATE: The Breastplate protected the Heart
and other vital organs. It covered the front and a back,
with straps over the shoulders to hold it in place. And
it was fastened at the bottom to keep it secure and not
move. It represents RIGHTEOUSNESS (Being Right with GOD).
The
SHOES: The shoes were special in that they had
spikes on the bottom. These spikes varied in length from
2 inches to sometimes 6 inches. The soldier would plant
himself in the ground with these shoes in order stand
firm and not yield from his position. It represents the
standing firm in the GOOD NEWS.
The
SHIELD: This was no ordinary shield like you
see in pictures of soldiers. The Greek word is from the
word meaning DOOR. It looked like a door with a curvature
at the top. It was tall and shielded the whole body of
the soldier. It also had a slot on the right side and
had a strap so the soldier could have it strapped to his
left arm. It has been said that with the soldiers braced
against their shields with their feet firmly planted could
stop a charging horse and kill it. It represents FAITH
.
The HELMET: The Helmet covered the head
to protect it from flying objects. It represents SALVATION
The
SWORD: The Sword was one for defense. It varied
in length and was used to help prevent advancement of
the enemy. The soldier placed it in the slot of the shield
so that all the enemy saw was a wall with swords sticking
out of it. It represents the WORD OF GOD (JESUS, who is
the SPOKEN WORD OF GOD).
COMMUNICATION:
The leader was in full view of the battle. He
maintained communication with the soldiers letting them
know of the movements of the enemy. This is PRAYER with
God
Do
you see what the image depicts? From the back, you see
a soldier standing, holding his ground inside the covering
of his shield. From the top you see a shield. And from
the front you see a wall of shields with swords protruding
out of it.
So
how do we relate that spiritually? Our fight is against
the spiritual forces of wickedness. Therefore put on the
whole armor that GOD has given us. Have TRUTH firmly in
place (be resolved in GOD”S Truth). Know that you
have the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD in your heart (life). Be firmly
established in the GOOD NEWS (not forgetting what He has
done for you). Cover yourself in FAITH (depending on GOD
and not on yourself to do the fighting). Keep your mind
fixed on the SAVATION that GOD, by Grace, has given you
through JESUS our Savior) and let the SPOKEN WORD (JESUS)
fight the battle. And Pray (Keep your communications line
open with GOD at all times) and STAY ALERT at all times.
And pray for your brothers and sisters in the LORD.
Remember
that prayer is a two way communication with GOD. It’s
not just you talking to Him. It is also Him talking with
you. Listen for that still small voice inside that comes
from Him in those quiet times with Him. He will always
show you His truth.
For the battle is not yours,
but God’s (II Chronicles 20:15b).
Selah
– pause and think about this. To HIM be the honor
and glory - Amen |
