Equipped

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 6:13 (NLT)

Good Day! Or is it? These days it’s hard to tell, right? Things are so uncertain and every day we wake up to not so good news. Actually, the news is quite devastating and depressing. I’ve talked to so many people who are overwhelmed and when they listen to the news, it gets even worse.

I was reminded as I read through Ephesians with a friend that God told us there would be battles. As a matter of fact, he gave us tools to prepare for them. Those tools are:

1. The Belt of Truth - We protect ourselves with truth. Everything we do needs to be wrapped in truth. Our truth comes from the Bible and from God.

2. The Breastplate of Righteousness - Righteousness means being right with God. We do this by accepting the covering of Jesus and by living our lives according to God’s plan.

3. Shoes of Peace - As Christians, our hearts need to be at peace because we stand firm in the promises of God and in the belief that he is stronger and mightier than what we see.

4. Shield of Faith - Our faith in Jesus is a protective shield around us. Hold it up! Use your faith to get through the arrows thrown at you.

5. Helmet of Salvation - Cover yourself with the salvation that comes from Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. That was for you. Fill your mind with the knowledge that you are loved.

6. Sword of the Spirit - The sword of the Spirit is God’s Word. Read it. Use it to stab at the negative thoughts that pop into your head….the thoughts that say we can’t survive this. Lean on God’s Word. There is so much wisdom there and reassurance for our hearts. Here are a few Scriptures to ponder today.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NLT)

6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4:6-10 (NLT)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

Jesus told us there would be battles. But he also said he has already overcome. Trust in that as you navigate today and tomorrow and forever.

Getting Dressed

14 Stand, therefore,
with truth like a belt around your waist,
righteousness like armor on your chest,
15 and your feet sandaled with readiness
for the gospel of peace.
16 In every situation take the shield of faith,
and with it you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,
which is God’s word.
18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Ephesians 6:14-18 (HCSB)

I always read these verses and thought “That’s nice.” Today, I began to wonder “How does this apply to my life?” What does it look like to wear the full armor of God? Let’s take it apart.

Belt of Truth: Wear this, always being truthful, standing firm for what is right so you don’t get caught with your bottoms falling off, exposed for something that you did that was wrong. In our world there is a prominent thought that it’s OK to do something wrong as long as you have a good reason. That is not what God says.

Righteousness like Armor: Knowing that you are covered by Jesus righteousness, wear it like an armor over your heart. Cover yourself when the attacks come and you feel unworthy. You are worthy because of Jesus. Use his gift of grace to stand strong and face your day.

Sandals of Peace: Your feet should be ready to go on God’s call. When someone is in need, don’t hesitate thinking you are not ready. You are ready! Your response should be immediate.

Shield of Faith: Faith - the barrier to attack like a shield all around you. As the attacks come, we lift our faith in Jesus and fend off the arrows that so easily pierce our hearts and mind with lies that cripple us. With our faith we fight and remember we are loved. We counter lies with the truth about who God is.

Helmet of Salvation: What’s your covering? When you wake up every day, what do you cover yourself with so you know you are saved? Is it your good deeds? Is it because you are nice to people or because you didn’t throw someone under the bus? If it is, then with the next strong wind your floppy hat will fly away and you will not be covered appropriately. But, if instead you are covered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, your helmet is secure. You are ready for the daily battle we call life.

Sword of the Spirit - The Word of God: I imagine I am facing the day and the battle has started. Stress here, failed plans there, hurtful words of a colleague, negative thoughts that invade my mind. I stand up with my Bible (which is on my phone) and I start thrusting it here and there to conquer the enemy. Funny thing is I can’t thrust it if I don’t read it. If I don’t know what God is telling me, I can’t wield the weapon.

How did you get dressed this morning? Get dressed with God and then….pray. Prayer is the secret weapon.

A Minute In It - Fighting Back

A minute in God's word will change your life. Take a minute to read the passages below and ask yourself the questions at the bottom of the post.

Be 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 (MSG)

What are some of the weapons in the arsenal of God?
Why do you need them?
Why is Truth important?
Why is Christ's righteousness important?
Peace? Faith and Salvation?
What do you do with God's Word?
And why is prayer essential?
What about encouraging one another? What does that have to do with the battle we face?

Praying for you that God will guide you and keep you as you serve him.