Dressed for War
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
In World War II, as Germany prepared to invade Poland, the Poles readied themselves for battle. They were experienced warriors with a long history of repelling enemy attacks from barbarian neighbors. The Polish army was renowned for its skilled horsemanship—the Cavalry was well-trained and their horses were among Europe's finest steeds.
When it was learned that German forces were advancing, twelve brigades of their finest Cavalry were prepared. With swords flashing in the sunlight, the officers sounded the charge and their horses surged forward with powerful strides. Remember the time frame—World War II.
In his biography of Winston Churchill, Manchester wrote that the Cavalry galloped into oncoming, newly-designed German panzer tanks. The outcome was predictable—total annihilation! Horsemen with swords battled iron tanks.
I'm convinced that we, as believers, often expect to take on the enemy of our soul with methods similar to that of galloping on horseback at full speed, heading into the path of an oncoming tank division.
Even worse, we enter our daily activity without so much as a thought that we have an enemy who is on a search-and-destroy mission. Satan seeks to deceive, to distract, and to defeat any attempt by Christians who desire to advance the kingdom of light and the glory of the Prince of Heaven.
Paul warned us that the battle would be fierce. But in Ephesians 6, he tells us how to dress for war:
Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
So . . . are you properly prepared for battle? You can't go against tanks on horseback! In the same way, you can't resist the enemy of your soul armed with an hour of church, a blessing before meals, and a prayer at bedtime. You are to clothe yourself in a warrior's armor which has been designed by God for the dangers of daily, state-of-the-art battle.
Get dressed for combat . . . today!
Prayer Point: Pray through this passage, mentally putting on each piece of armor and asking the Lord for His strength to wage war with the temptations of life.
Extra Refreshment: Read Ephesians 6:19-24.
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