Full Protection Gear

A major blessing of being in Christ is knowing that we are never alone. God has promised to be with us every moment of every day. When problems arise (and they always do/will) it may seem like we’ve been abandoned; like He’s too busy with other things; like He doesn’t care. It’s especially trying when the reality of our unseen, spiritual war with Satan and his cohorts rears its ugly head – civil unrest within our cities, terrible diseases, increasing crime, mad gunmen killing children, fanatics filming themselves butchering people, etc. These are the times when we must deafen our ears to and turn our eyes away from the enemy’s propaganda and rally every ounce of faith to feel the presence of the One who has never failed on a promise.

What helps me at these times is to be reminded of the pieces of protecting “armor” that He provides in ample supply. Just as in physical life our military and police forces require armament and ammunition to protect themselves from harm, to aid their comrades who are also under fire, and to be able to successfully complete their mission(s), so Christian soldiers and peacemakers are given full protection gear in order to fight and win their spiritual battles.

These pieces are listed by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:13-18:

1. Truth – Character & Integrity will embolden our courage when all else fails.

2. Righteousness – Doing what is right will win every battle.

3. Readiness – Practice prepares us to fight and defeat the enemy.

4. Faith – Trust God (your leader) to fight with you to the very end.

5. Salvation – There’s no fear of death to hold us back.

6. Holy Spirit – The One Satan fears the most fights the battle for us.

7. Prayer – Keep communication supply lines open.

There is one catch though: in order to survive your battles with Satan, you must “put on” and learn to use every single piece – all of the time. You will surely die if you only use a couple, a few, or almost all of them. Practicing using each of these spiritual pieces of armor is God’s way of surrounding you with His continuous presence – it’s the most effective way there is to preserve your life. The more you mature in your faith, the easier the task of fighting Satan will become and the enemy’s propaganda will be less and less of a distraction.

So, when life seems dark and dreary, employ the full protection gear that God provides by counting your blessings and naming them one by one. And because of His promise to be with you always, all you really need to do is to stand against the devil and you will soon watch him fleeing from you (James 4:7).

Now I don’t know about you, but I consider that to be a major blessing indeed.

Doug