War what War?

 

Ephesians 6:13-18

It was often said of my boss’s boss, that if you ever became evil in his mind, you were evil no matter what you did.  I watched the talking heads on TV, the national press, and the local press, during George Walker Bush’s time as the 43rd president of the United States, and they were to him as my boss’s boss was to many.  They, the press, deemed George W. Bush to be evil, and no matter what he did he was evil.  One example, I recall was, they reported that he had sent our troops into battle without the body armor they needed.  Each time one of them got injured or killed it was George W. Bush’s fault, and it made the news.  How different it is today, we still have soldiers being injured and killed, but it is not national news, it’s not news.

No one, including George W. Bush, wants to send a soldier into battle without the armor that is needed, and God would never send His army into war without the spiritual armor we need.  Verse 13, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand the evil days, and having done all, to stand firm.”  Have you ever wondered why this Christian army seems to retreat and lose ground to its enemies?  I would be willing to guess that a large number of Christian soldiers in the southern part of this United States have guns to protect their families, but do not see the value of “the whole armor of God.”  I’ve wondered if it is because they believe a gun is greater protection than God’s armor?  I’ve wondered if they do not believe they are in a war?  Now both of those things may be of some truth, but I’ve come to this understanding, a gun is seen, you can touch it and if you know how to use it correctly it can stop an adversary that you can see.  Where as the armor of God is not seen, and the enemy of your soul tells you it is foolish to put on something that is unseen.  It is of the utmost importance that you understand this truth, the devil sounds just like you, as he speaks these lies into your mind, if his voice were different, you would be on guard.

We are told to put on a belt of truth; only Jesus claimed to be truth.  So put on Jesus, if you are in the Christian army, He lives in you; it is imperative to hold that truth close.  Next, we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness, once more it is essential that you understand this truth, it is Christ’s righteousness, the only righteousness you or I have is Jesus Christ.  As you go, go in the righteousness of Christ and the gage of hell will fall before you.  We are told to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace, without that peace this evil world will eat your lunch.  Jesus has been very upfront on the subject; in the world you will have tribulation, but in Christ you will find peace.  The shield of faith gives us soldiers the ability to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, remember it is a cosmic power you are going against.   The only way any soldier of Christ is going to overcome the world is by asking Christ to give us the faith we need for that moment; faith is the victory (1John 5:4).  The helmet of salvation is a reminder of who redeemed us, who is able to keep us, and the sword of the Spirit is God’s word, the Bible.  It has great value to the soldier that has knowledge of and obeys it’s teaching, the Christian soldier must understand the truth in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” 

That’s the armor we are to put on, and it is crucial that you understand that this armor that is unseen to you is very visible to the demons, to the devil, and to the cosmic powers over this present darkness.  Now that you are dressed for battle, this is what you are to do, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice