Offensive Armor

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.                                                                                                                                              Ephesians 6:13 

     I have always loved our military. Had God not called me into the ministry, then very possibly, I would have joined one of our branches of service. I have read a lot of books describing what our soldiers go through, and it humbles me to see the sacrifices they are willing to make. Our military is composed of the absolute best fighters in the world; yet, even as tough and trained as the American military men are, I guarantee that none of them would walk into battle unprotected. We live in a different era from the knights who donned their shining armor, but not much has changed. Our men wear bullet-proof vests to protect their chest, boots to protect their feet, a helmet to protect their heads, and instead of a sword, they carry machine guns. They also travel protected behind the doors of armored vehicles. Every piece of that armor is important in battle. I doubt there is one soldier who would willingly go into battle with any one piece missing. It makes him to vulnerable to the enemy.

     We are also vulnerable to attack from a much fiercer enemy when we go into spiritual battle unprotected. There is not one piece of that spiritual armor that we can leave off if we plan to stay alive through the spiritual battle. We must have salvation. We must wear truth and righteousness. We must carry the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit. The devil is looking for chinks in the armor. He is just waiting for us to let it down in one area so he can destroy us. He is going to throw his fiery darts of doubt and temptation. If you are not saved, you miss out on the protection of your head. If you drop the breastplate of righteousness, then your heart is vulnerable. If you lack faith, you lose the shield that can block his darts. Every piece is vital to a successful defense against Satan.

     There is one more thing to notice about our armor. In all of the pieces mentioned in Ephesians 6, there are none that are given to protect the back. As soldiers in the army of the Lord, we were not meant to live on the defensive. We were not made to turn and run when the attack comes. We have armor designed to face the fight full-on, and to be on the offensive. We have already won the victory through Jesus Christ. Let’s live like it.

 

Quote of the day: “The crowns we wear in heaven must be won here on earth.”