eFax of Life from CBMC Heartland
Dressing for Combat
It’s not pretty. My right arm has five scars. (After all these years – you can still see the marks where the doctors used wire to hold me together – because regular sutures weren’t strong enough.) The left arm has two scars and you can tell a couple of my fingers still don’t work right. The biggest scar is on my right leg. And you can feel the piece of metal just below my right eye.
It’s not pretty – but the North Vietnamese had my complete destruction in mind – and it was God and my body armor that saved my hide.
When there’s a war on – a soldier dresses for combat! But I’m seeing casualties all around me and these battered men and women haven’t prepared themselves. Marriages are bleeding. Families are on ‘life-support’. Finances are shattered. And the enemy is smiling.
People don’t realize there’s a holy war going on and our lives are the battleground!
“Against the ‘evil one’ we wear the armor of God. That God has provided weapons of war for us sure makes a lot more sense if our days are like a scene from Saving Private Ryan. How many Christians have read over those passages about the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and never really known what to do with them. What lovely poetic imagery, I wonder what it means. It means that God has given you armor and you’d better put it on. Every day. This equipment is really there, in the spiritual, unseen realm. We don’t see it, but the angels and our enemies do. Start by simply praying through the passage in Ephesians as if suiting up for the arena:
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…” Lord, I put on the belt of truth. I choose a lifestyle of honesty and integrity. Show me the truths I so desperately need today. Expose the lies I’m not even aware that I’m believing. “…with the breastplate of righteousness in place…” And yes, Lord, I wear Your righteousness today against all condemnation and corruption. Fit me with Your holiness and purity – defend me from all assaults against my heart. “...and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace…” I do choose to live for the gospel at any moment. Show me where the larger story is unfolding and keep me from being so lax that I think the most important thing today is the soap operas of this world.
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one…” Jesus, I lift against every lie and every assault the confidence that You are good, and that You have good in store for me. Nothing is coming today that can overcome me because You are with me. ”…Take the helmet of salvation…” Thank You, Lord, for my salvation. I receive it in a new and fresh way from You and I declare that nothing can separate me now from the love of Christ and the place I shall ever have in Your kingdom. ”…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…” Holy Spirit, show me specifically today the truths of the Word of God that I will need to counter the assaults and the snares of the Enemy. Bring them to mind throughout the day. ”…And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Finally, Holy Spirit, I agree to walk in step with You in everything – in all prayer as my spirit communes with You throughout the day. (6:13-18)” (From the book Wild At Heart, by John Eldredge)
Every morning – in prayer – I put on my Ephesians 6 armor. Because I want to be a winner. Not a casualty.
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:6-10).
CBMC Heartland, 07/31/03
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