“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:10-12 NKJV
Have you ever had one of those weeks where time just flies and the next is upon you before you have even begun the last? I’ve had one of these weeks. In the process though I felt very strongly the importance of being presentable and respectable not only when you leave your home but at all times, even behind closed doors.
It reminds me of my mother actually, the idea of being fully dressed before leaving home. My mom could be often heard saying: “I just have to get my earrings on” and when querried why she always wears them, her reply: “I feel naked without them.”
We laugh, but honestly and truly, if we all had this mentality about our Christianity, and putting on Christ each and every moment or we would feel naked, where would we be?
When the bible says to put on the full armour of God we don’t necessarily get the full reference it is making. From a nursing and natural perspective I know of the importance to protect vital areas of the body, and this goes even more so from a spiritual viewpoint. So I decided this week to break it down for you, so that perhaps you might be more inclined to consciously put on your spiritual armour so as not to be “naked”:
- What is the function of a belt? To hold up pants of course! It also hold tools of the trade, so why not have truth readily on hand? It is the foundation of all other necessities. God Is Truth.
- Now, protecting the torso is of vital importance, even God placed our ribs over what houses our heart and lungs. the organs that without we would cease to function. Therefore of what importance is righteousness? Well, according to Merriam-Webster it is “the quality of being morally right or justifiable”. So how do we define these moralities and justice… Through God and His laws. Therefore protecting these vital organs with a breastplate of righteousness so that each beat of our heart and breath of our lungs exudes what is right in God’s eyes makes sense yes?
- If you’re like me, shoes are a hinderance more than a help as I lose all of my heat through my feet and they enjoy being barefoot rather than not but I’ve also had the unfortunate even of stepping on glass so wearing a shoe is for my own protection and ease of “get up and go”. By always being prepared to share the peace of Christ with each step, always planting that whispering, that seed of Him is the preparation of the gospel of peace these “shoes” speak of. Honestly, this has been my prayer focus the last couple years: that I be better equipped to share Christ, that it be His footprints others see in my wake.
- We in this day and age don’t carry around shields for protection from literal arrows but we know as Christians, increasingly evident today, how under scrutiny and attack we who profess Christ are. It is our faith, even that of a child, that gives strength against any attacks that come our way. Why do you believe what you cannot see? Know what you believe, profess it, use the shield faith provides to protect against what is slung your way.
- Our minds/heads hold a storehouse of information, a floodgate of emotion, a kettle of feelings, and all five of our senses! Now it is our salvation that sets us apart, having been redeemed by the blood of Christ Jesus, our sins are ever forgiven, or minds changed/renewed. It is this that should set our minds at ease and clear our focus if we but set our eyes on Him. He is our helmet.
- Then there is the sword… God gave us the perfect tool for our belt, His Word. We either take it all or none of it, but it is the best weapon we have to push forward and be ready at all times. The more we study, and know it, the quicker our recall of it and the more it becomes a part of us, clothing we would not leave home without.
Lastly, this passage closes in saying:
- Pray always
- Stay alert
- Persevere
- Intercede
- Be bold in Him
What wise words these be. Let us strive to be even a shadow of this and live our lives under God’s strength and protection, our own will never cut it. His grace is more than enough!
With All Your Heart:
Talking about being equipped, I started carrying my bible with me in car (I have a job that requires me to work from my car) and I felt strongly the need to have access to it at all times. Why should it stay at home collecting dust all day? What if I cannot make it back home? I would much rather be caught reading it, and have it when I need it, or God is prompting me, than not. Do you carry your bible with you more than to church a couple times a week?
With All Your Soul:
- Proverbs 30:5
- Isaiah 11:5, 59:17
- John 1:1-5
- Romans 10:14-15, 13:12-14
- Ephesians 6:10-20
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11
- Hebrews 4:12
- 1 Peter 3:13-17, 5:5-11
With All Your Mind:
Speaking of putting on the full armour of God this week, it takes time (21 days to foundation it, longer to set it in stone) to build a habit, especially a life encompassing one and we need to be held accountable to actions we desire or need to do. I pray you seek out, if you do not have one, or contact if you do, your accountability person this week. Amp up encouragement and desire to always pick up your armour each and every morning. Don’t leave home under-dressed.
In Christ Always,
Sarah
Anti-Lackadaisical Letters 