Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and wit your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for the Saints."
I don't know about you, but if there is a way that I can be equip for this battle that we face between the darkness and the light, I am gonna do my best to suit up! Especially since the war is already waging all around me in my everyday life, I want to be prepared to fight the good fight and stand my ground...not just in the little battles that happen in my home every day, but the big ones I face too. I just love that God knew that we would need a little manual and some direction in fighting the good fight. AND he gave us a list of things that we can do to stand firm when the storms of life are raging all around us. I just can't get over how good the God of universe is to us!
God's instruction to us tell us to put on the FULL armor, not just bits and pieces but it ALL so that when the day comes we CAN stand our ground and in no way be exposed to the enemy. He doesn't say "Well Rach, hopefully that's enough." He says, "Stand firm then girl, in ME and in my mighty power! Just do it!" and His swoosh is far bigger and brighter and much more legit than Nike's.
God provides the armor, and our job is to put it on! Don't just window shop and admire the armor in the Word, lets learn how to put it on my friend! Get your size and I will get mine and we can fight the good fight together! We start with the Belt of Truth. The belt of truth is like pantyhose. Seriously! It was the girdle of the armor! Truth is what we need to keep closest to us in the battle. It holds us in in all the right places and is the part of the armor that was closest to the heart. In the Matthew Henry commentary, he mentions that the belt of truth is what tightly holds all the other pieces of armor in their place. I love that visual! What a powerful thing it is to fill our hearts and minds with the truth of His Word! Memorize those verses that speak to you in your weakness! Barnes states that the belt provided firmness and consistency to the armor, and truth in our lives provides firmness and consistency in our lives and character. The belt was one of the most important pieces of armor! If someone were to get struck in the loins (which is what the belt protected) it would be a fatal blow. Truth in our lives is equally as important! As soon as we take our eyes off the truth it leaves us vulnerable to the attack! We are fighting a battle for our souls! That's where the enemy is aiming and we have to know the truth of God's word to be able to resist the devil. "Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 We must know His truth!
I am quite a visual person. After reading through Ephesians 6 I got out a piece of paper and drew a belt. I then wrote in the belt some of the truths that I have hidden in my heart over the years. To see them on paper filled me up with courage and strength not in my own ability but in God's power and might. Here are some of the truths that filled my page....
-I am saved Ephesians 2:8
-I am forgiven Romans 8:1
-I am chosen by God 1 Thessalonians 1:4
-I am covered by the blood of Jesus 1 Peter 1:2, 1 John 1:7
-I am free Galatians 5:1
-I am redeemed 1 Peter 1:18
-I am loved Colossians 3:12
-I am covered in Jesus righteousness Romans 10:4
-I am holy and blameless in Him Ephesians 1:4
-I have been brought near to God Ephesians 2:13
-God is sovereign Psalm 97:9
-God is just Psalm 50:6
-God is good Mark 10:18, Exodus 34:6
-God is holy Leviticus 19:2
-God created the world Genesis 1:1
-God forgives my sins 1 John 1:9
- God has immeasurable greatness and power Ephesians 1:19
-God is righteous Psalm 71:19
- God is king Revelations 19:16
- God is love 1 John 4:16
After reminding myself of all of these truths my perspective changes. I can stand, I can fight, I can be who the Lord desires me to be today. He is ALL I need. This life is all about Him. Having His perspective gives me courage to fight the good fight. Let's not leave the house with out our pantyhose on ladies! Suit up and join the fight! Let's be fierce opponents in this battle! Let's bring God fame!
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