S17P18 – When Jesus walked in: our new armor

Eph. 6:10-12
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your 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.

Imagine fighting in an earthly war, up in the front lines, in the thick of battle. Sometimes you can engage the enemy from afar. Other times, hand-to-hand combat is necessary. Imagine the atmosphere in that moment, the tension and the chaos. Now, imagine someone walking onto the battlefield with no idea that a war is underway. Imagine that person being a part of that war without having any clue. This seems like it would be utterly impossible, but this is the case with the spiritual battle going on around us every day. In fact, before coming to Christ, we were unaware of that battle. Because of this, we were roaming the battlefield unprepared and unprotected.

When we come to Christ, we are made aware of the war that is upon us. The scales are removed from our eyes, and we are able to see the spiritual reality in which we live. Now that we know this battle exists, God can prepare us for it. Part of that preparation is our protection, the armor we wear and the weapon we yield. In His grace and love for us, He equips us to be his soldiers, more than capable through his power to prevail. Without God, destruction is imminent because we cannot defeat the enemy in our own power. It is the power of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection that has defeated the enemy, and we need merely operate in that power.

God gives us this new armor where before there was none. He has taken us from roaming the battlefield unprepared, unprotected and ignorant of the war, and has given us the armor and weapon necessary to emerge victorious and whole. And through his word and his work in us, He trains us for this war. We have no reason to fear that for which we were ordained, to defeat the powers and principalities of darkness through the power of Jesus Christ. Father, thank You for the armor You have given us to take on this war victoriously, and give us the courage and confidence to enter the battlefield in power and peace.