S103P10 – Our daily encouragement: complete protection from within and without
Eph. 6:13-17
Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…
I recall walking through a museum and viewing ancient armor worn somewhere in Asia centuries ago. At first, it did not look like the most complicated protection, but a closer inspection would prove me wrong. The large pieces that covered the legs, arms, abdomen, and chest were not really connected. Had they been, that would have restricted a warrior’s movement. The armor had to have joints just like the human body, but those joints still needed protection. That was when I noticed the lighter layer below the armor, and there was an even lighter layer below that. Every partition between two pieces of armor needed its own protection from the sword or spear. If one piece of armor or one underlying layer were missing, it would be the surest way for the enemy to inflict a fatal injury.
The armor that God gives us for protection during our daily spiritual battles is multifaceted. Different pieces perform different roles, and all of them are important. The natural warrior would never enter battle without complete armor protection. The spiritual warrior must approach warfare the same way. The belt of truth does not perform the same function as the breastplate of righteousness or the helmet of salvation. Our pieces of armor are related and interconnected, but they are functionally distinct. One piece might rely on some or all of the others, but no one piece does it all. These parts of armor when joined together serve to give us spiritual protection on all sides. If they are worn and used as designed, the enemy will not have a way in to strike us. It is when we neglect to fit ourselves completely that we become vulnerable to his attacks.
The pieces of our armor represent truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the true word of God. This is what covers us and serves as our offensive weaponry. Each piece is essential either in the critical area it protects or in the action it allows us to carry out. From striking our own blows with a sword to having our feet properly grip the battleground, from protecting our minds from the devil’s negative influences to giving us the truth we can speak to defeat those influences, our armor guarantees the victory if we wear it and use it effectively. It covers all the bases so that we need not be accustomed to falling and failing but can gain the victory every time. Father, thank You for giving us the power and ability not only to protect ourselves from the enemy’s blows but also to strike blows upon him and remain standing after every battle.