WAR

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the church of Ephesus, writes this very familiar passage about putting on the armor of God. He tells us that we are to put on the whole armor. All of it. Not just the parts that are comfortable or look good on us, but every piece. Why? Because we have an enemy. Not a person, not a group of people, not a political party—not flesh and blood. Our enemies are unseen spiritual beings. And they are on a mission to carry out the devil’s schemes. If we fail to put on even one vital piece of armor, a scheming enemy will know exactly where to attack.

Before Paul gets into the specifics of the pieces of armor, he gives us a glimpse of what exactly our role is going to be in this spiritual battle. Four times, he tells us to “stand.” But each of these has a slightly different implication. First, in verse 11, Paul tells us to put on the armor so that we can “take a stand.” This is the image of holding your position. You can almost hear Paul, the battle general, calling out to us to “Hold your position!” We aren’t to run away from the coming spiritual battles.

The next “stand” comes in the first half of verse 13, this time, Paul uses a slightly different Greek word, which means to withstand or resist. This reflects our ability to engage the enemy when they attack. We’re not called to stand idly by and hope we don’t have to get involved. We’re called to engage. Can you hear the general calling out? “Engage!”

The third “stand” also comes in verse 13, right at the end. This time, the picture is at the end of the battle. After all is said and done, you are still standing. The general approaches slaps you on the shoulder, and says, “Well done, you made it. You’re still standing!” But remember, these three “stands” are part of Paul casting the vision for the coming fight.

The fourth “stand” is our call to action. “Stand firm then…” Paul goes on to exhort us in how we should stand, with each piece of armor firmly in place. Truth is essential for holding up against falsehoods. Righteousness brings security against accusation and temptation. The gospel of peace brings a readiness to act when the time comes. Faith allows you to stand strong when the enemy brings seemingly overwhelming attacks. Salvation brings the security that Jesus has already won the battle. Finally, the word of God, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, is the only way to vanquish the enemy.

Whether this imagery by Paul excites you and inspires you for the battle ahead, or scares you to death. It is crucial to remember that salvation and ultimate victory belong to God, and to the Lamb who sits on the throne! We should be neither overconfident in our own abilities nor overwhelmed by the enemy we face. We simply need to put on our armor, stand firm, and trust Jesus to bring the victory.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to always be mindful of my armor. To be aware when pieces are missing or weakened. As you’ve instructed, as I stand firm in my own armor, I lift up my fellow warriors. (Take a minute to pray for specific people that God lays on your heart.) I ask that you would protect them in their present fight with the enemy. And help me to see where I can engage the enemy on their behalf. In the name of Jesus, my Savior, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.