Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Anxious. Isolated. Depressed. Worried. Isolated. Stressed. Tired.
Any or all of these feelings put us in a vulnerable state. In these states, we’re more susceptible to the attacks of our enemy, Satan. According to the Apostle Paul, we must “stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
It's one thing to stay alert. It's quite another to be prepared and protected against incoming attacks.
This is where we see God provide for us as our Protector and Conqueror. His protection does not insulate or inoculate us from difficulty.
As a kid, I remember hearing a teacher tell me “the safest place for you is the center of God’s will.” I accepted this Sunday School teaching like any trusting kid, but soon after I began to wonder if missionaries like Polycarp and evangelists like John the Baptist were out of God’s will when they were killed because of how they shared their faith.
After all, Jesus Himself warned us in John 16, “here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” But He went on in the very next sentence to encourage His followers. “But heart, I have overcome the world.”
So, how do we overcome “the world” and experience God protecting and conquering the efforts of the devil?
God protects us as we put on the armor of God and engage in spiritual warfare.
The Apostle Paul describes this process in Ephesians 6.
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
This process of “putting on” which Paul describes mirrors a process we go through every day.
Unless you’re Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg who wore the same outfit every day, you probably spend a few minutes each day pulling out your clothes. Underwear, shirt and pants, blouse and skirt, perhaps socks, and then shoes. For some people, this process takes seconds and very little thought. For other people, and depending on the occasion, this process can take many minutes and create quite a mess! (First date, anyone??)
As followers of Jesus who prepare for spiritual attacks, we put on spiritual armor which God uses to protect us. His armor includes the following:
The promise of God in this text is not that we will put our armor on, yet never see any battles. On the contrary, the text literally says “then after the battle, you will be standing firm.”
Practically speaking, how do we put this metaphor into action?
First: we must remain alert and aware that we have an enemy. Like an oblivious impala or gazelle on the savannah in Botswana, the lion’s victory is assured when his prey is unaware of his presence and intentions. The same is true for us.
Second: we must put on the armor of God every day. Our Protector and Conqueror has provided all we need to remain firm when the battle concludes. Nevertheless, we miss out on His provision and power when we ignore the resources He’s given us.
Third: we must trust in who God is and what God has done for us. Our enemy tempts us to trust in ourselves and our own resources, so that he can defeat us. In the list of the armor of God above, we see the reasons we have to trust God - His salvation, righteousness, truth, peace, and His word. Each of these have met our needs and they protect us from our enemy’s attack.
Katy Nichole invites us to take hold of God’s provision and protection through the Holy Spirit.
I wish I could tell you that you could avoid those intense and difficult feelings at the beginning, but I cannot do that. However, the good news is that we are not alone in those feelings and we are not unequipped either. By putting on the armor God has given us, we can endure those seasons of danger and stand firm when the battle is over.
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer with the coolest last name ever. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the parents of three “little savages.” He helps hurting people forgive others through his Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com.
