05/29/2023
ARMOR UP!
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with 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." (EPHESIANS 6:14-17, NIV)
We have amor infused with divine power to defend against and defeat the enemy of our souls. It’s like the ultimate OPed weapon just waiting in your inventory, but, unless you activate it or put it on, it’s no help to you. I know a number of families who make “putting on the armor of God” through prayer part of their daily ritual, sometimes as part of their drive to school. I love that!
We put the armor on through prayer, but we also keep it on by being mindful of wha Jesus has given to each of us. Jesus, God’s Word, declared that He was the TRUTH, able to keep us from stumbling on the Devil’s lies. Jesus is also our RIGHTEOUSNESS, not that we have a righteousness of our own that is constantly in jeopardy by my bad choices but consistent because of Jesus’ sacrifice. We have our feet (and our mouths) fitted with READINESS that comes from the good news of PEACE. We don’t offer the lost and the world happiness; we offer them peace, which deeper and better by far. FAITH comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God, and that FAITH blocks the attacks of the enemy. Finally, we have the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, the only offensive weapon in our arsenal and it’s not even ours. We learn the Word, study the Word, memorize the Word, and we trust the Holy Spirit to yield it by bringing it to mind, by allowing it to cut through what is us and what is Him.
You, oh parent, have some mighty items at your disposal. Activate them through prayer and use them by remembering all that Jesus has purchased for you. Then, lead your kids to do the same.