Ephesians 6:19; the armor of God
Rebecca Lightfoot
A true soldier is going to be prepared every day.He/she knows that the enemy is NOT going to wait for an official “game on” warning bell.The best strategy of the enemy will always include surprise and subversive elements(“tending or intending to subvert or overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system, especially a legally constituted government or a set of beliefs”).Being aware of this means that if I am not preparing every day,I either don’t care about it,or I don’t believe what Jesus says about being prepared(Luke 21:36,”But stay awake(be prepared->fully dressed in all of the armor of God)at all times...”).Even though I may be fully dressed in the armor of God,I am far from being FULLY PREPARED if I am not spending time with The Lord(“praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are going to take place.”).Not only does the care and proper training of every piece of my armor include daily “oiling and watering and polishing and sharpening” with God’s Word,but at the end of Ephesians description of the armor of God we r strongly encouraged to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind,BE ALERT and always keep I praying for all the saints”.Jesus says the same thing at the end of Luke21:36!My being fully prepared then could conceivably be broken down into the following equation-> FULLY PREPARED = (ARMOR properly buckled/oiled/soaked/sharpened/trained w God’s Word) + (TUNING our minds/hearts/lives into God’s Heart through praying for His strength/His help/His direction/His Ways in all things)+ (BE ALERT always to the realities of The Gospel of Christ(Eph6:19)&always ALERT that there will be fiery darts & arrows coming at me and those around me aimed at the “set of beliefs” based on God’s Word).This equation most basically stated is this-> FULLY PREPARED DAILY/REGULARLY = God’s Word Daily/Regularly + Prayer Daily/Regularly + Stay Alert Always!The evidence of this “equation” being a part of my life will be a steady change in me to becoming more & more like Christ as 1John2:6 says,”But if anyone obeys His Word,God’s Love is truly made complete in Him:Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”This is the way our lives are FULLY PREPARED for whatever fiery darts&arrows may come at us and those around us,as well as for whatever the Lord May show us/teach us every day.Dear Lord, I pray for Your Spirit to draw me into Your model of being fully prepared for every moment of every day...and may that change me to have more and more of Your Heart be the motivation for all areas of my life.