Are We Prepared for Battle?

I love to go to the movies. It has long been one of my hobbies, and recently I went for see “The Odyssey” for the second time. There is a scene where the mythical sorceress Circe turns some of Odysseus’ men into pigs. The warriors should have gotten the hint that they were in the wrong place when Circe told them all to take off their swords and battle armor and drop everything outside in the back of the shack, where they saw dozens of other pieces of old armor laying rusted and overgrown with weeds. They did as she instructed and paid a terrible price for dropping their guard.

We are instructed in Ephesians 6:11-18, as believers, to put on the whole armor of God. His armor protects us in the spiritual battle we wage against our enemy, the devil. As followers of Christ, we’ve chosen to be God’s warriors. We must never allow the allures of sin to entice us to remove any part of our armor lest some portion of our lives be open to attack for the devil’s evil darts of temptation, arrows of accusation, or spears of corruption.

God would not have us unprepared for battle. He’s given us the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, footgear of readiness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. We are promised victory as we depend on God’s strength that comes through the Holy Spirit. We are covered from head to toe. He expects us to use every part of the armor He’s provided.

And please don’t forget God’s instruction at the end of the Ephesians passage, “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” Let’s pray at all times and be prepared for the many battles ahead in our daily lives.

Your servant in Christ, Phillip