Finally, Be Strong

Many of us in Western countries are blessed in that we can worship freely with little to no oppression. However, that doesn't mean it's easy to stand firm and proud for what we believe in, and we can face backlash and even hatred for our principles. As many of you know, you need to put on the armor of God.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 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.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:10-18

Let's break this apart, shall we? Paul wrote the book of Ephesians from a Roman prison in Ephesus, waiting for his trial in front of Caesar. His ministry had been so successful that the silversmiths were losing money with all the people that stopped buying idols and worshiping Artemis. He left to Jerusalem but was arrested there. We know the outcome of his trial was execution.

Needless to say, Paul knew first-hand what it was to stand firm in his faith while facing death.

When speaking of the armor of God, he describes several pieces of armor and weaponry common for Roman soldiers to equip. In fact, it seems the verse goes in order to how a soldier would've put those pieces on his body.

Belt of Truth - First thing equipped and used to hold everything in place, both the rest of his armor/equipment but also to hold extras he may need like money or food. Without the Word of God and His truth, everything else we do will fall apart.

Breastplate of Righteousness - Resting on and attached directly to the belt, the breastplate protects the heart. Living our lives in God's way of love will protect us from temptations and harm to our hearts.

Feet fitted with Readiness - A Roman soldier had footwear with spikes in the heel, to better grip, balance, and well to defend themselves with! We need to stand ready and steady to deal with whatever may come our way, eyes wide open.

Shield of Faith - Roman shields were long, spanning from chin to knees. When under great attack, many soldiers together would hunch down together and combine shields to protect themselves and their fellow soldiers until they were able to, as a group, make the next move. Our faith and trust in God will protect us from the fiery arrows of the world, and when we combine our forces to protect each other with encouragement and trust in God, we're unstoppable.

Helmet of Salvation - Many nations had leather or bone helmets, but the Romans wore bronze or iron helmets, almost impervious to attack. As children of God, we are saved, which means many things, but one the biggest things it means is that the Holy Spirit now lives within us to help us direct our ways. With the Holy Spirit, our minds are protected from worldly attacks, trying to sway our minds into paths of darkness and doubt.

Sword of Spirit - A Roman soldier had a few types of swords, one of which was a two-edged sword. The Word of God, the Holy Spirit, while it protects, also cuts through the darkness, getting straight to the truth of the matter. If God is with us, who can be against us?

Something else to remember is this:

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Put on the armor first, prepare. The soldier doesn't arm him or herself in the middle of a battlefield. They put it on before they step out. Find a way to put on your armor daily before doing anything else, so that you will be prepared for whatever comes your way.

One way of doing this is prayer, which Paul actually addresses. It brings us back to God's perspective, our faith in Him, and is a type of meditation to calm us at the start of day. You can also start the day with Bible reading. Don't sigh. You don't have to read a whole book to make this effective. Simply, read a daily verse like those through the Bible app. Like prayer, it centers us back onto the right path. You can journal, draw, run while contemplating God, etc. You do you. Just find a way to equip yourself.

How do you put on the armor of God each day? Comment with your own ideas, and as always, love y'all!






Sources other than Bible:
http://www.christianarsenal.com/Christian_Arsenal/Full_Armor_of_God.html
http://www.truthnet.org/Spiritual-warfare/6BackgroundArmor-God/Armor-of-God.htm