Who Needs Armor? (Part 1)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV).

Bill once had a job as a truck driver. Twice a week, he hauled loads between Cincinnati and Atlanta. He always stopped for lunch at Joe’s Diner, a friendly little truck stop about halfway between the two cities. One day Bill parked his truck, walked into Joe’s Diner, sat down on a stool at the counter and ordered lunch. Off in the distance, there was a roar and a cloud of dust. As the roar got closer, out of the cloud of dust came twelve bikers. They parked their hogs and stormed into the Diner. They crowded around Bill and started to snap their fingers in rhythm. Bill just acted like they weren’t there and kept eating. Then the leader of the pack silenced his men, pointed at two of them, pointed at Bill, and snapped his fingers. One of them poured iced tea over Bill’s head, and the other one pushed Bill’s face into his mashed potatoes. Then the two of them pushed Bill off of his stool and beat the tar out of him. Bill never said a word. He got up, brushed himself off, paid Joe for his lunch and left. The leader of the gang swaggered over to Joe and said, “that guy’s not much of man is he? He didn’t even try to defend himself.” “No,” Joe replied as he looked out the window, “and he’s not much of a driver either. He just ran over twelve motorcycles.”

We are at war. Who is the enemy? It is not the non-believer, although occasionally you will meet a person so full of evil and rebellion against God that he or she actually declares himself or herself the enemy of Christianity. The secular media and society work relentlessly to undermine God’s truth, but they are not the enemy either, although they are often tools in his hands. Our enemy is Satan and the spiritual forces of evil. Satan, the deceiver, the accuser, the destroyer, is the adversary of our souls and the souls of our friends and our loved ones. Our enemy is powerful, but he is also a defeated foe. In verses 10-11, Paul reminds us to be strong in the Lord. To be strong in the Lord is not a singular event. Just like physical strength, if we do not continue strive for excellence we will grow weak. Being a Christian is not a learned skill or discipline; it is a vital relationship with our living Lord Jesus. Like any other relationship, if you want it to be deep and meaningful, beyond superficial formalities, it takes time and commitment. That is why Paul says to put on the full armor of God. God is not only our strength He is our protection.

We each need the full armor of God in this battle. Then we may be able to sense the danger and recognize the power of the real enemy. In the coming days we will look at some of the ways that we may train and equip ourselves for the fight. Today, commit yourself to prayer, study, and active discipleship in Christ.