"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6.10-12.
My favorite book is Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. I just finished it for the third time. In it he talks about the heart of a man. He looks at how God created us and the longings of our heart. Inside the heart of every man there are two questions and three desires.
The questions: "Am I dangerous?" "Do I have what it takes?"
The desires: A battle fight, a beauty to rescue, an adventure to live
The armor of God is crucial for a man to put on. It is only with His armor that our desires are able to be fulfilled, the longings satisfied. Only with the armor of God on me am I ready for battle. Only when I am dressed in my God given armor am I able to storm the castle, slay the dragon, and rescue the princess. Only when I am covered with God's armor am I ready to set out on this adventure of life.
It is only when I am covered with the equipment that God gives me that I am able to not only endure the hardships of life, but victoriously conquer them through His strength and power. I can't have just part of the armor, I need each piece or part of me is left vulnerable. All of the armor is connected, each piece works with the others for the purpose of winning the battle. It is armor that is just for us, fitted to us, so that we can move with ease. It is armor that is ours to train with, to learn how it works and how to use it. It is armor that we must always have on so that we are ready for any attack at any time.
God wants us to be ready. He doesn't want us to be caught off guard, and so He has equipped us for combat. You are dangerous, and you have what it takes. Receive the armor that He offers you. Wear it, train with it, learn how to use it. And then join the battle. Suit up, it's time to march.
Peace be with you
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