Completing the Armor of God

This will be the last entry in the Armor of God series.

Lets look at the scripture once again.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Ephesians 6:10-18

Watch Your Head! 

We have to protect our minds from the enemy. The childhood song lyrics "O be careful little eyes what you see..." come to mind. I know how easy it is to get sucked into what passes for entertainment these days. I have an obsession with reality TV. I used to watch housewives, stars in rehab, and the "un"real world. Though I drew the line on all things jersey. 

I understand how easy it is to veg out in front of a TV and do nothing for a while. But too much of anything can be a bad thing, and when we are not paying attention because we are 'Vegging Out", the enemy can be laying the groundwork for his next attack. 

Our minds are battlegrounds in and of themselves. When we are under attack it is difficult to win unless we have the mind of Christ. 

2 Timothy 1:7 says this: 

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"

Anyone who rides horses can tell you this: where the head goes, the horse follows. We are no different. If Satan can win the battle for your mind, then your life will follow. Guard yourself. Put on the helmet of Salvation.

That Thing is Sharp! 

Brain surgery requires a sharp cutting tool. As Christians, we often need to allow God to perform surgery on our minds. We must cut away our old way of thinking and allow Him to teach us a new way to think.

How do we do this? By the Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword.

Romans 12:2 says this: 

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

By reading and memorizing the Word of God it gets in us. It begins the work of renewing us from the inside out. It begins to correct us, instruct us, and show us the goodness of God. It tells us how God operated and helps us learn to recognize His Spirit at work in our lives.

The Christian Soldier is a Duel Sword Warrior

Okay, so I got a little video-game-geeky when I wrote that subtitle, but it is true nonetheless. We must be able to wield not only the Word of God, but also the Sword of the Spirit.

We have all met those Christians that can fire off in rapid succession scriptures to back up their point of view. This quick-fire method may be good going up against the enemy, but deadly when pointed in the direction of people.

This is why listening to the Spirit is so important. Sometimes, what we see as an opportunity to show how much scripture we know, is really an opportunity to just shut up and listen to someone. This gentle response allows the Spirit of God to work in the situation rather than us stumbling around randomly swinging hoping we do not cut too deeply.

This does not only apply to how we treat others, but also how we respond to ourselves. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in "being our best" that we forget to rest in the Grace of God. There is no condemnation (accusatory attitudes and prosecution of sin) in Christ: He paid the price for you already. The Spirit of God will correct you, but be careful you are not allowing your ideas of what God expects to begin to bludgeon you into  an emotional and spiritual basket case.

There will be times when God gets right to the meat of a matter, and then there are times when He woos us with His grace. We must learn to yield to both the Sword of God (BIBLE) and the Sword of the Spirit (Holy Spirit). Both are vital, and both can be mishandled.

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

In any battle scenario, the lines of communication must remain open between the front lines and the command center. If these are interrupted, the battle will go sideways very quickly. It may still be won because training kicks in, but casualties will be high, and the overall objective of the battle may not be won.

Our relationships with God are no different. He is in Command. We are on the front lines. We must pray and have open communication as we face our enemy. We cannot see the whole battlefield. He can. He can direct us, and help us guard one another's flank to keep us from defeat!

Prayer allows for instantaneous change of heart and directions. Prayer allows for God to speak directly to us and give us the edge we need when we square off toe to toe with out enemy.

Post Battle Report and RNR

Do not forget, that after battles, soldiers need some Rest-n-relaxation (RNR). Get with God and get the download on how the battle went. Ask about what you could have done differently and then, just rest in His presence. Get some RNR. This time will help fuel you and prepare you for the next battlefield, and help you to train other soldiers that are watching your example. 

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