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.
Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV
Sometimes, I'll be completely honest-- I let evil get to me. I let it take residence in my heart, and my actions and words and thoughts become unloving. Luckily, my Savior died to forgive my sins, and to keep me focused on His kingdom, not my earthly one.
And the huge analogy you just read can be really helpful, if you take it to heart. We aren't supposed to literally clothe ourselves in helmets and armor and carry around a big shield, unless you're in to that type of thing...
God is calling us to withstand evil by having Him with us. By "putting on the armor of God" and acting how He would. So often I get confused and assume that if I slip up and forget to "wear my armor" that the devil will have control.
I worry too much about my sin and my imperfections that I forget to live how He wants, and that's just as bad as not worrying at all, in my opinion. I need to trust in God, and wear His "belt of truth." The truth is this: Jesus died to save me, and I'm forgiven. I need to focus on loving others rather than harping on my sins.
1 Corinthians says "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
Love one another through Christ. Put on His armor and have the faith it takes to accept God's grace and do His work.
Dear God,
So often we get caught up in sin and its many chains. Remind us that You want happiness for us, and you want us to be Your servants. You want us to glorify You, not sin, hatred, and pain. Help us love others, for this is so important, Jesus. Help us put aside our imperfections and live how You want, even if it is hard. Remind us that Your armor is on us always, and we're Your children.
Amen.
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.
Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV
Sometimes, I'll be completely honest-- I let evil get to me. I let it take residence in my heart, and my actions and words and thoughts become unloving. Luckily, my Savior died to forgive my sins, and to keep me focused on His kingdom, not my earthly one.
And the huge analogy you just read can be really helpful, if you take it to heart. We aren't supposed to literally clothe ourselves in helmets and armor and carry around a big shield, unless you're in to that type of thing...
God is calling us to withstand evil by having Him with us. By "putting on the armor of God" and acting how He would. So often I get confused and assume that if I slip up and forget to "wear my armor" that the devil will have control.
I worry too much about my sin and my imperfections that I forget to live how He wants, and that's just as bad as not worrying at all, in my opinion. I need to trust in God, and wear His "belt of truth." The truth is this: Jesus died to save me, and I'm forgiven. I need to focus on loving others rather than harping on my sins.
1 Corinthians says "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
Love one another through Christ. Put on His armor and have the faith it takes to accept God's grace and do His work.
Dear God,
So often we get caught up in sin and its many chains. Remind us that You want happiness for us, and you want us to be Your servants. You want us to glorify You, not sin, hatred, and pain. Help us love others, for this is so important, Jesus. Help us put aside our imperfections and live how You want, even if it is hard. Remind us that Your armor is on us always, and we're Your children.
Amen.
Comments