Protect Yourself

We are living in a war zone, but our enemy is not other humans.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

This is not just figurative language, the enemy’s forces are everywhere. They fight dirty and don’t follow any reasonable rules of engagement. Their weapons are fear, apathy, distraction, anxiety, worry, self absorption, and a whole other host of methods to pull us into ourselves and away from following Jesus. They are fighting for our minds, hearts, and souls. Often, they are quiet when we are complacent and not really spending much quality time with Him. When Jesus is just an outer adornment, but doesn’t live inside, they are satisfied. “Thieves don’t break into empty houses.” But when we start to look for the light, and the joy that comes from knowing Jesus, we need to be prepared for a fight. The enemy doesn’t give up quietly.

Soldiers train to keep themselves fit and prepared. They keep their weapons and armor cleaned, polished, and in battle-ready condition at all times. They keep watch so they are not taken by surprise. If they get sloppy, the enemy could sneak in and destroy them. We need to get ourselves ready for battle, and God provides the armor.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17

So let’s look at the pieces of armor we are given. We have a belt of truth. A belt holds everything together, holds up your pants so you don’t trip. His Truth pulls our life into order and holds it together so we don’t stumble off the path. We have body armor of righteousness. Body armor protects your vital organs. God’s righteousness covers our heart and soul and keeps them from damage. It wraps us in an unpierceable garment that the enemy can’t get through.

We have shoes of peace. Shoes are our foundation, what we stand on. The Good News of Jesus gives us a peace; a strong, sturdy foundation to keep us grounded so we won’t be easily moved. We have a shield of faith. A shield can be thrown into the path of an incoming weapon to keep it from hitting its target. Our faith can be thrown in any direction, wherever the attack is coming from, so that Satan’s arrows will always miss their mark.

We have a helmet of salvation. A helmet protects the head, the brain, the control center. When we know we have salvation, we have the confidence to put all of our battle plans into place. Salvation is the key that directs the use of all of the other weapons. We have the sword of the Spirit. A sword can be used for offense, to defeat our enemy, or for defense to fend off an attack. If we keep our sword sharp by knowing the Word of God, we will be prepared to defend ourselves from attack. We will be prepared to engage the enemy and defeat him. Satan is powerless against the Word of God.

So we stand in peace, protected by God’s righteousness and salvation, held together by truth, holding up our faith against the enemy, attacking the darkness with the light of His Word. What a picture of true strength! And it’s all a gift, just waiting for us to pick up, put on, and use.