Be Battle- Ready in the Whole Armour of God

The Whole Armour of Godseparated from the vine, or a limb cut offfrom the body. He will become powerless,even lifeless (John 15:5). Anyone who rushesinto the spiritual battle without puttinghis trust in Christ, and without continuallylooking to Him for strength and wisdom is ingrave danger. He would not have the strengtheven to reach the battlefield. “… for the battleis not yours, but God's” (2 Chronicles 20:15; cf.1 Samuel 17:47).“… in the power of his might” - This phrasemeans “in the vigour derived from Hisstrength”. The Lord's power is available toall who believe in Christ. The nature of Hispower available to the believers includesHis resurrection power (Ephesians 1:19-21),His glorious power (Colossians 1:11), Hisperfecting power (2 Corinthians 12:9-10),and His protecting power (John 10:29;Psalm 91:1-7).In more ways than one, believers areto appropriate the Lord's strength forthemselves. This requires emptying ourselvesof all self-confidence (2 Corinthians 10:3-5;Galatians 2:20), being earnest in prayer (Psalm138:3), waiting upon Him (Psalm 27:14), andfollowing Him closely in His path (Psalm 63:8).The protection for the battle“Put on the whole armour of God, that yemay be able to stand against the wiles ofthe devil. For we wrestle not against fleshand blood, but against principalities, againstpowers, against the rulers of the darkness ofthis world, against spiritual wickedness in highplaces” (Ephesians 6:11-12).No less than the full armour of God is therequirement for the complete protectionof the Christian. It is the only sure andimpregnable defence against the wiles of thedevil, for we wrestle not against flesh andblood. If our adversaries were mere humanbeings who possess nothing beyond physicalstrength and ingenuity, we might be able todefend ourselves. But as we have to contendwith Satan, who is a powerful spirit-being,we need the divine protection of the wholearmour of God.“For we wrestle… against principalities,against powers, against the rulers of thedarkness of this world, against spiritualwickedness in high places.” The battle canbe a very close and intense hand-to-handcombat, like that of wrestling. Though wehave to face this wicked enemy, we fighthim only when he comes to attack us. TheScriptures never teach us to go aroundchallenging the devil to battle. We wrestleand contend with him only in defence againsthis attacks.We are fighting against a superhumanforce. Satan is not a solitary enemy; he hasan army of demons beyond our ability tonumber. They are a much organised forceand they have distinctive roles in attackingChristians (Ephesians 6:12). Yet we arereminded by the Word of God that Christhas already triumphed over these evil forcesat Calvary’s cross (Colossians 2:15) and theywill continue to suffer defeat till the very end(Revelation 20:10).With the Lord’s help and armed with Hisstrength and armour, we can overcome theferocious demonic beings that come againstus. “For though we walk in the flesh, we donot war after the flesh: (For the weaponsof our warfare are not carnal, but mightythrough God to the pulling down of strongholds)” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).Bible Witness 5

The Whole Armour of GodThe protagonist of the battle“Wherefore take unto you the whole armourof God, that ye may be able to withstand inthe evil day, and having done all, to stand”(Ephesians 6:13).The Christian, who is to take up the wholearmour of God, is the main protagonist in thebattle. He is called to stand firm; for there isa wily, scheming villain to overcome in theevil day.When is “the evil day”? Since the fall of man,every day of his life can be an “evil day”(Ephesians 5:16). But here is a reference to aspecific day when the forces of the devil willpounce upon a believer. It is the day of test.It is when things are at their worst becauseof the devil’s schemes. It can be today ortomorrow!“… and having done all, to stand” - The Greekverb which Paul used here has to do withachievements in war. This is understood ashaving done all things not only in preparationfor victory but also in pursuing it. Allopposition will be overcome and havingconquered them all, the protagonist thenstands and maintains his ground in victory.Such was the Apostle Paul’s testimony oftriumph in the midst of Satan’s oppositionwhen he wrote: “Notwithstanding the Lordstood with me, and strengthened me… andI was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.And the Lord shall deliver me from every evilwork, and will preserve me unto his heavenlykingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever.Amen” (2 Timothy 4:17-18).Thus he enjoins all Christians to enter thebattle with these words of full conviction:“Nay, in all these things we are more thanconquerors through him that loved us. ForI am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,nor things present, nor things to come, norheight, nor depth, nor any other creature,shall be able to separate us from the loveof God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Romans 8:37-39).✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽The Belt of Truth(Continued from page 8)let your conversation beas it becometh the gospelof Christ: that whether Icome and see you, or else beabsent, I may hear of youraffairs, that ye stand fast inone spirit, with one mindstriving together for the faithof the gospel; and in nothingterrified by your adversaries:which is to them an evidenttoken of perdition, but toyou of salvation, and that ofGod” (Philippians 1:27-28).Only when the knowledgeof God’s truth renews andshapes our minds can wefind victory in the dailyconflicts of our Christianlife. As this knowledge is putinto practice, it becomes oursure protection, especiallywhen we believers comeface to face with real evil.The truth is the safety beltfor Christians in the day ofevil. A life that is not tuckedunder the belt of truthwill be an easy prey to thetemptations and trials of thedevil. So let every Christianmake sure that he is girdedwith the belt of truth.6 Bible Witness