What a state our world seems to be in today!
There are wars and rumors of wars, there are blistering heat waves and deadly tornadoes, there is the constant flux of politics in a fallen world and the natural inclination of our fellow man to work his own destruction.
And then there is the turmoil of everyday life. There is sickness or anger or brokenness in our families and among our friends. There are the stresses and frustrations of working for a living. There is bitterness that stretches way back but still seems to have its tentacles into us today.
But keep in mind that we are not struggling with flesh and blood. Our struggles are “against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Are you discouraged? Are you feeling down? Do you find yourself wide awake at three in the morning and tossing and turning in your bed like poor old Job in the Bible?
Well, we are just like Job. The things that we perceive as earthly troubles are in fact a reflection of forces of wickedness that cannot be seen, according to Paul.
The point is that those very real forces are actively trying to pull us down. Now one way to cope is just to get up in the morning and put one foot in front of the other. That’s the way most of the world copes if they do not know Jesus.
But we have a beautiful Savior who arose with resurrection power from the grave. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God, no longer a meek lamb for the slaughter, but the Lion of Judah.
The message of Revelation is “our God reigns“. No matter how bleak or frightening things may look at times, and they certainly looked bleak to Christians in John’s time with Roman soldiers breathing down their necks, still we must keep in mind that “Our God reigns.”
We have the Lion of Judah at our side through his Spirit, which is poured into our hearts from the cross. Yes, things looked bad when Paul wrote to the Ephesians. There was a war going on for the soul of the Church, as Pastor Sam has been teaching us from Acts.
It was not a small thing. It was a titanic never-ending struggle just to keep one’s head above water. See 2 Corinthians. There were heresies. There were false prophets and false teachers. The Judaizers were trying to kick the uncircumcised Gentiles out of the church, people like the Ephesians.
So Paul writes them these words of adamantine encouragement: “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
God is not just a theology lesson. God is a living being of incomprehensible power. God is sovereign, and the armor of this sovereign all-powerful God is available to you and to me because we have faith.
“Take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” This is a promise. Are we ready to grasp it?
Are we ready to wake up in the morning and say “Increase my faith, Lord, and help me fight the attacks of Satan?” What’s stopping us? Why not be bold? Put the promise in your heart. Believe it.
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Do you have the “helmet of salvation”? Of course you do. You believe in Jesus, and everyone who calls upon his name will be saved.
Do you have the “sword of the Spirit”? Oh, praise God we do, and how precious it is. Let us bathe ourselves in the word of God at break of day. “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” These are words we need to hear again and again.
Be strong in the Lord. Do not despair. Do not be downhearted. The Lord is your Deliverer. His arm is mighty to save.
