War Ready Pt. 2

Have you ever gotten to your car and realized that you were not fully dressed? For some of us ladies, that could mean that we simply forgot to put on our earrings (smile). At any rate, we should always aim to be fully dressed when we go out, especially if we go out to fight in a battle.

Last time, we discussed the reality that we contend with spiritual warfare (you can read that blog here). We began describing how to be spiritually “war ready” by working our way through the armor of God. To refresh our memories, here are the Apostle Paul’s words again:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

~ Ephesians 6:10-18

We got through to the breastplate of righteousness last time, but there’s more! Let’s keep going so that we can be fully dressed for battle.

Feet fitted with readiness: What does it mean to be ready? Quite simply, it means to be prepared. Paul states that our feet should be prepared for spiritual war. Let’s think about it: In a physical war, how important are our feet? Very important! If our feet were seriously injured, we would experience great difficulty advancing in the war. That’s why good militaries invest in quality footwear for their field soldiers. They want their soldiers’ feet prepared for battle.

How does Paul say we should prepare our feet for battle spiritually? He encourages us to have our feet prepared with the gospel of peace. Bible commentator David Guzik notes that the preparation referred to here means “a prepared foundation,” and that the gospel should provide the footing for everything we do. This is what it means to be ready for spiritual battles—having the Gospel as our foundation.

Question to consider: Does the Gospel of Jesus provide the footing for everything you do? If not, what does?

Shield of faith: In a physical war, shields are powerful defensive tools. They block that which could seriously harm or even kill soldiers. The same is true for our spiritual shield—it, too, blocks that which could harm or kill us spiritually. And what should our spiritual shield be made of? Faith. Paul tells us that this shield of faith “can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (v. 16). But what is faith?

The author of Hebrews tells us that “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1). And our faith is only as secure as the object of our faith. Big faith in a faulty source amounts to nothing. Little faith in the living God of the Bible can move mountains (Mt 17:20). And it is this faith in the living God of the Bible that should be our shield in spiritual war.

Question to consider: Who or what is the source of your faith?

Helmet of salvation: In physical battles, soldiers’ helmets are indispensable. A serious head injury will likely be fatal. Spiritually, our heads (or minds) are just as vital. Indeed, I believe that much of our spiritual warfare takes place in our minds. And Paul says that we should protect our minds with the salvation of God.

Discouragement is a key weapon used by the enemy. Commentator Guzik also notes the “helmet of salvation protects us against discouragement, against the desire to give up, giving us hope not only in knowing that we are saved, but [also] that we will be saved. It is the assurance that God will triumph.”

Question to consider: How often do you consider your salvation and find encouragement?

Sword of the Spirit: This part of the armor of God is the offensive weapon in our arsenal. The other pieces of armor help us defend against the enemy’s attacks, and this sword of the Spirit enables us to levy some attacks of our own against the enemy. And what is the sword of the Spirit? It is the Word of God! My friends, this means that we must study, learn, and internalize God’s Word. We cannot attack the enemy with a weapon we do not have.

Question to consider: How often do you study, memorize, or recite Scripture?

PRAYER: Many people believe the armor of God ends with the sword of the Spirit, but it does not! Notice what Paul says after mentioning the sword of Spirit: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (v. 18). Have you ever considered how we actually “put on” the armor of God? We pray it on! And I believe prayer is one of our most important resources as we engage in spiritual warfare. Thus, we should use it! Indeed, in another letter, the Apostle Paul tells us we should “pray continually” (1 Thes. 5:17). May we practice a lifestyle of prayer all throughout our days.

Question to consider: How often do you pray?

My friend, let’s be war ready, and let’s pray like our lives depend on it—because they do.

Your Sister-Friend,

Leah