| “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.” |
| —Ephesians 6:12-13 |
When a fire alarm signal comes into the firehouse, the firefighters snap into action. The very first thing they do, in order to properly prepare to respond to the fire, is to don their turnout gear.
In our modern times, the turnout gear consists of an insulated fire coat and bunker pants, a fireproof hood, a helmet with face shield, sturdy gloves, protective boots with metal toes and sole plates to deflect any sharp object the firefighters may encounter, and self-contained breathing apparatus that will allow the firefighters to breathe safely in smoke and toxic fumes.
Only when they have donned the appropriate protective clothing can they mount the fire apparatus and proceed to the scene of the fire. Upon arrival, they can begin to implement the Recommended Operating Procedure for the type of fire they have encountered. The safety of the firefighters is of utmost important.
So it is with those of us who follow Jesus. We must first of all recognize that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare against the powers of evil. Before we can enter the fray, we must don our protective gear to guarantee our safety during the battle.
The Apostle Paul spoke every eloquently about this, as recorded in Ephesians 6:12-13:
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.
As we begin another day, we need to remain aware that we are not simply skipping along through life without a care in the world. Rather, we are engaged in a daily spiritual warfare against an already-defeated foe. We need to carefully slip on our protective gear before we venture out onto the battlefield. We will be so much better off if we do.
Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, April 27, 2017
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