Suit Up--Part 7

The football team charges onto the field, bulky with padding. Cleats churn up the sod as the crowd cheers. Their jerseys sport the team logo. Equipment is top of the line except for one thing: they wear no helmets!
.
Every mother in the stands rises in horror because everyone knows what one blow to the head can do. I am very aware of the damage one well-placed blow can do, as my daughter Susie has lived every day for the past 9 years dealing with that damage. And it could have been worse. (See Saving Susie)
.
Brain damage is devastating because that little hunk of grey matter under the hair is the control center for the whole body. If something is wrong in there, nothing else works right.
.

...And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION...Eph.6. 
.
Paul calls attention to that critical battle front, the mind, when he instructs us to wear our "helmet of salvation." Without the certainty of God's salvation giving us strength, our minds are susceptible to every deceitful thought that floats by. Every worldly philosophy, every feel-good ideology, every vain impulse or man made theology can sound wonderfully reasonable without that helmet.
.
It is in the mind that action begins. With the mind, we believe or reject. And unless we protect our minds, renew our minds, restore our minds continually with the truth of salvation by Jesus alone, we are easy prey for any one of Satan's glittery counterfeits.

.

But how many of us work to actively protect our minds? Satan convinces us that we are so brilliant, so enlightened, so discerning that we can continually expose ourselves to lies, evil, and ungodly speculation and it won't affect us at all. That makes as much sense as a football player heading into a game without a helmet, assuming that because he is such a good player, he cannot be injured.

.

We parents wouldn't dream of sending our kids into a tackle football game without proper gear, yet we rarely take such pains to protect their minds from attack. What are they watching? What are they listening to? Who are they emulating? Who are their heroes?

.

How about you? Adults are not exempt from head injury either. What are you watching and listening to. Who do you admire? Are you wearing your helmet at all times or have you bought the lie that you don't need it? Do you allow speculation to hang around in the hinterlands of your mind, unanswered questions becoming a roadblock to spiritual growth?

.

You wouldn't go to war or into a football game without a strong helmet. Your life is a battlefront and you need your helmet there, too. Don't go into war without it.

.

Suit Up--Part 3

Eph. 6: 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist...

.
Ever leave the house in a hurry, wearing pants or a skirt that was too big around the waist--and you had no belt? All day you're a bit nervous, pressing your arm against the waistband and praying against a wardrobe malfunction.
.
That little belt you left in the closet starts to seem mighty important when you have to walk all the way across the parking lot with arms full and no way to hold your pants up.
.
The Belt of Truth Paul talks about here is even more valuable. When Jesus said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free," this belt is what he meant.
.
A soldier's belt was a thick, heavy item to which all the rest of the armor was attached. It was buckled tightly about the waist and kept everything else in place. If it came unbuckled or loose, the rest of the armor would start to slip.
.
In the same way, truth is the foundation upon which our total security rests. If we don't have God's absolute truth buried deep in our souls, one well-placed lie can send us reeling. ("The Bible is not relevant to us anymore..." "What was sin back then isn't sin anymore..." "Science has proven the Bible false...")
.
LIES are Satan's favorite weapons. He used a couple in the Garden and they worked so well, why change tactics? He figured out long ago how woefully ignorant we humans are and how easily fooled we are by a smooth-talking, snake-oil salesman.
.
Wearing the Belt of Truth requires that we remain completely honest before God about ourselves as well. We must be willing to accept how God sees us, admit our own weaknesses, and live with a clear conscience. We have to be willing for God to shine a bright light into those secret places of our souls and get rid of those pet lies we keep around for company. To entertain deception in any form loosens the belt.
.
This belt is buckled on by our Will. Every day we choose what to believe, what to allow into our minds, and whether or not to question God's stated truth. As your will slips, so does the belt.
.
God won't force you to wear the Belt of Truth, but He offers it to you with His guarantee stamped onto it. It can stand up against any lie Satan throws at it. It readies you for battle and is the foundation for the rest of your armor. But if won't do you any good if you don't buckle it on.

.

Suit Up--Part 2

Eph. 6:11-13 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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."
.
The Apostle Paul urged the Christians at Ephesus to suit up. One thing stands out clearly: If you have to put the armor on, then it can be taken off.
.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that because they believe in Jesus and have accepted him as Lord, they are automatically wearing all the defensive armor they need. What a shock when Satan knocks them flat!
.
The presence of armor implies that we are engaged in active warfare. Scripture is clear that an unseen battle rages all around us---good versus evil. And our minds and bodies are the battlefield. You didn't have to sign up or be drafted. You are already involved whether you know it or not.
.
Do you find yourself reluctant to admit that life is a battleground? Does it feel like "negativity" to focus on spiritual warfare? Can't we all just hold hands and weave daisy chains?
.
Satan will be glad to hand you the daisies because he knows that any soldier who has let his armor slip off is a prime target. Armies at war watch for signs that their enemy has relaxed its vigil, removed its armor, and is unsuspecting. Satan and his cohorts operate on the same principle. He knows better than you do whether your armor is secure.
.
God could have left us to Satan's devices. After all, we often choose his self-serving ways with eyes wide open, just as Adam did.
.
Thankfully, God is far more compassionate than we deserve. He has supplied us with everything we need to stand firm against the enemy's onslaught. But we have to pick it up and put it on. Day after day.
.
The key to the sufficiency of this armor is its stamp of ownership. A soldier's gear is issued by the country he serves and remains the property of that government. If every soldier had to provide his own weaponry, most would be sadly unprepared.
.
Our spiritual armor is stamped "Property of the King of Kings." You are not wearing YOUR armor. It is His armor. We are under the authority of our Supreme Commander and our armor comes with His stamp of authenticity--a stamp Satan recognizes quite well.
.
This armor also comes with directions for its use and if not followed properly, won't function well. But when kept shiny and oiled, buckled tightly and kept at the ready, all the forces of Hell cannot make a dent in it.
.
Ready to suit up? We'll look next time at the first piece and why it is foundational for the rest of the armor. Don't head for battle in your underwear!

.