Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 6:10-12.
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
If we’re not trained and equipped, we can’t do what is required of us. We have established schools to teach our children what they need to survive in this world. We have made safety equipment to protect them. Paul says we as the church must be prepared in the same way.
In Romans 13:12 Paul writes ”The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.“ This illustration is one he uses frequently to teach us that we are in a battle against evil we are unable to win on our own. Without Christ’s sacrifice and the unity of the church, we will fail.
Later in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 he tells us ”We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” Paul emphasizes this is not a physical battle against other people. We can only fight evil together as the body of Christ.
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your son to teach and inspire us. May we love one another as You command and stand with our brothers and sisters against evil in this world. Amen.
