“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).
TEXT — Ephesians 6:10-18
Message
When the psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned the golden verses of Psalm 20:7,8, he expressed the power of the almighty God in several miraculous victories He had given to the children of Israel. The Bible records how divine armour and angelic interventions had brought the Jews from near defeat to routing victories over their adversaries, when they relied on God and not on their chariots and horses.
We still live in the days of intense spiritual warfare that requires total dependence on God and His invincible weapons. The passage vividly describes the spiritual warfare believers face and the necessary spiritual armour to withstand the devil’s attacks. The Bible reminds us that Satan, the god of this world, has set the battle in array through his proxies: principalities and powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places, all armed to the teeth to fight Christians, distract and discourage them from following the Lord to the end.
As we understand the nature of the spiritual battles and the conflicts, we must be armed with the right weapons. Fortunately, we can access God’s invincible armour for our invisible warfare.
These pieces of armour are the belt of truth, symbolising the importance of living a life based on truth of Scripture and revelation of the Spirit of truth; the breastplate of righteousness, which protects the heart and represents living a life of holiness and righteousness; our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from accepting the gospel and sharing the message of peace to others; the shield of faith, our total trust in God’s power with which we neutralise the weapons of the enemy; the helmet of salvation, symbolising the unshakable assurance of our own salvation and the protection of our mind from doubts and fears; the sword of the Spirit, the power of God’s word, representing the offensive weapon that believers have in spiritual warfare.
We are also encouraged to prioritise prayer as a potent weapon in this spiritual warfare, as well as the need for perseverance and vigilance to fend off every attack and enjoy a comprehensive victory.
Thought for the day
We have invincible armour to fight and overcome our invisible adversaries
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
I’m blessed by this day’s daily manna.