By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Ephesians 6:10-13 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 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, and after you have done everything, to stand." - NIV
An armor is a protective defensive covering over the body from weapons while at the war front. No soldier goes to battle without being equipped with the full armor. We are in conflict, between satanic kingdom and God’s kingdom. Paul raises important points worth noting about the nature of our spiritual warfare in the scriptures above.
It takes strength from God. You can’t fight when you are weak. We have to put on the armor that God provides so as to take a stand against enemy schemes. Remember that the conflict is spiritual, primarily against spiritual various forms of demonic forces operating in heavenly realms, and not human beings. By putting on the full armor, you are preparing yourself for the evil day of attack. That evil day inevitably comes to everyone, like it or not.
The ultimate goal of this war is to stand. We fight to defend our territory and stand in the faith. The enemy aims at getting us out of it. It is in standing firm, contending for the faith and continuing steadfastly in it, that we remain with eternal life and inherit the kingdom of God. And having done all, to stand! Therefore, prepare for the evil day.
Jude 1:3 "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people…"
Shalom children of God