Taking Up the Armor of God

Hello Friends,

My sister knitted me a beautiful pair of purple gauntlets, an ancient name given to our modern, fingerless fashion gloves. I love wearing glove-type warm covering that also keeps my fingers free to do tasks, but since I really didn’t know what a gauntlet was, except for a vague idea of armor, I decided to do a bit of research.

A gauntlet is a protective glove used as a form of armor, like a large iron glove that has small plates covering the fingers to protect the hand, formerly worn by cavaliers. There have been various protective gloves used down through the ages, especially in industry; even my husband has his own leather gloves he used to wear for welding that go up past his wrists.

To “toss the gauntlet down” meant that you were presenting an open challenge to another, and to “take up the gauntlet” meant that you were accepting the challenge. Living the Christian life in service to God means that we are continually in need of protective armor so we can be ready for every spiritual challenge we face. Just like “taking up the gauntlet”, we’re actually supposed to be “taking up the whole armor of God” and standing ready for battle. I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul’s strong exhortation to the church about putting on the whole armor of God.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” ~ Ephesians 6:10-13 (NKJ)

“Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil…13) Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].” ~ Ephesians 6:11; 13 (TAB)

Due to my line of work, my spiritual battles have been many and I continue to fight them in grace and with resolve as long as the Lord gives me breath. I’m experiencing a tremendous challenge this year to continue strengthening my spiritual armor and to increase my strategy for every spiritual battle. I plan to win more battles than I lose, receiving God’s personal promises to me. How about you? What do you want to see God do in your life this year?

Do you have wayward and distant hearts in your family? Receive a strategy from the Holy Spirit for how to regain lost influence. Do you have a detached and disinterested husband? Receive a promise and a plan from the Lord for how to reach him. Do you have a chronic health issue? Receive a plan for a healing path from the Lord and determine to walk it out with Him. Are you starting a new business? Let God be your partner in the building of it. Are you fighting the battle of what seems to be wasted years due to false standards you placed on your family? The Lord will lead you out of legalism and into His grace and truth. Our Good Lord is so personal. He gives us the steps to walk in and wants to walk with us toward solving life’s challenges. He will also provide the order for our steps. If you’d like more practical insight toward developing a faith action-plan in cooperation with God, the eArticle, “Marilyn’s Blessed Assurance”, will help you.

The condition for God to order our steps is that we must be truly righteous, for He will “order the steps of a righteous man.” Righteousness isn’t just a word, but it’s God’s way of making us right with Him and with others. Jesus made the way possible for us to have right standing with God, but there is also a process of coming into alignment with His ways. To be truly righteous simply means that you are allowing the Lord access to your heart to do the work there that He wants to do so you can make things right in your relationships. It doesn’t mean you’re all finished; it doesn’t mean you have to be perfect before God works. There is no such thing! It means your heart is open to allow His work and you cooperate with the Holy Spirit when He speaks correction and instruction to your own conscience. In other words, you’re engaged in the internal process with Him and taking the outward actions He instructs you to take daily. Then you are on HIS path and He is there with you! You’re no longer facing life’s challenges alone. He will direct you in the details of how to win your battles for His glory!

I love The Message version: A Fight to the Finish ~ “God is strong, and He wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting, you’ll still be on your feet.” ~ Ephesians 6:10-18 (The Message)

Let me leave you with this: The armor of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them so they’re transferred into your relationships, and as a result raise the quality of the moral culture of your home. Learn how to transfer truths into the fabric of your real life where they will do you the most good. This is how we “put on the whole armor of God”! Learn how to love your children and affirm their unique identities. Learn how to lay up for yourself the “testimony treasures” of God’s work in you and your family. Learn how to pray in faith adding it to your love for your family, truly believing that God will accomplish His good pleasure in you. Give Him your all and He will give you His all!

The book, Empowering the Transfer of Moral Values and Faith, was written to help you know how to align yourself correctly with the work God wants to do in you. Why not get your copy today, and while you’re at it, check out the new Lifestyle of Learning™ Association for Christian Home Educators (LOLACHE). We created it just for you so you’d have a permanent venue through which to receive regular spiritual growth and practical Lifestyle of Learning™ support for you and your family.

We hope you can join us soon, and may the Good Lord increase you this year in Christ’s spiritual abundance.

So grateful to be in the Lord’s service,

Marilyn Howshall for Lifestyle of Learning™ Ministries

 

[Lifestyle of Learning™/LOLACHE eNewsletter ~ Feb 8, 2012, Issue 10]