So far, we have put on our belts of truth, our breastplates of righteousness, our shoes of peace, our shields of faith, and our helmets of salvation. With this armor, we are protected from Satan . . . but only at a distance. As long as he stays where he is supposed to, we won’t get hurt.

But Satan doesn’t do that, does he? He doesn’t always play fair. Many times, he sneaks past the enemy line, and appears right in our faces! At these times, we are forced to do hand-to-hand combat. All of our armor, so far, has been defensive. If we are fully outfitted, we still may have to just curl up in a fetal position while Satan and his demons kick us and punch us from every side. Even with our armor, that is a pretty scary situation. Even with our armor, those blows can hurt!

But God didn’t leave us without an offensive weapon! He gave us something to fight with – His Word! Hebrews 4:12 – 13 says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” I’d say that’s a pretty good weapon to have, when fighting a spiritual battle.

But remember, Satan knows God’s Word even better than most of us do. God’s Word alone has little effect on Satan. Rather, His Word is the sword of the Spirit. If we go around swinging our swords without the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit, it won’t have much effect. But when we use God’s Word in conjunction with the author Himself, we wield a powerful weapon, indeed.

James 4:7 tells us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” By submitting to God, and filling our minds and hearts with His Word, we prepare to do battle with the devil himself. Then, the Holy Spirit will bring the exact Word that applies to any situation, thus handing us our swords. When we wield that sharp, double-edged sword at Satan, he will run like the . . . well, like the devil! We will be left standing victoriously, holding our swords in the air, declaring that our God is the champion!

Dear Father, Thank You for the sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word. Please help me to fill my mind, my heart, and my life with Your Word. Help me to submit to it, and to live it each and every day of my life.

Amen

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Don’t you just love shoes? It is amazing to me how a pair of shoes can make or break an outfit. Whether you want to go dressy or casual, trendy or sensible, shoes provide the foundation for most every fashion occasion (except swimming, perhaps.) Just think if I tried to wear sneakers with a ball gown, or six-inch heels with a softball uniform. Not only do the wrong shoes ruin an outfit – they can make it impossible to accomplish the purpose for wearing that outfit in the first place!

We are warriors, and we must wear the right shoes to fight a war! Roman soldiers wore leather shoes with metal spikes in the bottom, kind of like cleats. These shoes provided the stability to stand firm against an enemy. They also provided traction for climbing over rough terrain.

Friends, the gospel of peace – which is the good news of Jesus Christ – provides the foundation we need to stand firm against the enemy. It also provides the traction we need to make progress in this journey called life. The gospel of peace is the essence of Christianity. Many times, we Christians get caught up in various issues, or we focus our attention on some abstract theology, and we forget the basics! When we face the enemy without our shoes, we quickly lose traction, and we slip and fall. We don’t make much progress as barefoot soldiers.

But when we wear our shoes, we are prepared to stand firm against the enemy. When we wear our shoes, we are equipped to make real progress in our journeys – no matter the terrain. As we suit up for battle, let us never forget the basics of the gospel of peace: 1) We were separated from God, by sin. 2) God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment for that sin. 3) When we accept what Christ did for us, through faith, we can have peace with God. This truth provides our very foundation – our shoes, which will keep us from slipping.

Dear Father, Thank You for providing me with the foundation I need to be a successful fighter and traveler in this life. Thank You for making it possible for me to have peace.

Amen

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In my top left dresser drawer, I have more than a dozen belts. They really serve no purpose, except as fashion accessories. They make me look cute. And don’t we all love to look cute?

But the belt Paul speaks of here is much more than a fashion accessory. It serves an actual purpose. In biblical times, people wore long, flowing robes. When they wanted to move quickly, they pulled up their robes and tucked them into their belts, thus allowing free movement. If you were caught without your belt, and you needed to move quickly, you might trip!

For Roman soldiers, the large metal belt wrapped around their lower torso, and protected vital organs. It also served as a place to hang a weapon. If a soldier or a civilian wanted to be truly prepared for any situation, he would wear a belt. To be caught without it could be dangerous.

In the same way, we must always wear our belt of truth. Some say that the truth Paul spoke of is the good news which is found in the Word of God. Others argue that truth means integrity – total purity in our devotion to Christ, which is lived out each day. Either way, we must walk in His truth. When we do this, we prepare ourselves for any situation Satan may throw at us.

So, friends, don’t be caught without your belt! If you are, you may get tripped up. You may receive serious wounds from the enemy, simply because you were caught unprepared. Make sure that your integrity is intact, and that your knowledge of God’s truth is strong. When you wear your belt, you will be prepared!

Dear Father, Thank You for giving me the belt of truth. Please help me to know more and more of your truth, and to walk in integrity as Your child.

Amen

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We are coming upon one of my favorite passages of scripture. And since one of my favorite things to do is shop for clothes, I can’t help but think of our spiritual armor in terms of fashion. When I go shopping, I often can’t afford to buy much, so I just look. But the very best, top-of-the-line armor is available to every Christian, at no cost to us! The price has already been paid.

In the coming verses, we will discuss every fashion accessory for the well-dressed warrior. Each of us needs a belt and shoes, a breastplate, a shield, a hat (helmet) and a sword. Each of these fashion accessories is absolutely essential for the warrior who wants to be well-prepared. If even one of these is left out, the enemy will pierce through, and we will end up on our faces.

But the fashion conscious warrior will always be prepared. The warrior who keeps his/her accessories in top condition, and uses them properly, will stand firm against Satan. Not only that, but that warrior will be the one left standing, at the end.

Even with the proper spiritual wardrobe, we may be knocked down a time or two. But don’t worry. As long as we are fully outfitted, the enemy can’t destroy us. He can’t win. As long as we faithfully wear our armor, and use it properly, we will be the victors, every time.

Dear Father, Thank You for providing me with the very best armor. Please remind me to wear it, and teach me to use it.

Amen

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My son, Foster, likes to play “superhero.” He likes to put on his red cape and rescue his sister and his parents from the bad guys. So far, he’s done a pretty good job. We have not been bothered by any boogeymen recently.

Although Foster’s bad guys are of the imaginary sort, the enemies of Christ are very real. Satan and all his evil forces are constantly at work, trying to defeat Christ and His church. They want to lead Christians away from Christ, and they will stop at nothing, in order to see that happen.

If we try and fight these “bad guys” alone, we are at a great disadvantage. We are physical beings, fighting a spiritual battle. It would be much easier if we fought a battle of flesh and blood. Then, we could just kill the bad guy, and he’d be gone.

Instead, we must recognize that Satan and his demons will never be gone until Christ, in that victorious battle, conquers him once and for all. Until then, we can’t fight him with physical means. We must arm ourselves with the spiritual armor of God. We must draw on the spiritual power and might that comes only from Him.

And we must never forget, friends, that Satan is very clever. He knows each of our weak spots, and he will aim for them every time. He wants to woo us away from Christ, and he will use his spiritual powers to entice us. But we can win, we can make him tuck tail and run, if we use our armor and the strength that God provides. As we spend time with God in prayer and in His Word, our armor is strengthened, and we increase our chances of standing, victorious, against the enemy.

Dear Father, Please help me to be wise against Satan’s schemes, and to fight this spiritual battle successfully. I love You.

Amen

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I love that word, finally. In school, it signifies that the instructor is wrapping up his lecture, and he’s about to give us the most important point. It lets us know that we are close to the end. It prompts us to listen up, for what is about to be said is essential – perhaps the most essential.

Paul has covered a lot of ground in Ephesians. He has given instruction in both the spiritual and the practical. Now, at the climactic end of his letter, he delves into perhaps the most significant thing we can know as Christians: the Christian life is not an easy life. It is a battlefield. But God has provided everything we need to be strong, and to fight successfully. 

Notice, he didn’t just tell us to be strong. Honestly, at my very strongest, I could never be a match for Satan himself. But I don’t have to be strong in myself. I can be strong in the Lord! I can draw on the very might and power of God, as I face the battles of this life.

God has not left us to fend for ourselves. Yes, life is hard. Yes, Satan will come up with all sorts of schemes to try and knock us down. But God has provided us with armor, with weapons, with everything a warrior needs to come out of a battle victoriously.

Friends, God has given you armor. Wear it! He has given you access to His strength and power and might. Use it! When we don’t use what the Lord has provided for us, Satan knocks us down and laughs in our faces. But the armor of God allows us to stand against Satan, and to win!

Dear Father, Thank You for providing me with everything I need to live a victorious life. Please help me to take advantage of what You have provided.

Amen

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Have you ever noticed that in this life, things aren’t always fair? Some of us are born to wealth, others of us to poverty. Some of us are quick learners, others of us have to work harder to learn new things. Some of you can eat all the chocolate you want and still be skinny. Others, like me, can gain five pounds just by smelling a Hershey’s Kiss.

Life just isn’t fair.

People aren’t always fair, either. Sometimes, we show favoritism. We treat some people as if they are special, simply because they are smart, or beautiful, or because they are our third cousin, twice removed. Whatever our reasons, showing favoritism is wrong. And it is especially wrong, if we are in a position of authority.

Our Father, who is in authority over all of us, shows no favoritism. He loves each of us, individually. Each one of us is important to Him. When we are blessed to be given a position of leadership over others, we must strive to imitate God, and treat the people under us fairly. We must do all in our power not to show favoritism. We must show people courtesy and respect, and treat each and every person as if they are equally important.

Dear Father, Please help me not to show favoritism. Help me to treat everyone equally, with courtesy, compassion, and love.

Amen

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In ancient Rome, slavery was a fact of life. Unlike the slavery that took place in more recent centuries, many people of that time were slaves voluntarily! They would sign up to be a slave or a bondservant, in order to pay a debt, or to secure a place to live. In this passage, Paul wasn’t condoning or condemning slavery. Rather, because many slaves and slave owners had become Christians, he wanted to instruct them in godly, Christ-like behavior.

While most people reading this today are not slaves, we can apply this passage to the relationship between an employer and an employee. When we work for someone else, we should treat them with honor and respect. We should obey our employers, and be loyal to them, and work hard for them. We should work just as hard when they are not looking as we do when they are watching us.

When we are Christians, everything we do casts a reflection on Christ. When we are lazy, when we show up late and leave early, when we only work hard when the boss is watching, we give other Christians – as well as Christ – a bad name! When we gossip and slander our boss, when we are disloyal and two-faced, we give people a bad impression of what it means to be a Christian.

We must always remember that we serve Christ alone. Paul even said that we should act like slaves of Christ! No matter who our employer is, we work for our Lord. He wants us to work hard. He wants us to work with smiles on our faces and songs in our hearts. When we work, He wants us to give it our all. He wants us to work with our whole hearts.

When we work hard for our employers, when we treat them with respect and honor and loyalty, our rewards will be twofold. First of all, our employers will be pleased with us. They will be more likely to give us promotions and raises, and place us in positions of respect. More importantly, we will be rewarded by Christ, who sees everything we do.

Dear Father, Please help me to treat those in authority over me with respect. Help me to work hard, and to please You in all that I do.

Amen

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In first-century Rome, men were “real men.” Or at least, they had a very limited definition of real manhood. During that time, the fathers in the families ruled with an iron hand. They could even sentence their children to death, if they wanted to! Many fathers were cruel, harsh and demanding. It would seem that some of them have survived, and can be found even today, harshly frustrating and provoking their children. This kind of parenting almost always results in the child being angry, even hating the parent.

There is another type of parent that can be found today. This parent is gentle and permissive, and is reluctant to instruct or discipline their child at all. They worry about limiting their child’s creativity, or squelching their spirit. They don’t want to make their child angry or upset. So, they sweetly smile and permit their wild little rascals to do whatever they want, whenever they want. This kind of parenting usually results in . . . well . . . everyone else being angry at, even hating, the child.

But Paul calls for gentle, loving discipline and instruction. Children don’t learn when they are terrified – they simply act out of fear. They also don’t learn if no one teaches them at all. As parents, we must gently, lovingly discipline and instruct our children.

Our Heavenly Father loves us. He instructs us, but there is always that love. He disciplines us, but there is always that overwhelming, never-ending love in the midst of it. Everything He does for us, everything He teaches us, is always grounded in love.

As parents, we should strive to imitate the One, True, Ideal Parent. We should love. Yes, we must instruct our children, and discipline them. But in the midst of it all, we must seek to communicate love. That kind of parenting leads to healthy, well-balanced children.

Dear Father, Please help me to love my children, and to teach them and discipline them the way You want me to. Help me, in all things, to point them to You.

Amen

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My Memaw was something special. She worked hard all her life, and brought up eight children. She was wise, and kind, and generous. And boy, could she cook! She always had a big pot of chicken and dumplings on the stove when I came to visit, for she knew it was my favorite. And to this day, I have never smelled or tasted anything as heavenly as her homemade yeast rolls.

At some point during my teenage years, Memaw got old. She was no longer able to work like she once had. Instead, she sat in queenly quest as her children and grandchildren scrambled to serve her. My own dear mother, who worked a full time job, drove several hours every Friday afternoon just to help take care of Memaw. Each of my aunts and uncles did all they could do, to see that Memaw was comfortable and happy. In all things, she was treated with respect and honor.

Children are to obey their parents for as long as they are children. But the command to honor one’s parents is for life! It doesn’t mean that, as adults, we must continue to obey overbearing parents. But in all things, we must strive to treat them with honor and respect, simply because they are our parents.

I try to honor my parents. It is easy for me, for I ended up with a pretty wonderful set! Deep in my memory, I hold pictures of honor, given by them to my grandparents. Because I watched them honor their parents, I will do the same. Because they honored their parents, things will go well for them when they are old – because my brother and I will honor them in the same way.

When we honor our parents, we set up a cycle of honor that will continue back to us when we are old. Hopefully, my children will watch me love and honor and respect my parents as they get older. And hopefully, they will treat me the same way. Thus, by honoring my parents, things will go well for me, and I will enjoy life when I am old. And the cycle will continue and continue.

Dear Father, Please help me to honor my parents.

Amen

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