As many times as I’ve seen God work in my life, the real world has a way of pushing itself forward and encroaching on the Kingdom. I pray against it, I preach against it, I write about it, I warn others of its existence — but I still find myself being tripped and caught off guard by the forces of evil. I should not be surprised, for the Bible speaks this truth and realization in Ephesians. Paul the Apostle lays it out clearly.
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. (Ephesians 6:12)
The Word of God warns us, but it does not leave us stranded, it provides a way out.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.& Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:13-18)
If there is ever a time that we need to fully dress ourself in the armor of God, the time is now. In my life-time, I know of nothing else that has affected every household in some shape or form as has this pandemic. We clearly see the physical aspect in number of cases of Covid 19, and the death toll. Here are some of the effects that are not as clear, based on where you are positioned: Financial stress or ruin, fear, mental stress, loneliness, abuse, hunger, depression, suicide, addiction, anger. One or more of these things has touched each of our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of these factors lead to the other atrocities we have seen over the past weeks. The truth is…humans, under the right circumstances, are simply one tragedy away from making stupid (yes, I said stupid), life changing decisions. Been there, done that.
To be totally transparent, I left my shield of faith in the closet yesterday. Equally as bad, I chose to wear flip flops in stead of the shoes of peace. What happened as I entered the world? I got a sucker punch to the gut and my toes got crushed.
Here is what it boils down to, we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies. We are fighting against mighty powers in this dark world and evil spirits in the heavenly places. What does this mean in everyday terms? Deception. The crazy voice in my head deceives me, ignorance of the facts deceives me, fear deceives me, anxiety deceives me, right down to devil himself, deceives me.
Deception is defined as an untrue falsehood, or the act of lying to or tricking someone (Yourdictionary.com)
This world is filled with deception. John 10:10 says, “the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy” (NIV). But that is not the end of the verse. The truth of the Word comes with a way out. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it full”. Yes, the world is filled with deception. Each of us are deceived somewhere, somehow, on any given day. But the Good News says, (The shoes in the Armor of God) I have come that they may have life, and have it full. God is here, inside each of us, to provide wisdom and shelter. It may pour down rain, but God is our umbrella.
One might say it’s easy to protect yourself against what you can see; it’s what you cannot see that sneaks up when you least expect it. So, put on the full Armor of God daily. Leave nothing in the closet, we just cannot take that risk.