17 Nov Surrounded

My friend Ron had a very brief stint as an amateur boxer. He loves to tell the story of a fight where his opponent, to say the least, was getting the better of him. Ron felt as though punches were coming at him from every direction. At the end of one round, Ron went to his corner man and said, “Hey, keep an eye on that ref. I’m sure there is more than one guy hitting me.” We can often feel ganged up on in our spiritual lives. It can feel worse than two on one. We can feel surrounded by enemies.

The truth is, as we aspire to live out God’s will, we face three fronts in the war to pull us away from Him: our own sinful nature, the broken world, and Satan. Fortunately, when we feel surrounded, God arms us with the weapons to remind us that we are also surrounded by His love:

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 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.

13 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. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17 (NLT)

The Armor of God:

• Belt of Truth: The truth of Who God is, His love for us, and what Jesus did for us.
• Breast Plate of Righteousness: As we grow in the Spirit, God protects our hearts from enemy attack, the broken world, and our own sinful inclinations.
• The Peace of the Good News: Knowing what the Gospel of Jesus Christ means to us gives us peace that surpasses all understanding.
• Shield of Faith: a two-sided shield, God’s faithfulness and our faith in Him protecting us from the temptations and other attacks of Satan.
• The Helmet of Salvation: helping us to remember that we are saved and have eternity with Jesus, no matter what we face in the here and now.
• The Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God-The one offensive weapon in the batch. When under attack from the world, Satan, or our own sinful nature, we can dive into God’s Word to fight back.

If you’re feeling attacked today, surround yourself with the knowledge that you are protected by God’s love, and if you accept them, you are also surrounded by the protection of the Armor of God!

Pastor Jerry Bader