Put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6.11)
Football practice marked me for life for several reasons. It was hard, dreaded and long. It built strength, dedication and determination in a young man's life. You endured or you were a quitter.
I remember beastly hot and dry days and fridge cold and wet days but whatever the weather we practiced. The coach was there barking his directives. We were in the trenches.
In the beginning days of practice all was new for me. I remember ordering my first set of cleats from Egalston's department store. I remember getting my gear thanks to Oxford Area Community School's hefty sports budget.
All of the pads were strange but when I put them on I felt like Superman! I could fly. I could take and give a hit. I could survive being jam-piled by twenty-five of my team mates. I was invincible! Well, not quite.
We got our pads after several days of hot and hard muscle building practice. When the weak had been separated from the rest of us the trainer dived out our stuff. It was quite an impressive pile.
Paul used a pile of armor to describe what was needed in the Christian's battle with the Devil. I want to take a look at that equipment in coming articles. However, there is an important aspect that relates both to football and spiritual warfare that we often run right past in our hurry to see the cool gear we're going to use in the fray. It is the aspect of "Putting on."
Paul uses the word ενδυσασθε. Are you awed by the stuff yet? No wonder we sprint past this one right? However, this word is rich in meaning. Strong's Concordance gives the following insight: From G1722 [position] and G1416 [down] (in the senese of sinking into a garment); to invest with clothing (literally or figuratively): - array, clothe (with), endue, have (put) on.
What caught my eye was the aspect of sinking into a garment. There was no "sinking into" my football pads but when I was in them there was no sinking out of them either. They fit snug and weren't coming off until I extracted my self with much effort. I was "arrayed" for battle.
Those pads didn't jump off the locker room bench and onto my waiting body. I had to systematically put them on. There was a special order that if not followed left me unprotected or embarrassed. Imagine leaving my garter belt on the outside of my really slick tight pants? Not cool.
Putting on my armor took concentration, practice and time. It was a new concept that quickly became mundane. We were warriors going to battle and we needed to put on our armor for each practice session as well as each game. Everyday except Saturday and Sunday we donned our special duds.
It is the same in Spiritual warfare. There must be concentration with attention to a detailed attire in order to be protected in battle with the Devil and his cohorts. Our problem is that the invisible battle is sometimes our undoing. We see no blocking sled, no mud and no barking coach to get our dander up. So we let our guard down. And in that instant we suffer a gut punch or worse from the enemy.
Being "strong in the Lord and in the power of his might" has been injected into our lives with our salvation. We have no excuse about being weak. We should never pray, "Lord give me strength!" Because he already has given us strength! We need to appropriate that strength with purpose. We need to employ that strength as we daily work through the list of needed protection.
As we trudge to the battle field we must not go naked. No armor is a deadly mistake. Being fully armored is a necessity. Our armor has been laid out for us. It is ours to put on. We must invest (that means to get dresses). We must sink into it. Knowing that without this God forged equipment we'll not last; our battle will be lost. So my friend get your stuff and put it on and let's get going. I hear the coach shouting for us!
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