The fight.

Ephesians 6:10-11, 14-17 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes… Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."




In high school, I readied myself every morning with this verse....so much so that I had the lengthy excerpt memorized. I am sad to say that I don't have it memorized anymore.
 
I am not sure at what point in our lives we start leaning on our own abilities. I can't remember a specific day when I stopped "putting on the armor of the Lord" every morning. But I know this....
 
We won't win the fight without it.
 
As I look at my frustration, my lack-of-control, and my inability to go swoop up my child and hold him/her close to me, I can't help but be reminded that I am far more vulnerable to attack without my shield of faith.
 
That without the belt of truth, I am more succeptible to the lies of the enemy. That without the breastplate of righteousness. Without the helmet of salvation. Without the sword of the Spirit?
 
I am simply a sitting duck.
 
The enemy wants to throw out his attacks on your life with the speed of a machine gun.
 
How prepared you are for battle is up to you.
 
 
Me?  Well moving forward, I am ready.
 
The Lord goes before me and I will be victorious. I may be on the front-lines of battle, but I have an armor that the enemy can't penetrate. I have a promise that will never be broken.  And I have a commandor that has already defeated the opposition.
 
I could continue trying to do it on my own.  I might even be able to weather some of the storms of attack in this battle.
 
But I don't just want to weather the storms sometimes.
 
I want to win.
 
So I am going to take up my armor and remember that my fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers.
 
And I will be victorious.
 
And I LOVE that satan hates that.