The Armor of God | To Be a Soldier In God’s Army, Day 5

These five devotions were written earlier in the year to include in a booklet for a local youth camp that is held in July. Now that camp is over, I thought I'd share the devotions. Helping Hands Camp is a faith based youth camp that allows campers to provide services and to fulfill clean up and construction projects for those in the community that are unable to do so. 

Theme: Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 

Our anchor verse is based of the entire passage from Ephesians 6:10-17. Each daily devotion is based off of that verse.

[NIV Translation, Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.]

To Be a Soldier In God’s Army

[Review week’s passage]

We’ve spent a lot of time this week talking about armor. Any of us could agree that if you only show up with only one part of the armor on, there might be some confusion about what your stance is or what you were trying to accomplish. We could also agree that it would be easy for the enemy to see the best place to strike you and take you down.

Yet even the most ‘together’ Christian still has a crack somewhere in their armor. Others might be able to see who you represent and what you stand for.  And in your best defense you might even be prepared for every possible encounter. You might think your bases are covered and that you are “untouchable”.

But imagine that as you sit in camp on with your artillery and on full alert, it suddenly begins to rain. -A heavy, frigid, blinding rain.  Is water trickling down from the top and getting in your eyes? Is it seeping in from the bottom and dampening you, your belongings or your spirit? In all of your ‘togetherness’, were you prepared for something such as that?

We might’ve been prepared for the battle but often it is the ordinary things that take us down. Were not the Midanites DEFEATED because they “thought” Gideon’s army was bigger? Sampson DEFEATED because he let love of another weaken his defenses? Goliath DEFEATED because maybe he assumed his power, and strength were sufficient? Or even worse, what about the invalid in John 5 who simply wasn’t attaining victory because he was too lazy to move for his own good. In every one of those scenarios, the enemy wasn’t who was being faced, it was what lied within.

The truth is each of us are called to be a part of God’s army, but are you calling God to prepare you for all situations and to make you a soldier?

Think About It!

1. What does that rain represent in your life? Where do you allow yourself to go? What thoughts do you allow to stay?  What is getting inside of your armor?

2. There is no part of a battle that is easy. Having a good strategy for a battle, for your life, or for the day, is often half of what it takes to win. The other half is waiting on and being obedient to the Lord.

Do you have a strategy? Are you willing to wait? Are you willing to move?

3. Today is enlistment day. What does that mean to you?