Gear Up!

I woke up this morning with this word impressed in my spirit. I had been reflecting on a number of things particularly my relationship with God. I had become lethargic and was drifting and if I didn’t cry out any sooner (like peter did while sinking), I would have sank.

Lord save me! That was and is still my prayer. I felt like the seed among thorns, planted but not yielding – my roots had been meddled with. I could worship and pray but not as before. See I had this ‘Eden’ relationship with God – he could show up anytime and it didn’t matter where, and we’d hang out till whenever. Until I became unavailable — too busy to dial in or hanging up too soon on other times. I was  somewhat convinced Jesus was still center place while in reality, I was pushing him back stage. I had allowed the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things to consume me to the point no real fruit was being produced.

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 1 Timothy 4:1

Now I didn’t denounce the faith subscribing to all things ‘Universal’. My belief and vocabulary did not change however there was a shift in my walk. And as I prayed to be restored, God told me to gear up.

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

The armour is a protective covering that differentiates soldiers from civilians. In the same way, the armour of God helps believers to stand firm. It gives them support to hold steady and not succumb, to remain steadfast even when seemingly overcome. Having no armour indicates unpreparedness and unreadiness to fight. Being unequipped is like being handicapped because already you are disadvantaged and can easily become prey to the enemy yielding to his schemes.

We have different levels of devils fighting with all sorts of tools to defeat and capture us. Our relationship with God is under attack because if the enemy could just alienate us from God (our source, strength and safety) then he would have us. Furthermore, he is sowing seeds of disobedience, ignorance, corrupt thinking and falsehood – if he can get us to break the hedge then he would have free rein.

This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world. Ephesians 6:12

We live in evil days. These are the days of battle Paul writes about and the conflicts in the warzone has thrown many people off-balance. Only those with girded with armour are secure and unshakable. You need a good grip and firm footing!

Therefore take up the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13

The armour is really not a fancy gear. A warrior without a weapon will in no time become a corpse. It doesn’t make sense if you are spiritual and refuse to don yourself with the armour. If you are situated anywhere around the warfront, the armour is essential for your safety. Without an armour, one can be knocked over or trampled. Some nations stock up on arsenal, armoury and other gadgets. That’s what gives them confidence they would win certain wars. Whether you run, hide or stand firm depends on what you’ve got. We have offensive and defensive weapons in our arsenal namely belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet and sword. You have no clue how potent you are!

So stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the protection of right living on your chest. On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows of the Evil One. Accept God’s salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:14-17

Belt of Truth	This tool protects us from the lies and deceit of the enemy. When we have the belt on, our minds are renewed with the truth in the word tightening all loose ends around the waist.
Breastplate of Righteousness	The enemy has no new tricks, he still goes about asking the age-old questions “did God really say? Will he do? The breastplate covers our heart–chest area protecting our identity as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and strengthening us to maintain a life of holiness without compromise.
Shoes of the Gospel of Peace	The command ‘go ye’ is still a requirement. Until we move our feet and do our bit, the kingdom will know no expansion. We must not stay indoors with our slippers or walk around barefooted – not venturing out to our Judea’s, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. The gospel is the power God uses to save everyone who believes. Peace with God is the outcome.
Shield of Faith	This armour is our defence against the flaming darts and arrows unleashed by the enemy. These arrows can come in the form of deception, temptation, or doubt but your faith can ward them off or bring them on their knees.
Helmet of Salvation	This defensive weapon assures our victory – we win because our salvation has been procured through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Sword of the Spirit	This offensive weapon enables us to slice and dice every argument and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and taking every thought captive to obey Christ. The word will activate the power and presence of God in our lives and cause the enemy to flee.

After we have donned our armour, we are to fight!

“…praying at all times in the Spirit…” Ephesians 6:18a

Prayer is that conference call you dial into to address certain items on your agenda. Therein you bind and loose, plant and uproot, decree and establish. The one time you get to partner with God in decision-making. God seeks worshippers and gap-closers and when we collaborate with him on these, victory is guaranteed.