3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10
This last week a prominent topic has been battle, drawing the line, protecting whom God has put in our sphere of influence, standing firm so not to cause others to stumble and suffer! Rarely is there a person we can identify to battle against. Often it is against powers unseen; laws, ideas, temptations, music, technology, time, momentary choices (2Cor4). Our front line of defense is our minds.
When our children were younger we identified there minds as the place we needed to take a stand. So we home schooled each of them during the middle school years to provide a safe harbor for them to grow and develop mentally, emotionally and ultimately spiritually. Obviously, the hope was that when they returned for their High School careers they would be fully armed and ready to take a stand for right as far as it concerned them, in their sphere.
The last month we, as parents, have been waging a fierce battle on behalf of our High School children and the ideas of this world. I have believed and experienced the realm we can not see and long to be there with my Lord. I have known of the Armour God has given us so that we might take a stand where He has put us for a time such as this. Yet, just today I have seen all that God intended for me to know in Ephesians 6:10-17, The Armour of God. First of all He says WHEN the day of evil comes, not if. He reminds us that our struggle isn't against flesh and blood but this dark world and evil in the heavenly realms. The first three pieces of armour are listed together, Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness and Shoes of Peace. All three are issued to us when we claim Jesus as Savior. He will speak Truth to us. We will seem as righteousness to God because of His cleansing blood and we are full of His Peace when we receive assurance of His salvation. The shield of Faith stands alone and is one you choose to take up. You choose to have Faith that God stands with you and gives you power to extinguish the lies satan throws at you. Finally, we are reminded of the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of God's Word. They are the offensive weapons freely given when asked for, invaluable to standing firm. Think of the helmets of armour worn by knights, how they covered the whole head and protected what was within - life.
I became keenly aware of the purpose of the helmet this morning during our devotions. The helmet makes me think of Professor Xavier in Xmen. His mind had such extreme power that needed to be contained to protect himself and others. Such power as to bring life and take life. His mind could do wonderful good and horrendous evil. Ours too. Paul reminds us of all that Jesus warned us about. Our mind, our offensive weapon, can not be contained on our own but ONLY with the helmet of God's Salvation. May we all be humble enough to adorn the helmet of Salvation and wield wisely the power God gives us with it. How refreshing it is to realize that there comes a point when there is nothing more we are able to do then rely on the Armour He gives willing to those who claim Him as Savior.
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