Dressed And Ready

WE HATE CHEATING. WE DON’T LIKE TO GET DUPED, FOOLED, TRICKED, AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY ANYONE. IT SEEMS TO BE ESPECIALLY PAINFUL IF IT INVOLVED TRUSTED FRIENDS OR FAMILY.

I READ THAT, “EVIL RARELY LOOKS EVIL UNTIL IT ACCOMPLISHES ITS GOAL; IT GAINS ENTRANCE BY APPEARING ATTRACTIVE, DESIREABLE, AND PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE. IT IS A BAITED AND CAMOUFLAGED TRAP.”

THE DEVIL WILL NEVER HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST IN MIND. IN FACT, THE ONLY THING ON HIS MIND IS YOUR DESTRUCTION. THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO TRICK YOU BY USING WHAT IS GOOD AND HELPFUL. 2 CORINTHIANS 11:14, AFFIRMS, “…FOR SATAN HIMSELF MASQUERADES AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.”

HE IS A BLOODTHIRSTY, VIOLENT, RAVENOUS ENEMY WHO QUIETLY WAITS AND WATCHES FOR A CHANCE TO SUDDENLY POUNCE AND VICIOUSLY ATTACK WHEN A HUMAN SOUL BECOMES ISOLATED OR DISTRACTED. YOUR RUIN IS HIS PRIZE. STRATEGICALLY PLANNING YOUR COMPLETE ANIHILATION IS HIS PLEASURE.

HE PLAYS DIRTY. HE PLAYS MEAN. HE CHEATS. HE FOLLOWS NO RULES AND IS THE MASTER OF DECEPTION AND CHIEF ANTAGONIST. HE SHOWS NO MERCY BECAUSE HE HAS NONE TO GIVE.

HE THRIVES MOST WHEN WE BECOME WEARY, ABSORBED WITHIN OURSELVES, DISTRACTED, AND DISTANCED FROM GOD, THE CHURCH, AND OTHER BELIEVERS.

PAUL REFERS TO SATAN’S STRATEGY IN VERSE 11 AS THE “WILES OF THE DEVIL.” THIS COMPOUND WORD IS ONLY USED HERE AND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. PAUL DID THIS SO THERE WOULD BE NO MISTAKING THE POINT HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE.

THE WORD “WILES” CONTAINS THE WORDS “METHOD” AND A WORD MEANING “DECEIT” “TRICKERY” OR “CRAFTY.” PAUL TELLS US THAT THE DEVIL IS NOT BLINDLY TAKING SHOTS AT YOU OR THE CHURCH IN HOPES OF “HITTING SOMETHING.” NOT QUITE!

THE DEVIL HAS A DETAILED PLAN TO DESTROY YOU. HE HAS DEVELOPED AN INTRICATE METHOD OF BOMBARDING YOUR MIND WITH FEAR, ANXIETY, BAD IDEAS, NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, THOUGHTS, AND OTHER DESTRUCTIVE ACTS OF DECEPTION TO PUT YOUR LIFE INTO A “TAIL SPIN” OF CONFUSION, UNCERTAINTY, AND DEFEAT.

SATAN WANTS TO MANIPULATE YOUR HEART AND MIND TO DOUBT THE GOODNESS OF GOD. HE WANTS TO FLOOD YOU WITH INSECURITY SO THAT YOU DON’T TRUST GOD.

THIS IS THE WHOLE REASON THE “WILES OF THE DEVIL” NEED TO BE KNOWN AND TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THE DEVIL WOULD LOVE TO LEAD US ASTRAY, AWAY FROM GOD, AND TO OUR UTTER RUIN.

HERE IS OUR GOOD NEWS! PAUL OFFERS US COUNSEL ON HOW TO COMBAT THESE ATTACKS AND TO BE PREPARED FOR THESE TRICKS OF THE DEVIL. PAUL IS ADVISING US TO DO THREE THINGS: ONE; PUT ON GOD’S ARMOR. TWO; ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU ARE UP AGAINST AND THREE; STAND FIRM.

FIRST, PUT ON GOD’S ARMOR! DID YOU NOTICE THAT IT IS GOD’S ARMOR AND NOT YOUR ARMOR? GOD HAS HIS OWN ARMOR! PAUL WAS REFLECTING BACK ON ISAIAH 59:17, “HE PUT ON RIGHTEOUSNESS AS HIS BODY ARMOR AND PLACED THE HELMET OF SALVATION ON HIS HEAD. HE CLOTHED HIMSELF WITH A ROBE OF VENGEANCE AND WRAPPED HIMSELF IN A CLOAK OF DIVINE PASSION.”

WE CAN’T FIGHT ON OUR OWN TERMS AND ABILITIES. WE MUST BE COMPLETELY PREPARED TO FIGHT. THE WORD “WHOLE” IMPLIES “FULL” AND “COMPLETE” MEANING WE MUST BE WEARING THE COMPLETE SET OF ARMOR. THIS MUST BE A DAILY PRACTICE!

EVERYTHING MUST BE WORN BECAUSE PAUL CALLS THE FIGHT A STRUGGLE. THE WORD “STRUGGLE” COMES FROM THE WORD “WRESTLING” AND IT IS ALSO A MILITARY TERM THAT IMPLIES HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT. THE STRUGGLE IS PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL.

WHAT I FOUND MOST FASCINATING ABOUT PAUL’S LIST OF ARMOR WAS THAT IT WAS ALL THE PIECES FOR PROTECTING THE FRONT OF THE BODY. THERE ARE SOME PIECES OF ARMOR THAT PAUL DOESN’T MENTION. THAT IS A POWERFUL CLUE!

PAUL DOES NOT REFERENCE ANY PIECES FOR THE BACK OF THE BODY. THE IMAGRY OF BEING FULLY EXPOSED IN THE BACK TEACHES THAT THE CHRISTIAN MUST ALWAYS BE FACING THEIR ENEMY TO STAND FIRM, FIGHT, AND NEVER TURNING BACK IN RETREAT.

WE HAVE THE LORD GOD FIGHTING WITH US AND FOR US. WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO FEAR TURNING AROUND AND RUNNING AWAY. AS DAVID CONFIDENTLY TOLD GOLIATH IN 1 SAMUEL 17:47, “AND EVERYONE …WILL KNOW THAT THE LORD RESCUES HIS PEOPLE, BUT NOT WITH SWORD AND SPEAR. THIS IS THE LORD’S BATTLE….”

ANOTHER REASON PAUL DOES NOT MENTION ANY ARMOR FOR OUR BACK, IS TO VISUALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST STAY ON THE ALERT AND LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. WE NEVER RETREAT AND WE GOT EACH OTHER’S BACKS! PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, KEEP IT ON, AND NEVER TURN BACK!

SECONDLY, ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU ARE UP AGAINST. PAUL SAYS THAT IT IS NOT “FLESH AND BLOOD” BECAUSE IF IT WERE FELLOW HUMANS, WE WOULD NOT NEED GOD BECAUSE HUMAN STRENGTH WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO OBTAIN VICTORY.