November 28

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11).

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God does not propose to send His soldiers into battle without their battle equipment. Jesus said, “Tarry ye… until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). AS a wise spiritual counselor, Paul closes his Ephesian letter, “You must wear the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist evil in its day of power” (6:13, Phillips).

Evil has its days of power. When Satan cannot defeat us in one way, he attacks from half a dozen directions. Then it is that we need the whole armor. And it is whole because it is God’s kind of armor.

There is no spiritual defense more powerful than truth. When the Holy Spirit assures me that I have the facts on my side, I can stand almost any assault. And what a bulwark is righteousness! When under the leadership of the Spirit my attitude is right and my actions have been fair, I can boldly say to any enemy, Do your worst. It seems a strange contradiction that peace should be a Christian’s inset of war. But it is. Many a victory has been won for God by refusing to fight when the issues were purely personal. This is God’s victory that comes to the mighty meek. And above all — most important of all — God gives me the shield of faith. When my faith in God is Firm I donor fear what man or devil may do.

Here is the whole armor of God. Putting it on is simply giving myself completely over to God. Having done this, my life is entirely filled and surrounded with Him. I am at no point exposed to danger when His all-powerful presence stands between me and my enemy. With Luther my divinely defended spirit sings:

A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing.

— Martin Luther