Week 9 | Monday
Monday – Get Dressed
Written by Jillian Walters (Jefferson Campus)
Ephesians 6:10-11
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
As a child, I remember wishing on various things- candles, stars, and even bridges over water. But there came a time when I realized that I had the power within me the whole time to grant many of my wishes, I just had to do my part of the work! Too often, we complain about circumstances as if we have no power to do anything about them. But we are not victims, brothers and sisters! We have the almighty power of the Lord inside us, ready to fight our battles, but we can’t just sit around wishing for Him to do it. He gave us the armaments of protection, but they can’t do their job unless we put them on! Our work is to get dressed every day!
God has told us that He will go with us to the fight (Deuteronomy 20:4) and even fight our battles for us (Exodus 14:14). Every battle requires equipment, and the Lord gave us “the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground” (Ephesians 6:13). It isn’t if the day comes, it is when the day comes. His armor isn’t heavy or weighty like the armor David tried on and cast to the ground. It’s armor that weaves us intimately together with Him, allowing Him to do the work while we are simply strong in Him. In His power alone can we fight the fear that comes with disease, the doubt that comes with loss, the anger that comes with abuse, or any other thing that works to tear down our faith.
To get dressed, we start with the belt of truth, buckled around our waists, ready to connect our other tools and weapons to our side. Like a belt that shapes our waists or holds up our pants, truth should shape our lives and character and hold everything together. Next, we have the breastplate of righteousness, a guard for our hearts, protecting us from mislaid devotions by rightly living with God at the center of our hearts. Third, put the gospel of peace on our feet. If we remember that every moment of every day is about sharing the gospel with others, it directs our paths and leads us to choices that share the gospel instead of prioritizing being right. Fourth, we have the shield of faith. When a barrage of fire is coming, your shield goes up. You can’t see what is on the other side, but you trust that the shield is doing its job. Faith is the same. You may not know how or what God is doing, but with the shield of faith, you can trust that He is working. Fifth is the helmet of salvation. Oh, how the enemy loves to make our minds our enemies. But with the helmet of salvation on your head, the only thing you have to remember is that in God’s great mercy and love, He died for you, and the work is finished. No amount of book smarts can replace the power of remembering that one thing. Finally, Paul tells us to take up the sword of the Spirit that is God’s word. Of all the armor the Lord provides, God’s word is the only weapon of attack. When Jesus was alone in the desert being tempted by Satan, knowing God’s word and the heart behind it was the only weapon Jesus needed. You have EVERY piece of armor at your disposal, so don’t forget to get dressed today! (And every day for that matter!)
Reflection Questions:
- Which part of God’s armor feels the strongest for you? Which feels the weakest? Why?
- Why is it important to put on the armor EVERY day and not just the days you feel under attack?
- What is one step you can take to strengthen your weakest piece of armor?
Prayer Prompt:
“God, you fight my battles. Thank you for guarding every part of me that is susceptible to the enemy’s attacks and for conquering the enemy once and for all. Where my armor is weak, you are strong no matter what.”