Armed and Dangerous

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
Ephesians 6:11&12

I have learned importance of being completely clothed in the armor of God everyday. I was taught about the armor of God from the time I was a child, but I didn't realize my overwhelming need to actually do it each day. A little over two years ago, I realized that I must participate in this incredible blessing that God has given all believers. So I made a decision to never go one day without praying and applying the armor to my life for that day.
    I don't just put on a few pieces of the armor. I wear all of it. The admonition is clear, all believers must wear all of the armor. Each piece of the armor has become an important part of my life. Although I am not going to talk about the actual pieces today, I will be covering them piece by piece in the coming days.
    Today, let's understand a couple of very important things. I don't give the devil any credit, but he is still in the business of trying to steal, kill and destroy. So I must arm myself against that. He is a schemer. I have looked back at some of the schemes he has perpetrated in my life and been amazed at the complexity of the plan. Now I know that I can stop those schemes before they ever get started, simply by wearing God's armor each day.
    Our struggle is never against people. It is always against the evil one. There are evil rulers, authorities, and powers at work in the world today. They are not men, they are spiritual beings, and they are behind all of the evil that invades the earth daily. This army of the enemy is assigned to attempt to destroy us. This gets personal. You must realize that Satan wants to destroy you. When you realize that, you will understand the importance of being fully armed to fight the daily battle.
    Start a new habit today. Tell the Lord that you are putting on the whole armor. Even if you can't name all of the pieces, do it anyway. He knows. When you do that, you can be fully assured that you are prepared for the battle that is sure to come that day. Once you put on the full armor of God, you are, without a doubt, armed and dangerous. You are dangerous to the enemy. When you take hold of this discipline and stand against the enemy, you will have days of victory and hope. The Bible tells us this: "Resist the devil and he will flee." This is absolutely true. Resist the devil and behold the victory of the Lord...everyday!