Who puts on armor to lie down on the couch?

Who doesn't know the final words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Ephesus?

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-11).

I must have read that a thousand times and maybe even more now that the world is in such a mess. I read it to remind myself over and over again that people are not my real enemy, the devil is. 

The battle is real

The Bible makes it clear (and no, this is not a scene from Star Wars, it is a verse from God's Word):

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

The other day, it occurred to me that this verse implies that we are in a fight. Okay, not against people, but fighting nonetheless. I asked myself: 'Am I fighting?'

Active duty

That's a serious question, and I like to ask you as well: 'Are you fighting?' Are you standing firm against the enemy? We are on active duty, always. Christianity is not for lazy people. Who puts on armor to lie down on the couch? Seriously...

I don't know what your battle is. It could be a disease, a distraction, a temptation, doubt, or fear. Maybe you are battling in prayer for your family or your country. Whatever the case: Fight and don't give up!

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Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground.

(Ephesians 6:13-14a)

➤For more on this topic, read my post 'Crush that serpent!'