We Do Not Lose Heart
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “armor”? I always think about an old castle with the huge suits of armor standing in the hallways. Can you imagine putting one of those on? It would probably take at least three people to manage all of that and get it on correctly! Why would soldiers be willing to go through that process? Because it kept them alive while fighting an enemy that had swords, axes, and other pointy things that could really cause some damage. The armor protected their bodies from injury and even death.
Fortunately, when we say yes to Jesus, he doesn’t gift us with a giant suit of armor that we have to spend hours putting on. Matthew 11:30 (NIV) says, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The armor that we’re talking about here is metaphorical armor, meant to protect us from the enemy, whose only objective, according to John 10:10 (NIV), is to “steal, kill and destroy.” Ephesians 6:11 (NIV) says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” We don’t need to physically suit up every day to go out into the world because our fight is not with the world. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) says, “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 6:14-17 (NIV) goes on to describe the armor that we are to use: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” You’ll be learning about each one of these in detail as Ignite Life moves through this year but for now, let’s ask ourselves WHY we need so many forms of protection against the devil. The simple reason is that the devil is SNEAKY!
There’s an old fable that one day the devil was having a sale, hawking his many diabolical tools of the trade. Each of the devil’s tools was on display with its price tag attached—tools such as the arrow of jealousy, the hammer of anger, and the dagger of worry. His tools also included the slingshot of doubt and the axe of hatred, along with numerous others.
But one tool was displayed prominently on a pedestal high above the others. It was dented and worn with use. A curious shopper inquired about the price and why such an old and worn tool was displayed so visibly.
“Ah, yes,” said the devil, “that’s the wedge of discouragement. It is my favorite tool of all. It’s so easy to use and hardly takes any effort. All I have to do is get the very tip of the wedge into my victim and the rest is easy. Once the wedge is in, I just tap it ever so slightly and it slides in deeper and deeper. Sometimes I don’t have to do anything—my victims drive the wedge in all by themselves!”
“A small opening soon becomes a gaping crack, making room for the rest of my tools. Before you know it, my wedge has completely split a person’s dreams, hopes, and aspirations in two. That’s why the wedge of discouragement commands such a high price—because it’s my most effective tool. It has opened more doors for me than all my other tools combined.”
Sneaky, right?! I can think of so many times in my life where I’ve let discouragement lead me to a place where I was making choices that took me further away from God. Maybe you have too. Fortunately, the Bible has quite a few examples of people who effectively used their metaphorical armor to stay close to God, even in the face of extreme opposition. In my opinion, one of the best examples is the Apostle Paul. Paul and his companions literally faced death in every town they went to. They were beaten, imprisoned and even stoned for the sake of Christ. Yet he said it was for our sake they faced such things so that we could understand God's love for us. He knew the power of God and the love of God and it kept him going in the face of such resistance. If you read through 2 Corinthians, you’ll find how it seems the whole book is filled with the struggles Paul faced. But underlying all of his struggles are the words, “we do not lose heart.” You could write those words as the theme over every chapter in 2 Corinthians. It seems to be the declaration of Paul’s life.
Ladies, we can declare the same thing over our lives too! We may not be facing death on a daily basis because of our faith but we still face circumstances that cause us to feel hopeless. That wedge of discouragement or any of the other diabolical tools won’t even have a chance if we are putting on each element of the armor of God and boldly declaring, “I WILL NOT LOSE HEART” over our lives. It is not the absence of difficulties or problems that makes the difference- it is the presence of the Lord! The devil can use every tool in that terrible yard sale against us but if we’re seeking Jesus daily, allowing ourselves to be poured into, and intentionally finding ways to encourage others, they will simply bounce right off our armor.
Erin is a speaker and leadership development professional who has been in the learning and development field for over 12 years. She has a unique ability to engage with her audience and create learning experiences that inspire change and action. She is poised, articulate and delivers her message with passion.
Erin feels that God has called her to use her professional skills to further His kingdom. She is passionate about helping people develop skills and knowledge that will empower them to answer Jesus’ call in their lives and understand how they are uniquely wired to respond to His leading. See Erin's other writings at: www.erhspeaks.com