Spiritual Clothing
Don’t get out of bed in the morning without it.
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 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 6:11-12 (NLT)
We are instructed to put on armor. Yes. It’s a metaphor. Don’t go shopping for a metal medieval suit.
So what was the Apostle Paul’s point?
We need to be covered.
We need to walk spiritually protected.
As there are weaker parts of the human anatomy, there are places of human spiritual vulnerability as well — and it is a mistake to ever believe that one day we won’t need God’s protection and strength.
Also, note we aren’t told to put on just one thing. We aren’t to pick and choose, thinking we know what exactly we will need in the spiritual conflicts of our lives, both present and future. It isn’t about style and flexibility, as if we can adapt or blend into current societal norms.
Anyone walking around today in a suit of armor will stand out. They cannot hide. At the same time they, unlike those around them, are uniquely protected — something the world is not capable of really understanding, no matter how smart in general they might be.
Finally, note that we are told who our true enemy is and who he is not.
Human beings are not our enemies in and of themselves. Human beings captured by evil lose their autonomy. They are slaves. The true enemy is further back and hidden in darkness.
Back there are “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world… mighty powers in this dark world, and… evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Bad hombres.
Let’s consider what this last one, about “spirits in heavenly places” is telling us. It is indicating that evil sometimes comes as if it is God himself or one of his angels of light. It’s the oldest trick in the book and still amazingly effective because it messes with our most necessary connection for strength, power, and stability as we live in this usually tranquil-appearing world. It is the false message to trust ourselves and remove our bulky annoying restrictive embarrassing armor. It is the sweet and gentle whisper that we don’t need old religion and stodgy stupid people in places like church. We have what we need to go it alone.
Borrowing from today’s warfare terminology, we might call this scheme one of the devil’s psycho-spiritual operations. It’s intent is to capture and destroy without revealing that a war is even taking place.
