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Dressed for Battle

Rev. Jeremy J. Schultz
August 30, 2009

We're told that once, Emperor Napoleon went to a very skillful workman and asked if he could make a bulletproof jacket or under garment. The workman assured him that he could make just such a garment and immediately went to work. He took much time and labored greatly in its construction. And finally, when the jacket was finished, the Emperor was notified that it was ready for him. Napoleon carefully examined it and then asked the maker if he felt sure a bullet could not pierce it. The workman said he was sure no bullet could penetrate it and said that he himself would feel entirely safe with it on in a shower of bullets. So the Emperor asked him to try it on, just so that he might examine it more fully. The maker did so and Napoleon could see just how finely it fitted and protected the body. After a careful examination, Napoleon stepped back a few feet, and drew his pistol on the man, who cried out: "Don’t try it on me!" But the Emperor replied: "You told me it was perfectly safe," and he fired. As the story goes – it worked!

In a similar fashion St. Paul says in Ephesians 6 to put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Now you are not the first to wear such armor. But it was the Lord Jesus Christ, who made the armor Himself and, being dressed for battle, wore it when He was tempted in the wilderness for by the devil. For forty days and nights Satan tried to pierce this armor, but it broke all of his flaming arrows. The armor of God, fashioned and worn by Christ, could not be penetrated. It was thoroughly tested on Him so that all of us who wear it by His grace might be safe and secure!

Now the Bible makes it clear that we are engaged in a real battle. This is a battle that our forefathers had no problem understanding was demonic in nature. As Ephesians 6 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." These are the very powers that seemed to be employed on the day September 11, 2001. And many therefore looked to this Bible passage at that time for help and from the Lord. But sometimes those spiritual forces of evil are employed more subtly.

When the Bible says that we must stand against the devil's schemes, what that really says is that we must stand against his expert methods. There may be times when Satan is willing to lose a little ground here and there if it means that he can set you up for a really big failure! It works like that sometimes in our struggle against sin. We'll experience some success against his attacks and then he'll play on our overconfidence and attempt to make our fall into sin that much worse.

And who else, but a real expert would use flaming arrows? You see with flaming arrows, he need not hit the center of the target. No. With flaming arrows, he just needs to hit close enough to have the fire spread. Satan loves everything filled with darkness and hates everything that has to do with the light. The Bible says that the day of evil will come when Satan will pounce with all of his might. It may come once. It may come repeatedly. So we must be dressed for battle.

In March of 2002, the Orlando Weekly reported on a 50 year old construction worker in Knoxville, Tennessee. It seems that on Jan. 14 of that year, he was impaled by a 3-foot-long, 3-inch-thick metal rod that fell off of a bridge and which went point-first through the man's skull and neck, coursed down his trunk, and stopped only when it was completely embedded in his body. He was semiconscious at the scene but talkative later at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The man WAS NOT wearing the required hard hat. – OUCH!!!!

Now here's a guy that had the right outfit and was given the right training, but decided they weren't necessary...and paid a price. God doesn't want you to pay a price. So God has given you the full armor and has told you to put it on so that you might be dressed for battle. He doesn’t outfit you like an auxiliary soldier, armed only with a bow. No – He's given you the full armor. Around your waist, He has wrapped the belt of truth. Over your heart, He has hung the breastplate of righteousness. He has strapped your feet with courage and has readied you to stand upon the Gospel of peace. He's given you the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. He has protected your head with the helmet of salvation. And He has put into your hand the one and only offensive weapon you'll ever need – the sword of the spirit.

With this in hand, you are able to ward off the attacks of the enemy. For the sword of the spirit is the Word of God. How do you fight against the devil's schemes to undermine your spirit and to assault your soul? With the literal Word of God! This is what Jesus used when He was being tempted in the wilderness. To each of the devil's attacks, Jesus replied, "It is written..." And He then quoted Scripture perfectly. I have found that Satan cannot long endure a place where the Word of God is being used like this. God's Word is far too powerful a weapon and when we it properly Satan has no choice but to flee. Romans 1:16 says, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." The literal word of God is powerful and it is your salvation. But to have this Word in your arsenal when the day of evil comes means that you must get to know it now – today!

Becoming dressed for battle is not something that we could do ourselves. When David, the shepherd boy tried to arm himself in the fight against Goliath, he simply couldn't stand. The armor of Saul was too heavy for him. But with only a sling in hand, and filled with the confidence that came from knowing the battle belonged to the Lord and it was the Lord who would fight for him and win, David was able to take aim at the biggest forehead in history and let her rip!

From the moment of Jesus' birth, He struggled against flesh and blood. Herod pursued His life and He lived as a refugee in Egypt until Herod was dead. He endured unbelief from those who would be His disciples and fled enemies until the time came for Him to be delivered. But oh, how Jesus conquered all the spiritual forces of evil. He made the lame walk and gave sight to the blind. He made the deaf hear and the mute speak. He forgave the sins of the people and He raised the dead. And finally He Himself went into battle and into death on the cross. It might have looked as though flesh and blood had had their way. It must have appeared as though the spiritual forces of evil had finally won. But on the third day Christ came out of the tomb and the giant was still dead. Death could not defeat our Savior. Satan could not win the day. And now all of His life is given to you! All of His victory too!

He has dressed you for battle, for the battle still surely rages on. But the outcome is certain – and the victory is sure. Ever since the resurrection of our Lord, the enemy has been trying in vain to recapture everything He has lost. But the Divine Ally is on our side. He has dressed us for battle. He has given us the full armor and enables each of you to stand. Amen.