Day 29 of our series by Jan Smith and is about suiting up with our Spiritual PPE! Any of the Devotionals can be read as a stand alone quiet time(s). You can see more devotionals here
Where’s Your PPE?
Jan Smith
These days everyone knows what “personal protective equipment” (PPE) is, even if it’s in short supply. These days people want masks and gloves and anything else that would protect them from getting sick. That’s why the cleaning supply aisles are continually sparse and why people are cutting up t-shirts and coffee filters. Yet there is another kind of protection that we need to face the day, one more important, and that is spiritual protection.
But what do we need protection from?
Ephesians 6:12 gives us the answer.
“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.”
I can forget that there is a whole world beyond what I see until circumstances or time in the Word remind me. I can forget that there are forces of evil tempting me away from righteousness and encouraging me to look more at the world than at God. And there’s a lot to look at these days!
Q: Are you currently aware that there is an enemy working against you right now to take you out spiritually?
But God hasn’t left us unprotected. Instead, He has given all of us our own eternal PPE, and it never needs washing and never wears out!
Ephesians 6:13-17
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Q: What piece of armor needs immediate attention?
- Belt of Truth – Being objective no matter how we might want to rationalize the truth.
- Breastplate of Righteousness – Declared righteous in Christ and so we strive to be righteous.
- Feet fitted with Readiness Gospel of peace – Standing firm in the Good News for us!
- Shield of Faith – A patient faith one of endurance that clings to Jesus’s promises to defend oneself.
- Helmet of Salvation – Clinging to the truth we are saved and our assurance of this salvation
- Sword of the Spirit – Offense. For how to use see Matthew 4:1-11
If I were to picture it in today’s reality, I would imagine something like the PPE of a health care worker. Pictures on the Internet have showed doctors, nurses, and others wearing head coverings with face shields, gowns, gloves, and coverings for their shoes. Suited up, they go out to wage war against an invisible enemy with their weapons of medicine, ventilators, and other medical equipment. Sound familiar?
We are more aware than ever of the existence of an invisible enemy, but how often do we ignore the eternal enemies that wage war against our families, friends, and world? I thank God that He hasn’t left us defenseless. He has said that we have all we need, individually and collectively, to win the war. He has given us the most powerful weapons ever made and the perfect and eternal Commander-In-Chief” to lead us in battle!
Q: Where are you being attacked right now in a spiritual sense?
Action Step:
Call someone to pray with them. Fight whatever battle you are fighting in prayer and alongside a brother or sister.
Hang in there! God has already given us victory.
