“Warriors in the Kingdom”

Have you ever listened to someone lead a prayer and felt like you were really listening to a conversation with God?  If you have ever had the privilege to hear my father-in-law lead a prayer, you’ll know what I mean.  When he prays, it is straight from the heart.  One of my favorite sayings that he uses in his prayers is that we be, “warriors in the kingdom”.  Early on, I adopted this phrase as I began to pray for myself, my husband and my children.  Now my prayers have started to include the future spouses of my children (those known and unknown) as well as their future families.  A generation of warriors!

^“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
 ~ Ephesians 6:10-11

But what are we fighting?  We have no imminent threats to our comfortable lives do we?  When someone says something offensive I have the ability to turn and leave or turn off the television or cell phone.  What motivates us to fight for the Lord?  Have you considered that the arrows the devil is shooting at us are things like complacency, the need to feel accepted, and feelings of jealousy?  The devil is cunning and crafty.  He knows how to entice and lure us into a mode of neutral.  Sure, we know we love the Lord, we go to church don’t we?  I do a kind act at least once a week, I think.  I surely haven’t offended anyone with my words, have I?  If this is the way we think then the devil will have won because if we do nothing to show our Christianity to the world then we’re at a stalemate.

^“13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication…”
~Ephesians 6:13-18 (ESV)

Taking up the armor of God sounds like a heavy load, but God has told us that his burden is light (Matthew 11:30).  So how do we follow this instruction?  By taking a knee – pray, study, pray, repeat.  Truth, righteousness, readiness, faith.  These are four things contained in the armor of God.  When we deconstruct the verses in Ephesians and look at them piece by piece, we can see that it all begins with knowing God through His word so that we will be ready to wield our “sword”.  The devil doesn’t knock and ask permission to come into your life, he slides under the door of your heart and whispers in your ear… “You’re fine”.

^“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”  ~ I Peter 3:15 (ESV)