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Armor – A blog by Yvonne

Ephesians 6 – Armor of God
12 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. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. 19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

Putting on the armor of God is not something I think about on a daily basis. I should, but I do not. When I experience adversity during my day, I offer up quick arrow prayers and go on. These prayers usually provide what I need at that moment without me pondering who I am fighting. Most days I battle my deadlines.

However, the first time I decided to go on a mission trip, and suddenly I understood what Paul was talking about in Ephesians. Issues arose to take my focus off God and onto the problems at hand. These trips required careful coordination of many flights, layovers, and hotels. One small delay could throw off the entire schedule. Some destinations only had flights every other day or once a week so missing a connection could change the whole trip. In other instances, the flights ran on time, but not the luggage. In some places, the water was undrinkable, or the food is unpalatable, and on and on. In the middle of all the chaos, I sensed the battle raging around me. I opened my Bible to reread Paul’s words, and I prepared myself for the fight. I reminded myself that I should start prepping earlier next time. But it was better late than never.

Currently, I am preparing for an another mission trip. My husband and I depart in a few months, and I feel the battles beginning. Headaches, neck problems, and sleepless nights started recently. Deadlines, changes, and challenges at work have me wondering how I can leave things behind for two weeks. So as I prepare, I am putting on the full armor of God earlier so I can fight off those fiery arrows sent to get me off track. And just as Paul wrote to us, I ask you to pray for us as we go. Ephesians 6:19 “And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for those we serve too.”

Are you facing your own battles right now? Let me know and I will pray for you as you put on the full armor of God.

Blessing,
Yvonne with Orphan Relief Effort, Inc.

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”