...other meditations

the loudest roar

march may be coming in like a lion, but there is one other ‘lion' i must be ready for. 1 peter 5:8 states “be self-controlled and alert. your enemy the devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour.” just imagine being chased down by a hungry lion. you can't outrun him. you can't outsmart him. you can't change his mind by talking sweet to him. there is nothing one can do, in their own power and strength, to defeat it.

unfortunately for us, satan is a relentless being. his ravenous appetite will not be satisfied until we are weakened and down for the count. he will continue to try to separate us from God and his war against us, here on earth, will never end. however, there is good news: satan is not a lion. he only appears that way. but, my God, my Jesus, is the Lion of Judah. He neither sleeps nor slumbers and He has a much bigger roar!

so, if i do not wish to become my enemy's next meal, what can i do when i face this danger? i must always remember to prepare and to always be dressed for the inevitable battle.

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.
stand firm then, with the belt of Truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of Righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace.
in addition to all this, take up the shield of Faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
take the helmet of Salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
ephesians 6:13-17

‘the day of evil' comes every day. so, each item, beginning with the belt, is a necessary part of a successful warrior's wardrobe. each one is placed on the body in proper order to assure good combative results. still, the elements above also portray the spiritual wardrobe that i must ‘wear' as a christian soldier.

i must put on the belt of Truth. that Truth, being the Gospel of Jesus Christ, must live within me and be evident in my life. when i equip myself with the breastplate of Righteousness, i am showing evidence of good moral character and integrity, learned from the teachings of Christ. my army boots need to represent a prepared foundation and must give me a strong foothold in Christ Jesus. the shield of Faith i take up, represents not only my Faith, but my Faith in action. my helmet, the protection i place on my head, is the certainty of Salvation that was freely given to me.

the final piece of equipment mentioned, is the sword of the Spirit. this, in fact, is the only offensive piece of armor listed. the sword of the Spirit represents the Word of God within me. the scriptures i learn from God's Word can speak loudly enough to send that lion, the devil, running for the jungle. even Jesus used the Word of God to drive satan away. how powerful the Words of God are!!

in closing, i'd like to share one last verse from 2 corinthians 10:4: “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. on the contrary, they have Divine power to demolish strongholds.” when i am prepared with the proper spiritual weapons of war, there will always be a way out for me. i will find victory in my spiritual battles through Christ Jesus!

all geared up,

tamara