Ultimate Survival
Julia Bettencourt
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand." Ephesians 6:13
Many of us have seen the television survival show. That is there to entertain us, but the Christian life is not
entertainment. It is the real survival course. It is a course that doesn't just last only a few weeks or months,
but once we become a child of God it is how we live. The Christian walk is how we survive this world below
until the Lord returns for us.
Yes, there are dangers and challenges out there! The Bible says,
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5:8
This is not to say that God doesn't equip us but He does want us to know what we are up against.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12
God loves us and gives us all the directions and equipment we need for our survival.
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about
with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet
shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield
of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Ephesians 6:10-18
Wearing our Survival Gear. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
- Be Strong. . First of all, we need to be "strong in the Lord" vs. 10. Don't forget, we have God Almighty to
lean on for our survival.
- Truth.. Next, we need to have our "loins girt about with truth" vs. 14. When we protect our loins we are
protecting our midriff or sensitive areas. We can only do this with truth.
- Righteousness.. Wear the "breastplate of righteousness." vs. 14. This can only be done, by making
sure we have a daily relationship with God. We have to keep our lives holy.
- Gospel of Peace.. Have your "feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." vs. 15. How can
we survive if we do not have our feet planted firmly and surefooted for stability?
- Shield of Faith.. "Above all, taking the shield of faith" vs. 16. The shield in our armor is something that
we hold up to ward off the attacks of the enemy. It is a necessity to answer all of the adversity that we come
in contact with in this life.
- Helmet of Salvation. . "And take the helmet of salvation" vs. 17. If we don't wear our helmet we don't
have anything to protect our head! Remembering our salvation can help us ward off bad thinking and
distressing thoughts that can target us and get us down.
- Sword of the Spirit.. "And take the sword of the spirit" vs. 17. Our sword is the Word of God. This is a
weapon that we need to get skillful at using. It is the weapon that Jesus used when the devil came to tempt
Him. We have to have it in our hearts in order to use it for our survival.
- Praying Always.. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" vs.18. Not only are we
told what armor to wear, but also we are told what our stance should be. Part of our survival depends on our
praying with sensitivity to the Spirit, which can only come about by living holy lives.
- Watching.. "Watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." vs. 18. We
cannot survive alone. Our survival is entangled with other Christians. We should look out for other
Christians, work and fellowship together, and keep them in our prayers.
So, did you remember to put your armor on today?
Copyright ©2001-2007 Julia Bettencourt
Scripture References are from the King James Version.
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