The Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:17b - "...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."



Okay, so by this point, you may think that I'm completely crazy. I mean, belts - okay. Necklace? I'm with you. But for real, a SWORD? I mean, I've seen those in the war movies that [insert some male in your life's name here] makes me watch, and I'm not thinking that's going to fit in my capris. But this is talking about the Holy Spirit's sword - God's Word - The Bible. I started thinking about why they would refer to it as a sword and here's what God gave to me...

A sword is dangerous if you don't know how to use it properly. Stop for a minute and try to picture me with a sword. I would hurt myself with that thing WAY before I would be able to protect myself from someone attacking me! Why? Because I've never taken the time to learn how to use one. I don't even know the proper way to hold it, let alone swing (Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not even the right word....but oh well!) it! So in order for me to be able to defend myself, I would have to spend time practicing every day. Go back to Pirates of the Carribean when Captain Jack Sparrow (the only man that I am completely fine with wearing eyeliner) and William Turner engage in their first sword fight. They have both been trained since they were children, and they practice every day! If you stop to think about it, you take time to do the things that are really important each day. What if one day you were just hanging out at your house with your parents and you didn't even acknowledge their presence? You would probably hurt their feelings. But how many days do we do that to God? We go about our daily routine and business, without even acknowleding the one who has given us everything. But the truth is, we need to be spending time in the Word daily so we can get to know Him. Remember how we talked about how God even knows how many hairs are on your head? Well, if He knows that much about you, don't you think you should try to get to know Him more? Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden Your Word in my heart, so I might not sin against You." Carry your sword, girls. Hide His Word in your heart that you will know how to use it when trouble comes - and not sin against your Daddy.

A sword is carried so you don't go into battle alone. Once you become God's child, he Holy Spirit comes by your side. And how about Jesus? Romans 8:34 tells us, "It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." Let's put that in words that we might better understand. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He took a seat on the throne to the right of God. When you mess up, Jesus is right there to say, "Forgive her, Father. She's mine." When you ask God to do something, Jesus is whispering in God's ear, "Come on, Dad. Hook her up. She's mine. I died for her." When you obey, Jesus is right there being, tugging on God's royal robe, exclaming, "Check her out! Dad, did you see that? I'm so proud - SHE'S MINE!" With salvation, you get your own holy posse. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Don't be intimidated by anything. God is right there holding your hand, and He's not going anywhere.

A sword is your weapon for battle. The Word of God is the best weapon you could ever ask for. Why? Because He knows everything! And we don't. For example, I remember the first time I saw My Best Friend's Wedding. I just wanted to know who was going to get the guy in the end, Julia Roberts or Cameron Diaz. Unfortunately, I was in the movie theater, so I didn't have control over it - I just had to wait it out. (If I had been watching on DVD, I more than likely would have watched the last scene and THEN gone back to watch the movie.) I like to know how things end so I can know whether to expect a happy ending or a sad ending. I do the same thing when I read fiction books. Sometimes, I want to know what's going to happen SO BAD that I will skip to the last chapter so I can be assured that everything will turns out the way I want it to! We can do the same thing with the Bible. If you've read Revelation, you know the end of the story. Revelation 18:10 proclaims, "And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." We don't have to fight spiritual warfare FOR victory - He already won! We fight FROM Victory Himself! Revelation 5:13 speaks of Christ and says, "And every living thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under te earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

So there you have it. Your outfit it complete. Copy and paste this next part into a blank document and hang this prayer on your closet door and pray it as you get dressed every morning...

Good morning, Daddy. Thank you for the rest You provided for me last night to prepare me for today. You are amazing, and I am so thankful that I get to spend everyday of my life with You. God, allow me to reveal Your truth today and to be a genuine follower of You in all that I do. Help me to be righteous in my actions. Give me peace and courage to share You with those that I come in contact with. Protect me from Satan, and do not let me act in a way that wouldn't please You. Help me to remember that I belong to you and that I am your princess. Help me to learn more about you, and walk with me today. Guide me and guard me. I love you. Amen.

The Helmet of Salvation

"And take the helmet of salvation..." - Ephesians 6:17

There's just something about a hat. I'm not really sure exactly why, but it makes whatever you're doing feel more authentic. It's why I insisted on wearing a cowboy hat when I went to a Keith Urban concert. It's why I insisted on wearing my Cardinals cap when I toured Busch Stadium. No explanation for it - but this drawing to hats is undoubtedly there.

Today, I'm going to remind you of another hat that we all have. It's a pointed hat that looks like the one at the top...our princess crown to remind us of our precious King that we belong to - and the price He paid. Romans 6:23 reminds us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." We deserve to die for our sins, but salvation offers us Jesus' death as a gift from God and a payment for our sins so that we may live!

I guess by this point, you can probably guess that I competed in pageants. That's me on the right (with my hair 13 inches longer than it is now!) I competed in the Miss America system to help earn scholarship money for my college education. Like most activities, there were good and bad parts of it, but I learned so much during my time competing for Miss Tennessee, and I wouldn't change anything. More on that to come later...

One of the many lessons I learned was the power and influence that came with the crown. A room full of elementary school students who wouldn't listen to any adult for more than 5 seconds would begin hushing each other when I walked in the room...as long as I had the crown on. A state trooper who would normally give his mother a ticket would let me park in the fire lane...as long as I had the crown on. People didn't particularly care too much what Michelle thought, but people constantly asked "Miss Knoxville" (aka my title) her opinion. That crown represented more than winning a pageant...

I'll admit, being Miss Knoxville definitely had its perks. I met so many wonderful people, encountered amazing opportunities, and made life-changing memories. However, it was more than the waving and smiling that most people see - it was a responsibility. As Miss Knoxville, I dedicated hours to giving back to the community and investing in my chosen platform. It was ultimately a job without a paycheck. Our helmet of salvation is a crown of the same reminders - it's a privilege, but it's also a responsibility.

Salvation is a responsibility. We'll get the hard part out of the way. :) Galatians 6:3-5 says, "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load." Bottom line - before you believe in Christ, what are you truly living for? To die. BUT with Him, you are living to spend eternal life with the God of creation. So this verse reminds us that without Him saving us, we are nothing. We are to live our lives on this earth for HIS purpose for our lives - without being overly impressed with ourselves or comparing ourselves to others. No one will be standing with you in the end at judgment - you and you alone are responsible for doing the work He has specifically created you to do.

Salvation is a privilege. When you accept God's free gift of salvation, you are adopted by the King of Kings! Do you realize what that means? You become His child - a princess in the most royal of courts! Romans 8:15 speaks of this truth: "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" (Abba is a Greek word for "Father" and is associated as a name one would use with affection. It has no direct translation in the English language, but translates closest as "Daddy.") When hard times come, we can crawl in our Daddy's lap and He will listen to us! That's just one of the privileges of being His child - His princess.

Later, in that same passage, Paul expands on the victory we experience in Christ. Check out Romans 8:31-39:

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let me break that down even further into Cliff's Notes version.

If God's on your side, you can't lose. If He would send His only Son to die for you, do you think there's anything He wouldn't gladly and freely do for you? And seriously - with God on your side and Jesus to intercede for you, who is gonna mess with you? They best back up - because there is NOTHING that can separate you from God because of the grip Jesus has on you.

So congratulations! Your ensemble is ALMOST complete - just one more finishing touch on God's favorite outfit. The sword of the Spirit is next...

The Shield of Faith

Ephesians 4:16

"In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Okay, I admit. I'm stretching on this one to compare a shield of faith to Chanel sunglasses. But I have a point! Though fun, stylish and quite functional if you get a pair that can also work as a headband, sunglasses are designed to protect your eyes frm the sun's glare. God's shield of faith is designed not only to protect you from Satan's glare, but from the devil's temptations.

Satan is all about some shady business. In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Picture that in your head. I'm gonna guess that most of you have never seen wheat sifted, but have you ever had to drain pasta? After you cook them, you pour them from the pot into a seive, which separates the water from the pasta. Just like the water falls from the seive, Satan has demanded permission to try and let us fall through the holes in our Christian walk. Imagine how easily it is for the water to fall through holes in the seive. We are tempted just as easily to abandon our walk with Christ and fall through the holes that Satan creates. That is why Jesus prayed that our faith would not fail - He doesn't want Satan to get a foothold on us!

Faith is contagious. When our faith doesn't give in, we are an encouragement and strengthen other believers. Just look at the last part of the passage in Luke. Have you ever watched someone be made fun of at school and thought, "I would stick up for them if someone else would." Chances are, someone else was thinking the same thing. You were both just waiting on someone else to respond first. Ask yourself two questions.

1) Have you ever regretted doing the right thing?

2) Most likely, someone who knew you were a Christian watched you sit there and do nothing. Do you think it made them realize that there was something different about you or that Jesus didn't make that much of a difference in your life?

1 Peter 1:5 assures us that we are "protected by the power of God through faith." Okay, now I'm going to ask you to take three minutes to watch the following video. S.M. Lockridge does an amazing job of communicating just how powerful God is. In three and a half minutes, he manages to truly explain, "That's my King!" Click on the following link to watch. Don't worry - I'll wait until you get back. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upGCMl_b0n4

Pretty powerful, huh? And guess what? THAT'S YOUR KING! Not only is He your king, but if you accept Him as the Lord of your life and live the rest of your days for Him, YOU ARE HIS PRINCESS! You can put all of your faith and all of your trust in Him. There is no guessing if everything will turn out okay if you're on God's team. Check out the book of Revelation. We know the end of the story, and God wins. Therefore, we win.

So far, you've put on your belt of truth, your breastplate of righteousness, your shoes of peace, and your shield of faith. Next, we'll add the helment of salvation (And I promise, it won't mess up your hair!)

Romans 1:16

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

Shoes of Peace

Ephesians 6:15 "And having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace;"





Let me take just a minute to be brutally honest. I'm a distance runner. At least five or six days out of the week, my feet pound the pavement (or the treadmill) for a minimum of 6 to 7 miles at a time. My feet are... well....not my best feature. I think that's why I love pretty shoes - so they can cover up my not-so-pretty feet!

My friend Gabrielle has come up with her top five reasons why shoes are her favorite accessory. (You can check out her awesome blog at http://www.chickchatwithgod.blogspot.com.

1. They never make you look fat.


2. You can buy them on fat days and they actually fit and look good.


3. They are never immodest (toe cleavage doesn’t turn anyone on).


4. They cannot be outgrown and they don’t shrink.


5. They make you feel pretty.

Shoes help prepare us for a specific purpose. Though most men may never understand why it's important for us to have a closet dedicated to shoes alone, WE know that certain shoes serve a certain purpose. The same is true for the shoes God has laid out for us. You can't do His work if you're in the wrong shoes. What if I showed up to run my next race in a pair of heels? Might slow me down a bit. Or what if I coupled an evening gown with my Nike's? That'd be a fashion NO. So be prepared by putting on His shoes to do His work. How? Spend time in the Word. Pray. Serve others. Hang out with Christian friends. All of these things will help you prepare for whatever path God has set for you in life.

God's shoes bring the Gospel. Turns out there may be hope for me! Isaiah 52:7 says, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” God declares that our feet are beautiful (no matter how much we run!) if we tell others about Jesus. I'll admit...I used to be afraid of sharing my faith. I didn't want to offend anyone, and I certainly didn't want another reason to be made fun of. But I'll never forget what happened to me in high school. One of my best friends was not a Christian, so I invited her to go with me to church camp. A bunch of our friends were going, so it wasn't hard to convince her that "everyone who was anyone would be there." The first few days, she was sort of hesitant and unsure of what was going on in worship, and then I remember watching her cry during about the third service. She turned to me and told me that she didn't know Jesus and she was afraid she would go to hell. I got one of the counselors to step outside with us, and right there, she accepted Christ. Later that night, she looked at me and said, "Michelle, we've been friends for years. Why didn't you tell me earlier?" From that moment on, I've been afraid NOT to share my faith. I can't imagine any worse guilt than knowing that one of my friends would spend eternity in hell because I never told them.

God's shoes bring peace. In this crazy world, it's almost hard to comprehend what things would be like if life was actually peaceful. But Jesus told us that He would leave peace with us (John 14:27), and Paul wrote that Jesus Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14) through His blood (Colossians 1:20). Peace is defined as a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations. (Think about the girls at school...or even in your church!) Peace is freedom from any strife, dissension, annoyance, distraction, and anxiety. It is a state of tranquillity or serenity. I don't know about you, but most of the time, my world is not like that! Sometimes, I let it get to me, and I get frustrated with all of the conflict. I want to wear a permanent t-shirt that says, "I DON'T DO DRAMA!" But what am I doing to bring about peace? Have I asked God to bear my heart's burdens lately? Have I asked him to purify my thoughts? Sometimes, the simplest things are right in front of us, and we don't even take advantage of the blessings that God is LONGING to give us. Philippians 4:7 reads, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

We are to walk in His shoes. There are so many things in this world that are fake. Most people are just longing for something that is authentic, something that is REAL. When people watch you, do they see Christ, or are they blinded by you? 1 John 2:6 teaches, "Whoever says He lives in Christ must walk as Jesus did." Those are some pretty big shoes to fill... but a high calling and an honor that shouldn't be taken lightly.

So are you ready for a challenge? Give yourself a spiritual pedicure, and share the Gospel this week with someone who needs Jesus. :)

We're going to dig a little deeper in the pile in the closet tomorrow, so be praying over this in preparation...

2 Corinthians 5:7

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."

The Breastplate of Righteousness

So God first wants us to reach into our spiritual closet every morning for our belt of truth. And next, He wants us to grab that breastplate of righteousness. Now is anyone out there thinking, "Umm, sorry, Michelle, but I'm afraid I just don't have one of those lying around. Next?" I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

First of all, we should understand what a breastplate actually is. As you can probably guess, it is a piece of ancient armor that protected the breast. Now, I'm just as much of a fashionista as the next princess. I'm not asking you to bust out some rusty piece of metal over that trendy belt of truth. Did you know that a breastplate was also an ornament that covered the breast of the high priest? (Check it out in Exodus 25:7.) The high priest's breastplate was made of embroidered cloth, and set with rows of precious stones. That's why we're going to relate the breastplate to the modern day...

...LONG AND CHUNKY NECKLACE!

You've seen it in the stores, and you love it. If you're like me - the bigger and more obvious (borderline obnoxious) the jewelry, the better. And the cheaper the better doesn't hurt my feelings either! As I started thinking about it, I began to wonder, What would my life be like if I felt the same way about displaying Christ's righteousness as I did showing off my perfectly coordinating jewelry?

BIG Righteousness

What's the big deal about righteousness anyway? Well, to start off with, Psalm 111:3 teaches that "His righteousness endures forever." Hang on. Participation time. Can you think of anything that doesn't have to do with God's righteousness that lasts forever? Hang on. I love to argue (Ask James about our "intense fellowship", haha) ....but I've got nothing. Also, James 5:16 says, "...The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." The passage goes on to recount a story from the life of Elijah. He prayed that it would not rain, andEarth didn't see as much of a DROP for almost three and a half years. Then, the second he prayed it would rain again, it poured! (I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure that means God was listening!) You can check out the whole story in I Kings 17.

OBVIOUS Righteousness

When I was in middle school, my youth minister challenged me by asking, "If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" That statement had a great impact on the way I lived my life from that day forward. I wanted to make sure that my walk matched my talk. Note, that doesn't mean that I didn't get made fun of...because I did. That doesn't mean that I didn't ever mess up ...because I did. I'm still a work in progress, and I'm far from perfect, but looking back on every choice I've made, even if it wasn't the cool thing or the popular thing, I've NEVER regretted doing the right (or the righteous) thing. Read your translation of I Peter 3:3-18, then check out this version. I can't put it into better words for you to understand than Eugene H. Peterson's The Message translation:

"If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definately: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all - was put to death and then made alive - to bring us to God."

CHEAP Righteousness

Now, listen to me carefully. By saying that righteousness is cheap, I am in NO WAY saying that righteousness isn't valuable. After all, in order for us to be made righteous, it cost Jesus His life. But it's available to us FOR FREE. No sale rack, no discount...absolutely free, if we simply accept Him as our Lord and Savior and attempt to be more like Him every day. Romans 5:19 says, "For as through the one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One, the many will be made righteous." What this means is, even though sin was brought into the world with Adam and Eve and got us in all this trouble, Jesus did it right and got us out of it completely! All we have to do is say "yes" to his gift of salvation and show our "yes" in our actions! That's pretty much the best bargain ever...

Get excited for God's next wardrobe requirement...I mean, honestly. Can a girl ever have too many shoes?! These aren't just any shoes - they are shoes of peace. After all this hard work on becoming righteous, we need something comfortable, right? As you pray about seeking His righteousness in all your thoughts and actions, reflect on the following passage, and get ready to pamper your feet!

Isaiah 32:17-18

"The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places."

The Belt of Truth

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've noticed the wide belt trend this season. Belts are everywhere, whether needed or not. (James is consistently baffled when I wear belts he declares are "pointless" because they don't serve the purpose of holding my pants up. No matter how wonderful, there are just some things men don't understand!)

God is ALL ABOUT big belts. In fact, it's the first accessory He tells us to put on. Ephesians 6:14 tells us to "gird our waists in truth." So we pretty much don't use the word gird anymore, but when we did, it had several meanings. First, it means to encircle or bind with a belt or band, so we know which accessory God is talking about. But pay attention to the next definition: to prepare (oneself) for action and to provide or equip, as with power or strength. So by putting on God's belt of truth, we are preparing ourselves to do God's work (action) and being empowered with God's might! You didn't know your belt was so important.

Let's look more at what the Bible tells us about truth...

God tells us to worship Him in truth. John 4:24 says, , "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." This means we can come before God just as we are. No show. No pretending. Just pure, authentic worship to our Father with the intention of showing Him adoration and praising Him for who He is. So when you are worshipping Him, don't pay attention to who's sitting beside you or who might be watching. Focus on the words you are singing to your Eternal Daddy, and make sure that the words that are coming out of your mouth match your genuine thoughts and actions.

We are not the truth. 1 John 1:8 says, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." That's exactly right. You mess up. I mess up. We all sin and "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We are more inclined to do the wrong thing than we are the right thing within our own strength. But through Jesus who has declared himself as "The Way, The Truth, and The Life," we can come to the Father through Him alone (John 14:6). So recap. Who is not the truth? You. Me. Who is the truth? Jesus.

The truth will set us free. John 8:31-32 says, "So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in my Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." He reminds us that His Word is truth (Psalm 119:160) , and if we follow His teachings, we will be set free. Okay, that's great. But free from what? Christ paid the price to cover your sins so that you could have everlasting life with God in Heaven. If you don't only read one sentence on this entire blog, read this: Because of what Jesus did on the cross for you and for me, if we simply confess with our mouths that He is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we are free from sin, guilt, and hell in one fatal swoop. (If you don't understand this, PLEASE visit http://www.thekristo.com and e-mail me.)

Next, we're going to talk about putting on the breastplate of righteousness. But take some time first to prepare your heart for His righteousness and reflect on the truth He has shown you today. Read the words of David. Ask yourself if you fit the description of who God desires to live in His house.

LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

In other words...Act right, even when no one is watching. Tell the truth. Don't hurt others with your words or actions, and don't blame others when you don't get your way. Hate evil, and love what is good. Be honest, no matter what. If you do these things, God will never take His hand off of you.

God's Favorite Accessories

We're all familiar with the phrase, "Accessories make the outfit." It's true. Add a pair of heels, a jacket, and big earrings to jeans, and you automatically transform yourself to from school clothes to dress casual. Put on some big sunglasses, carry a large bag with a stuffed yippy dog's head poking out, and you might get followed by the paparazzi. The famous designer Georgio Armani said, "I design for real people. I think of our customers all the time. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothing or accessories that are not practical."

God is into accessories too. In fact, His Word lays out an ensemble that we are to put on every day of our Christian life to protect us. Over the next few days, we will examine the following passage and talk about the appearal God commands us to clothe ourselves in.

Ephesians 6:10-17

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Before we go into WHAT God has called us to wear, let's examine WHY he has called us to put on His spiritual accessories. Remember, God is strong...WAY stronger than we could even imagine being ourselves. But He wants us to have access to His strength. In His power alone can we stand up against Satan's temptations and false teachings.

If you haven't already figured this out, Satan is real. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that "your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." He is very real among us, and he will try and make to stumble to bring dishonor to the name of Jesus Christ. DON'T FALL FOR IT. By putting on God's accessories, you are protecting yourself from Satan's attacks.

More bad news. (We'll get to the good news in a minute.) Satan doesn't work alone. Like most "bad guys," he has a posse, composed of dark angels. You have to be prepared to take on his army, and unfortauntely, there's a lot of them.

Hang on, here's the good news. No matter how many of them there are or how good Satan's temptation sounds, God is ALWAYS stronger and His Words are always sweeter. So seek Him and guard yourself in His protection.

Tomorrow, we're going to examine the the first of God's favorite accessories, the belt, as we seek how to gird our waists in truth.