Looking at the armor of God that we should put on we can see all of these items as something external. The belt, the shield, the helmet, the breastplate are all worn on the outside. The sword is something we wield with our hands and our feet must be fitted with something external.
If we will be effective Christians, if we will be true children of God equipped to do battle with the evil of the world we need more than just gear that we wear on the outside. We need something on the inside to give us ability.
In today’s passage Jesus is giving some warning and advice to his disciples, preparing them for the troubles they will face. What can they expect? What confidence should they have? Who will assist them?
We know from the Book of Acts and some of the letters that follow that the followers of Jesus were indeed put through some difficult times. They were arrested and imprisoned on a number of occasions. They were frequently brought out before a crowd to be ridiculed and questioned about their activities.
While we may not be faced with the threat and worry of arrest, we are likely to be faced with opportunities to bear witness to our faith in public. We may have people ask us questions about our faith – not because we are on trial but because they are curious.
Like the disciples we need to face each situation and opportunity with confidence. We do not need to fear or worry about what we might encounter. We are equipped with the armor of God to protect us and give us ability. And more than that the Holy Spirit will be with us to give us the words we need to share our faith story and to stand up against any criticism and doubt from others.
If we can maintain a relationship with God and invite the Holy Spirit to be part of who we are we will be given more than the armor of God. We will have the Spirit within us to give us ability.
DAILY CHALLENGE: What can remind you that the Holy Spirit is with you in all things?
