Last year was quite the year, wasn’t it? It seemed like total chaos, with one hit after the after … Riots, Covid-19, masks, elections, home schooling, self-isolating, working from home, job losses, etc. It seemed like craziness and uncertainty had impacted almost everyone world-wide in one way or another.
This year, we continue to have … Riots, Covid-19, vaccinations, masks, results of elections, homeschooling, self-isolating, working from home, job losses, etc. Many are worrying about their futures and uncertain at what the future holds. I also see attacks on politics, religion, beliefs, prayer, and Scripture. Many reflecting that they have no faith in God and feeling prayer would not be helpful, and expressing that Scripture is just a fallacy and the Bible a book of fables. However, without faith in God, who do these same individuals turn to and to whom do they pray?
We are in uncertain times right now. Times have changed. Lives have changed. When we experience times of uncertainty such as these, God advises us to trust in Him, put our faith in Him, and put on the Armor of God to deal with what life hands us.
Of course, worry comes in to play when troubling times happen. Oftentimes, worry comes upon us and we can’t seem to control it. We often feel we can’t shake it even when we really want to be rid of it. I always say that worrying is like living a situation twice: Once when you’re worrying about it and again when it actually happens. Life perhaps would be less stressful if we didn’t worry about things that may never happen. But in saying that, it is often so hard not to! Rather than worrying at all, however, we should give the worry over to God and trust Him to handle our worries for us. This is the time perhaps to suit up with the Armor of God.
God desires for us to seek Him, hand our worries over to him, and let Him handle the situations we have no control over. God wants us to trust Him and trust in the power that He has over all things.
Like many others during Covid-19 last fall, I lost my Advertising Executive Job. I saw it coming when seven or so other positions were cut before mine. My boss told me not to worry, they would not cut such a small advertising staff (there were only three of us). Worrying is human nature however. So even though I prayed about it, the worry lingered at the back of my mind that my job and others would be cut. So, in worrying, I lived it once (in my mind). Then the “not-fully-unexpected” day came when the publisher called me into the office to apologize and advise that my position was being cut. Now that it was reality, I was living the “worry” situation twice.
I, however, trust my Heavenly Father and actually thanked Him for watching out for me as I was sitting there being told that my position was ending (He tells us to be thankful for all things: 1 Thessalonians 5:18), and I told God I knew He had other plans for me. He did, and He does … just as He does for all of us. Subsequently, I have decided to move another direction (a decision I may not have made otherwise) which makes more free time to spend on my writings, work on more books to publish, and working on starting my own writing business. God knows our future … we do not. I would not have moved in this direction had my job not ended.
So, when difficult times present themselves, God does not want us to worry. He wants us to put on the whole Armor of God and be prepared for what comes our way. He wants us to fight Satan’s schemes of having us worry and misplacing our faith and trust in God.
So, what is the Armor of God and why is it important?
Ephesians 6:10-18 says: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
In saying all of this, it brings me back to what I want to share with you during these difficult, worrisome, uncertain times. I read recently, and concur with it, that as Christians, we are involved in deadly spiritual warfare with a power far superior to our own strength. To be delivered from our opponent and his nefarious schemes, we must clothe ourselves with our spiritual armor as given to us in Christ. In addition to the armor, the best offensive weapons given to us by the Lord are the Word of God (Scripture) and prayer. Without Scripture and prayer, we are sitting ducks. Just utilize them, believe in them, and you will see for yourself how effective they will be for your life.
Now more than ever we need the Armor of God, along with Scripture and prayer. Many do not believe in these spiritual weapons, but in not believing, those same individuals cannot suit up to ward off the evils of Satan. The time is now!
Have you ever noticed that when we are victorious or prosper or things are going great, it seems Satan is doubling his efforts in attacking us. We must be on our guard. Satan wants to destroy us – our families, our homes, our faith. God must be taken seriously. Obedience must be a way of life. Sin must be treated as an abomination to the Lord. Be strong and courageous and careful to obey the Lord.
As believers, are we ready to give God our faith and trust, suit up with the full Armor of God, and trust in His guidance in these troubling times?
I recently wrote the above poem, “Be Ever on Your Guard,” and my prayer is that we each will suit up, utilize Scripture and prayer, lead others to Christ, and always be courageous and obedient to our Heavenly Father now and forevermore!
The above photo behind poem is by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash.