Which Armor Will You Choose?

Do you feel like you awoke one morning to an all out war…a war in which the battlefield is invisible? Do you find your mind wandering into a deep, black hole? Friend, if you answered yes to either of these questions, rest assured you are not alone. But I do not want you to feel hopeless, either.

I want to share a defense that will assure victory. Ready? Let’s go!

This week my Scripture reading brought me to 2 Corinthians 10. This chapter is entitled “Paul’s Defense of His Ministry.” Written long ago, these verses cut straight to the core of what is happening around the world today. Like Paul was urging others in his day, we need to look closely at the weapons we bring to a battle, in our case the fight against the coronavirus.

2 Corinthians: 3-4
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

I don’t know about you, but let me share that the very first weapon I drew to face this giant was my sword of control. This flimsy sword was no match for the threat of a potentially devastating virus, and I quickly started retreating into a state of fear, anxiety, and worldly focus. My desire to control was overwhelming and soon sent my emotions spiraling. This is not what God wanted for me. He was offering something different than the world, something far better. He was inviting me to take up His weapons instead.

Ephesians 6:14-18
“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 prayers and requests.”

Which armor will you choose to face this war? The armor of the world that says you can do this all on your own yet leaves you with fear, hopelessness, worry, and uncertainty. The armor of God promises eternal victory through Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation.

We are given a choice in the armor we will wear each day as we face this pandemic. But first, before we begin to suit up and prepare for battle, we must renew our minds, for this is where the enemy will attempt to take a stronghold.

2 Corinthians 10:5
“…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

As I have learned this past year, transformation begins with the mind. What are you feeding your mind during this crisis? At first, I was glued to news reports and social media which only served to feed my anxiety. It wasn’t until I opened my Bible and began reading His Word that peace returned to my soul.

I truly believe that God is using this time to RESET the world, RENEW our priorities, and REFOCUS our lives on Him. How we, as Christians, respond to the crisis plays a big role in our opportunities to share Christ with the world. We have been given the gift of time, time to deepen our relationship with Him and time to share His goodness and grace with others.

Have these past weeks left you fearful and hopeless? I want you to know another way.

If you are ready to explore or begin your journey with Christ today, I have just the resource to recommend. Check out Chip Ingram’s book, “Why I Believe.” Send me a message, and we can walk through it together. Rest assured, God is doing amazing things through these difficult circumstances to advance the gospel of Christ.

Ashley
“This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” ~Psalm 118:24