Picture this. A young man is walking down a dark street when he is approached by a large, mean-looking man who will not let him pass. The young man isn’t quite as physically fit as he should be because he hasn’t been exercising or working out. Seeing that he is no match for the attacker, the young man says, “Excuse me just one moment while I go home and work out with my weight set. Stay right here. Don’t move. I’ll be right back. Then we will fight.” At this point the young man runs home, works out on his weights for 10 minutes and then goes back to the dimly lit street and fights the attacker. He wins because of his ten-minute workout. It sounds silly, doesn’t it? But that’s the way many Christians try to live their lives spiritually. They wait until Satan attacks and then at the last minute try to exercise spiritually by reading a few verses and praying under pressure.
Any time we read God’s Word and apply it to our lives, it is good, but usually when the man stops us in the alley or Satan attacks our home, it’s too late to exercise our body or our faith. If our spiritual muscles aren’t built up before the attack, we may find the attack more than we had expected. Be prepared. Build your faith daily. Then when the attack comes, your shield of faith will protect you.
I ministered in a women’s prison a few years ago and I taught on the Armor of God Part 1. When I came back the next day for Part 2, I asked the question, “Did you girls put on your armor this morning?” One very tall woman stood up and said, I slept in mine last night!!” That’s the point. Keep that armor on and stay in God’s Word. The enemy is a liar and he is a defeated foe!
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