Ready for Battle

I've decided that there will soon come a point when you won't believe the things I am seeing in every day life that I post about in this blog. Today might be that day, but I promise you I speak the truth. Last Saturday, Jason and I were driving home when we saw what can only be described as epic. There was a boy who had to be around the age of 13 riding a bike through our neighborhood with his friend walking beside him. Tucked into this boy's shirt, I kid you not, was a sword. I don't care if it was plastic or foam or what, it was a sword. The grip was sticking out near his neck as the guard was holding the sword in the shirt by overlapping the boy's t-shirt collar and the blade tip hung out near his waist. Amazing. Jason was prepared to offer his Kung-Fu services but all I could wonder was what this boy was preparing for. Was he headed for a fight? Or did he simply want to be prepared if one came about? Could we learn from this boy the worth of being prepared for battle?
For those that don't know, my husband, Jason, is in the Army. It definitely isn't like the movies-- he doesn't spend hours running through giant explosions or scale buildings every two seconds-- but they are constantly preparing for battle. Everything they do has a purpose to develop skills they would need to get their job done whether or not they are engaged in combat. Much of it is monotonous; it's hard to constantly prepare for a battle you don't know if or when you will be fighting. But in everyday life, we humans face constant battles of both the spiritual and physical realms.
Ever feel like doing something you know is wrong? And then either after you've done the wrong or found a way to abstain feel miserable for your weakness? Paul did in Romans 7:

"So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner to the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body subject to death?" (vs 21-24).

Perhaps not written in the most understandable language, but do you feel Paul's frustration? He seems to be talking in circles because he simply can't find a way for the desires of his mind to line up with God's law. He is at war with himself and his desires. Peter knew well enough about this same issue plaguing his audience when he writes: "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul" (1 Peter 2:11). Though we have been ransomed by Jesus, we still must fight and war against our human nature. But don't let your nature be an excuse for sin. Remember that by the sacrifice of Jesus you were set free. The struggle will still be there, but you now have power to fight back.
Hate to break this to you: it isn't just your own desires you fight against, but the very powers of darkness and evil.

"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" (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Seems a pretty impossible battle, doesn't it? Thankfully, we are not left defenseless, but are given weapons to ward off all kinds of evil. "The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Because of these weapons and Jesus' sacrifice, we can and should 

"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... 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" (Ephesians 6:13-17).

So be strong and stand firm. Fight off evil with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word of God. That right there is enough to route the worst enemies and deepest darkness. Be like my epic friend on the bike and carry your sword. If not on your person, carry it in your mind. It's the word of God. Hide it in your heart so that you may be prepared in all situations to ward off your sinful desires and the attacks from the spiritual realm. Finally, take joy in the fact that Jesus has won the battle. I left Romans 7 as Paul asked the question: "Who will rescue me from this body subject to death?" and guess what? In the next verse he praises God through the deliverance he receives from Jesus. He understood that evil "will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is the Lord of lords and King of kings- and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers" (Revelation 17:14). We do not fight alone, we have a complete outfitting of armor and a pretty outstanding General named Jesus leading the charge.