By Rick A. Hughes
Common sense tells us you don’t go to work without your uniform, you don’t go to play without your gear, and you don’t go to battle without your armour. Everyone knows you must be prepared, you must be ‘suited up’ for the activity you are pursuing. Your uniform, your gear, and your armour becomes part of you and is necessary for your identification, safety and ultimate victory. Your uniform, your gear, and your armour is a covering to protect you from threats, danger, and harm and becomes a weapon in itself for success.
Over the past few years “UNDER ARMOUR” apparel has become a market leader in the field of athletic apparel. The “Under Armour” brand theme for some time has been ‘Protect This House,’ a theme which sends a strong message that an athlete must be ‘under armour’ prior to entering an athletic contest or challenge, in order to protect his or her body from harm.
Which begs the question, “Are you ‘Under Armour?'” I’m speaking of the whole armour of God. If not, you are already defeated, and may not even know it yet. I fear many saints of God are entering the job site without their uniform, the recreation center without their gear, and the war zone without their armour, and as a result are eaten up and spit out by the enemy! Some have forgotten the necessity of the protective covering of the Almighty God.
The legend of King Arthur of Winchester and the 12 Knights of the Round Table from medieval times creates a mental picture. These brave, courageous men were completely covered in shiny armour with nothing exposed. They were clad in armour for protection from any enemy or foe. These warriors knew anything exposed immediately became a target, a weakness, a liability.
Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter six wrote about the Armour of God while under house arrest in Rome for preaching about Jesus. Rome was headquarters for the world’s most highly developed military machine The Roman Army. Through this world-conquering military the entire civilized world had fallen prey to the Roman Empire. As Paul was surrounded by this huge military machine and bound to a heavily armed Roman soldier, it was logical his thoughts would turn toward spiritual warfare and spiritual armor. No doubt right at Paul’s side was a fully armed soldier clad in armour appropriate for the task. This caused Paul to instruct the Church to be “under armour.”
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:11-17).
We are in spiritual warfare and our enemy is playing for keeps. He is fighting for your soul, your family, your community, etc. If we are to resist the devil and be victorious, we must be “under armour,” the whole armour of God. Satan is targeting weaknesses and looking for anything not covered by the armour, anything exposed to the elements.
If you are not “under armour” I encourage you to submit and place yourself “under armour.” Scripture teaches to put on the armour and never take it off. We must daily “pray the armour of God” in order to “protect this house” (the house of the living God). “Under Armour”… don’t leave home without it!
The above article, “Are You Under Armour?” is written by Rick A. Hughes. The article was excerpted from the Oklahoma District Beacon.
The material is copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.
