Tuesday Morning Epistles

Welcome to Tuesday Morning—a place where encouragement is brewed every day of the week, one cup at a time.
 
Let's talk about war. Are you under the impression that "war zone" describes some remote place half-a-world away from where you live? If your answer to this question is "yes," you are only half right. It may be true that wars are fought on continents far away from you, but warfare exists everywhere in the world—in the human heart—especially in the hearts of people who trust in God. The Bible is clear about the existence of evil in the world, and Scripture is even more clear about the initiator of evil. I prefer to call him the "Evil One." He rules a kingdom that is greater than any kingdom humankind can produce. But his kingdom cannot match The Kingdom!
 
To combat the spiritual attacks of the Evil One, the Apostle Paul described the armor Christians have available to them when they face the onslought of evil. He wrote to the Church at Ephesus, "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."
 
This week's Tuesday Morning is entitled, "The Armory of Grace." It is attached. Armories contain weapons of battle--both offensive and defensive. God has an armory especially designed for believers. Read on below to find out what weapons you will need to defend yourself against the attacks of the Evil One. I believe you will be glad if you do. I wrote this epistle with you in mind.
 
Tom Barnard
A Senior Encourager
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The Armory of Grace

Tom Barnard

 

I

n the battle to liberate Iraq, armor-plated vehicles were desperately needed, but they were slow to be delivered in the first months of America’s engagement with the forces of Saddam Hussein. The first vehicles transported to Iraq were not adequately equipped to repel bullets and roadside bombs.

 

In order to protect themselves (until armor-plated vehicles were available) American troops began reinforcing their Humvees, LMTVs, and other vehicles with whatever they could find—scrap metal, blankets of Kevlar, and even plywood. They called these devices Hillbilly armor or farmer armor. The technical description was “Improvised Vehicle Armor.”  By mid-2005 vehicles with appropriate armor were being manufactured and shipped to Iraq. Military experts argued that even a small opening in a vehicle could result in injury and even death to those inside. Missing armor is an invitation to die.

 

The Apostle Paul wrote about armor—but armor of a different type. In Ephesians 6:11 Paul described the “armor” Christians have available to them when they are engaged in spiritual combat. He wrote,

 

“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.”

 

Then Paul described in detail some of the armor available to those who turn to him:

 

“…the belt of truth buckled around your waist…the breastplate of righteousness…

the shield of faith…the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.”

 

John Henry Jowett was one of Britain’s best-loved preachers in the late-eighteenth to the early- nineteenth centuries. Between 1911 and 1917 he pastored the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. He died in December of 1923. In his Meditation on Ephesians 6:10-18 he wrote:

 

“The Word describes the armour, and it directs us to the armoury. The description would oppress me if the directions were absent. If I have to forge the armour for myself I should be in despair. But I can go to the armoury of grace, where there is an ever-open door and abundant welcome for every person who fain would be a knight-errant of the Lord. The Lord will provide me with perfect equipment suitable for every kind of contest which may meet me along the road.”

 

Fine. But what happens when we lose part of our defense equipment? And what do we do when the Enemy discovers a weakness in our armor? Maybe it is part of our helmet, or our shield, or breastplate. A broken or missing piece can be deadly. Here is what Jowett recommends we do:

 

“We must never continue our journey imperfectly armed. The evil one will ignore the pieces we have, and he will direct all his attack where there is no defence. Back to the armoury! Back to the armoury, that we may ‘put on the whole armour of God.’ The Lord is waiting; let us humbly and penitently ask for the missing piece.”

 

Are you missing some armor? Do you feel like you have been stripped of your spiritual strength? Have you discovered a sudden compromise in your spiritual defense system? Have you failed at something? Has your hope for a strong future been knocked silly? Try following Jowett’s advice:

 

“Back to the armoury—the armoury of grace!”

 

What the Enemy calls an irreversible situation may actually be only a glancing blow. What seems to be a fracture may be a strained muscle. Surgery may not even be necessary; grace may be the answer. Seek God’s forgiveness today. Look to him for new armor to defeat the Enemy. It’s never too late.

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