“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Cor 10:4). The believer has a fearsome enemy but remarkable weaponry. The word panoplia is used twice in the NT. In Luke 11:22, the Lord described His ability to defeat the strong man, taking away his panoply in which he trusted. Then in Ephesians 6:13-18, the same Lord gives us the panoply (“whole armor”) of God to prepare us for battle. What does it include? The belt: the strengthening influence of truth; the breastplate over our vitals: the protective influence of righteousness; the shoes: the preparative influence of the gospel; the shield: the adaptive influence of faith, where believing God is suitable for every situation; the helmet: the selective influence of salvation, showing us what to let in, what to keep out; the sword: the preemptive influence of the Word, anticipating the enemy’s moves; and the supply line: the comprehensive influence of prayer. But we need to put it on!
Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 37-39 Memorize: Romans 2:1-3