Romans 13:11–14 (NKJV) – And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
When a soldier is sleeping in an enemy occupied combat zone, they are vulnerable to all kinds of attack, which as sure as the sun rises in the morning will come eventually. Attacks in warfare mostly come in the darkness before the sun rises to give concealment and stealth to the impending surprise reserved for the vulnerable. If they are awake or have a watchman standing guard, an attack is expected and therefore may be averted. If there is no expectation of an attack, then there is no chance one can conscientiously stand up against a foe and fight back. The first and most important thing a soldier must know in war is that there is an enemy that wants him dead.
Our battle is not in the flesh but the Spirit. Though we are in the flesh, the unseen enemies of God surround us, and we can only fight with spiritual utilities, as our human means will not stand against those forces too strong for us. They use humanity’s vices as a sword to craftily cut down the spiritually weak and bring them to a quick end. In the present time, these weaponized vices hold tightly to those who are oblivious to the wounds they inflict. The shock of the strike feels like pleasure for a moment, but then turns sour and festers when the mortality of it all comes crashing down in one fell swoop! We are mortals, whose flesh is like the flower blooming in a field of grass; here today in beauty, gone tomorrow and forgotten (1 Peter 1:24). We who belong to the Cross have armor suitable for the spiritual battle;
Ephesians 6:11-13 – Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
One thing I know well about being a soldier is that there is a uniform for garrison and a uniform for battle. The uniforms used in garrison are pressed and clean, ready to be paraded before the generals with awards and patches of glory in full view. The battle dress is devoid of beauty and designed with usefulness and comfort to win in the fight. There is no way that the battle uniform is going to stay pressed and clean. In the heat of any engagement, you may lose ammunition jumping from one cover to the next or lose the very weapons you need to fight. You could lose plates of armor here or there or be exposed to the enemies fiery arrows. The one thing a good soldier will never lose, though they may lose everything else, is their resolve to press on and fight whatever the cost with whatever the resource, or lack thereof.
Who are these enemy? They are devils under subjection to a raunch steward of excrement. Satan and his demons unleashed (for now) on the earth to tempt and destroy what is pure and holy (1 Peter 5:8). They are imposters of real power and divine light. They can only imitate upside down what God is and always will be in all directions! We have a King of kings who has already won the war. The battles we fight as Christians are not fought to win anything but to prove that whether we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die. we are the Lord’s (Romans 13:8). We do not have to be afraid of our enemies or the troubles that befall us. We only need to trust in the Living God who is for us and not against us (Romans 8:31-25)! He will be our refuge and strong tower in the midst of those who come against us. Let us stand with courage against the foe and continue the rescue mission to bring all who are lost to the saving power of Jesus Christ.
