Greetings to our friends of Bethel Colony of Mercy. We count it a privilege to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in order that we might be of some help to those who are looking for answers to life’s problems. I started out writing on another subject for this Counseling Corner and ran into a wall. Then I began to think how God would have us to remember the Apostle’s exhortation to put on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:10.
I could say a lot on this topic from my own experiences, but I know that there is so much more to learn. I just picked up The Christian In Complete Armor, by the Puritan writer, William Gurnell. I bought this book when Cathi and I first got married, 28 years ago. We were living at Ft. Polk, Louisiana and I was a curious and avid reader. I was fascinated with John Newton, who wrote the famous hymn, “Amazing Grace”. He said if he might read only one book besides the Bible he would choose The Christian In Full Armor . Little did I know that one day I would be at Bethel Colony of Mercy putting on the armor of God daily to protect myself against the violence of our enemy, Satan.
One of my recent students, a good soldier in this fight, felt the weight of heaviness come over him as he reflected on an incident that happened in his life several years ago. It was one of those events that etches its’ way deep into the conscience. That word, ‘etch’, is derived from a German word meaning to corrode, to eat into, to make an impression. As this man dwelt on the event, it made such a deep impression on his soul that he needed deliverance from the spirit of heaviness. He had given ground to the enemy by reflecting on this sad and painful memory which had occurred years ago. He thought he had already dealt with it and was free from the effects of it. But, by dwelling on the event and neglecting to put on the armor of God, he was ambushed by the enemy who is always looking for an opportunity to assault a vulnerable child of God.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” Ephesians 6:11
Now, knowing this truth, I’m going to challenge those that are in Christ to use the armor that God has provided for us in this spiritual warfare. This is what I suggest you do during this upcoming Christmas season:
1. Recall the difficulty that overwhelms you during the holidays. (Caution – Don’t reflect; just recall the event. Never park in a negative mood. Build a bridge and get over it.)
2. To etch in your conscience the command to put on your armor, I would challenge you to write out the passage Ephesians 6:10 – 18 once a day for seven days. The Holy Spirit will then have the opportunity to pull this up into your memory when the battle concerning a past painful event starts to erupt in your mind and your emotions.
3. Take notice of the particular pieces of the armor in Ephesians 6:14-18 (NKJV): Belt of truth, Breastplate of righteousness, Gospel shoes of peace, Shield of faith, Helmet of salvation, Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God), All prayer.
4. Begin to pray putting on the full armor of God daily. I personally start with the head, moving down to the feet. For instance, I will pray; “I put on the full armor of God: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the gospel shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and all prayer in Jesus’ Name.” Commit this to memory.
5. One last word. The enemy may already be inside the camp; meaning he has lodged himself in your mind and emotions to cause a painful memory to resurface for a specific day of battle. To fight this, use the weapon of prayer with authority. Pray out loud if you feel heaviness coming on. “I command the spirit of heaviness to leave me in the Name of Jesus. I submit to God, resist the devil and you (spirit of heaviness) must flee.” James 4:7
Note: If you have a spirit of bitterness towards anyone; you must forgive them in order to be on good ground. Failure to forgive will impede your deliverance.
Blessings on all of you that have been our fellow saints in the faith! If this article helps you this Christmas, please write or email us and share your victory with us.