Monday Morning Manna
Monday, August 31
Monday Morning Manna
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11
Yesterday we heard from our Women’s President, Sis. Iyanna DeGannes. Speaking from Ephesians 6:10-20, she encouraged us to put on the Full Armor of God. In this year of Turn Around we must turn from our old way of thinking and focus in the new direction that God is leading His children. God is new doing a new thing and this move requires that we are equipped for battle. The armor of God as written in Ephesians 6 is a metaphor in God’s Word used to explain the Biblical aspect to perfect ourselves against the enemy. The full armor of God that believers are called to put on comprises the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit. Using the sermon background, Sis. Iyanna reminded everyone that we are given ingredients and the recipe to fight the good fight against the enemy.
Ephesians 6 provides six pieces of the armor, which were emphasized in yesterday’s message. First was the Belt of truth. Regardless of our culture or the times in which we are living in, God has set out a truth for the life of the believer that we all must adhere to. The belt which keeps the waist at its core, allows the believer to be aligned with the Word of God. Second is the Breastplate of righteousness. We are made right with God when we hand over to Him all of our wrongs. We are made right with God when we live in obedience to His word. Once we are made right with God we start a new walk with Him as a new creation. Up next is the Shield of faith. This shield is greater than any shield you ever witness. There is not even a superhero with a shield that can withstand the fiery darts of the enemy. This shield means now your faith is in God. Next we have the Gospel of peace. Peace is an attribute to the Lord’s very character. The Gospel itself brings about peace. Sis. Iyanna reminded us, when we receive Christ we receive peace. We do not have to live in turmoil anymore. Then there is the Helmet of salvation. Is symbolic of the type of covering each believer requires to protect the mind. This is the new mind we receive once we accept Christ. With this shield we Surrender thoughts that don’t line up with Scripture. This helmet allows the believer to bring every thought captive and demolish the ones that are not in accordance with the Word of God. Thus far, we have covered five pieces of protection and the last is a weapon used to take down your enemy, which is the Sword of the Spirit. Finally is the sword – the word of God. We use God’s Word as our deadliest weapon against your enemy. And it is the only piece of armor that is both defensive and offensive. Sis. Iyanna encouraged us to rise up and speak the Word of God in our circumstances. During His time on earth, Jesus demonstrated this to us so beautifully. When the devil tempted Him three times, Jesus responded with the Word of God each time. Keep reading the Word of God so that your sword remains sharp. Our sword won’t stay sharp on its own. We must continually sharpen it with regular and focused Bible study.
This week I encourage you to check your armor. Remember, we are at war. Ensure that you are fully covered and well able to fight. God’s armor defends us against attacks as we apply it in our lives day to day.