BY ROBERT MILLER
OPINION —
One of the first things I learned in the military was that equipment only helps if you know how to use it. Beginning in Basic Training and carrying over into the everyday life and job of being in the military, we spent countless hours training with the gear we would eventually carry into combat if the situation warranted. We learned how to wear our body armor correctly, adjust our helmet, care for our weapons and use our medical equipment under pressure. The goal wasn’t simply to own the equipment. It was to become so familiar with it that when the moment came, we wouldn’t have to think about it. Our training would take over.
That lesson followed me throughout my military career. Whether I was serving in a combat environment overseas or later working in emergency and flight medicine, the principle never changed. The equipment was there to protect us and help us accomplish the mission, but only if we understood it, trusted it and used it. Paul paints a similar picture in Ephesians 6.
As he brings his letter to a close, he reminds Christians that we are engaged in a battle. Not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces that seek to pull us away from God. Then he tells us to, “Put on the whole armor of God.” I’ve often wondered how many Christians read that passage without ever stopping to consider what Paul is really saying. The armor itself isn’t the point. Jesus is.
Long before Paul wrote about the armor of God, Isaiah described the coming Messiah wearing righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet. Jesus entered the battlefield first. He confronted every temptation Satan could throw at Him and never once surrendered. He walked to the cross, defeated sin, conquered death and rose victorious from the grave. Now, as Paul reminds us in Ephesians, because we belong to Christ, we are to put on that same armor. Notice however, Paul doesn’t tell us to admire the armor, he tells us to put it on.
There is a difference.
A soldier doesn’t leave body armor hanging in the locker because it looks impressive. A firefighter doesn’t admire protective gear while walking into a burning building. Equipment only fulfills its purpose when it is worn. The same is true spiritually. It’s one thing to own a Bible. It’s another thing to know God’s truth well enough to recognize Satan’s lies. It’s one thing to talk about faith. It’s another thing to trust God when life falls apart. It’s one thing to believe Jesus saves. It’s another thing to stand confidently in that salvation when guilt and temptation come knocking. The Christian life isn’t lived by accident. It requires preparation. Perhaps that’s why Paul begins this section with the words, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” He never tells us to rely on our own ability because he knows our strength will eventually fail. Our confidence has always rested in Christ.
Looking back, I’m grateful for every hour spent preparing before stepping into difficult situations. At the time, some of that training felt repetitive. Later, I realized it was preparing me for moments I couldn’t yet see. God does the same thing. Every time we open His Word, every prayer we offer and every act of faithful obedience is preparing us for battles we haven’t yet faced.
The battle is real. But so is our Savior. And because He has already won the victory, we don’t fight for victory. We stand in it.
