Courage - Yellow Balloon SeriesSample

The Uniform

The Christian life is not about being “nice.” We certainly are called to manifest the fruit of the Spirit, such as kindness and gentleness, however, the Scriptures also state we are engaged in spiritual warfare. 

When we read the Gospels, we see that Jesus was not always the nicest. In my opinion, He was downright rude to the Pharisees. He was a man who turned tables over. He chose not to speak to Herod. He told the adulteress to go and sin no more. Yet Jesus sought the best for those with whom He interacted.

The reality is that living a Christian life is often a fight. In Ephesians, Paul says that our enemy is not a person, but the dark forces in this world. As Christians, we are given a uniform to wear during war. 

Our uniform is the armor of God, which is a similar design to a Roman centurion's uniform. It is a warrior’s garb. Before walking out the door every morning to face any spiritual warfare, we are supposed to put on our spiritual centurion. As children of God, we need to be ready to fight. There is a war out there; we must dress accordingly.

Let’s go through this uniform that the Word of God talks about. Truth is the belt we wear. It unites the ensemble to keep us ready. Righteousness is the bulletproof vest that protects our heart. Salvation is our helmet, and the Word of God is our sword. Each piece is necessary. It is a uniform that prepares us to courageously face temptations and spiritual battles. It is an armor that helps us live a life of faithful obedience. 

We are told to resist evil and temptation. That is a great thought. However, evil only succeeds if we forfeit the fight. We win when we resist Satan's temptation. Jesus calls us to stand our ground as He did. Faithful obedience is an act of courage.