I’m just going to quote part of Ephesians 6 verbatim:
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
Be prepared.
Take all the help you can get.
Pray hard.
Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up.
Talk about some strong language. Feels like a battle cry!
And there’s that line…so that when it’s all over but the shouting… you’ll still be on your feet. Have you ever been in some of those battles in life? There was the lead-up to it. There was the thick of it, the storm, the heat of the difficulty. And then there was the aftermath. But after the aftermath, it was just a bunch of shouting and words back and forth. I think about it as the folks still talking crap, even after the fight is over. I think that’s what Paul is talking about here. The goal is to still be on your feet. You want to go out with a bang.
Paul had his fair share of battles. And he always remained on his feet. The boxer may get beat up for 12 rounds. But if he’s still on his feet, he has his dignity and he has the chance to win.
How do you stand the chance to win? Through those next couple items: staying full of God’s Word and prayer.
Omer Redden 