Have you ever wondered how an average person would fare against professional athletes? Who among us hasn’t watched our favorite team or athlete struggling to perform up to our standards and thought or actually said, “COME ON! EVEN I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER THAN THAT!” I think it would be incredibly interesting to give a few average Joe’s and Jane’s an opportunity to put that premise to the test. Surely that one guy that is constantly yelling his expert advice to the players on the field at your local high school football game would love the chance to demonstrate the full measure of his skill and knowledge to the world. I’ve actually heard a man say, “The only difference between me and a member of the Indianapolis Colts is the right opportunity and a uniform with my name on it.”
The simple truth is what’s on the outside is utterly inconsequential if what’s on the inside doesn’t measure up.
While I realize the reasons not to put an average person on an NFL football field during an actual game are legion, it would be interesting to watch. Take that boisterous fan from the high school stadium, dress him in pads, a helmet, and give him that coveted jersey with his name on the back. Then, have him be the return man for a kick-off or a punt. Assuming the man catches the ball, which is assuming a lot, I don’t imagine he would make it very far after that. He is certainly much more likely to make it to the Emergency Room than the end zone. The simple truth is what’s on the outside is utterly inconsequential if what’s on the inside doesn’t measure up.
In Ephesians 6:10-17, the Apostle Paul encourages followers of Jesus to suit up by putting on the full armor of God. He writes, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
The strength to stand against the overwhelming attacks of spiritual enemies comes not with putting on metaphysical equipment, but through constant connection to Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
When we read these words, it is easy for us to get caught up in the word picture Paul provides. It’s tempting to focus on the armor of God as individual components that play a role in protecting us from the outside in, but I think this misses the point. Paul isn’t trying to provide followers of Jesus with some sort of spiritual uniform, complete with personal protective equipment. Rather, Paul is imploring his readers to make sure they are well equipped on the inside. He establishes his point at the beginning of his conclusion. “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” The strength to stand against the overwhelming attacks of spiritual enemies comes not with putting on metaphysical equipment, but through constant connection to Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is only when we are strengthened by the abiding power of our Savior that we can stand strong in the face of our enemy, the Devil.
Even the items described in the armor of God all seem to point inward. If we remove the illustrative item, we find the full armor of God is composed of truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. These are not things we wear as a badge of honor on the outside; To do so is empty and ineffective. These are all tools that are meant to be internalized to fundamentally change who we are as we are molded into the image of Christ and learn to live in light of His love, holiness, and grace.
In our own spiritual strength, we are all much like an average person being placed before a team of professionals. Sure, we can put on the right uniform and at least look the part, but when the first hit comes, we’ll crumple. It’s only when we humbly and consistently cultivate our connection to Jesus that we can stand strong in the face of our opposition. Ultimately, our ability to stand strong in the battles against the evil in this world has very little, if anything, to do with our own abilities and much more to do with our willingness to believe in and depend upon Jesus.
