Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
The church of Ephesus was given a powerful admonition to take on the whole armor of God and be strong in the Lord. Paul lists a plethora of items relating to the Spiritual fight, as we will discover. However, the most perplexing words in the narrative speak of the time in which we will need these spiritual weapons. He wrote that we will need them “in the evil day.”
I ask, When is the evil day? What time, era, or environment denotes such a day? I suppose that it could be the day of great tribulation when the world unites around the antichrist. It could be when wars and rumors of wars abound; earthquakes rattle the foundations of the world; and sin is normalized. (If so, then we are living in that day this very moment.)
I submit that the most common “evil day” occurs when we are personally attacked and the enemy of our spirit has waged a war against our faith and mind. This is the time when we “wrestle” with truth, doubt, courage, and consistency. It’s an evil day when the devil plants seeds of unbelief in our thoughts so that we question the veracity of God’s love and kindness.
Whatever day constitutes “the evil day” the fact remains for us to be armed with the elements in Paul’s sermon.
• The Belt of Truth: holding the other pieces together through honesty, integrity, and commitment.
• The Breastplate of Righteousness that protects the heart. The scripture says to “guard the heart.” “Keep thy heart with all diligence” Proverbs 4:23.
• Shoes advancing the Gospel; stamping out darkness and spreading the message of Acts 2:38.
• The Shield of Faith quenching and deflecting the arrows of doubt and skepticism.
• The Helmet of Salvation protecting our thoughts and providing peace in the midst of trouble so that false doctrines and vain philosophies cannot cause confusion.
• And finally, the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Sword being unique in that it is the only item of Offense. Jesus used it against Satan in the Wilderness. Jesus said, “It is written…”
I encourage you to Stand Fast and put on the Whole Armor of God against that evil day.
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole