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Tiananmen Square. When you say those words, usually there’s only one image that comes to mind. It’s that of the lone protester in Beijing on the Avenue of Eternal Peace facing down a fully armed 60 ton military tank. And he was not moving. The picture emerged as one of the most captivating examples of bravery in an ongoing war. It inspired people worldwide and still does to this day.
But what is it about that moment that moves us all so much. There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly impressive about the man himself. He’s clothed in a plain white shirt, plain black pants and is carrying two plain bags in his hands. As the Chinese military tanks rolled down the Avenue, no one expected to see the lone figure emerge from the side and block their path. No one expected him to climb atop the tanks and attempt to communicate with those inside it. And no one expected that when the tanks once again began to roll that he would jump in front of them again and stop them from moving forward.
“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.” Ephesians 6:13 NIV
This man was committed to his cause. Outwardly, he was no match for the tanks that approached. But clearly, he was clothed in a different kind of armor. And when the tanks approached ushering in a day of evil, he stood his ground, did everything he could, and stood.
Put on the Full Armor
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with readiness that comes with the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions…” Ephesians 6:14-18 NIV
How many times have you read this scripture? It’s pretty jam packed isn’t it? The real question, however, is, as a follower of Christ, do you put on your full armor each day? I don’t mean a partial armor, I mean a FULL armor – belt, breastplate, readiness, shield, everything.
Sometimes, people look at disciples of Jesus and outwardly, they find us particularly unimpressive. But there’s no denying the character of a person fully clothed in Christ. Make sure you wear your full armor. Unless you do so, you are setting yourself up for failure.
The Day of Evil Will Come
Don’t be fooled. Like a dozen or more army tanks, the day of evil will come for each of us. You might be at work tempted to dip into the petty cash. You could be at the gym tempted to have wandering eyes or cheat on your spouse. Whatever your “thing” is, it will come looking for you and it will find you. How will you face it when that day comes?
Stand Your Ground
Well, just like “Tank Man” in Tiananmen Square, you face the day of evil head on. You stand your ground. If you have to “climb the tank,” climb it. If you have to confront the problem, confront it. If you have to talk to the enemy, talk.
But, you can only succeed when you have on the full armor. The good news is that God gives you everything you need to stand firm. He has fully equipped you through His word to handle whatever comes your way. Your knees may feel weak and your palms sweaty, but when we resist, evil flees. When you stand firm, evil changes course. But because God is on your side, you have nothing to fear. Because God is on your side, you are fully clothed.
Memorize: James 4:7 NIV “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Application: How can you ensure you are fully armoured when you leave your home each day? Who do you have in your life that can hold you accountable for getting fully dressed in Christ? What are some areas you need to stand firm against to protect your walk with God? What does the day of evil look like for you and what will you do to stand your ground against it?
