Ephesians 6

​I am a big fan of fantasy series and one of the all-time greatest is no other than The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. The movie adaptations came out when I was in high school and I remember using the character development of Aragorn as a case study for our HSC theme: journeys. One of my all-time favourite scenes is the arousing speech Aragorn gives in the last film, the Return of the King when the black gates are opened, and the soldiers face the great army of Mordor. Aragorn gallops back and forth along the front lines, rallying the soldiers of Gondor and Rohan as he addresses their fear, saying:
 
        Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear
        that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men
        fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is
        not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men
        comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you
        hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!

(If you want to watch the movie clip, click on this link: Aragorn's Speech At The Black Gate | LOTR - The Return of the King (2003) (youtube.com))

This week we come to our final instalment of Ephesians (6:10-20) and Pauls sends it off with one final arousing speech like Aragorn's. Instead of the black gates of Mordor, Paul opens their imagination to the cosmic spiritual battle we all find ourselves soldiers in. As we stand on the front lines, the music building to a crescendo, Paul shouts, 

'Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of
           God, so that you can take your STAND against the devil's schemes.(v10)
'...put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you
           may be able to STAND your ground, (v.13)
and after you have done everything, to STAND. (v.13)
'STAND firm then...' (v.14)

Paul's arousing call is to STAND in the full power and might of God himself, to put on the armour of God he bestows upon us, so that we can bear with every assault the Devil throws at us and STAND victorious as children of the King. 

As we consider this cosmic truth, this spiritual battle, how do you prepare yourselves for battle? Are you ready to defend your faith? Are you ready to stand firm in trials? Are you equipped to combat the Devil's lies with the truths of the Gospel? Are you ready to resist evil? 

This Sunday we'll consider what it means to be ready and put on the armour of God each day so that we can STAND firm in our faith to the end. 

Amy