The Battlefield. The Battle. The Gear.

We all have a battle we are facing. The Enemy ultimately is always the same: that little rascal snake. The hardest battle in our lives we face is choosing Christ in our lives. I have found that this battle doesn't happen just once in our lives, but it’s over and over again a constant choosing, by the day, by the minute, choosing Christ over anything else.

Our battlefields look different. Mine right now is the chaos of child rearing, making decisions to choose patience, not losing my temper, letting the mess not bother me so much, holding my tongue. My husband’s battlefield resides more at work, making choices in the work force that are not popular or “mainstream,” not laughing at jokes or pranks that do not withhold human dignity, boldly declaring the Gospel in many a political discussion. Your battlefield is different too and can even change at an instant. We are all battling the same thing, because the Enemy is always the same, but our own struggles and the way that we fight to get the end result are different, too.

Good news, though, folks, God has given us the tools, the right equipment at the right time for the battlefield we are in. We've got the proper gear. Maybe because football season just started this analogy is fresh in mind, but God does not give you soccer gear if you are going out to play football . . . sheesh that would really bang you up good. NO! God gives you the right equipment for the right game.

He gives us the good stuff too. I know we all appreciate those name brand goodies, and brag about them when we do! Breastplate of righteousness, faith as our shield, sword of truth—those are some heavy hitters right there. Quality. If I got a sweet Kate Spade purse, but never used it . . . what's the point?! Use that baby, put it to work, enjoy it. Same goes for the swag God is giving us in today's reading; we need to pick them up and USE them! Do not let them go to waste. We need to use all the gear God has given us, because the battlefield is thick and we need them to survive, if not thrive. God does not give us tools to look at and think “Oh, that’s shiny.” They were given to us to be used and have a specific design and purpose to our advantage in the craziness of the battlefield.

Gird those loins, ladies, roll up them sleeves, put on your favorite pair of stilettos (or sweatpants), and walk out in courage on that battlefield ready and prepared to choose Christ, every minute of every day. Work it.