By BLAIR Jarratt
WHAT do the following have in common : truth , righteousness , the Gospel , faith , salvation , and the Spirit ?
Answer : When strapped to or wielded by our spiritual selves , these collectively become the full armor of God of Ephesians 6 . These components make up the belt , breastplate , shoes , shield , helmet , and sword necessary to engage rulers , authorities , cosmic powers , this present darkness , and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms . We need strong spiritual armor because we are weak , and our spiritual enemies are strong . Without God ' s full armor , we are vulnerable .
I was thankful for physical armor . On Tuesday , March 15 , I enjoyed a ride in the spring-like Pennsylvania evening and was confronted with an emergency braking situation . Traffic had stopped just past an intersection , but my attention was focused momentarily on the intersection instead of beyond it . I locked up my front wheel in my hard braking to stop , causing the bike and me to drop left to the pavement . This rider error was discussed in the April HeartBeat . Thank you . I was able to walk away without a scratch because of almost head-to-toe armor . My only missing component was a breastplate . Where can I get a breastplate ? Thankfully , no ribs were broken , just sore . The bike is not worth fixing due to its age and mileage . I purchased a replacement , a 2018 V-Strom 1000 with ABS ! ( ABS is no substitute for a vigilant scan for hazards and emergency braking practice !)
In the meantime , I ' m reminded that we face greater dangers than other vehicles and pavement . We must be ready with God ' s full armor because spiritual dangers are real . Our enemies intend to devour us , and we are weak and vulnerable . Thankfully , God has made full provision in Christ . Therefore , we have no reason to fear . CMA