Who are our predators? The spiritual forces of evil are the powers, the rulers, the authorities of the darkness in this world. They are the aggressors who oppose the kingdom of God and seek to recruit us to their destructive mission by infiltrating our defenses and exercising control over us. They are constantly seeking to find ways to demoralize us. They are as old as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, the false idols of paganism and the seduction of material success and power. They prey on our weaknesses for comfort, self-admiration and bogus superiority. They seek to destroy us, to corrupt us, to sow dissension in our ranks, to take away our peace, to turn us against one another, to blind us to the truth of the gospel, to harden our hearts, to deaden our consciences, to make us deaf to the voice of the Spirit, to make us insensitive to the love of God. They attack our minds, our hearts, our relationships. They seek to seriously wound us by making us fearful, anxious, broken, insecure, depressed and despairing. The biggest problem in the world today, says Rick Warren after the suicide of his son, is hopelessness. Life is a battle. To protect ourselves against their insidious attacks God provides us with his armor. In times of crisis, when the day of evil comes in the form of either tragedy or triumph you can stand firm and not retreat. St. Paul is a prisoner in chains, and he uses the armor of the Roman soldiers who guard him to illustrate the provision of the Lord.

First of all, you need to buckle the belt of truth around your waist. The belt held the uniform of the soldier together with his sword. Seat belts in cars hold us within a zone of safety of its frame to prevent us from being thrown out and injured. Truth anchors us and protects us from the lies of the enemy. Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." To put on the belt of truth is to support yourself with a belief in, and knowledge of, the truth as it is in Jesus. It is to be mastered by that truth. It binds you and holds you together in the day of crisis in your life. Such truth enables you to see through lies and falsehoods and to distinguish between reality and illusion.

Secondly, you need to put on the breastplate of righteousness. Body armor protects your vital organs. Our inner, vital forces need to be protected from injury. Our spiritual heart and lungs and digestive system, the seat of our emotions and conscience that nourishes our lives, needs to be protected from being clogged up. We cannot protect ourselves by a misplaced sense of our own self-righteousness, that we are sufficiently strong in our own abilities to survive the trials of life. The only way we can stand confidently before God is by being clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Only his righteousness can carry us through suffering and death to resurrection. It takes humility to acknowledge your need for the righteousness of Christ.

Thirdly, you need to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace. What we wear on our feet determines our stability and mobility. Shoes need to be worn for their utility and not just for their appearance. We may want to look good and impress our peers with the latest footwear but if they do not do the job they are intended for we may injure our feet permanently. The appropriate footwear for the battle of life is the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. This gospel prepares us to be ready to deal with whatever life throws at us. When we are shod with the gospel of peace we have peace with God, peace within our hearts, and we seek peace with others. It is a peace which transcends all understanding which will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Fourthly, you need to take up the shield of faith to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Faith here means the ability to apply quickly what we believe so as to repel everything the devil does or attempts to do to us. Jesus did this in repelling Satan's temptations in the wilderness. Our faith system gives us the security and assurance to confront whatever befalls us. We need fear no evil if our faith is in Christ who is with us always. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.

Fifthly, you need to put on the helmet of salvation. The helmet protects the head, the brain, the source of our thinking and understanding, the control room of our actions. Putting on the helmet of salvation means that when you are attacked by negative thoughts, when you are besieged, tried and tempted by circumstances, when you get overwhelmed and depressed, and are full of fear and anxiety, you can claim the promises of salvation in Christ who triumphed over all evil in the Cross. You need to fill your mind with the truths of your salvation.

Sixthly, you need to take up the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Its purpose is to interpret reality, to guide you on your journey through life. We are told that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Heb.4:12) It is the sword of the Spirit, and therefore has all the energy and power of the living God. The Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit - "God-breathed" - and therefore unique in all the literature of the world. Jesus quoted Scripture to refute the temptations of the devil. This sword cuts through the darkness of doubt and slays indecision.

Seventhly, you need to pray in the Spirit on all occasions. This is how you communicate with your commander-in-chief and request reinforcements in the day of trouble. Prayer in the Spirit is prayer inspired by the Spirit. The Spirit helps us in our weakness. The Spirit intercedes for us in accordance with God's will. We have direct access to the Father by the Spirit. Pray for one another, for those who are battling alongside of you - your comrades, your band of brothers and sisters.

It is foolish to attempt to fight life's battles without the armor God supplies in Christ. If you want to survive to fight another day be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Subscribe to Ted's blog on www.ameliachapel.com/blog. His new book, Encouragement in a World of Hurt: The Message of the Book of Revelation is available on www.Amazon.com