How We Fight

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11

Ephesians is not a letter written to individuals but to a community of Jesus followers intentionally doing life together. It can be easy to think Paul is writing to individuals when he uses the word “you.” However, “you” is plural in this case. Paul teaches they cannot achieve victory alone. The Roman military operated similarly, and the church would’ve seen it. The Roman army used a tactic called ”tortoise formation.” It places the emphasis not on one soldier’s armor but on the combined armor of the unit. Tortoise formation is about the shield on the left, right and overhead. The army fights together.

One of the lies of our culture is that faith is individual. We think faith is just about my relationship with God. That wasn’t God’s intent at all. Jesus made it clear he was starting communities of followers. We are created to live in community. Following Jesus isn’t something we’re supposed to do alone. This is the beauty of being an active part of a local church. We are more vulnerable to attack when we are alone. The enemy seeks to isolate us. But in Christian community, we help each other hold to truth, recognize lies and put our spiritual shields up together.

TODAY: One way we stand firm together is by joining small groups. If you are in a group, commit to participate fully. If you’ve stepped away, now is the time to reconnect. Another way to develop deeper relationships in the church is to consider membership. Learn more about membership and sign up for an upcoming class HERE.

Catch this week’s episode of the Beyond the Weekend Podcast HERE to learn more about our spiritual armor and ways to put it on and stand firm.