Confronting the Problem

So the Apostle goes on to show us this second half-, and he does so in his own characteristic manner. He even puts this before he states the problem. He says, "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that" (in order that)—then he introduces the problem. Here, I say, is something for which we should thank God always. Here, and here alone, we are told that, despite all that is against us, whether in realms above or in the world in which we live with all its strains and stresses, as Christian people we can be enabled to triumph, to rejoice in the midst of it all, and to know that victory is assured. That is the matter to which we now turn.

What is offered us as we find ourselves, as Christian people, facing all this—this wrestling, this struggling, this combat? You notice that there are just two things. First, "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might"; second, "Take unto you the whole armor of God. As we come to look at these two things there are some preliminary comments that I have to make. The first is that both these are necessary. We are not to take one without the other. The Apostle says both, and we have to do both. But notice the order in which he puts them. He does not tell you to put on the armor first, and then to be strong in the Lord. No, it is the other way around: "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" then, "Take unto you the whole armor of God.

There is clearly a relationship between the two factors. Let me just hint at what will be developed as we proceed. It is this: that so often people take just one or the other of these factors and therefore make shipwreck of the faith. There are some who say, "All you need to do is to hand it over to the Lord and rely on His strength." They never say anything about "the whole armor of God"-that is left out completely. There are others who put their whole emphasis on the putting on of the armor of God, as if they could wield it themselves. They forget their absolute dependence upon the power of the Lord, and His might and His strength. We see then that there are several interesting matters in the mere presentation of the two things which are essential to a triumphant living of the Christian life.

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