“10 Finally, my Brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His Might.

11 Put on the Whole Armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:11-12

As a Believer living in this fallen world which is ruled by the prince of darkness, we are given God’s Armor. The Lord puts up a hedge of protection around those who have believed upon Him and within those boundaries we are guaranteed victory as long as we properly follow the Lord.

“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Sadly, many Believer’s do not know how to properly follow Jesus. They do not understand that we must deny ourselves (our abilities, intellect, talents, etc.) in order to pick up our cross (the blessings which the Cross of Christ afforded whosoever will believe) and that it is only then that we are able to properly follow Jesus.

Picking up our cross is not the denial of self. Self denial is just that; denying our self will to manipulate a situation in order to achieve our will. While picking up our cross is not self abasement but picking up that which we cannot do in our own might…receive the promises of God. Unredeemed man is unable to receive the promises God has given to His Children. Furthermore, God’s Children operating in their flesh, attempting to manipulate situations within their own might, will also fall short of God’s Promises.

The Armor of God is HIS Armor. It is not something that we get up every morning, stand in front of the mirror and ‘put on’. No, not at all. The Armor of God is put on upon belief in the Cross of Christ Jesus…it is God’s hedge of protection around His Children.

“6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Where have you been? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews (hates) evil?” Job 1:6-8

There will be times in our lives, times of great trials and tribulations, as the Lord may lower HIS hedge of protection and allow Satan certain access. We have done all that we know to do; we have denied ourselves and properly followed Him and He offers us to Satan to test us. You see, Satan is nothing but an instrument in the Lord’s Hands to strengthen our faith. It is during these most unpleasant of circumstances that we go deeper with the Lord. It is during these times that our spiritual testimony before the spirit world should be “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him:”. It is then, in those times of despair that we choose to praise the Lord for our redemption draws near. It is then that we know, that we know, that we know in Whom we have believed and we know that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him.

There is a boundary, a hedge of protection, around the Child of God when we are properly following the Lord. As we look unto Jesus Christ, Who HE is and what HE has done to afford us the Promises of God; we will find the Cross of Christ was, is and will forever be sufficient to withstand the wiles of the devil as he rules the fallen world of which we are passing through.

“1 I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help.

2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made Heaven and Earth.

3 He will not suffer your foot to be moved: He Who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He Who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper: the Lord is your shade upon your right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil: He shall preserve your soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Psalms 121-1-9

Jesus Christ and Him crucified – be determined to know nothing else among you. Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord. Stand still and see the angels of the Lord encompassed round about you. Stand still and see the signs and wonders which follow those who believe.

-Donna Clark Warren