My great-grandfather was a Romanian sailor on the King Carol I warship during World War II. On October 10, 1941, he was one of twenty-one sailors who lost their lives when the ship hit a mine and sank near Varna, Bulgaria. Until the beginning of World War I, King Carol I had served as a cruise ship. Once the war started, the ship was transformed into a warship with guns and special armor for launching mines and grenades. While I’m proud and thankful for the legacy my great-grandfather left, I know that I am also engaged in war. It is a different kind of war—a spiritual one. Just as King Carol I was especially armored for war, I need to arm myself for the spiritual battles I face.
When we answered the call of Jesus to follow Him, we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Obviously, this infuriated the evil one. So it should be no surprise to us when Satan wants to steal our joy and peace and attempt to destroy God’s plan for our lives. The apostle Paul alerted the Ephesians that “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against . . . mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
Nevertheless, we don’t need to worry! God has already told us how to get ready for battle. Paul said to “put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil” (Ephesians 6:13). This verse does not imply that the time of evil might come, but states that it will come. We must expect it and be prepared so that “after the battle [we] will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13).