“Put On The Full Armor Of God!”(Eph.6:10-18).
Some thirty years ago, I went to the village for a spell. During my stay and as I moved about, I noticed that all houses had a half stem of “nkùṅkùṅ” – peace plant affixed above the parlor door. When I asked to know the reason for the common pattern, I was told it was a charm against the evil one. The “Ṅkamshi” (the equivalent of Sangoma in Southern Africa) who made the prescription also said that during the nigh, if someone should asked you, “Who is with you in the house?”, you should answer: “I am with nkùṅkùṅ.” By that answer, the questioner (devil) will move on. This was like the angel of death passing over the houses of the Hebrews as he went on rampage, killing the first males of all Israelites.
During another visit, I noticed that almost all adults were using a two meter long bamboo as walking staff. Even young and healthy people who did not need a walking staff. Again, there staff was a recommendation from a charlatan “native doctor” who told the gullible villagers that the bamboo staff was a strong weapon against the devil.
Today, all those local prescriptions have been transferred into the African church and filled with new content. Imagine a thickly populated worship service where every worshipper is sweeping a clean church! And while sweeping, s/he is murmuring incantations of driving away all the blockages and evils in their lives!
In another service, every worshipper has a Cain seriously beating the floor, claiming that they are flogging the devil!
As if that is not enough, you witness in other worship services people lying on the floor and the minister giving them serious lashes on their buttocks to beat out the demons!
The examples abound in African Christianity where native doctors have invaded the house of God disguised as his servants and leading the sheep astray! How sad!
Life is a constant struggle about choices. This is so because our souls are the battle ground in the tension between God and Satan.
At every twist and turn, the devil is scheming to have us. According to im, by having us, he would have scoured a win over God whom he is scared of.
We do not have to fight the devil with nkùṅkùṅ on our door posts, we don’t have to walk with bamboo staff. The Devil is too strong to be swept with brooms or to be flogged with cains! It is not a battle against flesh and blood. The adversaries are the rulers, the authorities, “the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
What we need is to “put on the Full Armor of God.” These include:
- To be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
- Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.
- The breastplate of righteousness…
- Feet ready for combat by being fitted from the gospel of peace.
- Take up the shield of faith. It is able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
- The helmet of salvation.
- The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
- Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
- Be alert, praying also for all the saints because we are stronger together.
A soldier ready for battle puts on military gear which includes, a belt buckled around the waist, a breastplate for protection, a battle shield for defense, iron helmet to protect the head and a sword to attack the enemy. But these are for physical combats.
On the contrary, the Christian has all these weapons, but they are not physical. David had pebbles and a catapult with we he killed Goliath. Christians have all their weapons in them and within them as long as they remain faithful to the gospel of Christ, pray in the Spirit, and be confident of their relationship with God.
When we are spiritually equipped, we will be able to stand our ground when the day of evil comes. And we will continue standing until our traveling days are done.
Sunday prayer: Holy Spirit, fit me with the military gear that prevails the spiritual warfare. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.