Arm Yourselves

Arm Yourselves.

A phrase that as soon as most people hear it, they think of grabbing a weapon or something and being ready for a fight of some sort.

The word ‘arm’ in this phrase means to furnish or equip with weapons, to furnish with something that strengthens or protest, to equip or ready for action or operation, to prepare oneself for struggle or resistance.

In Sunday School yesterday, we read a verse in the Bible that had this phrase in it. Since then, I have been thinking about it quite a bit.

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”

I Peter 4:1

This verse tells us to arm ourselves with the same mind, the mind of Christ. We see in this verse that Christ suffered in the flesh; yet, while in the flesh, he ceased from sin or he did no sin.

We, as humans, are born sinners. There is no other way around that fact. We have to be taught how to be good. We have to be taught how to do right. I don’t have to teach my children how to lie, steal, disobey, throw fits, misbehave…they already are experts at that. I do have to teach them how to tell the truth, not steal, obey, be level headed, and do right.

Because sin just comes so naturally to us, we have to arm ourselves. We have to protect ourselves, we have to strengthen ourselves, we have to be ready for action when sin is presented. We are in a constant spiritual battle everyday between right and wrong, good and evil. Many times, Christians go to battle unprepared, unarmed and they lose and they fall. We have everything we need in the Word of God to arm ourselves and fight against sin.

I like reading and studying about the armor of God found in Ephesians 6. In that chapter, we only see one thing that we can use to fight with. Yes, there is a whole list of pieces of armor to put on for protection, but only weapon. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Ephesians 6:17 Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Matthew 4:4 says “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Jesus was tempted by Satan in this chapter, this story is the only temptation of Jesus we see in the Bible. To combat Satan and this temptation Jesus used Scripture. We can make a long study out of the mind of Christ and what we should arm ourselves with, but simply we need to think like Christ and use Scripture to fight sin. This is why we are commanded to use it in Ephesians 6:17.

Trying to live the Christian life without the Bible is like trying drive a car without fuel (or power for all the electric cars out there) you just can’t. You don’t see soldiers going into battle with flip-flops and a beach towel, no, they are geared up, they are armed with weapons, they are ready to fight.

We need to arm ourselves with the Word of God, everything in there is what God wants you to know. There is instruction on how to live right and how to avoid sin. If we use the Word of God to fight against sin with, you will sin less.

As a parent, I find it crucial to teach my children the difference between right and wrong. Not because I decide something is right or something is wrong, but because the Bible says it. At some point my children will have to arm themselves with the Word of God and fight against sin, because daddy and mommy won’t be there to help them. I want my kids to know what the Bible says about lying, about stealing, about disobeying. I want them to know what the Bible says about having a walk with God, going soulwinning, attending church. I want them to know what the Bible says, believe what the Bible says, so that one day they can fight their own battles against sin.

Have you armed yourself today with the Word of God? Are you ready to fight sin and temptation today? Are you going to defeat sin today or are you going to be defeated by sin today? It is your choice if you arm yourself. No one is going to make you arm yourself today. Pick up the Word, read the Word, practice the Word, arm yourself with the Word!

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