"I'm a soldier in God's army," I told her.
"Do you have weapons?"
I chatted with her for a few minutes about what kinds of weapons God gives us. Then she exhausted both her boldness and her questions and ran back to her friends.
What she didn't know is that I have been reading William Gurnall's classic The Christian in Complete Armour, a book based on Ephesians 6:10-18. It was a sweet reminder that this book, which is not easy on my flesh, is applicable to me. I am not wandering aimlessly through life, living by chance, but I am a soldier in the service of the conquering King. Here's just an excerpt from Gurnall that will hopefully encourage all of us.
The strength of an earthly general lies in his troops -- he flies upon their wings. If their feathers get clipped or their necks broken, he is helpless. But in the army of saints, the strength of the whole host lies in the Lord of hosts. God can overcome His enemies without help from anyone, but His saints cannot so much as defend the smallest outpost without His strong arm.
Even in acts of worship our strength is in the Lord. Consider prayer. Would we pray? Where will we find topics for our prayers? Alas, 'We know not what we should pray for as we ought' (Rom. 8:26). Let us alone, and we will soon pray ourselves into some temptation or other, and beg for the very thing God knows we should not have. To protect us, then, God puts words in our mouths (Hos. 14:2).
The same is true in hearing the Word. We have been instructed to hear the Word preached, but what will it profit unless God opens the ears of our understanding.
First the Spirit of God moves upon our spirit; then we know for a surety that our strength is in the Lord.
William Gurnall The Christian in Complete Armour, vol. 1, abridged by Ruthanne Garlock, et al. (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2009) 34-36.
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