And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on highto give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:76-80

Trained and equipped?
I have great respect for Marines, having observed over the years the effect on my retired Marine husband of Marine Corps training and discipline. The Marines maintain a high esprit de corps and an excellent record of results because they are united in mission. And in order to accomplish that mission they are given excellent training and equipment.

Night vision devices or goggles are one important piece of equipment in the Marines’ tool kit. These work by image-enhancement or thermal imaging. In image enhancement, they allow the ambient light to show the night-hidden objects. When they are thermally empowered they seek infrared light – weak or low level light that the human eye can’t see. This light radiates from an atomic level and could come from other human beings or a vehicle just turned off. Either way, night vision devices can pick it up.

I can’t help but draw parallels to our calling as believers. Do I know my mission as a child of God in the culture I live in today? What training do I need, and what equipment am I to use as I walk in the darkness of our world?

Gearing up for mission
The answers to each of these questions take us to the Word of God! Do I know how to use the Scriptures? Are they shaping me for Christ-likeness and fitting me for my mission? Does my use of the Word of God light up for me the needs of those around me? Is the light of God’s Word leading me to discover and reach out to those who are yet in darkness?

The Word of God is a primary weapon in our spiritual warfare. Paul calls it the Sword of the Spirit, and the writer of Hebrews says it has power to work deep spiritual transformations.

My husband explained that the night goggles he used were cumbersome if you weren’t familiar with them. This could have serious repercussions for the mission. Marines must be well-trained in the use of such equipment so that they know how to use it as it is intended. For example, if a Marine intends to use the kind that work from ambient light, he or she will need to plan for that (Would the moon be out tonight?) Careful preparation and good timing are essential.

Again, I see similarities as we seek to discern and disciple those around us. Am I equipped with the dawning glow of a consistent prayer life, that constant presence of Christ which can enhance my ability to notice someone I might not necessarily “see”, or enabling me to spot the enemy and take aversive action? Am I in communion not only with my Lord, but with other believers as well, so that I know I am not alone in the mission?

We are engaged in a spiritual warfare from which there is no respite. Like the Marines, every believer needs to be well-trained and fully equipped for every good work. This is why the Word of God – and all the equipment of our struggle – is so important in our walk with Him.

May we all be men and women who volunteer, train, and execute the orders from our Commander-in-Chief by submitting to and taking up the equipment of God’s Word. Then we will be able to identify those walking in the darkness and fulfill our mission by reaching out to them with a ready answer of hope.

Next steps

Is your practice of spiritual disciplines sufficient to fit you for your daily struggle in our spiritual warfare? Get together with a couple of your Christian friends. Share BettyJane’s insights with them, and talk about the “training” you are presently receiving. How might you improve in your ability to understand and use all the weapons of our spiritual warfare?

For more insight to this topic, get the book Victory in the Spiritual Warfare: Outfitting Yourself for the Battle, by Tony Evans, from our online store. Or read the article, “Spiritual Warfare,” by Kerby Anderson.