About this week’s song

This is a long one!

10 verses.

But TRUST! God is faithful and the music sweettttt!

* AIM LOW. If you catch ONE deh-geh deh-geh line (a single line, for my non-patois speakers) it’s more likely than not that you would have memorized a VERSE!

* LET IT PLAY. As you listen, you will catch it.

* PUT IT ON REPEAT. Not just for my stats, but again, as it plays, you will catch a bit of it.

* HUM, then SING ALONG.

* TRY A FEW LINES…without the music.

* REMEMBER: this passage is GOLDEN! It is worth the effort!

Ephesians 6: 10 – 20

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Avoiding spiritual warfare

There are some areas of Christianity where I have always felt like a bit of an outsider.

Spiritual warfare is one.

It just sounded very complex.

Something by and for especially energetic spiritual people.

People who are extremely confident about their ability to beat the devil.

Christians with spiritual weapons, who say it’s just too easy for them to confront the devil and fire on him with the “B-66” until he crawls away begging for mercy.

The problem is that avoiding the topic of spiritual warfare didn’t exempt me from attacks by the devil on my mind and spirit.

Paul says in Ephesians 6:12:

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

That passage relates to everyone, including you and I.

In 2018, something changed for me.

I was listening to a sermon series by Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones on the entire book of Ephesians.

That series was a turning point in my thinking in many ways. His sermons on Ephesians 6:10-20, dealing with the whole armour of God, provided a clear biblical foundation for me on the topic of spiritual warfare.

It showed not just that it was inescapable, but what it means to put the whole armour of God. What it means to stand. The whole armour consists of:

* the belt of truth,

* breastplate of righteousness,

* shoes for your feet…the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

* the shield of faith,

* the helmet of salvation,

* and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I came to see that:

* Each item matters,

* The whole matters,

* The order they are put on matters, and

* Knowing how you put on the armour matters.

I am embarrassed to say what I am about to say, but I will say it because I know there are perhaps people right now who are doing exactly this.

I used to pray as I was heading out somewhere, ‘Lord, I just put on your whole armour now,’ or something like that. I would go on, ‘I put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness…” and so on, listing all the parts.

I would then go out thinking I am ready to engage the devil because, well, I’ve put on the armour.

This sermon series helped to rid me of that idea, to show me that while we do put on the armour with prayer, you can’t simply pray and put it on. There is a belt of truth, for example, that you must put on. You can’t simply pray and know the truth, you must learn it and that truth, seasoned with prayer is the first thing to put on.

Fight

Anyway, after that I was so enthused and wanted to remember the parts so I wrote this song, called Fight.

Verse 1

The song really seemed to resonate with my friends and other Christians.

This is a group of Christian young people who sang the song as their camp song.

“Nuh just a tough chat”

In that song, I wanted to share my understanding that putting on the whole armour of God wasn’t simply about talking - “real work, to the scriptures, nuh just a tough chat.”

I feel like even singing about the importance of fighting can take the place of the actual thing.

I am consistently stumped by how much easier it is to talk about fighting than it is to do it!

It’s easier because fighting tends to be…dum dum dummmm: boring.

Things like memorizing Ephesians 6:10-20, so we have a grasp of what it takes to stand. Meditating on it, praying to God for insight and for help. Thats in the work of putting on the armour.

It is easier to go to church and sing for 30 mins, “this is how I fight my battles” than to ensure we have on truth like a belt.

You and I have to learn how to stand.

My prayer is that this song, this week will help you in your quest.