Story: The Warrior... The Whole Armor
July 30, 2021
The Word came to let us know the opposition was plotting to ambush our camp. Our orders were to be ready for battle at 2 am, we were to attack first. As soon as we heard the trumpet, we knew we only had a few minutes to be in battle formation. Looking over at my whole armor, I relaxed knowing it protected me whenever we faced the enemy. It didn’t matter how the enemy attacks took place, the whole armor covered us. The Word had been our training instructor throughout this campaign, and he was good at his job. It was through The Word’s teaching that we understood the significance of each portion of our armor. Learning what activates different parts of the armor and how application of each piece was crucial. The enemy was treacherous using deception as it entered any battle.
We studied others’ lives and personal stories in a book called the Book of Life. In each story we observed how circumstances and challenges surrounded their lives and their handling of these occurrences. We learned our enemy moved in levels, each more deadly and deceptive than the other. In each tale we read, we studied how the enemy assigned each level. The Word’s hardest challenge with the class was to make us to see beyond the one (singular) and even the group sometimes. We only saw the person(s) causing our pain or suffering, never sensing the enemy using the person against us and others. The Word taught us not to fight against flesh and blood, which was never the target.
Meditating on this lesson I prayed for more understanding to come. Understanding enlightened me to see through my mind’s eye how families had been destroyed and why. For most family they were to create a legacy together, not just for themselves but others as well. There were individuals who would come together establish certain laws that would eliminate most of the hunger worldwide and establish world peace. These were hit the hardest with personal traumas starting early in their lives. Understanding unfolded the destinies of others and their demise, helping me to understand the importance of this lesson.
As I looked throughout the room, I appreciated the company I was a part of and the opportunity to have got to know each. Our unit was the Kings Company, a mixture of souls coming from diverse backgrounds. They formed my unit of mechanics, stay at home moms, accountants, former drug lords, former alcoholics, youths, and ex-cons. We were a tight-knit group. Looking at each other and our differences we had a common thread that united us. Native Indians, African Americans, Asians, Caucasian, Norwegian and Hispanic was the composition of our unit’s background. The ages varied from 10 years old to age 90. It was the story of the 10 years old which riveted our heart and why we understood she was the nucleus of the Kings Company.
We each had rigorous training through various sicknesses, prison, homelessness, recovering drug addictions, rebounding from sexual abuses and POWs. We learned to fight, to believe, to be relentless. Every one of these weapons formed against us, we had overcome. The drills were painful and we lost many soldiers. Many of our counter-partners died on the battleground and advanced to the realm of the “Well Done”.
The Word always finished our class the same way. “There are many people affected by yesterday, missing today and mindless to tomorrow. They are champions that are still dormant. In addition, they throw their entire life away and giving up because of the hurts they’ve suffered.” The Word's last statements were always “You can’t reject a human being because their physical package doesn’t look the same as yours. We do not struggle with each other. Stay alert and pick up your armor, because that is how you will stand!”
Though there was still time the stirring within me prompted me to dress for the battle well in advance of my fellow troops. Picking up my Belt of Truth, I remembered back when I had first received it. I thought it was unusual that they gave us a belt first. One day our Drill Sergeant instructed us to put the Belt of Truth around our waist and report to the eastside of camp. I picked up the belt and carried it in my hands as I followed my unit. As I was walking to the door, I saw there was no doorknob. Looking around confused, I realized I was the only one left in the room. Not knowing what to do I buckled the belt around my waist? When I turned back to the door, the doorknob was there. The first fact we learned in training was to adhere to every order exactly as it was given. It was a matter of life and death.
Now with my unit on the eastside of camp, our Drill Sergeant was demonstrating how to position the Breastplate of Righteousness. This covered the most important parts of the body (heart, lungs and other organs necessary for life). The heart was the most critical because the enemy threw fiery darts to pierce the heart with hatred and lies, not to forgive and evil methods.
My shoes fitted perfectly for the carrying of the Gospel of Peace, which I realized was my personal calling. We had to be proficient in the tactics needed to take up another important part...The Shield of Faith. This took months of practice because you’d die on the battlefield if all these components were not applied correctly. The Shield of Faith quenched the flaming arrows of the enemy. Next was the Helmet of Salvation. It protected you from blows to the head. This was the toughest portion of my personal training. Being attacked with depression for many years I was not fully understanding that this helmet was my deliverance and reconciliation, which prepared me to be an integral part of Kings Company. Dressed… I waited for the battle ahead.
At 2 am we heard the trumpet as now everyone was fully dressed for battle. As we rushed out the door The Word handed us our Sword of the Spirit. We stood in formation as we looked ahead, even though the surrounding noise was almost deafening. With our face set like a flint, not looking to the right or left, our leader emerged as a flame of light. Seeing the one leading us into battle, we realized this was a worldwide fight. With fire in his eyes he turned, lifting his own Sword of the Spirit and with one word that permeated the atmosphere, shouted… Charge!
Thank you for joining me for Friday at Sundown. Remember… Just Breathe!
Over the next couple of months, I will be presenting mostly stories only, Written by J Anthony Spencer and myself. His stories will have his name on them. I appreciate your support (Likes, Share and Comments).
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