The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:12 NKJV
As these days of darkness slowly impinge upon the light which brought joy to our days and shortened our nights, we despair. The enemy somehow has taken hold in the stealth during the unwatched hours before dawn’s light. In days past an armor for the battle at hand would have lain nearby, but not this evil eve of a day we dread and denied could ever dawn.
The mist of the valleys of death’s shadows billows toward our resting place, while evil awakes nearby the tents of huddled men of flesh naked to assault without watchman or armor. Because this day of evil will soon commence, a day of the enemies choosing, not ours, we should have stayed alert with armor at hand. But the battles of darkness have wearied our flesh and the sound of the trumpet alarms the unprepared warriors bereft of their armor.
War
We never saw it coming. And the unseen awful creatures of the unseen darkness, even those of the light which stand with us, we never saw.
Yet these also stand in a battle – a struggle of spirits; those of light and those of darkness, all vying for victory in the war to come.
I heard the second living creature say, “Come! ”
Then another horse went out, a fiery red one, and its rider was allowed to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another.
And a large sword was given to him.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 6:3b-4 CSB
The LORD God prepares His faithful and sends out His angels. The victory was won at the Cross, but these final battles are not yet fought.
Even now, angels of the prince of darkness would lure your soul, captive in this failing flesh, toward the false light of the fires of darkness deep in the valley of the shadow of death.
You don’t believe in this, you say – evil spirits and angels. Just fearful myth, you say, since the evil one has already questioned God in your ear.
Yet the spirit of true light, the shining hope of the resurrection of the dead and judgment of death and evil tells us the truth of eternity.
Light
Genesis 1:
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Formless and empty – does this describe your mortal life? What shape have your battles of this frail flesh taken – defeat?
Yes, defeat in inevitable death.
Darkness covered the surface of the watery depths…
As you sleep so briefly, lightly the enemy lurks in the mist of dark valleys. He plans his battle against you, helpless prey to sin and death.
The deceiver whispers to your restless soul as he once whispered to man before our original sin, ‘Did God really say “the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of an unformed universe?”
‘I wonder,’ you think.
‘My theory of life need not include a Creator of separation of light from darkness – of good from evil.’
Then God said, “Let there be light,”
and there was light.
God saw that the light was good,
and God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:3-4 CSB
The Light of Good News
You worship self or you worship things and traditions of men who have died. Perhaps a false prophet or spirit of an evil age gave your fathers excuse to deny God, your reason to reject the LORD’s own love for His creation.
Though you have heard of the Gospel, you turn away from the eternal Light of your only hope.
The Gospel of John
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
In him was life,
and that life was the light of men.
That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. = John 1:1-5
So much darkness and deceit in these last days… God help us.
They have heard the Gospel of John, yet their hateful words and stopped-up ears fail to discern the darkness to come.
This is the judgment:
The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.
But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
The Word after John 3:16 – John 3:19-21 CSB
Jesus spoke to them again:
“I am the light of the world.
Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
Gospel of John 8:12 CSB
The Armor of the Redeemed
“He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
Job 33:28
and I will continue to see the light.”
You may not believe the supernatural battles spoken in scripture, the heavenly scenes of Job, Ezekiel and others. Certainly you doubt the earthly battles of God’s redeemed.
Yet only a man or woman of foolish flesh will deny the truth of death and the good judgment of a righteous justice of the souls of man.
Those asleep in these last days must heed the warnings of Almighty God through Scripture.
The metaphor of God’s armor required to resist the evil one stands as preparation for all who seek the light of day.
Warnings of the evil to come
The LORD will destroy evil just as before, even using warriors of the enemy to purge the sin from the chosen.
Jeremiah 46:
3 Deploy small shields and large;
approach for battle!
4 Harness the horses;
mount the steeds;
take your positions with helmets on!
Polish the lances;
put on armor!
5 Why have I seen this?
They are terrified,
they are retreating,
their warriors are crushed,
they flee headlong,
they never look back,
terror is on every side!
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Isaiah
2 כִּ֤י אִם־עֲוֺנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ הָי֣וּ מַבְדִּלִ֔ים בֵּינֵכֶ֕ם לְבֵ֖ין אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם וְחַטֹּֽאותֵיכֶ֗ם הִסְתִּ֧ירוּ פָנִ֛ים מִכֶּ֖ם מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃
… We stumble at midday as in the twilight;
Among those who are healthy we are like dead men.14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far off.
For truth has stumbled in the public square,
and honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth is missing,
and whoever turns from evil is plundered.
The Lord saw that there was no justice,
and he was offended.17 He put on righteousness as body armor,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
18 So he will repay according to their deeds:20 וּבָ֤א לְצִיּוֹן֙ גּוֹאֵ֔ל וּלְשָׁבֵ֥י פֶ֖שַׁע בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃
Isaiah 59: excerpts WLC, AMP, CSB
“As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord:
“My Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.
Isaiah 59:21 CSB
The Armor of Light
Jesus answered. “If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks during the night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him.”
He said this, and then he told them,
“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on my way to wake him up.”
The Gospel of John: 9b-11 CSB
Ephesians
This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 5:14 NIV
The Armor of God
Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
Ephesians 6:10-12 CSB
Darkness verses Light — that is, evil opposing good, the rebellious turned against redemption and Christ’s enemy, the prince of darkness battling against God until the very end.
This darkness will fall upon the sleeping warriors of these last days, consuming their failing flesh and fallen world. The Lord will purify with the refining fire of His righteousness.
Yet those dressed in His armor will live victorious. By the Cross Christ has redeemed the faithful from our sins!
13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.
“with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Ambush by the enemy
The attacks of Satan are not the quick end which destroys instantly, but burning flames of ambush from the darkness of the unseen places.
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:11 NASB
The SWORD OF THE SPIRIT is the WORD by the HOLY SPIRIT of the Living God, sent for our salvation.
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18 CSB
Have you dressed for this dark day?
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet…
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
Revelation 1:10, 4:1,
Is your armor at hand for the day of evil?
“Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.
Matthew 25:13 CSB
Put your armor on, because the days are evil.
To be continued...
