Dressed for Battle

Danny received the call from his commanding officer to gather his gear and be ready to board the plane in one hour. Danny was a soldier but he hated the thought of going into battle. Worst of all he hated the gear he had to put on every time he walked out of his home, a tent, in the middle of the desert. But, Danny knew that he was expected to be prepared so he grabbed his duffle bag and began to place the items that he was required to take with him in the bag.

He always kept this uniform pressed and ready, hanging by the door for just such a moment as this. His shoes were polished and neatly placed next to his uniform. His weapons were polished as well and were so clean and shiny that he was sure his commander would be impressed with such care. His belt had a shiny brass buckle on it and he remembered how long it took him to get that buckle to shine.

Danny placed all the things he was supposed to carry; his helmet, his weapons, his bullet proof vest, his boots, and his uniform into his bag. He took one last look around the room and grabbed the bag and headed out the door. Setting on Danny’s desk was his Bible, but Danny didn’t think he would have much time to read that on the battlefield so he didn’t bother to put in it his bag.

Once Danny and the other members of his troop reached their destination Danny’s commanding officer usher them into the tent and gave them their orders. Danny was going to have to guard the perimeters of the compound where they were staying for the next few months. The other men who had been there for several weeks were given some time off. So Danny dressed in his battle fatigues, put on his helmet and his vest, put his weapons over his shoulder and around his waist and headed out of the tent for his duties of guarding the base. Danny took his job very seriously and the first night he was wide awake hearing every sound that was made out in the distance. He knew that the men here were counting on him to protect them from the enemy.

Several nights passed and Danny was growing tired of the monotonous walk hour after hour around the perimeters of the compound and every time he had to put on his uniform he grew tired of wearing all those heavy jackets. The hot boots and long sleeves on his uniform, not to mention the bullet proof vest, and oh the weapons must have weighed 50 pounds at least. Danny began to think, “I’ve been out here walking this fence row for days and haven’t seen one thing.” So the next evening Danny decided that he wasn’t going to wear that hot and heavy bullet proof vest. And just as he suspected nothing happened. So again, Danny’s thoughts turned to his uniform. “I hate these heavy weapons. I think I will just leave them back in the tent and if I see something I can always get back to my tent and get my weapons, no problem.” This went on for several more days and Danny was feeling pretty secure. He had been out there for over two weeks now and nothing has happened and no one even knew he was out of uniform. It was late and everyone was asleep anyway.

Suddenly Danny heard something in the distance. He stopped to listen, but nothing. He thought to himself “ I’m beginning to hear things”. Then there it was again but it was so far way he reassured himself that nothing was there and he just continued to pace back and forth along the fence. Within just seconds Danny was overtaken by the enemy. He reached for his weapons but they weren’t there. The enemy had overtaken him by surprise. As he struggled with them he fell and he hit is head hard and was knocked unconscious. When Danny woke up the first person he saw was his commander. He felt horribly ashamed. He was afraid to ask what happened.

His commander pulled up a chair and sat down next to Danny’s bed in the infirmary. “Danny, he said, I have something to tell you.” and he reached over to touch Danny’s arm. Danny could barely hold back the tears. What had he done? His commander went on. “Danny, while you were guarding the perimeters of the compound I was watching you. You didn’t know that I was there but I was. Night after night I watched you begin to let down your guard and I watched the enemy getting closer and closer. I saw the enemy attack you and when that time came I was there, you don’t remember it but I took care of you and you are alive today because I was watching over you.” Your fellow soldiers came to your rescue as well and they were able to keep the enemy from taking over the compound.

Danny could not control the tears as the weight of what he had done over took him. He felt the pain in his chest and looked to see that his wounds had been bandaged, he was going to be alright. But suddenly he realized that not only had he taken off his protective clothing and laid down his weapons but he had also left the one weapon of defense that he needed most laying on the dresser in his bedroom. His Bible. Danny’s commander had allowed him to experience physical pain from disobeying His commands by not being adequately protected but Danny also experienced spiritual pain by leaving behind his weapons of battle for a spiritual warfare. Danny knew there were consequences to his actions and he couldn’t believe that his commander wasn’t there to take him to jail for what he had done. He put everyone there in harms way and he knew that he would have to pay for that decision. But, his commander leaned forward and told Danny. “Don’t worry everything has been taken care of, I have paid for your mistake. Danny’s heart was overjoyed. He had been set free from the penalty of death for his actions and his commander had taken care of everything. But why? Why had he done that. Danny knew that he deserved to be punished for his actions so why did is commander take the wrap for him. Because the commanding officer was Danny’s father.

You see God commands us to be prepared for battle and to wear the proper clothing and have the proper weapons, but when the time comes for us to do battle he is not going to force us to wear those weapons of war. He leaves that decision up to us. He is there watching but he doesn’t interfere with our decisions to disobey. He does however, watch over us and keep us safe from the enemy. Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the full amour of God so that we can stand firm against the schemes of the devil. If we do not wear the proper protective clothing in the battle then the enemy, Satan, can sneak up on us and take us captive. Thankfully we have a heavenly Father who is watching over us as dress for battle and even when we leave off some of the armor He is able to keep us from becoming a statistic of war. He will not always keep us from harm sometime He will let the darts penetrate those areas that we have left vulnerable to attack. But He is there to help us up and to keep the enemy from destroying us because he is our Father and He loves us that much.

We cannot begin to know to what lengths Satan will go to destroy us, but greater lengths does our Heavenly Father go so SAVE US!

My prayer is that you will be blessed and dressed (for the battle belongs to the Lord)