the battlefield

imagine for a moment that you are standing in a beautiful open field. its expanse is awe-inspiring, and the peace and beauty you find there would be enough to lull you into falling asleep on any other day. wildflowers line the horizon, and it seems as if no one but you has ever entered this part of the world.

you close your eyes and the sunlight warms you as it seems to beam through your eyelids. you breathe in the smell of the soil and lush green nature all around you. you are the only person for miles, and you soak in the rest you feel in this field of peace and tranquility.

then... you sense a change.

your relaxed stance quickly tenses as you open your eyes to see a new landscape. the vision of your once peaceful world is now one of darkness. fear engulfs you, and your breathing quickens as you sense that you are no longer alone.

your try to adjust to the darkness, yet your confusion grows as you sense an enemy but can not see it. you consider running, but the thought of being chased seems scarier. you stand... scared and alone... you think of lashing out, but attacking something without knowing its weakness seems worse than just standing alone in the darkness.

your fear increases as the darkness around you fills with malicious sounds. you feel your defeat is near, as your fear of the unknown closes in on your waving strength. you crouch on the ground, with your head buried in your knees and your hands over your ears. you imagine this fear might be worse than an actual attack... it cripples you as you cower in terror.

your mind whirls with a sense of injustice. has anyone ever battled this foe before now? if so, why were you never warned? never warned that your peaceful field of sunshine and wildflowers could quickly turn into a battleground when you least expected it? if you were warned, you could've stayed alert.

as the noise grows, you cry out for help...

if only you had a light and could see what enemy you faced...

if only you had a shield and weapon to fight with...

if only you had armor for protection if you needed to fight...

if only you had been trained and equipped for the battle...

if only you had been warned that there was a battle.


when it seems fear itself will overcome you, the sound in the darkness is silenced by a loud roar. a blinding white Light illuminates the area aroud you, and the darkness flees from anywhere the Light touches. you glance down, and recognize the green under you is that of your peaceful field...

the sounds in the darkness grow yet again, but the light does not fade. the Light pierces the darkness with words that are new to your ears.

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12

is it your imagination? did the darkness shrink back further?

more words come, and the darkness explodes in fury as you realize these words are meant for you...

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph 6:10-12

stand? yes... you feel like you can stand. your legs seem weak, but the Light that bathes you and pierces the darkness, has given you new confidence.

the words continue.

Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph 6:13-17

your confidence grows as you soak up the power those words seem to have. you wish you had the armor the words spoke of. you crave that feeling of safety.

feeling scared once again, you look down. on the ground in front of you is a sword. you bend down to grab the sword and at the same time, you realize you don't recognize the boots on your feet. they grip the ground better than any others you've ever worn.

your hands grip the sword and you stand upright, feeling a bit taller than you did before. you are clothed in armor as every muscle in your body seems to come alive, ready to fight... ready to face your foe with these weapons... with this strength.

the darkness screams again and you have a new awareness of it. no longer afraid, you stand clothed in armor and gripping your sword in readiness. you see the darkness swirling, and as you gaze around you, you realize there is another Light in the distance...

you wonder if that Light holds a person who has gone through all that you have. the thought overwhelms you, and because you imagine you have been where he is, you shout encouragement through the darkness... just hoping he can hear.

encouragement seems futile, although you remember what it felt like a while ago, to hear the words break through your despair and fear. your muscles tense and you start to run... willing to brave the darkness to see another who might be suffering in fear, gain the strength that you now know.

the Light that was once outside of you, now seems to radiate from beneath your armor as you leap into the darkness...

what the Light does not pierce, your sword quickly takes care of, and your feet claim the ground of the battlefield, as you draw nearer and nearer to the other Light. you stop a short ways off, as more words echo across the battlefield.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Eph 6:18

you stand, letting those words sink in. you realize this warrior must choose to fight...

it seems like forever, but you fill with a sense of anticipation and suspense as he bends down and picks up his sword. now clothed in armor and radiating Light, he looks around with new awareness, and sees you standing poised and alert beside him. your Light joins with his, and grows in strength as the darkness flees before you.

you both look around, and see another light in the darkness. you tense for battle as your new companion wields his sword for the first time.

the Light pulses around you as you both shout words that have somehow become a part of you...

words that seem to echo through the darkness when nothing else can...

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

ready for battle, your growing army charges into the darkness...

towards another Light...