 The following devotional is intentionally written by a fictional character to illustrate common missteps in Bible study. Before you dive into Quill’s devotional, read Ephesians 6:10-18 to compare what Quill says with what the passage says. Also note how Quill uses other Bible references to support the suggestions given. As you use your discernment “muscles”, see if you can spot how Quill misinterprets and stretches Scripture to help people overcome negative feelings. Armor Defense by Quill Meanwell Have you been overwhelmed with a sense of darkness or discouragement? Can you feel the weight of oppression pushing you down? These are common struggles for Christians. But we don’t need to despair! Ephesians 6:10-18 gives us the tools we need to surround ourselves with the protective presence of God. There have been many authors and teachers who have thoroughly explained the meaning of each piece of armor. But the armor pieces don’t help us if we don’t actually put them on! The good news is you can use simple, practical techniques to apply all the spiritual armor pieces. Then you can experience complete protection from discouraging or oppressive moods. The first line of defense is prayer. In the Lord’s Prayer, we are taught to pray for our daily bread and to be delivered from the evil one. And the final piece of armor mentioned in Ephesians 6 is prayer. So as we pray each day, we can also pray to put on the shield, helmet, shoes, breastplate, belt, and sword! Picture what each piece looks like and imagine yourself putting them on for spiritual protection. After you pray these on, you are covered from head to toe — literally! We can also use the spiritual armor to pray for protection over family members. Just like Job offered sacrifice for his children in case they had sinned, we can also cover our loved ones with divine defense! Pray through each piece, saying the name of the person you want to protect. Your prayers can be accompanied by physical reminders of the armor. The Israelites were told in Deuteronomy 6 to apply God's word to their wrists, gates, and doorposts. In the same way, you can attach the pieces of armor to your mirror, walls, or doors. I have included a graphic that you can reproduce to create a physical barrier between any evil influence and the people in those spaces. There are many other places you can apply this token of protection - vehicles, cell phones, desks. And of course, you can put them in your pocket, hat, or the bottom of your shoe for intimate spiritual defense. Along with using this graphic, you can write out the text of Ephesians 6:10-18. Just as Jesus used the word of God to fight the devil in his wilderness temptation, you can use the words of these verses in your battle against oppressive moods. It is best to hand write the words, so that you are personally activating the power behind the words. So when you are discouraged and feel the weight of darkness pressing in, take heart! You have an incredible tool box of weapons you can use to fight against the evil one. Quill means well (yeah, pun intended) by offering practical tips for those who are struggling with discouragement or other negative feelings. Scripture does give us hope and help for all circumstances. But sadly, Quill drifts from careful interpretation of Scripture and misapplies several passages.
Quill combines Lord’s Prayer and the reference to Job as prooftexts for praying each item of the armor for protection against negative feelings or oppressive moods. Quill implies we must pray to put on these items for protection, making believers feel vulnerable if they haven’t followed these instructions. Another passage Quill misapplies is Deuteronomy 6. Moses did not give these instructions to suggest that the Israelites use God’s word to create physical barriers for protection. Yet, the devotional says we need to physically attach the visually impressive graphic to everyday objects. Quill takes the armor analogy and turns it into a literal talisman to rely on for protection. Maybe Quill should have suggested we add some garlic and rabbits’ feet for extra assurance! Quill also suggests that as we write the words from Ephesians 6, we will be activating the power behind those words. This is another common technique that subtly distorts God’s word. Our physical act of writing out God’s word does not create the ability to fight evil spirits or negative moods. These and similar superstitious activities can cause us to place our confidence in what we can do to ward off evil. God’s power is not a supernatural force that we need to access or activate through our actions. When Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we see that chapter 6 is the conclusion to everything he has said. He has already reminded the church in Ephesus of the gospel and its implications for their relationship with God and with each other. The armor imagery describes the spiritual realities that believers already enjoy in Christ. Believers may experience negative emotions. But we need not fear being overcome by evil spiritual forces. WeWhen we struggle with despair or discouragement, we can turn to God in prayer. Our hope isn’t in what words we use or creating the correct imagery in our minds. We can ask God for his help and strength, and give thanks because we have already been given truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, and faith. The gospel armor is ours in abundance because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross. At the moment we believed, we received all of these as a package deal — they are not special add ons that we need to claim. We stand firm because of who God is and what he has done for us. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3 *If you are discouraged, depressed, or anxious, please reach out to someone! Talk to a trusted sister in Christ, your pastor, or email us at [email protected]. You are not alone, God has placed us in a community of believers for mutual strength and encouragement. See also: Cookie Crumb Prayers
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