READING: Isaiah 58:1-63:14
As much as I’ve studied spiritual warfare for decades now, I’m always grateful for today’s reading in Isaiah 59 about God’s putting on the armor for us. When the Lord saw no justice and no one to fix the problems of rebellious humanity, Isaiah tells us that God entered the battle Himself. He put on the breastplate of righteousness. He put the helmet of salvation on His head. He is also, according to Isaiah, the God who had righteousness as His belt and faithfulness around His waist (Isa 11:5). God Himself won the battle for us when we could not fight on our own.
It’s likely, of course, that Paul was thinking about these passages when he wrote about the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-17. These combined understandings remind us that the battle is not ours in the first place; the battle is the Lord’s, and any victory we experience is because of Him. He is our divine Warrior, and He alone gets the glory for any triumph that is ours.
That truth also means that we are always on the winning side. Even when it seems like the devil is winning, God has already taken on the armor, disarmed the powers through the cross of Christ (Col 2:15), and given us His armor to wear. May He alone get the praise!
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you let God fight your battles for you?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, thank You for taking up the armor on my behalf. I am not worthy of Your love and intervention.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Isaiah 63:15-66:24, 2 Kings 20:20-21, 2 Chronicles 32:32-33
