Starting With Our Spiritual Armor

I started writing a blog on Monday night, and spent three hours working on it, and almost done, it got deleted somehow.  I have been having a few episodes where that has been happening, and almost losing the blog, but had always been able to save it in the end, somehow.  Not this time.  I took a few days off, because I was extremely discouraged by putting in so much time and effort, just to have it disappear on me.  Yesterday, I was thinking about it, and I thought, it's not lost, somewhere out there in cyberspace, it is making an impact.  An angel, a demon, or one of those great clouds of witnesses that are up in heaven, has seen that blog, and been impacted by it.  I was impacted by it.  So, forgive me for having a mini meltdown, but I am back to business.  (when I say a demon may be impacted, they are impacted by the fact that I am giving Jesus honor and worship, they don't like it, so it is a weapon in their face.  That is what I mean by that.).
As I was praying to God about my meltdown, I felt like He was telling me, to work on something He has been laying on my heart to do.  A long time ago, I was totally impacted by our spiritual armor and what it means to us.  What each piece does, and how we need to think of it, as we put it on.  So, today I will be writing the verses that talk about our spiritual armor, and then on future blogs, I will be going over each piece of that armor.
In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].
Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the depotisms against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your grouond on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude (righteousness) and right standing with God.
And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
And take up the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty.  To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).     Ephesians 6:10 - 18
For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we do not belong either to the night or to darkness.
Accordingly then, let us not sleep, as the rest do, but let us keep wide awake (alert, watchful, cautious, and on our guard) and let us be sober [calm, collected, and circumspect].
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night.
But we belong to the day; therefore, let us be sober and put on the breastplate (corslet) of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.  I Thess. 5:5-8
And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore, His own arm brought Him victory, and His own righteousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him.
For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak.  Isaiah 59:16-17

My dear friends and family, think on these words tonight or tomorrow.  Let them sink deep into your heart.  Meditate on what God is speaking to you about them.  I eagerly look forward to sharing this with you on Saturday night.  I have to take tomorrow off, as it is Kaylee's birthday, and we will be celebrating her wonderful place in our family.  God bless you all.  Love you my dear ones.