Day 1 – He has got you

“𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑚𝑦 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑛, 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝐻𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.” 𝐸𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 6:10 (𝐾𝐽𝑉)

In Ephesians 6, we read about the armor of God we need to dress ourselves in, to be able to take a stand against the devil’s schemes. But have you ever noticed, the armor of God covers our complete front, it covers our waist, breast, feet, and head. We are even equipped with a shield and a sword, but none of these parts covers our backs. Why? Because God has got our backs. He is all around us. We will explore in this devotional how He covers us, all around our whole bodies.

There is something striking about the way the Apostle Paul describes spiritual warfare. He does not begin with panic. He does not begin with fear. He begins with a command: Strength, in this context, is not personality. It is not volume. It is not bravado. It is borrowed power — sourced in God Himself. Paul then paints a vivid picture: a soldier standing fully dressed for battle. Belt fastened. Breastplate secure. Shoes fitted. Shield raised. Helmet positioned. Sword in hand. The imagery is deliberate. It is strategic. It is precise. And it reveals something remarkable. Every piece of armour protects the front. The breastplate covers the chest. The shield is carried forward. The helmet guards the head. Even the sword is extended toward what lies ahead, but there is nothing covering the back of the soldier. At first glance, this seems like an omission. In warfare, vulnerability is dangerous. Why leave the back exposed?

The answer lies not in deficiency, but in design. Roman armour was constructed for soldiers who advanced together. Retreat was not the expectation. Turning one’s back in battle was an act of surrender or defeat. The armour assumed forward movement. It assumed courage. It assumed resolve. Spiritually, the same principle applies. The Christian life is not designed for retreat, but for forward movement and fighting. We are, however, only human. And when we retreat, our backs are exposed. That is where God steps in. He will cover our backs. Even when you feel the enemy is aiming exactly for your weak spots, God will cover you and protect you.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me protection to cover my front when I enter battle. Thank you for covering my back yourself. I cannot win any spiritual battle without your covering. Amen.

Written by Michelle Horn for www.womenoftheword.co.za