Rowland Croucher posted Leigh Wilson’s note which said: After many years of waiting for someone else to do it, I’ve taken the bull by the horns and written a modern parallel of the Christian’s Armour in Ephesians 6, based on the gear that long distance hikers carry.

In my parahrase of the passage on my Laughingbird.net site, I decided that teh conflict image could not be entirley dispensed with in this passage. Understanding the desire to get away from a straight warfare image though, I used the image of the gear used by riot police. I’ve pasted it below.

Peace and hope,

Nathan

_____________________________________ Nathan Nettleton Pastor, South Yarra Community Baptist Church Melbourne, Australia

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Ephesians 6:10-20

If I could say one last thing to you, it would be this: toughen yourselves up by drawing strength from God. Equip yourself with everything God offers, because you’ll need it to detect and survive the guerrilla tactics the Devil will use against you. What we’re up against here is not simply human opposition. This is a life-and-death struggle against the corrupt spiritual forces and cosmic powers of evil that are responsible for the destructive chaos which is presently threatening to engulf the world. So arm yourselves with everything God gives you so that you’ll be ready and able to hold your ground when all hell breaks loose. It’s time to stand up and be counted. Kit yourselves out in truth, righteousness, peace, faith and salvation, and you’ll be ready for anything. Truth is like a belt on which everything else hangs. Justice and righteousness protect your heart like a bullet-proof vest. Your passion for spreading peace will get you through the hard miles like a sturdy pair of boots. Faith is like a riot shield that protects you from the fire bombs and anything else the evil one throws at you. God’s salvation is like a good helmet – even if you do get knocked down, it will keep your head in one piece! And finally, when it is time to go on the attack, there is one indispensable weapon – the word of God – the same weapon the Spirit used to bring us to our knees. And speaking of being on your knees, none of this armoury will be any use at all unless you are putting some serious time into prayer. Pray long and hard with the Spirit as your partner and mentor. Keep your eyes and ears open and keep plugging away in prayer for all your comrades in this holy quest. Remember me in your prayers too. I might be an ambassador bearing God’s message, but my opportunities are rather limited here in the detention centre! So for the opportunities I do get to speak, pray that I’ll know exactly what to say and that I’ll have the guts to come out with the whole thing, the whole wondrous mystery of the good news in Christ.