Flannel Flat Stanley going to war...

Do you remember when you were little in Sunday school and the teacher showed you the flannel story of the full armor of God? Standing in all the flannel glory was a figure simply clothed and as the teacher spoke of each piece of gear she begin to arm the flat Stanley for battle. I even remember buying a plastic armor at a Christian bookstore for my little youngster so he could fight righteous battles with pretend armor. I think we might have messed up!

Over and over in God's word he says to us...you don't need any of that stuff. I AM your armor. Of course, when a soldier is engaged in an earthly struggle with a physical enemy he needs his earthly body as protected as it can be. But in Judges when God is preparing Gideon for battle...He is the general. They have no need for battle gear. All they need is a horn and some pots. God just confuses the enemy around midnight with loud horns and breaking pots. God has no need for battle gear...he just asks for a trusting heart. Wasn't it the same with David? David in his tender youth was wise enough to know that he needed no heavy burdensome armor...that God was his protector. So...God provided a slingshot to slay an awkward near sighted giant. Moses found himself lacking in confidence so God just simply provided a staff...just a little something to hang on to like a security blanket. The power was never in the staff...

Our battles are spiritual battles. Our weapons are spiritual weapons. But it is impossible to go into a spiritual battle if I am weighed down with earthly stuff. I wonder if my waist is girded with the belt of gossip or rumors. What if I am wearing the breast plate of pettiness? Are my feet planted firmly with fear? Am I dragging around a shield of doubt? Do I wear a helmet of unbelief while I wave around a sword of man's counsel? Is my mind dull and wandering with thoughts of earthly things? If so, I will never be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Perhaps we should return to our Flat Stanley flannel graph and flip our lesson. Begin with the soldier burdened with all his armor...and remove one piece at a time reminding children that we worship a HEAVENLY God. We are fighting in spiritual realms. We need to shed the heaviness of earthly armor to open our hearts and our minds to God. God wants his children to be armed with His Holiness...and that my friends lightens your load.



Ephesians 6:13-18 Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requiest. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.