IronWifey - April 2018 - The Armor of God - Issue 11

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AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

"ARMOR OF GOD"

MAGAZINE

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SWEDISH MUSIC ARTIST

ARE YOU WEARING YOUR ARMOR?

HOPE

BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

APRIL 2018 -ISSUE 11 - ARMOR OF GOD

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SHOES OF PEACE HELMET OF SALVATION SHIELD OF FAITH BELT OF TRUTH SWORD OF THE WORD OF GOD

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As iron sharpens iron, so one woman sharpens another.

April 2018, Issue 11 The Armor of God Issue Founder, Editor-in-Christ, Designer: Micayla Robertson Contributing Writers: Chriscynthia Woodert-Calhoun Veranique Parker

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AUTHOR: CHRISCYNTHIA WOODERT-CALHOUN

Adebosoye Olagbegi Ncediwe Mdlulwa

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Elsonia Swarts

BELT OF TRUTH AUTHOR: VERANIQUE PARKER

Denise Dandridge Cover Feature: HOPE

ARMOR UP: PUTTING ON THE FULL ARMOR

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THE PURPOSE OF RIGHTEOUS LIVING AUTHOR: ADEBOSOYE OLAGBEGI

Christian Music Artist

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THE GOSPEL OF PEACE AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

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A CROWN OF THORNS FOR OUR SALVATION AUTHOR: ELSONIA SWARTS

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GUARD YOUR MIND AUTHOR: ELSONIA SWARTS

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S.H.I.E.L.D.

C O N T E N

AUTHOR: MICAYLA ROBERTSON Printed by:

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Minuteman Press

AUTHOR: DENISE DANDRIDGE

7679 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236 Phone: (513) 531-7600

THE WORD OF THE LORD STANDS FOREVER.

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COVER FEATURE: HOPE! INTERVIEW BY: MICAYLA ROBERTSON

T (S)

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Thank you for reading the "Armor of God" issue of IronWifey Magazine.

The book of Ephesians is one of my absolute favorites because of the Armor of God. As a huge superhero fan, I immediately imagine a female superhero by the name of IronWifey, putting on her whole armor as she prepares for battle. She is equipped with the tools she needs to fight crime (the devil) and serve her people.

I also love shopping, so the armor of god is symbolic in the clothing I wear. Proverbs 31 tells us of a virtuous woman who is clothed in strength and dignity. Everyday, we place physically clothing on our bodies to protect and shield ourselves and in the same way, we must also clothe ourselves spiritually to protect ourselves from the schemes of the enemy, and shield ourselves from spiritual harm.

The armor of God is so power and can change the very fabric of our being if we put it on everyday. I pray that as you read this issue, you embrace the full armor and become the superhero that you were created to be.

Armor up my friend! It's time to save the world!

With Love,

-Micayla Founder & Editor in Christ, IronWifey Magazine

If you see these logos, that means there's more in store!

Check out ironwifey.com to further explore the article!

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL. EPHESIANS 6:11 ESV

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AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

ARMOR OF GOD

ARMOR UP PUTTING ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD As a child, I was always taught the importance of “putting on the full armor of God." It was the hue and cry of every good Christian to "armor up" and ready ourselves for any battle with the forces of darkness.

Each piece of the coat of armor had an

BY: CHRISCYNTHIA

assignment, such as: the shield of faith, the

WOODERT-CALHOUN

sword of the word, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, and prayer in the Spirit. This divine combination is a sure-fired arsenal to protect God’s soldiers from being injured during spiritual warfare and insured we would be prepared for the fight.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

out of misunderstandings or purposely planted

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in

- Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

seeds of deceit, I sought peaceful resolutions. In

view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a

the midst of the storm, when things looked the

living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is

Empowered by these words from scripture, I

most bleak, I endeavored to push down the fear

your true and proper worship” - Romans 12:1-2

marched through life with the deep conviction

and avoid speaking words of doubt. Although, I

that I had all the protection I ever needed if I

will be the first to admit there were multiple times

stuck to this recipe for spiritual success. This

when I failed to corral my emotions and gave in

mantra helped me feel safe and was my cure-

to my inner “Doubting Thomas.” It was during

all for everything evil or foreboding. In my

one of those especially dark moments, when

mind, if I armored up, it would prove that I

my words and deed did not glorify my Heavenly

was in the will of God. Thus, for all intents

Father, that I realized an undeniable truth.

and purposes, a good soldier marching toward

NIV.

Consequently, I submit to you, that in order to truly please our Father, we must continue to offer up our best sacrifice to not only God, but His people. As imperfect creatures, we will not always reach our expected goal, but where man only sees our failed attempt, Our Lord and Savior sees our hearts. Therefore, He rewards

the victory in life, who would one day walk

The full armor of God, not only protects the

our earnest efforts and provides us ongoing

through the pearly gates of Heaven in my

warrior from spiritual battles, but it protects

opportunities to strengthen our interpersonal

appointed time.

others from the battles waged within ourselves.

skills, so that we do not offend others

On the other hand, somewhere along the road

Truthfully, one should never be without their

to glory and majesty, I took time out to live on

armor. For, it serves as a reminder that we are

this earthly plane and deal with the day-to-day

bought with a price and we are truly not our own.

struggles. When I became a wife and a

Thus, it is our solemn responsibility to guard

mother, I learned that others were impacted by

others from a careless tongue or harsh deed. This

what I did, what I said and even how I said it.

conduct is not worthy of a servant of the Most

When I felt like screaming and complaining

High God. Like anything in life, there should be

I found that quiet inquiries often worked better

balance, and we must continue to strive toward

than harsh reprimands. On the job, when faced

the mark of the high calling. In theory, this

with an untenable decision by management, I

should not be hard for Christians, to show mercy

noticed that it served all concerned to go to the

and goodness, but as human beings we constantly

bargaining table first, before heading to the

wage war against our lesser being.

unnecessarily. Without a doubt, through our

union office. When ugly encounters arose

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reasonable service, reverence and humility, it is my sincere belief that putting on the full armor of God will not only arm us against those “weapons formed against us” but also those that are sometimes formed within us.

“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD” - Isaiah 54:17 NKJV

The time has come for your ways to be changed and your mind renewed. Armor Up: For Him,

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

For Them, For You.

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THE BELT OF TRUTH BY: VERANIQUE PARKER

"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.

The concept of the belt of truth relates to the idea that a soldier in ancient times would use a belt to gird or hold up their long garments. This freed them to be ready for action and allowed them to put on the rest of their armor. In the same way, if we arm ourselves with the belt of truth that will be our foundation before putting the rest of our armor on. This allows us to be ready to face the schemes of the devil by filtering everything he throws at us through God's truth.

If I would have had my belt of truth on during an eight-year relationship in my past, I would have been able to recognize the enemy's deception. Priscilla Shirer, Co-founder of Going Beyond Ministries, put it this way in a sermon about the Belt of Truth, "Sometimes we don't often know it is the enemy and we do not know we are being deceived."

Second Corinthians 11:14 (ESV) reads, "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."

Second Samuel, chapter 11 tells of how even the great King David himself was deceived by the angel of light when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. He continued to forget to arm himself with his belt of truth and that caused him to lie and to deceive one of his best friends and most trusted warriors. He even went as far as making his friend carry his own murder sentence to the commander of the army.

Yet, God reminded him how to put his belt of truth back on and even called him a man after his own heart. Shirer also states that, "The devil is studying you, your weaknesses, he zeroes in on what he knows will work for you."

In the same way that the devil used David's weaknesses against him, he also used my weaknesses against me. He knew how weak I was when it came to my relationship with my ex-boyfriend and he continued to use that relationship as a weapon to fulfill me, yet rip me apart from my faith and keep me away from the Lord at the same time. It was a constant wave that kept me trapped beneath the surface, just enough to breathe, but the perfect amount to allow despair into my heart and paralyze me.

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STAND FIRM THEN, WITH THE BELT OF TRUTH BUCKLED AROUND YOUR WAIST..."

EPHESIANS 6:13-14 (NIV) He took delight in using my past to feed me with ideas of what a "healthy relationship" was; keeping my eyes from seeing what a Godly relationship should be. He knew what I would allow in my life and used that leverage to keep me locked up in chains.

Deception is the mark of the enemy.

"He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 (NIV) Sometimes his lies can be internal within us. In David's case, the guilt and shame he felt for committing adultery were lies that caused him to commit even greater sin. In my own case, I felt like Eve in Genesis 3:13 (NIV), "'What is this that you have done?'

God said to the woman. She responded, 'The serpent deceived me and I ate.'"

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

And, the serpent deceived me, so I ate from the tree and believed living a sinful life was the best way to live and fulfill the needs of my heart. After all, following the laws of the serpent gave me all the amenities and bonuses I thought I wanted but later realized he deceived me with the illusion to believe this relationship was healthy for me.

The Lord was in my heart, but seeing what I could have versus God's plan is where my priorities were mixed up. The enemy shamed my reality to think it was God's truth when in actuality it was not.

We have to be on guard against this angel of light because he is a master illusionist who will make us think something is real when, in fact, it is not.

He pushes us to believe that the lie is of God but then keeps us bound by a facade we cling to in our hearts and minds hoping those manifestations will come true. The same way I couldn't figure out that the relationship I desperately wanted to work out was not the plans God had for me. All the impurities kept me alive and breathing, but the pain hindered me on the other side of my path with the Lord. The enemy's illusions and my lack of knowledge of God's word kept me from seeing the importance of my salvation and the authority I had to fight for my truth. I felt so defeated in my faith that I did not even recognize his deception in my life. I did not know the relationship I desperately craved to be in was not of God. I was experiencing the enemy's illusion.

I do not regret the years I was in this relationship because it taught me the importance of wearing my belt of truth so I can magnify the deceptions and the illusions of satan. The belt of truth strengthens me to help see what lies ahead and how to avoid the head-on collisions with him. I need my heart to be so wrapped up in the Lord's love for me and the power He gives me in His word to put on my belt of truth and be prepared for battle on a constant basis.

That way I can begin to pinpoint the schemes of the enemy using the belt of truth and attack him with the rest of the Armor of God.

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)Â

Shirer goes on to say, "There is a whole season of my life that I look back on and I cannot even believe the kind of decisions I made...I cannot believe the people that I allowed myself to be in relationship with. I cannot believe the choices that I made and the paths that I walked, and I'm so grateful that the Lord delivered me from it..."

What can we do when the enemy even begins to approach us with his lies making us think that what we are doing is okay? We have to put on the belt of truth and measure everything through God's word. If we’re living in a way that Christ has the final say in our lives, then Christ and His Gospel become the light by which we will be able to see what is true and right in any circumstance. That is why there is a “Gospel Test” we can use for all we think or say or do.

Tom Olson, Campus Pastor at The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, wrote an article titled The Belt of Truth, Part II, and gave these four Gospel-questions to ask ourselves about any thought or word or action:

Olson, T. (2014, March 20). The Belt of Truth, Part II, Retrieved from https://unlockingthebible.org

The Gospel Test Does it honor Christ as Lord? Take suffering, for example.

If Christ is the Lord of the universe – and He is – we know that because of Christ, any suffering is only temporary. Jesus is truly preparing an eternal weight of glory for us that far outweighs our sufferings (Rom 8:18) because He is the Lord over sin and death and hell. He is Lord over suffering! This truth protects us from the despair and hopelessness that the evil one seeks to thrust upon us. Instead, it gives us confidence in Christ.

Does it honor Christ as Lord?

Does it strengthen my faith?

Does it strengthen my faith? Particularly when I’m feeling weary, I strive to be as comfortable as possible. With that comes the temptation to ignore the things that would strengthen my faith – namely, spending time in God’s Word. Instead, I become convinced that picking television over reading the Word will rejuvenate me. But that never happens. Pursuing my own comfort only makes me want more comfort. It never strengthens my faith and refreshes me like I think it will.

So asking this question she the light of Christ on our situations so that we can see them truly.

Does it increase my fight against sin?

Does it increase my fight against sin? Take, for example, a spouse in a strained marriage. The easiest thing to do in that circumstance is to focus on the other person’s sin. But the Gospel message of Christ reminds us that we are all sinners who are in need of a Savior.

It helps us to see that we are not perfect people who have been sinned against – we are sinners who must humbly confess and fight against our own sin if our relationship is to be restored. The belt of truth is a blessing – it will lead to restored relationships!

Does it increase my love and praise for my Savior?

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Does it increase my love and praise for my Savior?

Take that area you find so “gray” and not very “black & white” in your life. Could be your approach to money. Could be your approach to movies and TV. Could be your approach to purity. Can it survive this question? I The other way of asking this question is: “Will others love and praise my Savior through what I’m saying or doing?”

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

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AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

THE PURPOSE OF RIGHTEOUS LIVING - ADEBOSOYE OLAGBEGI

THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

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ARMOR OF GOD

THE PURPOSE OF RIGHTEOUS LIVING

BY: ADEBOSOYE OLAGBEGI

Who do you think is going to be better in battle? The one who goes in with no gear, unaware of what's going on? Or, the one who is suited up and knows there's a battle going on?

Living a life of righteousness is not an easy thing to do, but we have the Holy Spirit to help us. As the Holy Spirit works on the inside of us, and we become more like Christ, righteousness becomes a lifestyle and not something we have to strive for and we become more yielded and submitted to the Holy Spirit.

Paul said in Ephesians 6:12-13 WEB that, “our battle is not against flesh and blood but against but against principalities , against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore put on the whole armor of God…” I like how Paul says "therefore" because he's blatantly saying that BECAUSE there is a battle going on, we need to put on the whole armor of God. He's not saying to do it just for the sake of doing, but it is necessary based on the situation. Many times when people look at how God has called us to live, they choose not to follow Christ because it seems like a difficult standard to live by. According to world standards, it also doesn't seem fun. In describing righteousness, Paul chooses to use the breastplate.

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. . .” Ephesians 6:14 NIV The purpose of a breastplate is for protecting your heart in battle, and likewise living a life of righteousness is for our own protection. We go to battle everyday whether we like it or not. Daily we must crucify the desires of our flesh and align our desires with those of Christ.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 NIV IRONWIFEY.COM

I see the Holy Spirit as an activation for the armor of God. In a superhero movie, a superhero can have their suit on, but have no power. They need to press a button or do something to activate the power of the suit. If we try to put on the whole armor of God, without God himself, we're wearing a suit with no power. Living a life of righteousness takes God himself, and he has given us the Holy Spirit to activate that power.

Learning to become more Christ like is a never ending process, but it's a process worth going through because it is for our own protection. The spiritual battle continues regardless of our choice to be submitted to the Holy Spirit or not. The good news is, with God, the battle is already won.

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“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. -EPHESIANS 6:13-15 NIV

A CROWN OF THORNS FOR OUR SALVATION - ELSONIA SWARTS

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AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

ARMOR OF GOD

SHOES OF PEACE (GOSPEL OF PEACE) A CROWN OF THORNS FOR OUR SALVATION - ELSONIA SWARTS

BY: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

IRONWIFEY.COM

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

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The scripture of Ephesians 6:13-15 (NIV) reminds me of Isaiah 52:7 NET: How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

In Matthew 9:35 NIV, the bible declares that Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. My observation would be that the good news (the Gospel) gave people more peace, less anxiety, and increased confidence as well as faith in the Lord as a result of the miraculous signs and wonders Jesus performed. It is also important for us to draw more strength from the Lord through the word of God in all seasons of life. Matthew 4:4 NIV and Luke 4:4 NIV emphasize how: “Man shall not leave on bread alone, but on every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God” Considering the analogy of a soldier’s shoes symbolizing the Gospel of Peace, and the need for footwear on the battlefield; shoes are worn to protect us from injuries associated with rough and hard surfaces from the ground (like thorns/spikes) that could potentially delay our walk or mission. Shoes also provide a cushioning element for our feet in order to walk smoothly so that we can effectively fulfill our daily activities such as standing, walking, and or moving from one place to the next.

Soldiers are unable to fight and are unequipped to face the battle without their footwear since their footwear provides ankle support and stability; just as Christ provides support and stability in our lives. Through observation, it’s safe to assume that the life Jesus lived involved walking around extensively, as Jesus performed many wonders and signs for the people. It is also clear that in the biblical times there were no sophisticated means of transportation.

Thus, for purposes of evangelism; people would be required to use their feet to walk as means of spreading the Gospel. On the other side the scripture, in Exodus 3:5 NIV, Moses wore shoes when he approached the burning bush.

But, he was instructed by God to remove his shoes from his feet, since the place on which he was standing was Holy ground. This scripture gives me the impression that the surface on the ground on which Moses was standing was free of thorns, stable, safe, and posed no danger or schemes from the Devil. Smooth and sacred, it needed to be honored and respected in the presence of God, and required the removal of any and every thing lying between God and man. | 14 | APRIL 2018

Taking the example of Jesus spreading the gospel to the world, as believers, our feet have to be healthy, strong and protected at all times. This means walking/going where God directs us to go and doing what God commissions us to do.

Indeed, I believe in the scripture that says the enemy comes to kill and destroy, but He (Jesus) came to give us life and life in abundance. (John 10:10 NET) When Jesus was crucified on the cross, his death and resurrection, did not only set us free from our sins/iniquities/transgressions, BUT he also brought PEACE to humanity and to the world at large. This is the same as the Gospel of Jesus; understanding the Gospel of peace and its significances in our Christian life, informs us and sets the foundation of our salvation thereby creating stability in our faith in the Lord.

We are all soldiers in the army of Christ on a mission to spread the gospel. Each piece of our equipment that prepares us for battle (helmet, belt, sword, breastplate, shoes, sword, and shield) is associated with Christian Warfare Equipment (gospel, faith, truth, righteousness, salvation, and prayer) as an anchor in assisting us (as Christians) to effectively serve God accordingly. Our entire armor must be worn for victory, but it is our walk/shoes that physically and spiritually carry us through battle and lead us in peace.

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

ARMOR OF GOD

THE GOSPEL (SHOES) OF PEACE HELP US: TO STAND FIRM IN OUR FAITH IN THE LORD TO WALK NOT BY SIGHT BUT

BY FAITH TO GIVE US HOPE AND CONFIDENCE TO EQUIP US TO FIGHT AND ATTACK THE THORNS/SPIKES OF LIFE (THE DEVIL’S PLANS OR SCHEMES)

“FOR OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT AGAINST THE FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST THE RULERS, AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES AND AGAINST THE POWERS OF THIS DARK WORLD AND AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS” -EPHESIANS 6:12-13

HELMET OF SALVATION

A CROWN

OF THORNS FOR OUR SALVATION According to Oxford Dictionary Theology, salvation is defined as deliverance from sin and its consequences,

BY: ELSONIA SWARTS

believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ. The Bible, in the book of John 3:16-17 (NLT)

In return all He wants, is for us to:

informs us of the lengths to which God will go, for us to

“Put on salvation as our helmet, and to take the sword

be delivered from the consequences of sin:

the Spirit, which is the word of God.” -Ephesians 6:17 NLT

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will

In Romans 12:2 NLT, we are advised not to “copy the

not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the

behavior and the customs of this world”, but to “let

world not to judge the world, but to save the world

God transform us” into “new people” by “changing

through him.”

the way” we think.

Thus, while we were sinners, Christ died for us (Romans

Furthermore, Colossians 3:2-4 NLT emphasizes that

5:8; Romans 4:25; 1 Peter 3:18); and saved us by his

we need to “Think about the things of heaven, not the

grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7). Christ endured the

things of earth. For you are dead to this life, and your

pain and suffering and humiliation of a woven crown on

real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when

his head.

Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”

“The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and

We have to allow God to transform us and accept his

called out the entire regiment. They dressed him in a

salvation as a matter of urgency;

purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and

“And do this, understanding the present time: The

taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him

hour has already come for you to wake up from your

on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to

slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than

their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired

when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the

of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his

day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of

own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be

darkness and put on the armor of light.” -Romans

crucified.” -Mark 15:16-20 (NLT)

13:11-12 NIV

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BY: ELSONIA SWARTS

GUARD YOUR

MIND WEAR THE HELMET OF SALVATION

One day in Bethany, while Jesus was visiting Simon, a man who previously had leprosy, something very strange happened. While Jesus was enjoying his meal, a women came in with a very expensive and beautiful alabaster jar of perfume in her hand. Guess what she did with the perfume!

She poured it over Jesus’ head, anointing Him as he sat among his disciples. (Matthews 26:6-7 NIV).

In the eyes of the disciples, this woman did something appalling and they criticized her for pouring the expensive perfume over the head of Jesus.

“Why this waste?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

-Matthews 26:8-9 (NIV) The disciples neglected to guard against the negativity of their minds and chose to criticize instead of commend the woman for recognizing Jesus as her Savior and acting it out through her anointing. She understood what they did not.

What better way to honor the head, than to pour out what you have upon the head of Christ himself?

The woman further understood that God would give her victory by making her the head and not the tail, for it is written: “If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.” Deuteronomy 28:13 (NLT) It is thus extremely important to be steadfast in your faith; faith brought by the salvation of God. The woman brought her most valuable possession as a sacrifice and a testament of her faith.

What others deemed wasteful, she saw purposeful.

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)

The woman understood the importance of guarding the head. For Jesus is the head of our lives, the head of the church, and the head of the body of Christ; and it is Guard your mind, guard your head, pour out your anointing, and through the head that salvation is understood and embrace the helmet of salvation. accepted. | 1 8 | APRIL 2018 AS IRON SHARPENS IRON ARMOR OF GOD

www.ironwifey.com/podcast

SHIELD OF

FAITH

By: Micayla Robertson

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one - Ephesians 6:16 ESV

A shield is known to protect, guard, cover, and block soldiers from harm’s way. The shield of faith works in the same way, blocking christians from enemy attack and preventing injury to the body of Christ. As soldiers in the army of Christ, it is imperative to always be on guard when it comes to schemes of the enemy. Satan has strategic plans in place to dismantle our faith and lead us to doubt.

Since faith is the belief in things unseen and the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1-6), if we rely only on sight, we may fall blind to spiritual attack.

We are all children of God, believers and non-believers alike.

Too often, I see non-believers exhibiting more faith than believers and followers of Christ. Faith in a dream, a goal, a plan, an idea, a business, or man. Just look at the world’s most successful people, only a handful believe in God and proclaim their faith. As backwards as this seems, non-believers place so much faith in what they hope for, it manifests itself in their lives and is reflected in their walk. For them, the “flaming darts of the evil one” are known as “haters”, and they spend all of their time and energy working on the vision they see for their lives. They take action, learn as much as possible, and understand the power of authority. This is how Christians, need to be with Christ!

An excellent example of faith is seen in Matthew 8: 5-13 (ESV), when a centurion soldier sought healing from Jesus for one of his fellow soldiers (servants).

"Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

The centurion was not a follower of Christ, but a man who understood and respected authority. This man knew that Jesus was sent under the authority of God, to carry out a mission and witnessed how His words could change situations. While Jesus was willing to go to the paralyzed servant to heal him, the soldier had so much faith that his servant would be healed, he wasn’t relying on man’s touch for it to happen. He manifested healing over his servant by taking action, asking for help, and walking as if it was already done. That is faith.

Faith is a shield that can heal without touch, lead without experience, serve without question, and provide vision without sight. It is an important piece of armor to carry everyday and use in every circumstance. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 NKJV). Just as the Centurion soldier heard of Jesus and decided to seek his help; we

SHIELD should also take up our shield of faith and Seek Him In Every Life Decision.

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ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

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AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

HE T F O D R O W D O THE S G F O D R O W

THE WORD OF THE LORD STANDS FOREVER

BY: DENISE DANDRIDGE

Out of the many letters that the Apostle Paul wrote while he was incarcerated in Rome for spreading the gospel, his

He knows exactly what buttons to push to take our

prison epistle that resonated the most with me was

comfortable lives and turn them upside down.

Ephesians. I can only imagine the countless encounters that Paul had with the armored laden soldiers and how this

Satan sees the potential that God has placed within us,

imagery of them led him to compare the soldiers battle

and his utmost desire is to keep that greatness shrouded

attire, with what that same armor would represent in God's

from us. By filling our minds with his lies, with doubt,

Army.

worry, negativity and disdain he is able to destroy our spiritual relationship and sever our connection with our

Paul informs the reader in Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV to "Put

Saviour Jesus Christ. He traps us in a state of disillusion

on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand

that seemingly leaves us feeling abandoned on the

against the wiles of the devil". He proceeds in his writing

battlefield of life, ill equipped and unable to fight off

to explicitly describe each piece; The belt of truth, the

our attackers. Like a soldier's sword, however, the meta

breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace, the

l in our spiritual swords require sharpening as well. Our

shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the

battle preparation begins when we commit our lives to

spirit which is The Word of God.

God. Only through our belief, trust, prayer and immersion into The Word daily, can we ever hope to

He ends by telling us to pray fervently. In comparison to

find protection strong enough to stand against Satan's lies.

the ensemble that the Roman Soldiers wore, God's armor is so much more than tangible, protective covering. It

"For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper

represents the very essence of our Lord and Savior Jesus

than the sharpest two edged sword cutting between soul

Christ. And the Sword which I have selected to expound

and spirit, between joint and marrow it exposes our

upon, represents Christ himself.

innermost thoughts and desires" (Hebrews 4:12 NLT)

Senior Pastor of Cleveland's Parkside Church, Alistair

Because every word of God is pure, and because

Begg, once said, “In The Scriptures we meet Christ who

everything He does is truly for our good, we must use

is the very living Word of God.” Scripture backs this

God's word, the sword, to slice through and conquer

quote in John 1:17 KJV which says that, "In the

everything that is not of him, so that God can align us

beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God,

with His will for our lives. Jesus said, "if you abide in my word,

and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning

you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the

with God."

truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32 ESV) His truth brings a freedom that ushers in peace and love. A freedom filled with

Each and every one of us is caught in some form of

gratitude and happiness that exceeds all understanding. As one

spiritual battle daily. Not necessarily from a literal sense

of God's committed soldiers we march into battle armored up

where we are bombarded with arrows or gunfire, but we

and prayed up, ready to tear down strongholds not only over our

are plagued by Satan's deceptions in many forms. For we

lives, but also over the lives of those closest to us. We fight to

wrestle not against flesh and blood but against

reclaim what God has already given us standing on his promises

principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the

alone.

darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12 KJV). The devil uses;

The world may afford mere glimpses of possibilities and

disappointment, fear, financial setbacks, pride, betrayal,

successes, but if they are not rooted in the Word and of our

envy, marital division, depression, prejudices, our own

Heavenly Father's design, they will falter and die. The Word of

egos and a host of strategically placed tricks and

God is the only truth and the only means to cut through satan's

maneuvers to both separate us from God, and expose a

deceptions and emerge victorious! "Oceans will rise kingdoms

weakness in our armor where he and his evil spirits can

will fall but the Word of the Lord stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8)

land a fatal blow.

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This month IronWifey was able to connect with Swedish music artist, HOPE, of HopeMusicOfficial!

Find out about her latest single, "Armor of God", how the Lord uses her musical gifts, and how she puts on the armor of God daily!

H O P E

Q. When did you first start exploring your musical gifts?

A. I’ve been singing my whole life. I started writing my own songs when I was 10 years old and I just wrote my own lyrics and played my moms guitar. I didn't know any chords back then, so I made up my own chords. Then, we got my grandparents piano and I kept writing songs from there. When I would question what to do with my life, I always went back to music. I found a calling inside but I wasn’t walking closely with God at that time, so the evil one used my gift to bring me down, and I found myself comparing myself to others. It

Q. What lead you to write your single, Armor of God? A. In Christ, we have tools to get through our everyday lives. So often we get discouraged and it’s a battlefield of the mind where we compare ourselves to others, like I often did. If I had the tools to stand my ground and know who I am in Christ, and fight off the bad thoughts about myself, it would have helped me in my own struggle. So, we came to write that song to encourage people that we have the breastplate of righteousness and the sword of the spirit, which is God’s Word; and those are tools we can use to get by in life and stand our ground in Christ.

became a struggle. When I refocused my life on Jesus in a new way, I realized that I was meant to be writing and singing for Him. All those insecurities vanished and the pressure was off because it was all about Him. I then started to develop in my singing, because I was using my gifts the way I should have all along. When the focus is right, it’s so much easier to use it in the right way.

Q. Is there a specific piece of Armor that helps you the most?

A. The Sword of the Spirit because that is the Word of God and the Word of God is the most powerful thing we have. To be able to fight off the wickedness and rely on God’s protection around us is so important. Also, the Belt of Truth and knowing what is true and what God says about me to be true. So many times we’re fed lies and don’t really know what God is saying about

Q. How has music helped you grow spiritual ly?

A. Just putting Him first in everything because that where it all

us. So it’s a really good tool to know what is true and what God is saying to be true in our lives!

starts. I understood that when I put Him first in my life I started to grow in my heart and soul first. Then when I started to praise and sing and dedicate my gifts to Him, I started to grow in my gifts. He wanted to use my singing to bless other people and use it for Him and His kingdom. Just putting him first, dedicating the gifts to him, and realizing that when you praise the Lord the heavens open to pour down the blessing. Worship music is really a spiritual warfare tool. It turns our focus to him and that really does something to the atmosphere.

Q. How do you balance life, music, and being a wife?

A. Alone time with God is key to everything. I think it should be for everyone, because that’s when you develop that intimate relationship with him and everything comes from that. You can be balanced in your relationships with people, you can hear his voice more clearly, how you treat your husband, it all comes from getting to know God and who he is. Spending time alone with Him has made me feel like I can do life much more easily because I have His peace and His joy.

Q. Why did you name the label Hope Music?

A. Hope is something everyone can relate to even if you're not a Christian. So, it brings people to a platform where you can just listen to the music or you can really get to know more about Christ.

Q. Where do you see yourself and your music in the next five years?

A. Anything can happen with the Lord and nothing is impossible so I try to dream big. I think the main goal is playing the music all around the world, meeting people, speaking to them about

Q. What do you want listeners to get from your music?

A. Today’s music is so sad, and so full of darkness, and we

what Jesus has done is our life, and just connecting with people around the world. There really are no limits.

need to be the light in the world that God has set us up to be.

The main goal is to introduce people to Christ through the music, bring hope and encouragement, and give people an

To learn more about HOPE and her story

alternative for the dark and sad music out there in the world

www.ironwifey.com/podcast

today.

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listen to the full podcast interview at

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

APRIL 2018 | 25 |

HOPEMUSICOFFICIAL.COM Check Out HOPE's latest single "Armor of God"

Keep up with all things HopeMusicOfficial

: @HopeMusicOfficial

: @HopeMusicOfficial

www.hopemusicofficial.com

| 26 | APRIL 2018

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

ARMOR OF GOD

FINALLY, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT EPHESIANS 6:10 ESV

Take and share freely!

www.ironwifey.com

ARMOR UP