Article November 13, 2006 Issue

'THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD'

BY DAVID KENNEDY

ONE MORNING I woke feeling overwhelmed with severe doubts about everything I had ever believed regarding God and His power to heal. It was a fear that the truths I'd been learning from the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy just weren't true, and that I really could not continue to rely on them.

Sometimes people go through periods where they question things they've always believed. But this was not that kind of a situation for me. I had already been a Christian Science practitioner for a few years, and these thoughts were completely contrary to my natural way of thinking. They were also contrary to my most heartfelt desires, and that's what made the whole thing somewhat scary. I felt I could neither act, nor even think, in accord with the spiritual convictions that were normal to me.

Almost immediately, though, a Bible passage came to thought. It was from the book of Ephesians, where Paul the Apostle said, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." The passage continues, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Eph. 6:11, 13-16). Paul went on to describe a couple of other points about this spiritual armor, but these particular verses became a lifeline to me. They gave me something to hang on to.