Ephesians 6:12-13 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Late at night on May 2, 2011, IT consultant Sohaib Athar was working on a computer project in the hills of Pakistan.  On this unremarkable night, he was annoyed by the noises of helicopters and explosions. During the minutes of this distraction, he Tweeted out his observations and closed that string of thoughts with the following … “I hope it’s not the start of something nasty :-S.”  In reality, it was the end of something nasty.

Eight hours later, the world learned about what Athar had been Tweeting about.  Breaking the silence of the highly classified raid, President Obama proudly declared on live television that Osama bin Laden was dead. The nighttime noises heard by Athar were the ongoing raid itself and he had unknowingly journaled one of the world’s most noteworthy events live eight hours before anyone understood the full context of those observations.

There is much going on around us at all times.  Sometimes we understand all of it.  Sometimes we understand some of it.  Sometimes we understand none of it.  Sometimes it is related to flesh and blood.  Sometimes it is related to principalities and powers.  We rarely understand the full context of our observations.

Regardless of our perspective, we need to be vigilant and well-armed spiritually for the rigors and the nastiness of the day.

PLEASE PRAY TO BE SPIRITUALLY ARMED FOR THE CHALLENGING CONTEXTS WE WILL FACE.  Sometimes it is the start of something nasty.  Sometimes it is the end of something nasty.  Sometimes we are a part of breaking news without even knowing about it.