Therefore put on the full armour 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. (Eph 6:13 NIV)

As we recognize the terrible power of the evil foes and the danger of combat with them, it is all the more intimidating as we consider the peril of being vanquished and the little power we have in ourselves. It is quite right, that we’re not alone in this struggle. The godly angels are with us. Thank God for that! Yet how can the good angels win the victory if the militant Church here on earth looses out terribly? If the devil overwhelms us as the weak, outer wing of the opposition, then the heavenly hosts will surely return victoriously to their heavenly abode, but the battle would be lost – just like us the beaten army. Our eternal salvation is at risk. That goes to show how vital and crucial it is that we would stand our ground and not give in. The day of evil is any given day. We can fall any time as indeed do too many of us. Just as weak and helpless we are, so strong and crafty are the foes. Yet still the victory is God’s and his people, because he has promised that and his Son Jesus Christ vouchsafes therefore with his victorious glorification on the cross.

O Lord Jesus Christ, you see how the mighty and powerful enemies of your Church attack her on every side, baying for her blood and eager for her destruction. The rulers of darkness know there’s not much time left. Their anger is ferocious. O Lord together with your entire Church on earth we call upon your holy name and implore you keep and preserve us in your holy word so that we will stand on the firm foundation of your most holy Law and most comforting gospel, that nothing will pull us from your mighty hand. Amen.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. (Martin Luther 1483-1546)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Wednesday after the twenty first Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 364 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.