The Armour of God for Writers by Rebecca Seaton

 

The Armour of God for Writers by Rebecca Seaton

    Ephesians 6 instructs us to ‘Put on the full armour of God so that…you may be able to stand your ground…and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.’ (Eph 6:10-18) It also lists the seven parts of armour and how to use them. Many of us are familiar with this but what does it mean for writers?

The belt of truth is the first part of armour listed. This is key, as we should hold the truths about who God is and who we are in Him as the foundation on which everything else sits. Starting our battles, from our first book ideas to sharing our work, is crucial to what happens next.

Readiness is also important. This might sound obvious: after all, it would likely be fatal to go into war unprepared. But how often do we falter because we haven’t prepared enough, or have let our flame flicker partway through the course? The enemy stirs up doubt but God gives us all we have to be ready.

Faith is also an essential component. In the Ephesians verse, this is the shield. A shield protects us in the midst of battle. This could be where God’s word to us or the testimony of a friend shields us from doubt or despair when we hit an obstacle in our writing. God’s shield is bigger than any assaults.

The description of the armour ends with a reminder of the importance of prayer. We may have the belt, shield, helmet and all the other components but they won’t be activated unless we speak to and hear from God. Otherwise, it’s a bit like having a wonderful new car with the latest parts and technology but not putting any fuel in. Speak to God when you start new writing projects, when you get stuck and when you’re reviewing work. Ask Him questions – He is interested in you and your work, and when you discuss it with Him that pleases Him. We would do it any other areas of our lives, it is no less important to do it with our writing. If we listen to God and seek His will, He can lead us to amazing places: maybe there’s a genre we hadn’t thought we could write in or an opportunity we wouldn’t have dared go for but with constant prayer, we are given the faith and skills to make it happen. Wear the armour daily but make sure it is your prayer that activates it. That way, you’ve put your foot on the pedal and brought the different parts into action. God has equipped us for our battles in our writing as much as anything else, so pray like your wearing His armour as your pick up your pen: He has given it all to us to be used.

 

 

 

#amwriting #amwritingfantasy #ACW     

 

Rebecca earned second place in the 2017-18 Pen to Print Book Challenge with her first novel, A Silent Song. She is currently working on a fantasy trilogy involving a prophet, a dodgy queen and a powerful relic.