It was on this day in the year 70 that Titus put battering rams in position to assault the walls and gates of Jerusalem. This tactic was employed in order to create a weak spot in the fortifications of the besieged city. Day after day, sometimes for weeks, these heavy battering rams would strike at the same positions in the wall until it was compromised, and then the foot soldiers would flood into the city. This strategy eliminated the need to scale walls or mounting attacks on all fronts. All that was needed was one small breach in the fortifications and the attacker could penetrate the besieged city. 

Today, many believers feel the same as those who were in Jerusalem. They feel surrounded and can sense the Adversary’s battering rams coming against them and trying to penetrate their defenses in preparation for his final assault. And like a besieged city, all the enemy needs to do is to create a breach in that one weak spot – that is where he’ll send the main body of his forces to try and defeat us. That is why Paul admonished us: 

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:11-18)

Someone who is intent on surviving the battle takes on the whole armor. He doesn’t lay part of it aside. It does no good to gird your waist with truth if you fail to take up the shield of faith. A good General is not going to ignore any weak spot in his defenses. To the contrary, he will fortify and support that particular place, because he knows, chances are, his enemy has already probed his lines to see where the weak point is. The enemy doesn’t attack where we are strong but where we are the weakest.

Let’s face it: we all have weak points and if we ignore them, if we don’t reinforce them, the Adversary will use a situation or a person to hammer away at that weak point until there is a breach. Remember, it’s the little foxes that spoil the vine, therefore, we can’t afford to ignore those little foxes or those weaker points, but we don’t magnify them either. Instead, we must take up the whole armor that has been supplied to us and ask our Father to help us where we are weak so that we can stand against the attack of the Adversary. A heavenly message that was delivered to Paul rings true for us, today.

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) 

In addition to being an encouragement, this promise, rather than an invitation to ignore our weaknesses, is an admonition to acknowledge our weaknesses, so that the power of Messiah may be our strength. Religious people try to convince others that they don’t have any weaknesses. They project the illusion that they have somehow conquered all. The evidence of this is that, rather than focusing on themselves, they tend to focus on the frailties and weaknesses of others. In my view, those who take this position are setting themselves up to be humbled, perhaps, even by the Adversary? On the other hand, I freely concede that, though I have strengths, I have just as many weaknesses. At times, I feel so battered and weak that I want to quit and be done with it. It is in those times that I cry out for His strength to compensate for my weaknesses. In the end, victory will come, “not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).  Therefore, may His Spirit rest upon us all, today, completely and wholly. 

Shalom.