We are all called to fight in something greater than any human conflict. We are soldiers in the fight - the quintessential fight between good and evil, light and dark, life and death.
Don't think that because the terms are so vast, this "war" is a metaphor. It is not an abstract concept of "doing good" but a very real fight. It is a fight raging around us all the time, in every place and every time throughout the whole of history.
The best part is...we've already won.
"Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with principalities, with the power, with the world rulers of the present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
-Ephesians 6:10-17
This exhortation is repeated several times throughout the epistles, so Paul makes it very clear it is not just a nice message, but a vital truth. So vital, in fact, that it's worth examining closer.
"draw your strength from the Lord" - We should recognize that we have nothing of our own power, but only what comes from God.
"Put on" - Paul repeats this a couple times. God's armor is infallible, but it is up to us to choose it, "putting on" the armor of God.
"stand firm", "resist", "hold your ground" - Paul uses powerful language of war to make it clear that we are fighting a fierce battle for heaven
"righteousness as a breastplate" - the breastplate protects the heart, as righteousness protects our heart
"feet shod in readiness" - Jesus sent us out, and so our feet must be ready
"hold faith as a shield" - faith is our first line of defense - faith in God, faith in Christ, faith in His promises
"helmet of salvation" - The helmet protects the head, and so we know that our salvation is true
"sword of the Spirit" - Jesus is the "word of God", and the "sword of the Spirit". This is why he was depicted in Revelation as having a sword from his mouth (19:15). It is not in his hand, because it is in his words and his promises that he fights.
Our battle is not a metaphor. It is not an abstract concept. It is real. It is all around us. It is fierce, and we are in the thick of it every day. The enemy will not always attack our walls, but will try to subvert them. He will try and find the weak points, the secret doors in. The devil will try to hit us where we are weakest. And we are weak.
Without God, our castle is one with paper walls. With God, it is a "rock, a fortress" (Psalm 18:2, 28:8, 31:2-3)
We trust in the victory of the cross, because it is through the perfect sacrifice that Christ, with the full power of heaven and earth, could say
Behold, I make all things new
-Revelation 21:5
I give up on picking a favorite.
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