I’ll get right to the point…Iron Man was Awesome! If you’re thinking about waiting for it to come out on DVD, don’t. Today Kim and I took several teens from Matthew House to Ruby Tuesday’s for lunch and then to the movies after their hard work this morning as volunteers for a local church festival. As I sat on the edge of my seat I thought how cool it would be to have my own suit like Iron Man’s. I’d be able to fly at supersonic speeds and have superhuman strength.

So who is Iron Man? Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the CEO of Stark Industries which produces advance weapon systems for the U.S. military. Tony flies to Afghanistan to demonstrate a new weapons test to the United States Air Force. On his way back to his plane, his convoy is attacked by terrorists, and Tony is wounded by a Stark Industries missile. Tony is captured and held hostage in a cave with Yinsen (Shaun Toub), a doctor who saves his life. When Tony Stark is kidnapped by terrorists he’s forced to reproduce the new destructive Jericho missile he was demonstrating from parts of other weapons. Instead, Tony decides to build a suit of armor. The suit gives Tony the strength and protection to be able to escape the terrorists. Back in America, Tony builds a better suit of armor which gives him superhuman strength with the ability to fly. With the help of his personal assistant Pepper Potts and Air Force Lieut. Colonel Jim Rhodes, Tony vows to protect the world as Iron Man.

Did you know that each of us has been equipped with our own suit of armor? When we put our faith in Christ alone we’re equipped with a supernatural suit of armor that gives us superhuman spiritual strength to protect us and help us fight against spiritual warfare.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor 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. – Ephesians 6:11-13

Satan loves to trick you and I into believing spiritual warfare is about the people in our lives. Like that annoying brother or sister who nags you, the teacher handing out loads of homework, or your parents grounding you for something you’ve done wrong. Spiritual warfare is NOT about people, it’s about Satan and his demons. Spiritual warfare, Satan and his schemes are real. In order for you and I to battle spiritual warfare we need to follow Ephesians 6:11 and put on our spiritual Iron Man suit. In Ephesians 6:10-13 God promises to give us the power we need to say “no” to the devil’s temptations, protect us from his schemes, and give us the superhuman spiritual strength to stand our ground. It takes a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.

The key to Iron Man’s strength is a super cell power supply located in the center of his chest. For you and I Jesus is our power supply. So how do we obtain Jesus? Jesus is the only source, there is no other power or name that will save us.

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Acts 2:21

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.- John 14:6

Salvation is not achieved by works (by what you DO) but received through faith (by what Jesus has DONE).

You know I had an awesome thought. Can you imagine an Iron Man army of teens suiting up everyday equipped to share their faith, growing deep in their relationship with Jesus, and fighting off the schemes of Satan? In his most recent post Greg Stier put it best when he said; “Let’s stop the defensiveness and go on the offense for Jesus! The end result? When teenagers graduate from high school they don’t evacuate the church but they do help evacuate lost souls from the kingdom of darkness! They become missionaries at their universities and workplaces. They don’t merely retain their faith, they regain lost ground for the kingdom of God by advancing the mission and message of Jesus everywhere they go!”

So who will join me in suiting up and becoming a spiritual Iron Man ready to storm the gates of hell?

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