Our Spiritual Armor
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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17
In verse ten of Ephesians 6 we were given a command: "Be strengthened in the Lord and in the power of his might." A second command is given in the thirteenth verse: "Put on the full armor of God." Just as the strength is not ours but the Lord’s, received by faith, so also the armor is not ours; God provides it. This armor is given to us to secure our safety and allows us to withstand the attacks of the enemy in our life and the lives of those around us.
Necessity of the Armor
Strength, weapons and armor are necessary to fight the evil supernatural forces arrayed against us.
Our weapons are:
· The Word of God is life and truth; it is the powerful sword of the Spirit.
· The blood of Jesus
· The Name carries within it all of its attributes and is a most powerful weapon. (See Lesson C)
In order to stand against the enemy, we need spiritual strength and spiritual armor, which God himself provides. The KJV says the ‘whole armor’. Our ability to fight against the enemy depends on our having ALL of the armor. Notice that every piece of the armor has something to do with the Word of God. The picture given in Ephesians is of a Roman soldier’s armor. It was very heavy. Without proper exercise and diet, the soldier could not fight with it on and would lay it aside making himself vulnerable to the enemy. We are commanded to "put on the whole armor of God." In the Greek this is in the aorist tense, meaning we put on the armor once and for all. We are supposed to sleep with it, eat with it, work with it, come with it, and go with it. We must have it on at all times. (1) We must be spiritually fit to carry this armor. This is accomplished in our lives by the Word and a daily walk with God. This warfare is not about you but all within your scope.
Also note in Romans 13:12,14 “Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light…put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is another picture of our armor – Jesus Christ himself. He clothes us with this armor. Again, it is given so that we can stand against the schemes of the enemy. It keeps us strong in His power and might. It enables us to resist in the day of the enemy’s attack. It is what secures our safety and will accomplish the Father’s will. (2)
The Belt of Truth
There are six elements in this armor. The first is found in verse 14: "Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist." A soldier’s belt, which was made of leather, secured his garments so that he could move freely and work without impediment. The belt also was used to hold the soldier’s sword. When the soldier put his belt on, he was ready to fight. His weapon was at hand. Here we learn that the belt for a Christian consists of truth—the truth as it is revealed in Jesus Christ. The Scriptures tell us God desires truth in the inward parts. This truth is more than head knowledge…it is truth that we know by experience. Experience helps us take what we know is true, and put it into practice in our life. As a youngster, my daughter wanted a horse. We pointed out that she did not know how to care for them. She told us she had read about horses and would do just fine. We didn’t agree. The seven sons of Sceva had heard how Paul told demons to flee and decided to try it…it didn’t work out very well for them. Check out your tool belt and see if what is true has been forged by trial and experience or by just listening to a good word. Or has it become Truth in your life? The difference will be seen in battle.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
Verse 14 continues, "with the breastplate of righteousness in place." The breastplate covered the chest area and also the back. Our breastplate is the righteousness of Jesus Christ, received as a gift by faith. In Philippians 3:7-9 Paul contrasts Pharisaic righteousness with the righteousness of Christ: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
Our breastplate of righteousness is all about the righteousness we receive from Jesus Christ. We stand before God in the righteousness of Christ today, tomorrow, and through all eternity, and the Lord accepts us. Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.
Shod Feet
Verse 15 says, "and with your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." As Christian soldiers, we need shoes to march in, boots that give us sure footing, so we won’t slip. Shoes are an interesting item. In some instances, God told people to take off their shoes as the ground was holy. But in this battle with the enemy, He instructs us to put on shoes that represent our being dressed and ready. In reality, shoes protect our feet. Those shod feet carry soldiers into battle. In olden days, a soldier’s shoes had cleats to help him be surefooted – not slipping or falling. Our feet are fitted with the gospel of peace and reconciliation which we proclaim to the world. The word ‘peace’ carries deep meaning…wholeness, wellness… Have you stepped outside barefooted in the heat of summer? Have you walked through a yard filled with stickers barefooted? Hazardous!!! So don’t walk into the enemy’s camp without your spiritual shoes – they are your protection. His peace will guard your heart. His peace will prepare the way.
The Shield of Faith
Verse 16 says, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." This speaks of the large shield that protected the Roman soldier’s entire body. It was made of wood covered with hide and bound by iron on top and bottom. When dipped in water, this large shield was able to put out incendiary missiles, which consisted of arrows dipped in pitch, set aflame, and fired. (1)
The shield of the believer consists of his confidence in God, whose promises are "Yes and Amen." When we read the Bible, we are being washed by the Word. The water of the Word will penetrate our shield and flaming darts will be extinguished. If you do not know the Scriptures and walk in faith, your shield will not be effective. This shield protected the body – the flesh (our body’s house) and the soul (the seat of our intellect, our emotions and our will). The enemy loves to come against us in these areas – thoughts, emotions and temptations. As the Word is consumed, you will find the strength to tell the enemy that you will not partner with him. You will not be defenseless. You do not have to ride an emotional rollercoaster – up, down, up down. Your walk with God can become constant without the enemy beating you up because you let your guard down. You have the Word as your belt, shoes of peace on your feet, you are
clothed in His righteousness and now your shield is up and ready to deflect the darts of the enemy. Your head armor is next…
The Helmet of Salvation
A Roman helmet was made of bronze with a lining of felt inside. It was both protective and decorative. This helmet consists of our salvation; to wear it speaks of our assurance of that salvation. The hope of our salvation guards our minds from the enemy. The shield of faith protects our body, but it is our mind that directs its use and placement. So, our minds must always be protected by the covering of salvation. Philippians 4:8 tells us how to think. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Learn to guard your mind. Take care about what you see and hear. Let all things that enter into your mind be pleasing to God. This is not an admonition to bury your head so that you never see what is happening in the world. Learn to take those things to God in intercession and leave them with Him.
In the natural, no one goes to work without the proper equipment and attire. Steel-toed boots for some, cowboy boots for the rancher – each meeting a
specific need. God is in the equipping business. He will never allow a trial that you have not been equipped to handle.
He will prepare you in advance. Keep your heart in tune with His and your focus on Him. He will see that you are clothed for the battle ahead.
He will put the weapon you need into your hand. It will be familiar. David won his battle against Goliath with a sling and a stone. Daniel won his battle against the Lion with his confidence in His God – their mouths were shut. Paul and Silas won their battle with praise. Each battle will be different, but ALL will have the commander. His tactics match the need. In future weeks we will be studying warfare.
In Beth Alves book, Becoming a Prayer Warrior, she gives several declarations to make regarding this armor. I recommend this book for further study.
· I will stand in faith on the solid rock, Jesus. You are my foundation; I will not be moved by the roar of the enemy, nor by negative circumstances. I will stand valiant and strong, for with You on my side, who can be against me?
· Jesus, You are my truth. You have made me to know the truth in my inward parts. I am dressed in readiness because Your truth clothes me. I shall know the truth and truth will set me free. I will speak forth the truth in love today. I will accurately handle the Word of truth, and will plant seeds of truth in others so You may be reproduced in them.
· Jesus, You are my righteousness. In You I live and move and have my being. Help me to conform to Your character and Your will in my life. I put on Your righteousness by faith and ask that you protect my heart, that I may walk with pure motives.
· I shod my feet with Your gospel, Your peace. My feet will not be moved from the gospel, for I am not ashamed of the good news. Because my feet are set securely in Your peace, I am ready to maneuver in any direction the Holy Spirit leads me. Keep me in a state of readiness so I can boldly tread upon enemy territory to set the captives free from Satan’s bondage.
· Thank you for being a shield unto me. I put my trust in You, choosing to walk by faith, not by sight or circumstances. I will speak words of faith and I will ask in faith without doubting. Your Word is Your power. Thank You, Father, that You are alert and active, watching over Your Word to perform it.
· Today, I will renew my mind by the Word of God; I refuse to entertain the thoughts of doubt and unbelief the enemy would bring to me. I bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. I will concentrate on those things which pertain to life and peace. (2)
Thank you Lord for Your armor and Your weapons. Instruct us 24/7 in their application and use. Let us be aware of what you have given us. Let us see through eyes that see and have ears that hear what the Spirit would teach us.
(1) P. G. Matthews
(2) Becoming a Prayer Warrior by Elizabeth Alves
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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17
In verse ten of Ephesians 6 we were given a command: "Be strengthened in the Lord and in the power of his might." A second command is given in the thirteenth verse: "Put on the full armor of God." Just as the strength is not ours but the Lord’s, received by faith, so also the armor is not ours; God provides it. This armor is given to us to secure our safety and allows us to withstand the attacks of the enemy in our life and the lives of those around us.
Necessity of the Armor
Strength, weapons and armor are necessary to fight the evil supernatural forces arrayed against us.
Our weapons are:
· The Word of God is life and truth; it is the powerful sword of the Spirit.
· The blood of Jesus
· The Name carries within it all of its attributes and is a most powerful weapon. (See Lesson C)
In order to stand against the enemy, we need spiritual strength and spiritual armor, which God himself provides. The KJV says the ‘whole armor’. Our ability to fight against the enemy depends on our having ALL of the armor. Notice that every piece of the armor has something to do with the Word of God. The picture given in Ephesians is of a Roman soldier’s armor. It was very heavy. Without proper exercise and diet, the soldier could not fight with it on and would lay it aside making himself vulnerable to the enemy. We are commanded to "put on the whole armor of God." In the Greek this is in the aorist tense, meaning we put on the armor once and for all. We are supposed to sleep with it, eat with it, work with it, come with it, and go with it. We must have it on at all times. (1) We must be spiritually fit to carry this armor. This is accomplished in our lives by the Word and a daily walk with God. This warfare is not about you but all within your scope.
Also note in Romans 13:12,14 “Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light…put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is another picture of our armor – Jesus Christ himself. He clothes us with this armor. Again, it is given so that we can stand against the schemes of the enemy. It keeps us strong in His power and might. It enables us to resist in the day of the enemy’s attack. It is what secures our safety and will accomplish the Father’s will. (2)
The Belt of Truth
There are six elements in this armor. The first is found in verse 14: "Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist." A soldier’s belt, which was made of leather, secured his garments so that he could move freely and work without impediment. The belt also was used to hold the soldier’s sword. When the soldier put his belt on, he was ready to fight. His weapon was at hand. Here we learn that the belt for a Christian consists of truth—the truth as it is revealed in Jesus Christ. The Scriptures tell us God desires truth in the inward parts. This truth is more than head knowledge…it is truth that we know by experience. Experience helps us take what we know is true, and put it into practice in our life. As a youngster, my daughter wanted a horse. We pointed out that she did not know how to care for them. She told us she had read about horses and would do just fine. We didn’t agree. The seven sons of Sceva had heard how Paul told demons to flee and decided to try it…it didn’t work out very well for them. Check out your tool belt and see if what is true has been forged by trial and experience or by just listening to a good word. Or has it become Truth in your life? The difference will be seen in battle.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
Verse 14 continues, "with the breastplate of righteousness in place." The breastplate covered the chest area and also the back. Our breastplate is the righteousness of Jesus Christ, received as a gift by faith. In Philippians 3:7-9 Paul contrasts Pharisaic righteousness with the righteousness of Christ: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
Our breastplate of righteousness is all about the righteousness we receive from Jesus Christ. We stand before God in the righteousness of Christ today, tomorrow, and through all eternity, and the Lord accepts us. Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.
Shod Feet
Verse 15 says, "and with your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." As Christian soldiers, we need shoes to march in, boots that give us sure footing, so we won’t slip. Shoes are an interesting item. In some instances, God told people to take off their shoes as the ground was holy. But in this battle with the enemy, He instructs us to put on shoes that represent our being dressed and ready. In reality, shoes protect our feet. Those shod feet carry soldiers into battle. In olden days, a soldier’s shoes had cleats to help him be surefooted – not slipping or falling. Our feet are fitted with the gospel of peace and reconciliation which we proclaim to the world. The word ‘peace’ carries deep meaning…wholeness, wellness… Have you stepped outside barefooted in the heat of summer? Have you walked through a yard filled with stickers barefooted? Hazardous!!! So don’t walk into the enemy’s camp without your spiritual shoes – they are your protection. His peace will guard your heart. His peace will prepare the way.
The Shield of Faith
Verse 16 says, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." This speaks of the large shield that protected the Roman soldier’s entire body. It was made of wood covered with hide and bound by iron on top and bottom. When dipped in water, this large shield was able to put out incendiary missiles, which consisted of arrows dipped in pitch, set aflame, and fired. (1)
The shield of the believer consists of his confidence in God, whose promises are "Yes and Amen." When we read the Bible, we are being washed by the Word. The water of the Word will penetrate our shield and flaming darts will be extinguished. If you do not know the Scriptures and walk in faith, your shield will not be effective. This shield protected the body – the flesh (our body’s house) and the soul (the seat of our intellect, our emotions and our will). The enemy loves to come against us in these areas – thoughts, emotions and temptations. As the Word is consumed, you will find the strength to tell the enemy that you will not partner with him. You will not be defenseless. You do not have to ride an emotional rollercoaster – up, down, up down. Your walk with God can become constant without the enemy beating you up because you let your guard down. You have the Word as your belt, shoes of peace on your feet, you are
clothed in His righteousness and now your shield is up and ready to deflect the darts of the enemy. Your head armor is next…
The Helmet of Salvation
A Roman helmet was made of bronze with a lining of felt inside. It was both protective and decorative. This helmet consists of our salvation; to wear it speaks of our assurance of that salvation. The hope of our salvation guards our minds from the enemy. The shield of faith protects our body, but it is our mind that directs its use and placement. So, our minds must always be protected by the covering of salvation. Philippians 4:8 tells us how to think. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Learn to guard your mind. Take care about what you see and hear. Let all things that enter into your mind be pleasing to God. This is not an admonition to bury your head so that you never see what is happening in the world. Learn to take those things to God in intercession and leave them with Him.
In the natural, no one goes to work without the proper equipment and attire. Steel-toed boots for some, cowboy boots for the rancher – each meeting a
specific need. God is in the equipping business. He will never allow a trial that you have not been equipped to handle.
He will prepare you in advance. Keep your heart in tune with His and your focus on Him. He will see that you are clothed for the battle ahead.
He will put the weapon you need into your hand. It will be familiar. David won his battle against Goliath with a sling and a stone. Daniel won his battle against the Lion with his confidence in His God – their mouths were shut. Paul and Silas won their battle with praise. Each battle will be different, but ALL will have the commander. His tactics match the need. In future weeks we will be studying warfare.
In Beth Alves book, Becoming a Prayer Warrior, she gives several declarations to make regarding this armor. I recommend this book for further study.
· I will stand in faith on the solid rock, Jesus. You are my foundation; I will not be moved by the roar of the enemy, nor by negative circumstances. I will stand valiant and strong, for with You on my side, who can be against me?
· Jesus, You are my truth. You have made me to know the truth in my inward parts. I am dressed in readiness because Your truth clothes me. I shall know the truth and truth will set me free. I will speak forth the truth in love today. I will accurately handle the Word of truth, and will plant seeds of truth in others so You may be reproduced in them.
· Jesus, You are my righteousness. In You I live and move and have my being. Help me to conform to Your character and Your will in my life. I put on Your righteousness by faith and ask that you protect my heart, that I may walk with pure motives.
· I shod my feet with Your gospel, Your peace. My feet will not be moved from the gospel, for I am not ashamed of the good news. Because my feet are set securely in Your peace, I am ready to maneuver in any direction the Holy Spirit leads me. Keep me in a state of readiness so I can boldly tread upon enemy territory to set the captives free from Satan’s bondage.
· Thank you for being a shield unto me. I put my trust in You, choosing to walk by faith, not by sight or circumstances. I will speak words of faith and I will ask in faith without doubting. Your Word is Your power. Thank You, Father, that You are alert and active, watching over Your Word to perform it.
· Today, I will renew my mind by the Word of God; I refuse to entertain the thoughts of doubt and unbelief the enemy would bring to me. I bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. I will concentrate on those things which pertain to life and peace. (2)
Thank you Lord for Your armor and Your weapons. Instruct us 24/7 in their application and use. Let us be aware of what you have given us. Let us see through eyes that see and have ears that hear what the Spirit would teach us.
(1) P. G. Matthews
(2) Becoming a Prayer Warrior by Elizabeth Alves