Are you wearing your armor? Are you protected? How do you know? We can only imagine the days we wake up and everything is perfect…But in reality, there will always be a test, a trial, and even an attack. It would be nice to solve every problem that comes our way, but we both know that is not the case. We may not know what’s coming, but we can be prepared when it gets here. Did you know that the enemy is always looking to attack, to trick, to steal, and to kill? “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” Ephesians 6: 11-18 ESV. Paul gave us each piece of armor that we must “put on” which requires us to make a decision. I’m going to break down verses 14-18 so we can look at how each piece of armor is important.
- The Shield of Faith (verse 16)
- The Helmet of Salvation (verse 17)
- The Sword of the Spirit (the word of God) (verse 17)
- The Belt of Truth (verse 14)
- The Breastplate of Righteousness (verse 14)
- The Gospel of Peace on your feet (verse 15)
Your Faith is your shield against all the flaming darts of the evil one. Since everyone has a different measure of faith, imagine the greater your faith, the greater the attack. Because we live in the world, the devil knows our weaknesses and he will use all his evil tools to knock us off our game. Our faith is our belief in who God is, what he has done, and what he will do. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him”. There are many stories in the bible of how people demonstrated their faith toward God. One in particular that stands out to me is the woman who had bled nonstop for 12 years and believed that she would be healed just by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment(Matthew 9:20-22). Now if that is not faith, I don’t know what is!
Your salvation is in Jesus Christ who saved you from the penalty of sin, which is death. Not just a physical death, but an eternal death. Eternal death is being outside of the presence of God. We must renew our minds daily with God’s word to stay sharp and aware of what’s going on around us. Your helmet is one of the most important pieces of armor you have on. If your head is exposed, then you are in trouble. Your spiritual and mental health are very important; one of Satan’s most powerful tools is discouragement. If he can discourage you, then he can do just about anything. Do not let this be you. Put on your helmet and be encouraged! You may have won the battle but you are still fighting the war!
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is your primary weapon. You need this weapon. There will be people who will challenge the word of God and you must defend it. However, you can only do this if you know His word. It is important that we study and hear His word daily. In the same way, you build up your physical man by eating and drinking, you must also build up your spiritual man by prayer, fasting and meditating on the word of God.
The belt of truth is your security in Christ. If you think about the purpose of what a physical belt is used for, you know that it helps hold everything in “place”. It’s important that we hold tight to the truth of God’s word and that we know how to discern the truth from the trash.
The breastplate of righteousness is your protection. God put his commandments in place not only to teach us lessons but to live in a way that pleases Him. We must obey all of God’s commandments, not just the first ten. The choices we make can either harm our spiritual life or build it up. The more we put God first and live out what His word tells us, the more righteous we become. Although many fall short of the Glory of God, we have been made righteous through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is the added protection to our breastplate because we cannot face the enemy alone.
Your peace is your secret weapon. If your not walking in peace, then your in big trouble. Philippians 4:7 tells us “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” If your peace is lost, find it; if you dropped it, pick it back up; if you gave it away, go get it back! Keep your peace strapped on your feet, that way, whatever you walk into, good or bad, you will not be anxious!