Put on the Full Armor

Did you know that NFL players can’t play in a game if they aren’t wearing all of their equipment? For safety, they need to have on a helmet, face mask, shoulder pads, thigh and knee pads, and footwear. They have requirements for their uniforms but that’s for a different reason. The equipment requirement, though, is for safety. It is a rule that they have to wear ALL of it, not just the helmet and shoulder pads.

As Christians, we are in a spiritual battle and the enemy is trying to come up with schemes to distract us from God and His plans. For their battle, NFL players have required equipment, for our battle, we have the Armor of God. He has given us spiritual equipment to help keep us safe and to fight the enemy. We find the Armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18.

First, we are given the charge to put on the FULL armor. Paul writes that we need to put on every piece of the armor so that we will be able to stand firm. Then, he tells us to put on the full armor of God again so that we will be able to resist the enemy. To fight in this battle, to stand firm, and to resist, we must use all of the pieces He has given us.

The first piece of armor is the Belt of Truth. Paul was in prison when he wrote this and was able to see the guards' armor every day. He lists the Belt of Truth first because that is what the guards put on first. Their belts protect their abdomen and keep the rest of their garments together so they aren’t in the way.

To fight in this battle, to stand firm, and to resist, we must use all of the pieces He has given us.

The truths of the Bible protect our gut and keep the rest of what we put on together. Maybe you’ve been told before to “trust your gut.” That can be dangerous because our human bias may lead us astray. But if we put on the Belt of Truth, Scripture will protect our “gut” decisions and keep our biases from getting in the way. Trusting our gut is only possible when we know what God says and can use discernment from the Holy Spirit.

The second piece is the Breastplate of Righteousness. A breastplate provides protection for our vital organs. The Breastplate of Righteousness will protect our heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your hearts above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

We guard our hearts by putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness. We were made righteous by faith in Jesus. This means that we can have confidence in who he has made us. We will still get it wrong sometimes, but when we remember that Jesus made us right with God, our hearts will follow the path of righteousness.

Next, we put on the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace. Having protection on their feet was important for these soldiers because if their feet got wounded, they couldn’t get around and became very vulnerable. They needed to have a solid foundation for their footing. The Gospel has prepared us to be mobile and flexible just as shoes do. We can stand on the firm foundation of the gospel.

The fourth piece of armor is the Shield of Faith. This is what we use for defense, so that the fiery darts of the enemy do not hit us. The shield is different from the other pieces of armor because we should always have it, but it is not necessarily always being used. The belt, breastplate, and shoes are always on, no matter what. But the shield is carried and we must be ready at a moment's notice to use it.

Fiery darts were used to cause panic, and that’s exactly what the devil wants to do to us. He wants to cause us panic so he can distract us from our mission, but our faith protects us. Our faith in Jesus protects us from his lies, from believing in doubts he puts in our head, and protects us in challenging circumstances. We must always be ready to use our faith as a shield against him.

Fiery darts were used to cause panic, and that’s exactly what the devil wants to do to us. He wants to cause us panic so he can distract us from our mission, but our faith protects us.

The next piece is the Helmet of Salvation. It’s safe to say that helmets protect an essential part of our bodies, the brain. So, it makes sense that the Helmet of Salvation would protect our minds. In sports, in battle, on bikes, etc., helmets are used for protection. Our spiritual battle is no different. 

It would be foolish of us to not use the hope of our salvation as protection. There will be many times in your lives when you feel discouraged and you will want to give up, but remind yourself of the hope of your salvation. You have been saved and will be saved. You have been saved from your sins, and you will be saved for all eternity because Jesus holds the victory!!!

Our final piece of armor is the Sword of the Spirit. We have been given protection and a shield for defense, but this is our offense. The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God and we can use it to fight the devil and his armies. There is power in the Bible. His Word has been given to us through His Spirit. He has given us His power through His Spirit. 

We have access to the power that raised Jesus from the dead and we can use it as a mighty weapon to resist the enemy. He cannot stand against the Word of God! We must know Scripture and we must believe it. We must let it transform our own hearts so we know how to use His Sword. When different challenges arise, there are different parts of Scripture to use. The more we know and the more we practice, the better we will get at using it. (See Luke 4 for an example of Jesus using the Sword of the Spirit against Satan).

Verse 18 wraps up this passage by telling us how to use all of this armor… prayer. We are to “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” We can access the Armor of God anytime and anywhere because we have access to His Spirit through prayer at all times, on every occasion, in every way. 

Friends we can fight the enemy together. God has given us everything we need through His Armor and His Spirit. I am praying for you this week to put on the full armor. I am praying that we all will come together in unity and prayer and be available for God’s work. May he use us this week to further His Kingdom. I am grateful that we can fight together. 

May we continue to be Holy in Progress.

With love,

Erica