Take up Arms Against our Enemy.

“As a stepparent with two kids who play sports, my husband and I would never let them play without proper protective equipment, no matter how expensive. Similarly, God is the perfect father and He never sends His children out into the world without the equipment they need. In Ephesians 6:11, Paul writes about the equipment we need to face the world, which is known as the armor of God. Let us explore Ephesians 6:10-17 to understand what the armor of God is, how we can equip ourselves with it and fight our adversary.”

What is the armor of God?

Paul wrote Ephesians to the People in Ephesus. It was written to strengthen the church in Ephesus and then be circulated around. In the end of the sixth chapter of the book, Paul tells the church that we must prepare ourselves for battle, but not the kind of battle you might think. Paul tells the church that our enemy is not flesh and blood (v.12) and that to fight our enemy we must be strong in the Lord (V. 10) and put on the armor of God (V.11). It is a metaphor for what we need to defeat the devil.

Why do we need it?

The day you asked Jesus to be King of your life you became the enemy of the world and the prince of this world, Satan. His sole goal is to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). To fight back we must have the right equipment for the job.

We are going against an enemy that can be fierce, but our God is more powerful, and through Jesus we already have victory. However, to navigate life on earth till Jesus calls us home or returns we must arm ourselves and take up the fight (Ephesians 6:13).

How to equip ourselves.

All the pieces of armor work together to protect the believer and help in fighting back when attacked by the enemy.

“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” (Ephesians 6:14-17).

We must use our knowledge of scripture to arm ourselves with each piece of the armor of God. Let’s take a closer look at each piece and what God’s word tells us about each of them and how to equip each piece.

Let’s look at each part and how we are to equip them:

The Belt of Truth is an essential part of the armor that holds all the other pieces together. It lays the foundation for our faith and beliefs, which should always be based on Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Without Him, victory over life’s challenges is impossible. Therefore, we must rely on Jesus, His teachings, and His sacrifice on the cross to guide us through life and lead us to triumph.

Application

• Make sure that you use God’s word to judge what is right, wrong and what is the truth. As we go through life, we should judge everything according to God’s truth.
• Pray the truth—Use God’s word to pray, by memorizing and praying scriptures.

Breastplate of righteousness—righteousness is being made right in God’s sight. It is something God gives through Christ, but it is also a response to God’s love. To protect our hearts and relationship with God, we must protect ourselves with righteous living and accepting Christ’s righteousness in our lives.

       Application

• Meditate on God’s laws. Knowing and obeying the instructions God has given us can protect us from the wounds created by sin.

• Have Christian friends to hold you accountable in your life and help you walk in righteousness and obedience to God.

As shoes the readiness of the gospel of peace—Knowing the gospel brings peace. Peace is being whole, nothing missing, complete. Understanding that we are forgiven and can now be one with God through Christ brings wholeness.

I have found in my own life one way I see the peace of the gospel is in the sense of contentment I feel, especially in the evening or early morning. When I am resting in Christ, I am at peace. I have a sense of well-being, that nothing is missing or needs fixed, all is well with my soul. This is truly a blessing to experience when all is calm and I am simply being with Jesus, I feel this the most and it’s a blessing every time.

       Application:

• Take time and reread the gospels. Remind yourself of what great news Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is. Meditate on the victory we have in Christ over all things.
• Ask God to help you remove anything from your life that robs you of the Peace, He has given you.

Shield of faith—Faith is our belief in what Jesus did on the cross for us and its ability to make us whole and connected to God. Our faith is a confident assurance in the promises of God.

The devil wants to cause us to doubt God and all His promises to us. But when he attacks, we must hold up our shield of faith and deflect the arrows of the evil one. The devil wants to cause you to doubt God, His promises, and your place in God’s plan. The devil’s main objective is to cause chaos and he accomplishes it when you doubt, worry, and stray from the truth.

In Roman times shields were dipped in water so when fiery arrows hit, they were extinguished. The same goes for our shield we must dip when in the word of God to put out the fiery arrows of the devil. Scripture tells us that faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God (Romans 10:17).

       Application:

•  Memorize verses that help strengthen your faith for times when the devil tries your faith.
• Share your struggles with a trusted Christian friend. God did not mean for us to travel this journey alone. We were made to help and strengthen one another (Proverbs 27: )

Helmet of salvation—Salvation comes when we accept Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us, but it also comes through maturing and growing in the faith in a process called sanctification (check out my article on sanctification Here). Helmets do two things for a soldier they protect, and they identify.

First, they protect the head of the soldier. This is significant imagery because our mind is the biggest battleground for spiritual warfare, it’s the easiest for Satan to manipulate. We must know and stand firm in our salvation. Satan more than anything wants you to doubt your salvation because that will hinder your growth and effectiveness.

The second thing a helmet does is it identifies what side of a battle you are on. When Patrick Mahomes puts on his helmet and steps onto the football field everyone knows what team he is playing for, even if they aren’t big football fans. Why? Because his helmet identifies him.  The same is true for us when we put on the helmet of salvation. The enemy knows that we are on God’s side when we put the helmet of salvation on. When we put on the helmet of salvation we are marked by God as His, we no longer play for the other team.

       Application:

• Walk in confidence of your salvation. I have scripture memorized and on hand for when the enemy tries to creep into my mind and create doubt about whether I am saved or not.

The sword of the spirit is the word of God. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and can judge the hearts of man (Hebrews 4:12). In Luke 4:1-13, we see Jesus being tempted by the devil during his forty-day stay in the wilderness. To fight off the devil, Jesus uses scripture. Similarly, we too must use scripture to fight against the temptations that the evil one brings to us.

Application

• Memorize scripture so that when you are tempted you can fight back.
• Pray scripture—using scripture can be a powerful way to fight the enemy and connect with God through His word.
• Make reading God’s word a daily priority, even if it’s a verse or two.
• Dive into God’s word, learning as much as you can so you can know the schemes of the devil and exactly how to defeat him.

Summary

Every part of the armor of God is essential from the soles of our feet to the top of our heads we must be covered in God’s grace and be ready to defend our faith and go on the offensive against our enemy, the devil. God’s word is not just a tool for fighting but also a tool to help us learn better how to equip and use the armor of God.

I encourage you to delve into the Word of God and equip yourself with the Armor of God so that you can stand firm against the evil of this world and strengthen your relationship with our Heavenly Father. I have included additional links below to help you explore the Armor of God further and become a mighty warrior for the Lord.

What is the Armor of God? Full List & Bible Meaning (christianity.com)

What Is the Helmet of Salvation in the Armor of God? (christianity.com)

How Do We Use the Sword of the Spirit in the Armor of God? (christianity.com)

How Do We Get the Armor of God’s Shield of Faith? (christianity.com)