THE ARMOR OF GOD

Part One

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

INTRODUCTION – The Book of EPHESIANS

 

Followers of Christ living in Ephesus faced an onslaught of persecution and temptation. When Paul wrote his letter (Ephesians) to the Christians in Ephesus he wished to communicate important spiritual truths that would help Christians understand not only their inheritance as sons and daughters of God, but also their responsibility to live holy in a corrupt and cruel society.

 

Chapters one through three speak about the Christian’s position and identity in Christ, the doctrine of Christian belief and the riches and spiritual wealth we have in Jesus Christ. This is our inheritance as God’s children.

 

Chapters four through six speak of how Christians are to live because of their position and identity in Christ and that it is our duty and responsibility to walk like Christ in our daily life and to keep in step with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This is how we demonstrate obedience to God’s instruction in His Word and guidance of the Holy Spirit as well as our love for Jesus Christ,

 

The portion of scripture in Ephesians 4:1-6 is a transition from doctrine to duty, creed to conduct, from belief to life, from the Christian’s wealth to the Christians walk, positional truth to practical truth, from truth to testimony, from principle to practice, from knowledge to application. It is critical we have a balance of each of these areas of the Christian faith active and growing in our life so we can have spiritual balance in our lives. It is also true that such balance will enable us to survive spiritual battles that we face in this world.

 

There are many scripture passages that instruct us how to live as Disciples of Christ and in a sense demonstrate our role as spiritual soldiers in the daily battles we face. Following are only a few examples of such scripture passages.

 

Ephesians 4:21-24, “… if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

 

Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 

Philippians 1:27-30 “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”

 

2 Peter 1:2-4, “…His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

 

As we follow world events regarding wars, conflicts, rebellions and persecution of people we need to understand these activities are simply a reflection or symptom of what is going on in the spiritual realm as Satan and his demons exert their evil influence upon the nations of mankind.

 

Abraham Kuyper, Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian once described this battle that rages between God’s Kingdom and satanic forces by saying:

 

 “If once the curtain were pulled back, and the spiritual world behind it came to view, it would expose to our spiritual vision a struggle so intense, so convulsive, sweeping everything within its range, that the fiercest battle fought on earth would seem, by comparison, a mere game. Not here, but up there–that is where the real conflict is engaged. Our earthly struggle drones in its backlash.”

 

I must say before I go further that if you are not a Disciple of Christ; someone who has repented of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there are some very important points I must make.

 

First, you are missing out on a most precious and glorious personal relationship with our Creator. To have your sins forgiven and to have the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life and to have resources at your disposal so you can live and love to the fullest is beyond description.

 

Secondly, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you have no protection against the satanic and demonic attacks that will be thrown against you in this life. You are defenseless against such attacks because you are not a child of God who can call God your spiritual Father. You have no forgiveness of your sins. You have not received the Holy Spirit to indwell you for the power to live like Christ. You have no spiritual armor with which you can withstand the schemes and devious attacks of Satan. It is also true you are under the condemnation of God for your sins.

 

I strongly advise and encourage you to consider the truth of the Gospel of Christ, His saving work on the cross and the love God offers you through His Son. You simply have to recognize your sinfulness, repent of this and ask God to forgive you of your sins through acceptance of Christ’s death on the cross. This decision will lead you to commit yourself to serving God through holy living and walking like Jesus Christ. If you make this decision, you will be forgiven of all your sins, past, present and future. You will be given the Holy Spirit to live within you, to help you live godly and pure. You will receive and have access to spiritual armor in order to defend yourself against evil. You will enter into a spiritual family called God’s universal church where you will find support, encouragement and help to grow in your new life. Please consider praying to God and accepting His Son as your Lord and Savior. Speak to a Disciple of Christ who can help you make this commitment.

 

Ephesians was basically written to weak sheep that needed to know that that their Heavenly Father, their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit have granted them armor and weapons to survive the spiritual battles of life and deal with the mental, physical, emotional and psychological attacks of the world, the flesh and the devil.

 

Charles Swindoll describes the warfare that Disciples of Christ face the moment they become a child of God as follows;

 

“When we began the Christian life, we didn’t stroll onto a happy playground…we stepped onto a harsh battleground. Though we don’t hear bombs bursting in the distance or bullets whizzing past our ears, we live every day of our lives on a spiritual battlefield. And make no mistake: Satan’s snipers have us in their crosshairs. They know us intimately. Having studied us for years, they are familiar with our strengths and fully aware of our weaknesses. They’re masters of psychology and experts on human nature. They know their prey far better than we know our devilish predators. Whether you’re a young believer or an old saint, spiritually strong or weak, well trained or just a novice, Satan and his emissaries have one goal for you: destruction. Their one great hope is not simply to cripple you but to decimate you. Though their own ultimate doom is certain, they intend to bring down as many with them as they can.”

 

The passage in Ephesians 6:10-18 is our battle briefing as to the armor made available to us from our Heavenly Father to protect us in the spiritual conflicts in which we will be engaged.

 

Ephesians 6:10-18

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH,

and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;

16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 

17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION,

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit,

and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,”

 

As servants of God and soldiers in this spiritual war we are called upon to put on our armor of light and truth. The weapons we possess to fight the spiritual battle are not like those of human engagement. They have power of divine origin and can demolish demonic strongholds and anything that would hinder God’s Kingdom. Because we fight a spiritual battle only spiritual armor can protect us. Also remember that this isn’t “our” armor, it is God’s armor! We simply put on the armor He provides us as Disciples of Christ, His Son.

 

John Calvin stated the following regarding the Christian in regards to spiritual warfare;

 

“We have been forewarned that an enemy relentlessly threatens us an enemy who is the very embodiment of rash boldness, of military prowess, of crafty wiles, of untiring zeal and haste, of every conceivable weapon and skill in the science of warfare. We must then bend our every effort to this goal, that we should not let ourselves be overwhelmed by carelessness, nor faintheartedness, but on the contrary with courage rekindled stand our ground in combat.”

 

PAUL’S FIRST COMMAND – Ephesians 6:10

 

“10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”

 

It is important that we read and apply verse 10 before we read and apply verse 11. The Lord God Almighty is the source of our strength. While the armor God provides is mighty, powerful, efficient and adequate its effectiveness is due to the strength of HIS might. He is the source of the power behind the armor. We cannot adequately appropriate the armor and effectively defend ourselves in spiritual battles if we don’t have complete submission to the fact that it is God’s strength and might that assures the victory.

 

Ephesians 1:18-19, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might.”

 

Jesus Christ is our example of how strong God’s empowerment can be. Jesus walked in His Father’s strength and relied upon it all through His ministry. You see Jesus’ life as a strong consistent example of the power of God being manifested as He performed His Father’s will. You also see God’s strength in the numerous miracles that Jesus performed. Jesus healed people from illness and demonic possession through the power of God. You also see the power of God when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Jesus never wavered and used the Sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, to overcome the temptations Satan presented. God’s power was also dramatically shown in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Such demonstrations of God’s power should strongly encourage us when we face a spiritual battle to remain strong “in the Lord and the strength of His might!”

 

You must stand firm against satanic schemes when you become a Christian, because you are in harm’s way. You’re a walking target. Satan knows your strengths and weaknesses. He wants to ruin you wherever and whenever he can. We must be BATTLE READY and have a MENTAL ATTITUDE of VICTORY!

 

While we are to seek to be strong at relying upon God for provision and strength, we are to be strong IN THE LORD and the strength of HIS MIGHT, not our own!

 

1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

 

It is very important that you rely upon the resources that God provides in this armor and not in your own skills, abilities and resources to avoid being deceived and overcome by Satan. You also must remember that Satan hopes that you doubt his existence. He also desires that you don’t believe in him or think he is able to invade your space. While Satan is not omnipresent like God, he does have a vast army of demonic angels that do his bidding at all hours of the day and night.

 

We must also remember that as we are faced with spiritual battles in life that we are ultimately fighting for God. Yes, it seems that the battle is all about us at times, but actually we are in a world-wide conflict between good and evil. Each of us are one Disciple in God’s kingdom, one soldier in His “spiritual” army. In any war America has ever participated in, soldiers know that they are serving their entire country when they go into battle to defend freedom and battle for what is right. While a soldier is on the battlefield, the conflict can get extremely personal at times during intense hand to hand combat. This gives the soldier in such a battle the feeling the struggle against the enemy is all about him or her, this perception is only normal; but ultimately the soldier is representing a much more widespread conflict between nations and governments. The same is true in the spiritual battles we face as Disciples of Christ. We must fight the battles that come our way as dedicated Christians, and while the conflicts are extremely personal at times, we must remember that they are part of a much greater conflict between good and evil, the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. There is no doubt at all who will win, but the battle rages on until, in God’s timing, Satan and his demonic horde will not only be defeated but cast into the Lake of Fire.

 

In 2 Chronicles 20:14-16, we wee God communicating through Jahaziel that battles and conflicts are the Lord’s battles, he says, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.”

 

Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones states it this way in his commentary on Ephesians; “…we have got to realize as we fight this fight of faith and wrestle with these principalities and powers and face the assaults of the world and the flesh and the devil, that God is involved in it with us…The ultimate battle is the battle between God and the devil, between heaven and hell, between light and darkness…This is God’s battle we are given the privilege of being in it and of fighting as individual soldiers, but God’s honor is involved in it all. He cannot allow this to fail because His character, His glory, and His honor are involved at every point. ‘Be strong in the Lord;’ remember that He is there, and that it is His battle.”

 

Psalms 34:7 tells us that God provides for those in the battle. It says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.” We are never abandoned by God. He is always with us because the Holy Spirit is within us as a Disciple of Christ.

 

Romans 8:37-39 is also an encouraging portion of scripture for us when we are in the battle and sensing we are being overwhelmed by the enemy. “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Another precious passage to remember is Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” This reminds us that even though we feel inadequate at times in the midst of a battle and feel like we are too weak for the intense warfare we are facing God is right by our side assisting us with His power and His armor that He bestows upon us.

 

We are also told in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, that there is power in the Gospel of Christ and this is given to us through the Holy Spirit. It says, “…for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…”

 

Yet another precious scripture about God’s power that is given to us for spiritual battles is in 1 John 4:4, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

 

As Disciples of Christ we have a responsibility not only to God and our fellow Christians but also to the world. Pastor Ray Stedman states in his book, Spiritual Warfare;

 

“Battling against these forces of darkness is what makes human life possible on this earth. If Christians, who are the salt of the earth, were not giving themselves to an intelligent battle with Satan and satanic forces, fighting along these lines which Paul suggests – being ‘strong in the Lord and in the power of His might,’ it would be absolutely impossible for human life to exist on this planet. If this were not going on, life on earth would be horrible, unending hell. It is the presence of Christians – and those who are affected by their testimony and by their teachings – and the spread of the gospel throughout the world which makes possible those moments of enjoyment of life which even the non-Christian is able to know.”

 

 PAUL’S SECOND COMMAND – EPHESIANS 6:11a

 

11a “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm…”

 

Here Paul instructs us to put on or take up the Complete Armor of god!

 

“Put on” in the Greek is “enduo” (en-doo’-o); (Gives the impression of sinking into a garment); to invest in the clothing you put on with your person (literally or figuratively).

 

“Stand” in the Greek is “histemi” (his’-tay-mee); which means to abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand.

 

Paul’s instructions for Disciples of Christ are to “put on the full armor” and to “stand firm.” This command implies that spiritual strength comes from the divine truth communicated to us through the Word of God, as well as the righteousness, peace, faith and assurance of salvation we receive as we continue walking like Christ and keeping in step with the Holy Spirit who inhabits us. The Spirit is a gift given by God to us when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to enable and empower us to live like Christ and grow in knowledge and grace.

 

Several scripture passages which speak of this spiritual battle in which we are engaged are as follows;

 

Romans 13:11-12, 14, “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light…But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

 

2 Corinthians 10:3-6,  “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”

 

THE ENEMY’S METHOD – EPHESIANS 6:11b

 

11b “…against the schemes of the devil.”

 

“Schemes” in the Greek is “methodeia” (meth-od-i’-ah)” and means “travelling over, travesty (trickery): to lie in wait.”

 

Satan is a professional in trickery, lying and scheming. He is as intelligent and crafty as he is evil. He is ever watchful of your life and actions and knows exactly how to attempt to trick or tempt you into sinning or stumbling. While Satan cannot read our minds (only God can do that) it appears from scripture he can influence our thoughts through external means of tempting us, but he cannot insert thoughts into our minds. Ron Jones of the Titus Institute explains,

 

“We are safe from Satan’s and demons’ attacks in our minds. Satan cannot overwhelm us. He will attack us through what we see and what we hear in the world, but we can always turn away from him and his external attacks. If Satan or demons could attack our minds from within, we would be hopelessly confused and easily overwhelmed. The desires that we have to sin are from our fleshly natures, not Satan. Those desires are from within and we can allow them to become powerful in our lives, but they are not Satanic. They are not demonic. We do not have to fear them, but we do have to control them. And we can when we trust and obey God. Satan is powerfully active in spreading his lies throughout the world and those lies create very real temptations to us as believers. Watching for his lies and always examining ourselves to make certain that we are not believing those lies is what we need to do on a daily basis to turn away from his attacks!”

 

Satan knows us better than we know ourselves at times. The Devil studies his victims and watches their actions and behaviors. He is such a good observer of our behavior and has had such extensive experience with the human race he can often appear to read our minds. He develops schemes by which he can attack us through external influence as he appeals to our sinful flesh. While we have a new nature in Christ, we still live within a fleshly body that is attracted to the temptations of the world.

Kent Hughes states in his commentary on Ephesians: “Satan has no conscience, no compassion, no remorse, no morals. He feeds on pain and anguish and filth.”

 

Our answer to dealing with the “schemes of the devil” is found in Romans 12:2;

 

 Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 

It is also true that while we have a new nature, we have past habits and memories that can rise up to cause us to stumble if we are not relying upon the Holy Spirit within us, living by the Holy Scriptures and walking as Jesus walked. We must have protection through Godly strategy to combat what we know of Satan’s scheming.

 

You don’t want to provide Satan with any opportunity with which he can take advantage of to cause you to stumble or fall in your spiritual walk. The Devil is relentless and creative in how he seeks to attract you to his temptations. He uses surprise and deceptive tactics to pull you in to his schemes. He is cunning and smart and he preys on ignorant Christians. Satan also uses false teachers and their publications to deceive and cause confusion among Disciples of Christ if they are not applying themselves to spiritual growth.

 

2 Corinthians 11:13-15, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”

 

OUR ENEMY DEFINED – EPHESIANS 6:12

 

12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,…

            …but against the rulers,

            …against the powers,

            …against the world forces of this darkness,

            …against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

 

“Struggle” in the Greek is “pale” (pal’-ay) and means (to vibrate); wrestling (as in close contact with an opponent).

 

Satan and his demonic army are not “flesh and blood,” they are spiritual beings. Because of this fact their presence cannot be detected by our five natural senses. Even their power and influence at times cannot be adequately identified or diagnosed. They can only be discerned spiritually. While we may experience their influence or witness some of their manifestations at times, it is very difficult for us, as physical beings, to deal with the spiritual warfare that they bring into our lives.

 

Our spiritual battles and struggles are often very intense and personal. These could be compared to the sport of wrestling where the athletes are always looking for a strong hold, a new move that will pin the other to the ground so they can conquer their opponent and win. In other words, Satan and his demons analyze, study and contemplate people as to how best to trip them up, catch them in a snare, cause them to sin so that they can frustrate God’s will for their lives. You could say that the “Spiritual forces of wickedness” are in a sense a “spiritual mafia.”

 

“Rulers/Principalities” in the Greek is “arche” (ar-khay’) or “archegos” (ar-khay-gos’) and means chief, chief leader, author, captain, prince, magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.

 

Here in verse 12 of Ephesians 6 we find out that the enemy we war against as Disciples of Christ has an organized hierarchy of demonic rulers, powers, and forces of wickedness. These are relentless agents of evil who are the “Top Guns” in what they do. They are looking for any evil method they can by which they can shoot you down in your walk with Christ. They are also, “Rulers,” which indicates that there is some sort of chain of command or order of the demonic agents of destruction and evil. They have powers and skills. They are invisible forces that influence people and impact world events.

 

While some Christians attempt to identify these divisions of Satan’s army, this is impossible to clearly discern in Scripture. If we were meant to know about such a structure of this satanic army, Paul would have described it in more detail. Very likely he was simply trying to illustrate for us that there is a structure and organization to Satan’s demonic army. We need to remember that no matter how well organized, equipped and prepared Satan is with his demonic horde, God is going to win this war in the end.

 

The late John Stott, dedicated pastor, teacher and commentator on the Word of God states, “Wobbly Christians who have no firm foothold in Christ are an easy prey for the devil. And Christians who shake like reeds and rushes cannot resist the wind when the principalities and powers begin to blow. Paul wants to see Christians so strong and stable that they remain firm even against the devil’s wiles and even in the evil day, that is, in a time of special pressure. For such stability, both of character and in crisis, the armor of God is essential.”

 

PAUL’S THIRD COMMAND and ITS RESULT – EPHESIANS 6:13

TAKE UP THE ARMOR OF GOD

 

13 “Therefore, take up the full armor of God,

            so that you will be able to resist in the evil day,

            and having done everything, to stand firm.”                

 

Paul begins verse 13 with the word, “therefore.” Whenever you see a ‘therefore’ in the Bible, you have to see what it is ‘there for’! ‘Therefore’ marks the transition from what has been said and what the results or consequences are of what has been said.

 

Paul began in verse 10 telling us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.

 

He next instructed us in the first part of verse 11 to put on the full armor of God and in the second half of verse 11 he also gave us the reason we are to put on the armor of God; in order that we can stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

 

He then described in verse 12 the type of struggle we have with the demonic forces in the world and gave us a brief breakdown of the agents who seek to do evil.

 

The “therefore” here in verse 13 informs us that because of what has been described of our enemy and their tactics as well as their methods, we need to “take up the full armor of God!”

 

Whenever you see a “therefore” in scripture you should always ask; “What is it there for?” A “therefore” usually indicates that a concept that has previously been introduced has results or necessary actions associated with it.

 

Notice what Paul does not say here. Paul does not tell us that God places this armor upon us; we must put it on ourselves which means we must appropriate it for use in our life of spiritual warfare. God provides the armor; makes it available to us through the saving work of His Son Jesus Christ. It is up to us to take measures to place the armor upon our body in a “spiritual” sense.

 

The Greek work for “take up” is “enduo” (en-doo’-o) and means that we put on the armor in the sense of sinking into a garment, or we invest ourselves into the armor as we would place ourselves within clothing that we wear. It means we array about ourselves this armor, clothe ourselves with it either literally or figuratively.

 

Paul gives this command because it is the only way in which we can resist the devil in the evil day. What we must realize is this “evil day” is NOW! This battle we are in is a vicious, murderous, serious battle!

 

In this continuous evil day in which we live as we put on the armor of God we are able to stand firm in spiritual victory. When we grow spiritually in knowledge and maturity as mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-16, we are also able to discern and detect the devil’s schemes with which he attempts to hinder, tempt and destroy us. When we have on the armor of God we are also always ready for anything, be it a satanic attack or a temptation that comes our way. Remember the “evil day” is now, not sometime in the future.

 

Harold Hoehner states, “The believers should be aware that they must be prepared, not only for everyday evils but for the times of heightened and unexpected spiritual battles. For example, when the devil failed to tempt Jesus to sin, he left Jesus until an opportune time (Luke 4:13).”

 

THE ARMOR OF GOD

 

Paul writes Ephesians as he is held prisoner in Rome, chained to a Roman soldier. Very likely his observations of the guards he was chained to gave him the visual aides he used to describe the spiritual armor we have available to battle Satan and his demonic followers. These “physical illustrations” of spiritual armor that Paul used in his letter to the Ephesians help us visualize the internal, spiritual and invisible armor we possess as Disciples of Christ.

 

SEVEN PIECES OF ARMOR – THREE CATEGORIES

 

The armor that Paul describes can be divided into three different groups.

 

The first two groups are divided by the tenses of the verbs Paul uses.

 

The first group includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and the boots or shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace. In real life such pieces of physical armor were actually fixed in position onto the body of the soldier. The belt, breastplate and shoes of a soldier had to be belted or attached onto their body in some fashion. Soldiers always wore these pieces of armor in their daily lives as soldiers. In our lives as Disciples of Christ these pieces of “spiritual” armor are ones we took up when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and they remain attached to us throughout our lives.

 

The second group includes the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. These pieces of armor are ones that we must take up on a regular daily basis as we walk in our daily life, modeling Christ-like thoughts and actions as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

 

The last group is a single piece of armor or weapon and is to be used daily and continually, this is our prayer life.

 

An easy way to remember these pieces of spiritual armor is by the following letters:

 

B:        Belt of Truth

            Breastplate of Righteousness

            Boots (Shoes) of preparation of the Gospel of Peace

 

S:         Salvation (Helmet)

            Shield of Faith

            Sword of the Spirit (Word of God)

 

P:         Prayer

 

ARMOR OF GOD – GROUP ONE

 

This Division of Armor covers the first three pieces of armor discussed in this passage in Ephesians. These pieces of armor are ones we have put on in the past when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. This is indicated by the tense of the Greek verb used in this passage of scripture.

 

“having girded your loins with truth”

“having put on the breastplate of righteousness”

“having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel”

 

1 – THE BELT OF TRUTH – EPHESIANS 6:14

 

14a “Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH,”

 

Here in the New American Standard Bible as well as in the original Greek, this portion of verse 14 does not actually state that a “belt” is part of a Christian’s armor. But it can be implied from the visual symbols that Paul is using. Paul’s use of a Roman soldier’s battle armor is an attempt to help us visualize what actually exists in the spiritual realm of our lives as Disciples of Christ.

 

The Roman soldier wore a tunic (skirt-like toga) and a belt around their waist. In battle mode, they tucked this tunic/skirt up around the belt so that they could be free to move without tripping over their tunic.

 

If you’ve ever watched a professional football game on television have you noticed how tight all the uniforms are? This is because they don’t want anybody grabbing any part of the player’s uniform to bring them down. They’ve also devised what they call breakaway shirts. You see them in college games when players try to pull down a player and instead the shirt will simply rip off and the player can continue running down the field or court with their shirt gone. The same is true on the real battlefield. You want to make sure in hand to hand combat you do not want something tangling you up and wrapping you up where you can’t defend yourself.

 

So “girding our loins with Truth” braces us and prepares us for action in life. It also frees us up to actually participate in the spiritual battles we face. Securing ourselves in Truth gives us a sense of security supplied and empowered by God. It gets us ready, makes us alert and gets us toned up for action in spiritual warfare.

 

Regarding the portion of scripture which states; “having girded your loins with truth,” Pastor and Theologian Martin Lloyd Jones states “The Apostle is not interested in our actual physical loins, he means the loins of our mind…the body’s loins determine the body’s strength. They form the pivot on which the whole body turns, and therefore you must start with them.” 1 Peter 1:13 helps us understand this concept.

 

1 Peter 1:13, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

 

In a similar illustration Paul instructs young Timothy in how to live like Christ in the battles of life in 2 Timothy.

 

2 Timothy 2:3-5, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”

 

Here as Paul writes to Timothy he is instructing him to be careful entangling himself with daily affairs because it may distract and pull him away or down from God’s call on his life. He also instructs him in the behavior of athletes who strive to win a prize, do it with honor, integrity and truthfulness.

 

In Ephesians 6 we are instructed by Paul to gird our loins with “truth.” The Greek word for truth here is “aletheia” which means, “to be true in doctrine and one’s profession of it.” It can also imply to speak or tell the truth. Basically it means living a life of truthfulness according to the Word of God. Knowing the truth of God should lead to a life of truthfulness that is lived out on a continual basis day in and day out.

 

This can assist us in applying the concepts of what scripture teaches in our everyday lives. A simple way to explain what this passage is communicating to us might be;

 

“Much like a soldier girds his waist with a belt to hold his weapons, as well as cinch up his tunic to prevent it from impeding his battle readiness…

 

…the Truth of God empowers us with the wisdom of God, the character of Christ’s life and the ministry of the Holy Spirit to think, behave and minister in a trustworthy, truthful and obedient  manner.”

 

The truth spoken of here in this verse can also be associated with the “truthfulness” expressed in the life of a person of integrity where Christ Jesus is expressing Himself through the Christian who lives a godly and holy life. For us as Christians the Person who is our model of truthfulness is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Truthfulness in a person’s life is a witness of their commitment to God, the Son and the Spirit. The attitude of the Disciple of Christ on a daily moment-by-moment basis should be one of an attitude of readiness and commitment to be used by God in any situation. There should be no hypocrisy in their lives. When you are supported or “girded up” with “truth, your relationship to God is strong and intimate because you are dedicated to God’s truth contained in His Word and you are living it out in practical everyday life.

 

Hebrews 12:1-2, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,…”

 

Another aspect of this truth is presented by Pastor Ray Stedman when he states regarding the “Belt of Truth,” “When you became a Christian you girded up your loins with truth. What does this mean precisely? It means to remind yourself that in coming to Jesus Christ you found the truth behind all things, you found Him who is in Himself the truth, the key to life, the secret of the universe, final reality!”

 

Jesus Christ; all He is, was and always has been is TRUTH! He spoke the Truth. He lived the Truth. He was the Truth. He epitomized how to live truthfulness perfectly.

 

The famous English preacher Martin Lloyd-Jones also believes the truth spoken of here is the Truth contained in the person of Jesus Christ. Lloyd-Jones states; “I therefore interpret the word ‘truth’ in this context to mean a belief in, and a knowledge of, the ‘truth as it is in Christ Jesus.’”

 

Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

 

Below are some scriptures which speak of Jesus Christ as our model for living a life of truthfulness and which use the same Greek word for truth as in Ephesians 6:14.

 

John 8:31-32, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;  and you will know the truth (aletheia), and the truth (aletheia) will make you free.”

 

John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth (aletheia), and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

 

Ephesians 4:21, “…truth (aletheia) is in Jesus…”

 

The Truth is also contained in the person of the Holy Spirit as you can also see in the following scripture passages.

 

John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;  that is the Spirit of truth (aletheia), whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

 

John 16:13-14, “But when He, the Spirit of truth (aletheia), comes, He will guide you into all the truth (aletheia); for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.  “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.”

 

The coming Messiah, Jesus Christ is spoken of in Isaiah 11:5, “…so righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist.”

 

So you can see that the “Truth” we are to “gird our loins” with is Christ Himself as well as the truthfulness we live out in our daily lives as we walk as Jesus walked and keep in step with the Spirit.

 

 

2 – THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS – EPHESIANS 6:14

 

14b “and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,”

The Breastplate of a Soldier covered the upper torso, but also the back as well because attacks can come from any angle; front or back. The upper torso contains organs necessary to proper function of the body; heart, lungs, liver intestines to mention a few. A serious wound in any of these could mean certain death within hours if not in minutes. The Breastplate protects the bowels; which in Old and New Testament times was considered to be the core of your emotions. The Breastplate also protects the heart which was thought to be the seat of your thoughts and intentions for everyday life as well as our desires and will.

 

God knows that our feelings and affections play a prominent part in how we live, make decisions and deal with adversity. Therefore the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to use the visual aide of the Breastplate to help us understand how righteousness can protect us in the spiritual battles of life. Paul also knew that the Devil is well aware of this as also.

 

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are no longer under condemnation for our sins because of God’s love shown to us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Because of this fact, we grow in faith and love for God because of the righteousness of Christ which is given to us at our conversion. A passage in Romans 8 communicates to us how we are freed from God’s condemnation of sin.

 

Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

 

Because we are forgiven of our sins by our Heavenly Father through acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we experience great and lasting joy in our lives. This joy we experience is based on being in a right relationship with God. This joy is also of great value to us in the spiritual battles we face because we are not hindered by guilt of sin. Nehemiah tells us when the Law of God was read to the Jewish people, they wept because of conviction of their sin. But Nehemiah and the priests encouraged them with the following words.

 

Nehemiah 8:10, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

 

When we are in a right relationship with God we are wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness and there is joy in our heart because we know God’s truthful Word communicates to us His great love for us in the work Jesus Christ on the cross and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit within us. This joy of the Lord is our strength as we face the battles with the world, the flesh and the Devil.

 

While joy is an emotion, we must make sure that we are not basing our joy on an emotional state. We are basing it on the reliable truth of God’s Word and His character. The source and foundation of the godly joy spoken of in Nehemiah originates from the strength and power of God and His holy unchanging nature.

 

The following old hymn written by John Campbell Shairp communicates this eternal truth;

 

From Noon of Joy to Night of Doubt
John Campbell Shairp

 

“From noon of joy to night of doubt our feelings come and go;
our best estate is toss’d about in ceaseless ebb and flow;
no mood of feeling, form of thought, is constant for a day,
but thou, O Lord, thou changest not; the same thou art alway.

 

I grasp thy strength, make it my own, my heart with peace is bless’d;
I lose my hold, and then comes down darkness and cold unrest.
Let me no more my comfort draw from my frail grasp of thee;
in this alone rejoice with awe, thy mighty grasp of me.

 

Out of that weak, unquiet drift, that comes but to depart,
To that pure heaven my spirit lift, Where Thou unchanging art;
Lay hold of me with Thy strong grasp, let Thy almighty arm
In its embrace my weakness clasp, and I shall fear no harm.

 

Thy purpose of eternal good let me but surely know;
on this I’ll lean, let changing mood and feeling come and go;
glad when thy sunshine fills my soul, not sad when clouds o’ercast,
since thou within thy sure control of love dost hold me fast.

 

Paul communicates to us in 2 Corinthians 4 that the treasure of having an intimate relationship with God, knowing His Word and being filled with the Holy Spirit which is contained in our frail human body is both an amazing fact as well as a greatly encouraging truth that can empower us during fierce spiritual battles of life.

 

2 Corinthians 4:7-10, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

 

In 1 Thessalonians we realize that this piece of armor, the Breastplate of Righteous, is also known as the Breastplate of Faith and Love.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:8, “…having put on the breastplate of faith and love…”

 

We know from 1 Corinthians 13:13 that faith, hope and love form the supreme triad of Christian virtues and so the Breastplate of Righteousness can also contain elements of faith and love for protection against demonic attacks. Our faith in God has several aspects to it. We have faith in God’s person, His character and trustworthiness. Our faith means we also trust God’s power over all things in existence; even Satan and his demonic hordes. Lastly we also have faith and can trust in God’s promises. He always keeps His word and we can rely upon our Heavenly Father to stand by His promises.

 

But we should explore more about this “righteousness” that is symbolized in this piece of armor, the Breastplate. Salvation through Christ is a sovereign act whereby God claims us to be righteous while we are still in a sinning state. Therefore, you have Christ’s righteousness as a Disciple of Christ. You can’t be protected if you don’t have salvation through Christ. This means those who have not accepted Christ as their personal Savior and Lord have no armor, no weapons, no hope to survive a satanic attack or demonic deception.

 

There are three types of righteousness. Two of which the Christian possesses and the other one the Christian is told to avoid.

 

There is “Self-Righteousness” which is not true righteousness by God’s standards at all. It is righteousness set by the variable standard of men. Romans 3:10 tells us that “…there is none righteous, no not one.” Christians should avoid self-righteousness for it was a character trait of the Pharisees and originates from pride in ones self.

 

The Christian’s overall righteousness consists of two blended areas of righteousness in their life.  

 

There is also Imputed and Imparted Righteousness which are closely associated with one another.

 

Imputed Righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus which is credited to us when we receive salvation enabling us to be justified in the eyes of God, forgiven of our sins because of the sacrificial ministry of Jesus on the cross.

 

When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we receive the gracious gift of God of “Imparted Righteousness.”  This is given at the moment of our new birth in Christ and enables us as a Disciple of Christ to strive for holiness and sanctification.

 

In summary, it has been said;

 

“The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted.  The first is our title to heaven; the second is our fitness for heaven.” 

 

Philippians 3:9 describes Imputed/Imparted righteousness, “…that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith…”

 

Practical Righteousness is the righteousness we practice and the purity we express when we obey God’s Word, walk as Jesus walked and keep in step with the Holy Spirit within us. Philippians 3:10-14 illustrates for us that practical righteousness is when we live like Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit according to Biblical instruction; “…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” John also describes this practical righteousness in 1 John 3:7, “the one who practices righteousness is righteous”

 

Practical righteousness does not save you. It does not guarantee your salvation. It simply is a witness that you are living appropriately the way a Disciple of Christ should live according to scripture and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Practical righteousness is expressed when we deny ourselves and seek to live holy and pure because of our love for our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who lives within us. We live a righteous life not by our own power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

I must be clear that the practical righteousness that we demonstrate as we live for God originates in the righteousness God gives us when we are saved. It is only by the pure, holy and powerful righteousness of Jesus Christ that is “imputed or imparted” to us when we are saved and is continually imparted to us through our lives each day as a Disciple of Christ that is our full protection. As Martin Lloyd Jones states regarding the imputed righteousness God gives us at the moment we are saved; “it means utter, absolute dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His righteousness. It means an application to our case and condition of the glorious doctrine of justification by faith only…It is a part of putting on the breastplate of righteousness that I remind myself daily of where I am, and where I am going.”

 

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

 

3 – THE SHOES (BOOTS) OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE EPHESIANS 6:15

 

15 “and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;”

 

In the beginning of this portion of this passage Paul instructed us to “put on the armor of God” in order that “we can stand” against the schemes of the devil. It is obvious that you cannot have a firm foundation for standing unless your feet are prepared to anchor you to the soil beneath your feet. You do not stand on your head or your chest. You stand upon your feet. They give you the stability for withstanding attacks from the evil one. The peace we have here originates from God’s Gospel of Peace which is contained in Holy Scripture and communicates to us what is necessary to have peace with God, that is; salvation from our sins. Once we repent of our sins and give ourselves to serving Jesus Christ, we have peace, we walk in peace and we can withstand spiritual attacks because there is peace in our heart, mind and soul with God. But in order to have peace within your heart there are things we must consistently practice and observe to have peace and walk in peace.

 

Pastor Ray Stedman has some wise advice for how you deal with spiritual battles and possibly why Paul listed the pieces of armor in this particular order.

 

“Remember, though; do not try to start with peace. When you get troubled or upset, when attacks come, do not try to start with making your heart feel at peace. This is a mistake many people make. They try to conjure up some kind of feeling of peace within and succeed only in upsetting themselves more. Do not start with peace. Start with truth. Work your way back down through truth and righteousness and you will come out at peace. This is the way to begin.”

 

The Greek word for “shod” here is “hupodeo” (hoop-od-eh’-o), which means “to bind under one’s feet, to put on shoes or sandals.”

 

The Greek word for “preparation” “hetoimasia” (het-oy-mas-ee’-ah), in this verse means “prepared, adjusted, ready.”

 

The Roman army of soldiers often won their battles solely by the fact that their shoes were of the highest quality of the time. They were made of strong leather and often had metal studs on the bottom to give traction and enable them to endure the hard stony ground were battles were often fought. Such superior shoes enabled them to travel great distances at a fast pace. Enemy armies calculated how long it would take the Roman army to reach their city or fortification to do battle. But often they overestimated this time, because they were unaware of the superior shoes that Roman soldiers wore. Therefore due to superior shoes the Roman army often surprised their enemy and won the battle. There was no such thing as a “bare-foot” Roman soldier.

 

Paul’s instruction to “shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace” is a visual illustration for us to consider and encourages us to make sure we will be able to not only stand firm in our faith, but also to withstand any attack from the demonic realm. Roman soldiers needed a firm footing to survive in battle. They had to be prepared to remain steadfast to hold their ground when the enemy attacked. We as Disciples of Christ are no different. Paul in 1 Corinthians communicates this concept of standing firm in our faith.

 

1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

 

When we are born into this life we have not stepped onto a “playground” but into a BATTLE GROUND! Only when we accept Christ as our personal Savior and Lord are we given the armor that can enable us to not just endure the attacks of Satan but also overcome them and live victoriously.

 

When we go about our daily walk as a Disciple of Christ we must prepare ourselves for battle by reminding ourselves of the shoes (boots) of the peace of God with which we are to put on. This symbol Paul uses here portrays how we guard our steps by resting in the POWER of GOD as we go about our daily life. These shoes of peace reflect the confidence we have in out Heavenly Father, His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that lives within us. The power implied here comes from the PEACE we have because we are a child of God forgiven for our sins, a soldier of Christ walking as Jesus walked and a student listening and obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit so we can be filled with His power. Peace with God consists of staying in close contact with Him not only in our prayers, but also in our thought life and behavior. It is a godly truth that as we walk with shoes of peace according to Holy Scripture, in the manner in which Jesus walked and in step with the Holy Spirit who resides within us; we foster a godly strength that enables us to stand firm in times of temptation; especially in spiritual battles that take place in our life.

 

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we obtain peace with God. Romans 5:1-2 tells us that because we have been justified by faith we obtain peace with God because of the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

 

Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”

 

This peace we have with God is made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:3)

 

This peace we have with God is maintained as we confess our sins to one another (James 5:16).

 

This peace is continually supplied as we keep short accounts of our sins and shortcomings with God through moment by moment confession and repentance (1 John 1:9-10).

 

This peace is proven as we walk in the same manner as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6).

 

This peace with God enables us to have peace in our inner spirit as we face the battles of life.

 

Because we are at peace with God our feet take us into battle everyday and they are not only protected, they are also prepared to prevent us from stumbling.

 

Galatians 5:25 tells us, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” This walk is made possible by having peace with God through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

 

The Armor of God Part Two will continue this teaching on the armor that God provides for the Disciple of Christ.