PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE
ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.
EPHESIANS 6:11 ESV ❤ (Verse on Bible Hub)

EPHESIANS 6

My friend, if we want to survive and thrive despite the enemy’s attacks, we must determine to develop our spiritual grit.

The enemy of our soul is very intentional in his attacks against us, but we can be even more intentional in preparing to stand strong despite his evil schemes.

The forces of darkness will NOT wait for us to get ready.

In Ephesians 6, we find the Apostle Paul fighting the good fight of faith while chained in a prison cell. Despite his surroundings, he encouraged us to “Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power.” (vs 10)

There is a fierce and epic battle waging all around us just beyond the veil, but God has already equipped us to receive His victory.

Our part is to trust God and prepare our minds. Paul tells us to put on the six pieces of the Armor of God so we can STAND in the day of evil and not lose ground.

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WHAT ARE THE SIX PIECES OF THE ARMOR OF GOD?

Each component of the armor represents a gift from God, manifested by the Holy Spirit through His Son Jesus.

Truth, Righteousness, Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation and His Word.

When we were saved (born again), God filled us with His Son Jesus and fortified us with His Holy Spirit, from the inside out.

Thus, as Children of God, we can never lose any of the following 6 pieces of His Heavenly Armor. The only way it can be misplaced is in our mind. And Satan fights hard to keep us distracted or deceived in our thoughts so we forget what is rightfully ours through Christ.

Literally taking time to prayerfully put on each piece of the Armor of God each day is a very effective exercise of faith for us

Put each piece of the armor on very intentionally, thoughtfully, methodically, strategically, piece by piece. This exercise strengthens our minds and will remind us of what is already ours (because of Jesus) in the Heavenly realm.

BELT OF TRUTH – The first component of the Armor of God for a good reason. Jesus is “the way, the TRUTH and the life” (John 14:6). “In Him we live, and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). In TRUTH we peacefully abide with and relate to our God. Because God is Spirit, His worshipers must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). When we gird ourselves with God’s truth, we can resist the enemy and run without hindrance our race of faith. God’s truth truly sets us free (John 8:32). The Belt of Truth, securely buckled around our very core (our center), is from where the Sword of the Spirit is sheathed and suspended.

BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS – The Roman Soldier wore a breastplate made of bronze, chains, or other material to protect his ogans (particularly his heart) in battle. The breastplate we wear to protect our hearts is our right standing with God, through the righteousness that Christ died to give us on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). I’m thinking when satan looks at us in the spirit world, he sees the name JESUS spelled out across the front of our breastplate. The enemy knows he can’t take Christ’s righteousness away from us, so he wrestles with us for it in our minds. His aim is to make us doubt that we are truly made right with God and accepted by Him.

SHOES OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE – Our feet are fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. How? 1 Peter 3:15 admonishes us to honor Jesus as Lord and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who inquires about the hope we have. Readiness is vigilance, not idleness or distraction. The state of being fully prepared keeps us sure footed for Christ. What does Scripture say about the feet of the one prepared to share the joy of Jesus? Romans 10:15 describes it like this: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” Being ever expectant for the opportunity to share the joy we have found in Jesus causes us to walk in peace with others.

SHIELD OF FAITH – Our first line of defense is to believe God when He says that He Himself will be our shield and our great reward (Genesis 15:1). This empowers us to not lose hope so we will actively ‘hold up’ the shield to extinguish ALL the fiery darts of the wicked one (Ephesians 6:16). Faith that is not active is useless (James 2:20). Each time we act on our choice to believe God and take His Word over the enemy’s lies, our faith is strengthened even more. Hebrews 10:35 encourages us to not throw away our confidence, for it will be richly rewarded. Not assurance in our self, but confidence in the LORD of Heaven’s Angel Armies.

HELMET OF SALVATION – Wearing the proper helmet at the right time can be the difference between life and death. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 (NIV) instructs us to wear our hope of salvation in Christ as a helmet. It also entreats us to encourage and build each other up because whether we live or sleep, we are alive with Christ forever. God’s promise of salvation gives our minds rest from the fear of death so we can get busy living. We have to do our part and stay in His Word so it can transform our thinking. The more we saturate our minds with His truth, the more we will be able to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT – Our only offensive weapon. The Word of God is His written, spoken and incarnate Word (Jesus). A soldier needs training to manuever his sword effectively in battle. We must spend time being built up in God’s powerful truth so we can wisely wield His Word. Our Lord, when tempted by the enemy in the wilderness, showed us by example how to push back the darkness (Matthew 4:1-11). We have victory over the enemy, not by our arguments or opinions, but by courageously speaking God’s Word into the atmosphere. The Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword … (Hebrews 4:12). You may just be hearing your own voice when you declare Scriptures, but the enemy hears the powerful voice of God.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH

Paul tells us twice in Ephesians 6 to put on the full Armor of God.

I find it interesting that sandwiched between the first mention (vs 11) and the second (vs 13), he felt it important to tell us that we do NOT war against flesh and blood.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:12 NIV (Verse on Bible Hub)

We all know people who feel they have to fight about everything. Maybe that person is ourselves?

If we don’t understand our identity in Christ and the rich inheritance that is ours in Him, the enemy can distract us into wrestling with other people for our place in this world.

Worse, if he can convince us to pick up an offense from other people, then he will have successfully baited us. When that happens, we can find ourselves fearing and serving him in our minds.

We need to take spiritual warfare seriously and settle in our hearts that other people are not our enemy. Otherwise, even while fully clad in the Armor of God, we will find ourselves distracted and defeated in our minds. Completely unprepared to stand against Satan’s bigger attacks.

Instead, lets focus on fighting the good fight of faith.

That is the only kind of ‘fighting’ we should find ourselves engaging (or investing) in. Fighting this good fight of faith will help keep us focused on Jesus while building our lives and those of others, never tearing down. And it will untie the hands of God to fight on our behalf! My friend, I am praying us on!

Blessings,

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were
called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12 (Verse on Bible Hub)

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If you missed Susan’s Post in May, we would love for you to meet up with her there:
Put on the Whole Armor of God | Part One.

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