A reminder for
today
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians
6:11)
The Armor of God, found in Ephesians 6:10-18, is made up of
the following six items: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness,
the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the
sword of the spirit.
How do you put on
the full armor of God? It isn’t as difficult as you might think. All the
pieces of the armor are found in a relationship with Jesus. Paul said it like
this: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14). When you give yourself to
Jesus and “put on” His righteousness, you are clothed in the whole armor of
God.
Belt of truth
(Ephesians 6:14) “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,”
Paul says. Truth is the belt that holds all the other pieces of the armor in
place. There are two ways in which truth is a part of the armor of God. First,
it refers to the truths of Scripture as opposed to the lies of Satan. Satan is
the father of lies (John 8:44). Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free” (verse 32). The great truths of the Bible—the love
of God, salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the Second Coming, forgiveness
of sin, grace and power to live for Jesus—these truths set us free from Satan’s
lies. Satan would have us believe that we are sinful, lost, and without hope.
The truth is that God’s love and salvation has set us free from sin and death. The
second way that truth serves as a belt, holding together the full armor of God,
is our personal commitment to truth—to living a life that is upright,
transparent, and without deceit. Integrity and honesty are vital to your
Christian life. People should know that they can depend on you to be a person
of truth and principle.
Breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14) The breastplate covers the heart and shields it
and the other vital organs. The Bible says, “Keep your heart with all
diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). That is
what Christ’s righteousness does for you. It protects you against all of
Satan’s accusations and charges. This righteousness is not made up of the good
deeds you do. The Bible is clear that none of us are righteous in ourselves
(Romans 3:10). The breastplate of righteousness is entirely the righteousness
of Jesus which He gives us freely when we accept Him as our Saviour (2
Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Philippians 3:9). It is Christ’s
righteousness—not our own righteousness—that covers and protects us.
Shoes of the gospel (Ephesians 6:15) Soldiers marching into battle must have
comfortable shoes. As soldiers of Christ, we must put on “gospel shoes” that
will allow us to march wherever our Lord leads. The apostle John says, “He who
says he abides in Him [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He [Jesus]
walked” (1 John 2:6). Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, . . . and they
follow Me” (John 10:27). Satan will try to place obstacles in our path, but in
Jesus’ strength we can walk forward, following our Lord, obeying Him, and
advancing the gospel.
Shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) In listing the different pieces of the armor of
God, Paul says, “Above all, . . . [take] the shield of faith with which you
will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16).
When Satan attacks with doubts, the shield of faith turns aside the blow. When
temptations come, faith keeps us steadfast in following Jesus. We are able to
withstand all the devil’s fiery darts, because we know whom we have believed (2
Timothy 3:12). This faith is not something that comes from within us. It is
God’s gift to us. He gives each of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Then as
we walk with Him, that faith grows and develops until it becomes a shield,
protecting us and allowing us to live a victorious life in Christ. This was
Paul’s experience. He said, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer
I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me”
(Galatians 2:20). And at the end of that life of faith, he declared, “I have
fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2
Timothy 4:7). That can be your experience as well, as you use the shield of faith
to turn aside everything Satan hurls at you.
Helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17) The helmet protects the head—perhaps the most
vital part of the body since it is the seat of thought and the mind. When we
have a sure knowledge of our salvation, we will not be moved by Satan’s
deceptions. When we are certain that we are in Christ with our sins forgiven,
we will have a peace that nothing can disturb. Can we be certain of our
salvation? Can we be sure? Yes. “If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1
John 1:9). “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who
has the Son has life” (1 John 5:11, 12).
Sword of the spirit (Ephesians 6:17) The sword of the spirit is the only weapon of
offense listed in the armor of God. All the other parts are defensive in
nature. God’s Word—the Bible—is described as “living and powerful, and sharper
than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus used this weapon when Satan
tempted Him in the wilderness. To each of Satan’s efforts to lead Him into sin,
Jesus replied, “it is written. . . “ and proceeded to quote Scripture to
destroy Satan’s temptations. God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). That is why it
is so powerful. That is why it is so important that we study the Bible and
become familiar with its truths and its power. David wrote, “Your word is a
lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The sword of God’s
Word both protects us and destroys our enemy—the devil and his temptations.
Prayer (Ephesians
6:18) Although prayer is not one of the pieces of the whole armor of
God, yet Paul closes his list by saying, “Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18). Even when you are clothed with
the armor of God, you need to bathe it all in prayer. Prayer brings you into
communion and fellowship with God so that His armor can protect you.
Thanks to the guys at Bible info. Make sure you wear the Armor
of God every day.
Lord, let us put on your Armor and withstand the enemy. In Jesus
name.
Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus.
Cheers
