The Armor of God

Belt of Truth-Ephesians 6:14

The soldiers in that era wore a “girdle” so to speak when they were about to go to battle. This would ensure that their clothing would stay together. Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” Breaking down this verse of scripture we can see that the Apostle Paul is trying to show us what the connecting piece of our armor is. So what exactly does it mean to put on a belt of Truth? The Truth is referring to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which should be our Firm Foundation.

When we marinate on the Word of God it allows us to avoid being deceived when the devil tries to come at us with his sneaky schemes. Remember, he is the father of lies so he will try any tactic that he can to attempt to ensnare you using his calculating devices. That is why it is so vital that you saturate your heart and mind with God’s Word because what that does is makes it difficult for the enemy to penetrate that part of your armor. Staying ready requires you to be sober and vigilant at all times, 1 Peter 5:8. If you don’t take your walk with Christ seriously, the devil will pounce on you like a roaring lion ready to devour!

Breastplate of Righteousness-Ephesians 6:14

This particular piece of Armor is designed to protect the more vulnerable organs, primarily your heart. Evil and dishonesty can easily be stored in our hearts, the Lord explains in Jeremiah 17:9 that it is “deceitful above all things.” That is the reason why we are not able to stand in our own righteousness but must rely on the righteousness of Jesus Christ. How does one do that exactly? We must be willing to be completely obedient to His Word, refraining from sin and anything else that doesn’t line up with the Holy Scriptures. This allows our breastplate to be fully secure and completely activated.

The Holy Spirit will guide you when you are heading in the wrong direction and convict you when He detects behavior contrary to God’s Word. As we renew our hearts and minds through the undiluted Gospel of Christ, we begin to transform more and more into His Image. What this does is prevent us from wanting to sin and live ungodly which in turn will ensure that there are no kinks in our armor. No cracks mean that the adversary has no way to infiltrate our protective covering that the Lord has given to us. Trust and believe he will try to find any way to enter into your life, do not give him that satisfaction!

Shoes prepared with the readiness of Peace- Ephesians 6:15

In order to walk through harsh terrain, rugged territory, or uneven ground; you have to make sure that you have on a solid pair of shoes. The same scenario goes when we walk through the trials and tribulations of life. We need to establish that we are able to stand on unstable ground without wavering. The only way that one can have the kind of footing needed to sustain the unpredictable tests of life is by relying solely on the strength and peace that only the Lord Jesus Christ can provide you with. When the fiery arrows are being thrown by the enemy you need to have your feet firmly planted which will make it less likely for you to be moved. You are not in the battle alone and that is why it is so critical to have complete trust in God being certain that He will never leave you nor forsake you, Hebrews 13:5!

Another important aspect of these particular shoes is to go forward sharing the Gospel of peace to everyone around you. With the strength of the Lord we can boldly proclaim His Name without any hesitation or reluctance. You will face adversity because the devil does not want the Lord’s Word to be shared with others. He knows that the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, Hebrews 4:12. So by spreading the “Good News” to others, it gives them the tools they need to fight back when the enemy attacks and he can’t stand it! For this reason, we need to be immersed in the Holy Scriptures so that when Satan attempts to shut us down we have enough Truth stored in us to prevent that from happening.

Shield of Faith- Ephesians 6:16

In the Apostle Paul’s time, the shield that the soldiers used was meant to protect and cover almost the entire body against the weapons of their adversary. So when we break down what the shield of faith is we can conclude that it is a significant part of the armor of God. The Lord makes it abundantly clear what He thinks about having faith. Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Having faith is critical in your walk as a Christian; it helps you get through the storms of life because you know that no matter what it looks like, God is going to see you through.

How can one establish faith? The Lord tells us, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” Romans 10:17. The more of the bible that you digest the more of the Truth you have in your heart, mind, and spirit. What this will do is activate your faith. God’s Word is filled with promises and when you begin to see those exact promises manifest in your life, your belief in Him will naturally strengthen. Once you establish your faith you won’t allow suffering, tribulation, or trials to cause you to question Who is going to be right by your side giving you the endurance to overcome them. We must make an intentional effort to pick up our shield of faith every single day choosing to trust and have confidence that whatever is happening in our lives at that moment is for our good, Romans 8:28.

Helmet of Salvation-Ephesians 6:17

In combat, a soldier back in those days would wear a helmet to protect their head from anything that could injury or damage it. When it comes to salvation the Word of God says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast, Ephesians 2:8-9” Diving into these verses of scripture we can determine that the Lord is telling us that salvation is one of the many precious gifts that we are afforded through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. What the Lord did when He died and rose again was deactivate the level of dominance that the devil had over us. Colossians 2:15 specifies, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” We now have the power to overcome the wiles and schemes of the enemy because we have the tools that we need to make sure that sin no longer has control over our lives.    

With that being said, how does someone secure their helmet of salvation? Satan is going to come after your mind; it is one of the main ways that he likes to slither his way in. The bible tells us that it is our obligation to renew our minds, Romans 12:2. The way that we do that is by making it a daily occurrence to stay in the Word of God ensuring that we are applying it to everything that we do. We need to guard our thoughts, imaginations, and even our dreams making certain that we are extinguishing anything that is contrary to the Lord’s Word. God instructs us on exactly what do in 2 Corinthians 12:5 when He says, “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” We are to hold those adverse thoughts captive right then and there because if you don’t they will take root and the repercussions can be catastrophic. Remember, the battlefield is in your mind so fasten that helmet on tightly and keep it impenetrable.

Sword of the Spirit-Ephesians 6:17

Soldiers in biblical times used their sword to protect themselves both offensively and defensively. In order for them to know how to use it properly they had to go through extensive training just like a soldier in the military would have to do now. It is the same principle for warriors in the army of Christ; we have to know how to use the Sword of the Spirit, “which is the Word of God,” Ephesians 6:17. The Lord makes it plain about the effectiveness of His Word when He says,” For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,” Hebrews 4:12.

The fact of the matter is that we are going to face spiritual warfare and we need to know how to utilize our weaponry. Jesus used scripture to come against the devil every single time that He faced him. He always began His response with “it is written!” The choice of words that Jesus used is very foretelling. It allows us to have an insight of just how powerful the Word of God truly is! In order for us to become effective with our Sword we have to be willing to take the time to read and understand the bible. The Holy Spirit will then bring the Lord’s Words to your remembrance when you need them.

The more of God’s Word that we consume; the more arsenals that we will have reserved in our minds and hearts ready to use when we need them.  This makes it extremely challenging for the enemy to defeat and conquer us! Your Sword will protect you from the lies, trickery, and deception that the devil attempts to entangle you with. The significant thing that you must remember is to keep your Sword sharpened at all times, in and out of season!