The Armor of God
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we enter into His kingdom and
from that moment on we also enter into battle with the kingdom of darkness. It
is important that we know that we are God’s children and, that through His Son
Jesus Christ, He has provided everything for us to also gain entry into the
victories of the Cross. Our part is to obey His command and to be clothed with
Christ.
We are part of the army of God. We must receive the vision of
ourselves as God’s strong warriors by having a vision of the greatness of Jesus’
power in us and of the might of our offensive weapons. Some of those weapons
are: His Name, His blood, His Word, our praise, our intercession, etc.
We must also be secure in the protection of His armor. This protective
covering is the same one that Jesus wore to gain victory over the devil and to
destroy His works (read Isaiah 59:17). We wear it to implement the
victories that Jesus won at the Cross.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of
His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able
to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with
the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith
with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the
saints—Ephesians 6:10-18.
Stand is the most significant word in this passage. It
means: to continue, dwell, resist without yielding, endure, remain, stand
fast, stand firm, stand up, keep and defend the ground that one (Jesus) has
taken.
We are repossessing what Jesus has recovered and delivered to us through the
Cross. We need TO STAND in that place that is already ours and to remain stable
in the face of evil. In the wilderness Jesus did not use the Word to attack,
but to maintain a victory He had.
Taking a stand or position is not being passive. It’s an identification with
God’s position of authority. Therefore it represents a way of life, not a one
time disposition. So is the action of putting on the armor: not something we do
before going to battle but a lifestyle. We submit and
live everyday under the protection that each piece provides by exercising the
discipline necessary to remain fully equipped.
To “Put on the armor of God” (verse 13), means to be clothed with,
to be covered, to be enveloped…like something in an envelop. The envelop
is Christ and we are enclosed IN Him (Romans 13:14).
When the enemy attacks us, he seeks to take us out of that enclosure, but as we
remain fully clothed, he sees only Jesus and he is stopped.
Each piece of the armor is Jesus. Every piece points to a definite type of
attack and to a definite provision in Christ. In addition, For every foe, or
form of attack, Jesus has a specific Name.
(I Sam. 17:45 “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a
sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name
of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have
defied’.” David used the specific name of “Lord of Hosts” because that
was the name that the Philistine had insulted.
Belt of Truth – This belt covers our loins,
the place of strength, vigor and reproduction. The belt keeps the armor in
place and supports the Sword. To “gird” ourselves means to prepare for action.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. His Word is also truth. We must
know the Word!
The attack: The
enemy attacks us with deception, lies and doubts about God and our security in
Him. It is an attack to our mind which we resist by a personal knowledge of the
character of God and of His ways. Know what the Bible says. The love of the
truth will keep us from the deception of the last days. We must know the truth
by revelation which comes through reading, meditating, studying and confessing
the Word of God. Let us wrap ourselves in God’s Word!
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my
word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. John
17:17
* The Name : the Way, THE TRUTH, the Life
(John 14:6)
Breastplate of Righteousness – Jesus is our righteousness (I
Corinthians 1:30). (Righteousness means : right standing with God). The
breastplate protects the heart which is the organ that pumps the blood and
brings the oxygen to the lungs. The blood speaks of life and the lungs, where
the breath is, speaks of our ability to live in the Spirit, which is the breath
of life.
The attack - It is the heart that the enemy attacks
with accusations, condemnation, guilt and the nagging feeling that we have
displeased God. The breastplate is our bullet proof vest. Satan cannot hit
with the fatal blow if we know Romans 8:1 and II Corinthians 5:21 (…for He
has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him).
However that’s not enough, we are responsible to stay right with God.
We resist by keeping short accounts of transgressions. Let no unconfessed sin
linger in the heart. Let us invite the Holy Spirit to search our heart often.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
"This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense
toward God and men. Acts 24:16.
*The Name: Jesus our Righteousness – Jehovah
Tsidkenu
Shoes of the Gospel of Peace – The two key words in this
piece of the armor are: shoes and peace. The shoes of a soldier
have metal cleats to protect his feet from falling. The feet indicate our walk
in the Lord, in other words, our behavior. When the feet are shod, they are
ready to go. The gospel of peace is the good news that in Jesus we have peace
with God.
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the
middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is,
the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one
new man from the two, thus making peace. Eph 2:14-15
Peace is the proof of victory when we are under attack so that we can stand.
If the feet of the soldier are wounded, he cannot stand or flee. Jesus’ feet
were nailed to the Cross to make the provision necessary for us to walk in
peace.
*The attack – The enemy uses worries,
anxieties and emotional turmoil to rob us of the peace we have in God. We can
have the peace that make us immovable during storms, just like Jesus did on the
boat tossed by the waves of the sea. Like Him, we need to be secure in God’s
love and faithfulness. Therefore we need to learn to walk daily in communion
with God, the Holy Spirit, obeying the exhortation of the following Scriptures:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7
Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. 1 Pet 5:7
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
*The Name – The Prince of peace – Jehovah Shalom
Shield of faith – This shield was placed on the left arm and
it covered the whole body. Its surface was made bright with oil as to reflect
the sun to blind the enemy. Being movable it can take any position over every
other piece of the armor. So the shield of faith provides a double protection.
It serves to defend from all kinds of attack, to quench all
the fiery darts that the enemy throws at us. Faith is the supernatural
empowerment of the overcomer. “ …And this is the victory that overcomes the
world, even our faith” I John 5:4.
*The attack – unbelief, hopelessness, weariness,
despair. When these things assail us it is the time to believe His word in the
face of all circumstances opposing the promises we have received. This is the
time to cling so much more to those promises, confident that God cannot lie and
that His Word is a fixed anchor that will not fail us. We must not judge by
what we see with our eyes; on the contrary, let us strengthen our faith by
believing the Word, confessing it, declaring it, praying it…for “faith comes by
hearing and hearing by the Word of God” Romans 10:17.
*The Name: Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Helmet of salvation - Our mind is the battleground between
the flesh and the spirit. What goes on in our mind is foundational to
salvation. We are transformed by the renewing of our mind. Salvation is knowing
who and what we are in Christ. Lacking confidence or being overconfident are
both debilitating. Paul in Romans 12:2, exhorts us to think soberly about
ourselves because as a man thinks in his heart so is he. The mind directs the
movements of the shield and of the sword. We need to have the mind of Christ.
The following scriptures are the exhortation that the Bible give us about
putting on the helmet of salvation:
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will
of God. Rom 12:2
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if
there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on
these things. Phil 4:8
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ. 2 Cor 10:5
*The Name: Savior, Redeemer.
The sword of the Spirit – The sword of the Spirit is still
Jesus, the Word who became flesh. It was wielded by the soldier with the right
arm , the symbol of authority and of power. This weapon is defensive as it
blocks the sword of the devil. (When tempted in the wilderness, Jesus stated:
“it is written…”) and it’s offensive as affirmed in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty trough God for the
pulling down of strongholds…”
The Sword of the Spirit is a Word sent by the Spirit, strengthened by the
Spirit and directed by the Spirit. This type of Word is called Rhema and it
differs from the Logos, which is the Word of God in its entirety. The Rhema is
a specific promise received at a specific time for a specific situation. As
such, it penetrates and cuts asunder the evil plans of our foe.
*The attack: Satan tempts, accuses and pronounces
words of judgment against us. But the Bible says, “No weapon formed against you
shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall
condemn…’ Isaiah 54:17. When Satan torments us with his words, let us torment
him with the Word of God.
To brandish the Sword as a lifestyle, requires effort from our part to seek
God for a Word, to confess that Word, to declare it saying, “it is written”…!
He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged
sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. Rev 1:16
Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with
the sword of my mouth. Rev 2:16
*The name: Jesus, the Word of God.
Prayer –This is the last piece that completes the armor.
When all the other pieces are firmly in place and we, as a Church, walk
habitually in them, our intercession will avail much!
Let us pray therefore for the Body of Christ to walk fully armored praying
effectively until the heaven rends and the covering of darkness over the mind
of the nations is removed.
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