Everyday we are fighting in a spiritual battle. It is vital for us to wear the Armor of Christ if we are to endure the spiritual battles we face daily. So Paul, an apostle of Christ, suggests that we “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” The armor of God is an illustration the Bible uses to remind us that there are spiritual battles we must face and the protection we have available to us to fight those battles. Each piece of armor has a distinct purpose and in this article I want to explain what each piece represents and how we can put it on to use it against the enemy.
WHAT ARE THE 6 PIECES OF ARMOR?
There are 6 pieces to the armor of God and they are the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. You will find these pieces of armor in Ephesians 6 verses 13-17.
Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. (New Living Translation)
WHAT DOES THE ARMOR OF GOD REPRESENT?
First, Paul talks about the belt of truth which means that we have chosen to live by the word of God and walk in his principles. By walking in truth we are walking with our back against sin. We are choosing to do the right thing and walk in the opposite direction.
Next, is the breast plate of righteousness which symbolizes when we give Jesus our sins, he will then give us his righteousness, or we will be in right standing with God. Because of our right standing with God we can now refuse all self condemnation or self hate telling ourselves we are a new creation under Christ. Understanding this will protect us against all destructive thought patterns.
Third, is the shoes of the gospel of peace which means that we have received God’s peace when we asked Jesus into our heart. His peace which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds. Therefore when we put on the shoes of peace we are initially walking and living in peace.
Fourth, is the shield of faith which protects us from the devil’s attacks. Ephesians 6:16 says that the shield of faith will stop the fiery arrows of the devil (his lies and temptations). Taking up the shield of faith means that our faith is in God and God alone. And that we truely believe what his word says.
Fifth, is the helmet of salvation which represents the mind of Christ. And it is what we will receive when we ask Jesus into our hearts. As we read God’s word we are renewing our minds, symbolically placing the helmet on our heads. Renewing our minds will help us to think right thoughts and it will protect our mind from the enemy.
And last, is the sword of the spirit which symbolizes God’s word. To use the sword of the spirit we need to speak God’s word out loud. When the enemy tries to bring something in our life that is not God’s will we need to speak his word over our circumstance.
This is why it is so important to know the word of God. The bible is our weapon against the devil.
Hebrews 4: 12 says, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
The more we intake God’s word the easier it will be to fight off the devil. The devil is crafty and he knows our weaknesses. That is why we must be prepared and armed with God’s word. Jesus was armed with God’s word when the devil tried to tempt him in the desert. We need to look at his example to see that if Jesus can do it so can we.
Memorizing scripture is a good way to prepare yourself. Just pick one verse that speaks to you about your situation and focus on that verse for a week. Everytime you think about a negative or ungodly thought remember or repeat that verse out loud. Soon you will be remembering the verse rather than those negative thoughts. That is called renewing the mind.
Also we need to remember without God we can do nothing. So pray for God to help you stay focused on his word.
John 15: 5 says, "Yes I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
HOW DO YOU PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD?
The answer to this question is found in the verse after Pauls explaination of the armor of God.
Ephesians 6: 18 which says, Pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (NLT).
So how do we put on the armor of God? The answer we are looking for is through prayer. Paul says we need to stay alert and be persistent in our prayers. That we need to pray at all times and we need to watch out for the enemy because he prowls around like a lion waiting to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). To do this I have come up with a prayer that we can pray everyday that uses the armor of God.
Heavenly Father,
Today I ask you to help me in putting on the armor that you have provided for me.
With the helmet of salvation I ask you to clear my mind of any distractions. Help me to focus on the good things and to keep me from thinking ungodly thoughts.
With the breast plate of righteousness help me to act on what is right and what you have said in your word. And protect my heart from sinful and evil desires.
With the belt of truth help me to believe what you have said in your word. Your word speaks truth and I need help replacing all the lies with your truth.
With the shoes of the gospel of peace please give me the peace I need to get through this situation in my life. Thank you for your peace that surpasses all understanding.
With the shield of faith help me to believe who you say you are and to trust you and your plans for me.
And with the sword of the spirit I ask you to show me the scriptures that will help me at this time. So that I can effectively fight off the devil’s fiery arrows.
Thank you for this armor and your unending love for me. Help me to remember to put it on daily because I need your strength in fighting what is in the spiritual realms. I can not do this without you. Thank you Father. I love you. In Jesus’s name Amen
CONCLUSION
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I would also love to hear from you about how the Armor of God has been used in your life. Thank you for taking an interest in my article. God bless you!
