Last writing I began our look at Ephesians 6, and the armor of God. Now we will look at each of the pieces of the armor God provides for His people so that we can stand firm in our faith, living in Jesus’ victory accomplished on the cross.
These are the components of our Christian armor:
Belt of Truth:
Consider why a soldier would wear a belt. It would hold his armor in place. It sets the tone, so to speak, for everything else to be well fitted. The soldier doesn’t need to worry about his pants falling down, which would leave him (or her) vulnerable. It also keeps each piece of “weaponry” in place so the soldier knows where to find it.
Jesus said in John 14:6 that “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
God provides us with truth. God’s truth is our foundation. It provides confidence. It provides the ability to stand firm in the spiritual battle we are in every day.
Breastplate of Righteousness:
God’s righteousness fills our heart, and as a breastplate was attached to protect the soldier, it is like the covering God’s people have because of the blood of Jesus. This is not anything you and I can acquire on our own merit. It is a free gift from Jesus, when we commit our lives to Him. Is Jesus reaching out to you today? If so, please don’t linger in accepting His offer of Christ’s righteousness, His upright moral standing is a gift of mercy and grace to undeserving sinners.
The soldiers’ breastplates were reliable. God is reliable, and no one can take away our righteousness, when we belong to Jesus.
Do you belong to Jesus? If not, please contact me so we can discuss this eternal decision.
The Gospel of Peace fitted on our feet:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth of God’s salvation. Jesus paid for our sin with His life. His death satisfied God’s just wrath for our sins. His resurrection proves His power over death, and the devil.
It is the Good News – the best news we can ever have.
God’s people have the privilege to share the hope of Christ with others, and as we share the eternal hope only Jesus can provide, we are also encouraged and filled with excitement for the hope we have in Jesus. He has “fitted our feet” with His Gospel so we can offer this to others.
The Shield of Faith:
A soldier’s shield protected him from his enemies. It was generally large, and covered his body so that the fiery darts (actual darts with fire on their tips) of the enemy could not find their way to the soldier’s vital organs. Our faith “shields” us from the tactics of our enemy.
When Satan wants to discourage us, get us angry, make us feel insignificant, etc., our faith, guided by God’s truth, guards our hearts, and provides us with encouragement, self-control, and value. Our value comes from our relationship with Jesus, which comes through faith.
The Helmet of Salvation:
A helmet protects one’s head. God’s helmet of salvation protects our minds from the lies of the enemy.
Instead, we are filled with joy and peace from the Lord that the world does not understand. When we ponder the depth of what God’s salvation means, we can withstand the enemy’s tactics, because we know we are cherished by our Creator God.
Our salvation, our eternal life with Jesus, was accomplished by our most powerful God. Jesus proved, at the cross, that no one is more powerful than He is. Do you believe this?
Our spiritual enemy wants us to doubt Jesus, but God wants us to stand firm, not wavering in our faith, and the gift of His mercy and grace. If you have doubts, what is the basis for your doubt? I’d be glad to discuss your doubts with you! You can reach me at the email below.
The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:
What does a sword do? When utilized by a soldier, it cuts and punctures. God’s Word does that for us. Hebrews 4:12 helps us further understand what Paul is teaching: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In 2 Timothy 3:16 we have further clarity on the uses for God’s Word: “All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]” Amplified Version.
You can study the full 66 books of the Bible for further instructions, and words of encouragement, so that you can stand firm in your faith.
In Matthew 4, Jesus stood firm using the “sword of the Spirit”, God’s Word, when Satan attempted to waylay Him. But God brought Jesus through victoriously. Jesus stood firm, and He will enable all His true followers to also stand firm in their faith in the living God.
These are amazing tools God provides for His people so that we can live well in this life, so that we can stand firm before we meet Jesus and spend eternity with Him.
They enable us to keep our guard up against the pitfalls the enemy, our flesh, and the world can lead us into.
Paul reminds us of the significance of prayer in Ephesians 6:18: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Prayer is a powerful tool God provides for His people. Please do not underestimate the privilege of being able to talk with God directly, and to hear from Him through His Word and His Holy Spirit.
We must not forget where we are going for all eternity – to spend it with Jesus. Wearing our armor well will help us from getting too occupied with where we are now. This will protect us from running after the pleasures of the moment, which lead to sin, which is part of the spiritual battle.
Dress well, with God’s armor, and experience His victory in the battles of this life!
Is there a part of God’s armor that you have left in your “closet”? Will you make a diligent effort to dress yourself well in God’s protective gear so that you can stand, and stand firm?
Do you have questions about the points made in this writing? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about Jesus, and/or what you have read.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
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Copyright 2024 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.