Prepared for Warfare

When you think of armor, what comes to your mind? ( Pause for responses.) Perhaps many of us think of a medieval knight covered in shiny, yet heavy and cumbersome, metal to protect him from the arrows and swords of his enemy ( show medieval armor). However, armor is still very much in use today (s how modern armor). Armor has come a long way over the centuries. Today, soldiers wear lightweight vests and helmets made with bullet-proof Kevlar. Every component of their clothing and equipment is crucial and highly effective. Yes, armor surely has changed, but no matter how it looks or what it is made of, the purpose is still the same. It still serves to protect the soldier from the attacks of the enemy.

Spiritual armor, on the other hand, has not changed at all over the course of time. God has always provided the believer with everything we need for our spiritual battles (2 Peter 1:3-4). Ephesians 6:14-18 provides the best overview of this spiritual armor granted to us as believers. If we are believers, we have it. The question is: will we use it.

1. The Purpose of God's Armor – Ephesians 6: 10-13 (read) 

a. To be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11).

b. To stand for righteousness in this evil day (Ephesians 6:13).

Beginning in verse 10, we see that the writer encourages us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. He does not ask us to come up with strength from within ourselves. Instead, we are to rely on God's power. The power of His might comes from being in Him, resting in Him, and trusting in Him, rather than trusting in our own strength.

God will never give us a command without supplying the resources for us to carry it out. As we move into verse 11, the focus moves to the armor that God gives to reinforce that strength. God knows that Satan is a clever opponent who uses cunning, deceptive schemes, or wiles . He will use the world system we live in as well as our own fallen human nature against us. We must be discerning or we will be caught in Satan's crafty methods of warfare before we even know what happened. This brings us to the first purpose of God's armor for the believer. We are encouraged to put on the armor of God so that we may able to stand against the wiles, or schemes, of the devil. Notice a very important thing before we move on. We are instructed to put on the whole armor of God, not just the components we believe are important.

To understand why it is so important to put on the whole armor of God we must look at verse 12 . Paul uses the word wrestle to illustrate the spiritual battle we are in. We are engaged in a battle with Satan and his forces. Wrestling is a face-to-face and hand-to-hand form of combat. It is up close and personal. One mistake at close range and the enemy will overcome us in a way we never saw coming.

The armor protects us from all of the spiritual wickedness in this world that Satan controls. In verse 13, Paul identifies the second purpose of God's armor: so that we may withstand Satan's attacks in this evil day and to enable us as believers to take a firm stand for righteousness, even in the midst of Satan's evil influences. Just as physical armor may protect the body we dwell in, the armor of God protects us against the spiritual attacks of Satan (Ephesians 6:12-13). We cannot afford to lose this spiritual battle.

Now that we have seen the purpose of God's armor, let's continue on with the next four verses as we see the components of God's armor.

2. The Components of God's Armor – Ephesians 6: 14-17

As we move on to verse 14, we are reminded again of the importance of each component of armor. It is intended to protect us in this evil day when Satan's fiery darts are flying everywhere (Ephesians 6:16). If just one piece of armor is missing, our chances of being wounded increase significantly. We must not be victims due to carelessness, negligence, or reckless pride.

Let's take a closer look at the armor of God identified in Ephesians 6:14-17.

•  Belt of Truth

  When Paul wrote this passage, a soldier's belt was absolutely critical. With this belt, he would hold up his long tunic or robe so that in the heat of battle he would not trip on the end of it or have it get caught on something that might hinder him from fighting well. A soldier could not afford distractions or instability when in the midst of hand-to-hand combat.

Spiritually speaking, the belt that holds in all the loose ends to keep the believer from stumbling would be truth. Since Satan is a liar (John 8:44), it is only fitting that our defensive armor starts with God's truth. Our lives must be characterized by truthfulness. By living according to God's truth (John 17:17), the Bible, we effectively tuck away all hindrances that may cause us to stumble spiritually. We must have a deep sense of commitment to know the truth and live it without hypocrisy. The believer who deploys this armor will be marked as a man or woman who lives a life of integrity.

•  Breastplate of Righteousness

Think of the breastplate of the Roman soldier as the bullet-proof vest of today. It protected most of the vital internal organs, such as the heart and lungs. This breastplate was often made of thick leather with animal horns or hoof pieces sewn on. The enemy would always look for an open spot in the breastplate to get to this vital area.

The breastplate of righteousness is the ironclad covering that protects the most vital of spiritual organs, the heart. We put on the breastplate of righteousness by yielding ourselves daily to the Savior's power and authority over our lives. When we disobey God and neglect our personal pursuit of holiness, we enter the battle without that armor and open ourselves up to Satan's attacks.

•  Sandals of the Gospel of Peace

Sure footing is a must in any dangerous venture. Stability produces confidence and instability will bring about insecurity that will lead to injury. That is why the Roman soldiers would wear sandals with nails in the soles so that they could grip the ground in combat. If they didn't have to worry about losing their footing they would fight with more confidence and focus.

As soldiers of Christ we cannot afford to walk around distracted and insecure. We are commanded three times in Ephesians 6 to stand firm . We cannot do that without the stabilizing power of the Gospel of peace. This peace is not something that can be attained by us. It is imparted to us through Christ's finished work on the cross (Romans 5:1). His death, burial, and resurrection enable us to stand at peace with God. Nothing in the world can produce as much confidence as that.

•  Shield of Faith

  In Paul's day, the Roman soldiers would hide behind large shields that were about two and a half feet wide and four and a half feet tall. These shields were plenty large enough for the soldier to hide his entire body. The front of the shield was covered with oil-treated leather that would absorb and extinguish flaming arrows fired at them by their enemies. Often these shields were made to interlock with other soldiers', enabling the Romans to create an impenetrable wall of security.

In Ephesians 6:16, Paul emphasizes the priority of faith when he commands his readers to take the shield of faith above all. He is not talking about saving faith, but rather about a daily faith that is shown when believers yield themselves to God without reservation. Temptations are likened to fiery darts that would make us victims without faith exhibited through our trust in God. This is our shield, serving to absorb and extinguish those temptations thrown at us by Satan.

Utilizing the shield of faith in our lives impacts our fellow soldiers. Just as the Roman soldiers could strengthen their defenses as a unit by interlocking shields, so we can influence other Christians to withstand temptation by standing united by a common faith in God. Your trust in God impacts others negatively or positively. Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to provoke one another to love and to good works and to be faithful in meeting for worship and fellowship. We need one another for encouragement and growth in our faith. Without the armor of faith, our defenses are incomplete.

•  Helmet of Salvation

The head is always a prime target in battle. A minor head wound still bleeds profusely. A strike to the head could render an opponent unconscious or confuse him to the point that he is no longer fit for battle. Of course, serious head injuries often resulted in death. Therefore, the helmet is an essential component of the soldier's armor.

We know that Paul was writing to Christians in this passage. When he spoke about the helmet of salvation, he was not referring to attaining forgiveness for sins or taking Christ as Savior. This helmet of salvation refers to the mind controlled by God. To take the helmet of salvation means resting on the fact of one's salvation, trusting in the Word of God, and allowing God's salvation to influence our thinking.

•  Sword of the Spirit

The Roman soldier was skilled with a sword. It was their primary weapon. The sword referred to in this passage was a relatively small weapon, anywhere from six to eighteen inches in length. Though it was considered an offensive weapon, it was carried on the soldier's body with the rest of his armor so it would always be accessible.

Just as the sword was the primary weapon for the soldier, so God's Word is the primary weapon for the Christian. Being unskilled with the sword of the Spirit reveals negligence in the study of the Bible that leads to major mistakes (Matthew 22:29). We must never underestimate the power of God's Word. The Bible is sharper than any double-edged sword and it discerns our very thoughts and motivations (Hebrews 4:12). It can be used defensively to ward off the attacks of Satan. It can also be used offensively to dismantle the strategies that Satan uses and rescue the captive souls of those Satan still holds in sin and deception.

As soldiers of the Lord, it is essential that we grow in skill with this weapon. We are encouraged in 2 Timothy 2:15 to be diligent, or to study, the Word of God. This passage also tells us we must rightly divide, or correctly handle, God's Word. Just as with any tool or weapon, you can use God's Word in an improper way but it will not have the desired effect unless used properly. Correctly handling God's Word implies both correct interpretation (knowing what it means) and good application (knowing what to do with it in daily life).

3. The Power of God's Armor – Ephesians 6:18 (read)

a. Prayer

b. Watchfulness

Prayer is an essential component of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:18). Prayer is used both in putting on the armor as well as holding each piece in place in the midst of heated battle. But it is not enough for you to seek God's power for you to stand firm as an individual. Just as a soldier in a military conflict must be concerned for his fellow soldiers and their well-being, we are to concern ourselves with our spiritual fellow soldiers. Prayer is the primary way we express our concern and unity as soldiers in God's army. Praying always for all saints is Paul's encouragement to believers of his day, and to us as well.

Watchfulness is a second tactic for believers in arming themselves against Satan. Watchfulness is often linked with prayerfulness in the Bible (Nehemiah 4:9; Mark 13:33). Together, these traits or habits work in the believer's life to head off surprise attacks from Satan. The persevering nature of this command reminds us that we cannot afford to stop being watchful and prayerful.

Conclusion

The armor of God is available to every believer and protects us against the attacks of Satan. We are encouraged to take the belt of God's truth to combat Satan's lies. We must put on the breastplate of righteousness in order to live in purity and holiness. Our firm footing in this evil world is assured when we put on the sandals of the Gospel of peace, which are provided by Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. The shield of faith is ours when we live what we profess to believe and trust God for everything. By taking the helmet of salvation, we protect our minds from ungodly thinking, focusing on God's gift of salvation to all who believe. The sword of the Spirit is our offensive weapon, the Word of God.

The power to utilize this armor comes from a life marked by prayer and watchfulness. Satan's strongholds cannot stand against this armor and the power of God exhibited in the well-prepared believer. The question that remains is whether or not you are picking up and putting on this armor every day. Are you growing in your skills with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God? We are easy prey for the enemy if we don't take advantage of the armor God has provided. Commit yourself to wearing God's armor every day.

Are you prepared for warfare? Is there a piece of armor that you have been neglecting? How can you make a point of putting it on every day? Try starting each day by arming yourself for battle. Put your armor on piece by piece as you spend time in prayer. Sharpen your skill with the sword by being consistent in your quiet time. Get involved with another trusted student as an accountability partner to grow in this area.