The Armor of God
How can we resist the temptations of the devil with our fallen nature? The apostle Paul talks about putting on the full armor of God to fight the spiritual powers of darkness:
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:13-17
Let’s examine the elements of the armor of God and how we can be strong in the Lord:
The Belt of Truth
This is more than personal honesty; it is the truth of God’s Word as it is kept in the heart and acted upon in the believer’s life. Paul admonishes the believers, “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8 also 2 Corinthians 7:14; 11:10; Philippians 1:18).
The Breastplate of Righteousness
This covers the heart, preserves the life, and protects the important organs of the believer. The breastplate points to the righteousness of Christ and also to the Christian’s personal faithfulness to the truth. Both are necessary for successful battle against sin. Paul wrote, “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The Feet Ready For Spiritual Warfare
In order for the believer to stand the assaults, he must have a sure footing on Christ. It is an encouraging thought that the warrior in the midst of spiritual conflict can stand strong in peace. He has peace with God (Romans 5:1). He stands firm on the knowledge of Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.
The Shield of Faith
Faith is very essential to protect spiritual life. John wrote, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4). Faith lays hold on God’s promises for power, wisdom, patience and endurance. When temptations attack, it is faith that empowers the believer to carry on the War. “Without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6).
The Helmet of Salvation
This tool protects the head as being the most important part in the body, the place of the will and the intelligence. The helmet is called the hope of salvation. Paul wrote, “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?” (Romans 8:24). Even though hope is different from faith (1 Corinthians 13:13), it can’t be separated from it. It is hope that sets salvation clearly before the Christian and so urges him to battle, by faith, to get it.
The Sword of the Spirit
This is both defensive and offensive whereas the other part are defensive only. It is with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, that the Christian cuts his way through all of lives experiences. Jesus fought the devil in the wilderness of temptation with “it is written” (Matthew 4:4). Paul wrote, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Finally, the believer is to pray in the Spirit along with wearing the full armor of God. Without total reliance on God through prayer, the believers’ efforts in overcoming the temptation of Satan are fruitless (1 Thessalonians 5:17). There should be a continual prayer through the believer’s life. The connection with Heaven should not be broken (Luke 18:1). The apostle Paul ministered “night and day” (1 Thessalonians 2:9); he also prayed “night and day” (1 Thessalonians 3:10). Active reliance on his heavenly Father was always maintained. Jesus, our example, spent entire nights in prayer (Luke 6:12). How much more do we need to do that?
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
