Lifting The Curtain Series

3.2 ALL the Armor

Paul says the same thing to us: be prepared and think ahead. Put on the whole armor of God DAILY. You are not to put on part of the equipment but all the equipment. Paul was in prison when he wrote Ephesians and he’s likely seeing a Roman soldier as his prison guard nearly all day long as he’s in captivity. The image of the Roman soldier leads Paul to write, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

Four times over the Bible uses the language of standing, standing firm, or withstanding (Ephesians 6:11, 13, 14). He sees how the common Roman solider is dressed and helps us make the corresponding analogy.

Again, you are to ““Put on the whole armor of God…” (Ephesians 6:11a). Each of the pieces — belt, shield, boots, shield, helmet, and sword are all furnished by God. Just as our government provides the equipment for our soldiers, God provides you the needed pieces for your war against evil. No sensible person goes into battle in t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. Instead, you’d gear up; you want everything possible to defend, to protect you. Put on all the armor and don’t “pick and choose” your favorite weapons.

3.3 Game Film

Most of us are aware that athletes and coaches watch game film of an upcoming opponent. One NFL player indicated that he watched game film around five hours a day. A position coach for the Dallas Cowboys recently told the Dallas Morning News that he believes the average film study for someone in his position is around four hours a day. Some smart-aleck says, “Maybe they should watch a little more this year ?!” No arguments here!

One area high school coach said they spend between ten and twenty hours a week watching film of their opponents on average. If a coach and a player average between twenty and twenty-five hours a week in film study for a silly game, how much film study do you think Satan does for war between good and evil?

You have to get serious about this and put on the whole armor of God. In this spiritual war, our opponent, the devil — along with his team of demons — has had thousands of years watching humanity’s film.

Satan isn’t God – he’s not omni anything! He’s not omnipresent, omnipotent, or omniscience. But he’s an expert on exploiting your personality weaknesses, your traumas, your racial and gender divisions, and you our flesh and its desires. Satan and his team of demons have been watching your own game film on you and me since our conception.

They know what leads you to sinful patterns. They know how to get you down on yourself. They are intimately aware of what frustrates you and wears you down. They have Ph.D.’s in exploiting your weaknesses. The Bible says to put on ALL the armor.

3.4 Stand Against

Why should you gear up DAILY? Look again at the back half of verse 11: “…that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11b). Four times in the midst of four verses, the Bible tells us to stand against evil or withstand evil forces. You have to be daily vigilant against the schemes of Satan.