"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV)
INTRODUCTION
At the very moment the bullet would have penetrated his brain and killed him instantly, his head moved ever so slightly at such an angle that the bullet only hit his ear. It was clear to most people that there was some kind of divine intervention that stopped him from being assassinated. Because it happened at 6:11, some have said it was because he was wearing the Armor of God found in Ephesians 6:11 that protected him. Another unsuccesful attempt to assassinate him was made on September 15,
2024 while he was playing golf.
The Armor of God is so important to the Born-Again Christian that we are told two times in Scripture to put on the complete Armor of God daily so we can stand our ground against the attacks of the enemy because we are God's Temple! (vs. 11,13,14)
The Temple of the Holy Spirit
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)
God no longer lives within the Tabernacle made of human hands. He lives within the spirit, mind, and body of the one who has become Born-Again by repenting of their sin and receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Two Greek words in the New Testament are translated as "temple." They are 'naos' and 'hieron.' The word used to describe the body as a "temple" of the Holy Spirit is the word 'naos,' which is also used metaphorically in the Bible to describe the physical body of Jesus.
"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19 ESV)
The other word translated as Temple in the New Testament is 'hieron,' which signifies the entire building or the numerous outer courts in Herod's Temple to which all people had access and is the area where Jesus taught His lessons.
The human body houses the eternal spirit and the mind. The spirit dwells in the body, and the Holy Spirit dwells in the spirit, mind, and body. The word soul, often used interchangeably with "spirit," means the mind, will, and emotions. The body, every cell, tissue, and organ, is the very shrine - the Holy of Holies - where the Spirit of God dwells. The Born-Again Christian is "the temple of the living God" (2 Corinthians 6:16b ESV). The most Holy Creator of the Universe lives in them, and He "is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:1-5 ESV).
Heaven is God's true eternal dwelling place. The Tabernacle was a copy of it (Hebrews 8:5; 9:24; Acts 7:44; Revelation 15:5). It was designed to foreshadow things to come (Hebrews 10:1). The access to God's divine presence was limited (Hebrews 9:7). The regulations God gave were temporary. The sacrifices were insufficient (Hebrews 9:9,10:1-4).
The magnificence of the Tabernacle was a reflection of the Shekinah Glory of God who dwelt there. His majestic beauty was displayed in its grandeur, and His holiness was expressed in the restrictions on access to it. The sacrificial system shows that people can only come to God on His terms and by the only provision He made to atone for sin - Jesus.
Jesus is the permanent Tabernacle - the Temple (John 1:14). He gave the Holy Spirit to dwell within every Born-Again Christian who is now the Temple of His holy presence. When we meet in a church, it is also the Temple of God with Jesus as the chief cornerstone and His presence dwells within to empower and bless His Bride (Ephesians 2:20).
Jesus offered Himself as a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12-14,26). He has entered the heavenly sanctuary not made with human hands and opened a "new and living way" into His presence for all people (Hebrews 8:2, 9:11, 6:19,10:19-22). Every Born-Again Believer can now approach the Ark of the Covenant, the "mercy seat," with the confidence that they will obtain the mercy and grace needed to carry the fire of God into the whole world to proclaim the Gospel (Mark 16:15; Hebrews 4:16). The consummation of God's divine plan will be reached when Heaven, the eternal Tabernacle of God, comes to Earth to dwell forever with His Bride (Revelation 21:3).
THE FOUNDATION OF THE ARMOR OF GOD
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." (Ephesians 6:10 NIV)
The foundation of the Armor of God is based upon what Jesus provided for us through His death on the Cross and was appropriated to us at the moment we repented of our sins and received Him and our Lord and Savior. From that point forth, in the time that remains as we walk on the earth, we will be empowered, increasing our strength as we rest in our position in Him. We are no longer our “own;” we “were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV). The precious blood of Jesus purchased us, and it is His possession of us by the force and might of His strength that grasps us in the palm of His hand. The beautiful God "who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4 NIV). God has given us the Spirit of "power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7 NIOV). Within us dwells the "Spirit of "truth" (John 14:17), "holiness" (Romans 1:4), "life" (Romans 8:2), "adoption" (Romans 8:15) "grace' (2 Corinthians 4:15) "wisdom and revelation" (Ephesians 1:17), "glory (1 Peter 4:14) and of "prophecy" (Revelation 19:10).
We fight an invisible enemy who has different functions, like an army with organized opposition to the world and especially to the Believer. This war is fought on three fronts: the love of the world), the flesh (desires of the flesh), and the devil (his deceptions and temptations). The enemy studies us and stalks us by stealth, and it is when he is uncovered and exposed for what he is doing that he loses his influence. We are soldiers in a spiritual war of colliding worlds of light and darkness:
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NIV - see also 1 Timothy 2:3-4, Philippians 2:25)
We need to have a comprehensive working knowledge of the Scriptures to be victorious.
"because you are strong and the word of God abides in you and you have overcome the wicked one." (1 John 2:14 NIV)
Jesus showed us that knowing the Bible will help overcome temptation. However, it isn't learned in one day. No Born-Again Believer ever really graduates from Spiritual Boot Camp. We must continually abide by the study of the Bible to develop spiritual muscle memory and prepare ourselves for direct assaults by the enemy. The Armor of God is understanding and applying the Scriptures. Most battles will be fought separately in our private lives when there is no one around.
God's love is perfect and "drives out fear" (1 John 4:16-18 NIV). Jesus has "overcome the world" (John 16:33 KJV). Christians are "not of the world." Jesus prayed that the Father would "protect them from the evil one" (John 17:14-16 NIV).
The Apostle Paul was absolutely certain beyond any shadow of doubt "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39 KJV). The "fullness of God lives in a human body, and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe" (Colossians 2:9-10 NLT). Jesus said, "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall" (Luke 11:17 NIV).
GETTING DRESSED
Every day, we are to "Put on the whole armor of God" so that we "may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil," so that we "may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." (Ephesians 6:11,13 ESV)
The Scriptures implore us to "PUT ON" the full armor of God just as we are to "put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:12), "put on Christ" (Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27), "put on the new self" (Ephesians 4:24), "put on tender mercy" and "above all put on love" (Colossians 3:12-14)
The armor of God is not just pieces of equipment but actually the very person of Jesus Christ. He alone is able to stand victorious against the enemy.
"The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes" (Deuteronomy 1:30 ESV)
Jesus IS our armor and weapon. Total victory is guaranteed to those who walk in holiness and humility by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus and allowing Him to rule over every thought, word, and deed.
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT
"The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." (Romans 13:12-14 ESV)
The war against the enemy is not against flesh and blood. God has given us His "armor of light" (Romans 13:12 NIV), which is the radiant image of Christ's character, to prepare and protect against the onslaught of the enemy. Walking in holiness will allow HIS Word of truth to rule as Lord over our thoughts "in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:7 NIV). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to be "strong in the Lord and in his mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10 NIV), increasing daily in supernatural strength by resting in God and HIS power.
Jesus "lives in unapproachable light" (1 Timothy 6:15-16 NIV). He has made His "light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:5-6 NIV). The greatest weapon we have been given is the beauty of God that will blind the eyes of any enemy;
"For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV)
We are children "of the light and sons of the day," and we don't "belong to the night or to the darkness." (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 NIV). We must learn to place our "trust in the light" each day (John 12:36 NIV).
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." (Ephesians 6:10 NIV)
Let's take a close look at each piece of armor and see what it covers.
THE BELT OF TRUTH
First, there is the "belt of truth" buckled around the waist. The Roman soldier used this belt to pull in any loose ends of his robe. It also served as added support to strengthen his back so he could stand straight and strong. The enemy's goal was to get him to bend and fall. It also protected the torso of the body, and there were pieces of it that protected the lower parts connected together at the hips. In combat, if they were not girded (prepared for attack), it could cause separation of the armor and leave vital organs exposed, which could result in sure death.
The belt went around their waist and between their legs, covering and protecting their reproductive organs. If you want to 'hold up' to the wiles of the devil and 'reproduce' Christians, then you must live your life both in and by truth. The use and proper fitting of this piece of armor was of utmost importance in battle.
Jesus said, "and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32 ESV). It is by living our lives in truth and honesty that we will be able to set others free. We must guard our testimony with the belt of truth.
The belt of "truth" is Jesus; "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (JOHN 14:6 ESV). Jesus also said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32 KLV) Christians must guard their testimony with the belt of truth.
The Breastplate Of Righteousness
Next is the "breastplate of righteousness," which covers the torso of the body and contains all of the major organs, including the heart. It is from the heart that the blood of life flows. But also, in a spiritual sense, the heart is the home of love and faith. Jesus said that you are to "Love the Lord" your "God with all" your "heart and with all" your "soul" and with all your "mind" and with all your "strength" (Mark 12:30 NIV).
Jesus taught that a "good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45 NIV).
Every day, if we want to live a holy and righteous life, we must put on "righteousness." Living a righteous life is living a life of trusting-faith and love. Paul also calls the "breastplate of righteousness" the "breastplate of faith and love" (1 Thessalonians 5:8). If we are to be effective in our daily testimony, then we must live righteously through trusting-faith and love, which is a conscious and deliberate act on our part. We don't wake up each day overflowing with faith and love, which are our defense against attacks, whether or not those attacks are in the form of a harsh, cruel word from a loved one or a direct assault from the enemy.
The Shoes Of Readiness
Following the breastplate comes the "feet fitted with readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace." Roman soldiers wore sandals that were sturdy and lightweight, with metal spikes sticking out of the sole to give good traction and protect and support their feet and ankles. The sandals had long pieces of leather that had to be wrapped properly, which was very time-consuming. If they came loose in battle, the soldiers could trip, fall, and be easily defeated. They had to march over sharp stones. The enemy also would put down sharp, wooden spikes that stuck up just above ground level. If a soldier came by with no shoes on, he wouldn't get far. His feet would get punctured, bleed, swell, and make the soldier unfit for the battle.
The Bible tells us to wear shoes of "readiness" because we are always to be prepared to go and share the Gospel with others. This readiness comes from living in peace with one another. We can never be ready to go and share the Gospel if we are not living in peace.
Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid" (John 14:27 NIV). We are not to be afraid of the evil in our past or even the evil that will come in the future. Finding the real peace offered by Jesus is by actually understanding that He has everything under His control in spite of the circumstances.
The Shield Of Faith
Next, we are to "take up the shield of faith, with which [you] can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one" (vs. 6:16). The Roman soldier had two shields. One was a small combat shield, and the other was a huge body shield that was almost as large as the soldier himself and was carried in one hand, which would protect him from an onslaught of flaming arrows and rocks. As the flaming arrows hit the shield, they would burn themselves out as there was nothing to feed the flame. The shield was also used to ward off the blows of an enemy's sword. This "shield of faith" can ward off all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Therefore, it is of significant importance that we always take it with us wherever we go because:
"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)
Faith is not a tool that can be used to make God work on our behalf. Each day, we must "take up the shield of faith" by entrusting every breath to our Savior. The faith that will protect us and extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one is simply trust. To do this successfully, we must live a life of trusting-faith.,
"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17 NIV)
Trusting-faith is the key to overcoming the world: "Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John 5:5 NIV). Jesus said that sometimes the enemy will not be defeated "except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:21 NKJV)
The Helmet Of Salvation
We are now told to "take the helmet of salvation." Paul also calls the helmet "the hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8). It was made of leather and metal. It served to protect the head from arrows, clubs, swords, etc. The head, of course, houses the brain, which controls the whole body - what we speak and hear, as well as what we think. When we put on this helmet, we are saying that our actions, the words we speak, and our thoughts about life will be according to "things that accompany salvation" (Hebrews 6:9 NIV).
The helmet is especially needed when the accuser of the brethren, the enemy, seeks to undermine the assurance and security of our relationship with God. We are to meditate on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable." And, as a Born-Again Christian, whatever things you "have learned or received or heard" from our study of the Scriptures and the testimony of other faithful Born-Again Believers, we should "put it into practice." Then, when we do, "the God of peace" will be with us (Philippians 4:8-9 NIV).
The Sword Of The Spirit
A soldier's armor would not be complete without a weapon to defend himself, so next, we must take up the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17 NIV). There is no defense without a good offense. The sword was used not just as a weapon to protect but also to destroy. It had a short, double-edged blade and was designed for close-quarter, one-on-one fighting. A soldier had to spend many years learning to use it effectively. The well-trained soldiers of Rome were able to conquer most of the known world using these unique swords.
If we are going to destroy the works of the enemy, we must learn to use our unique sword - the Word of God - and study it diligently. No soldier would ever go into battle without having learned how to use his weapons. As we are trained through the study of the Bible, we learn to use its power to demolish those strongholds that have existed in our lives because we are able to take captive every thought and make it obedient to God's word.
When we go into these spiritual battles, we fight with weapons that are not of this world. Our spiritual weapons have divine power to demolish strongholds and "every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God." And when you do fight with these "spiritual" weapons, you can then "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV).
Unprotected Parts
There is, however, one area of the soldier's body that is left unprotected. The armor wasn't made to cover the back. Roman soldiers gave no thought to covering their backs for two important reasons:
First, they were trained always to march forward. There was never any thought of retreat. The soldier was to press on, fighting the enemy face-to-face. And so it must be with us in our "spiritual" battles. We must always confront our enemy face-to-face, never giving up in retreat. The war has already been won, but there are still battles in the future to be fought that will ultimately end victoriously.
Secondly, each soldier was trained with others as one unit. If a soldier were attacked from behind, another would stand with him, back-to-back, in order to protect him by fighting the enemy from both sides. We must learn to stand back-to-back with fellow Born-Again Christians, protecting each other as we fight our own spiritual battles. Prayer is the best cover we can offer our fellow soldiers.
Prayer In The Spirit
Finally, and most importantly, we must:
"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 saints." (Ephesians 6:18 NIV)
As a Christian soldier, maintaining a strong relationship with the Father through prayer is the greatest weapon we have to use against the true enemy. In warfare, victory or defeat depends on the ability to keep in touch with the Command Center on high.
Prayer is what strengthens us to do battle because it is our lifeline. It is also the way we fight for and defend other Christians throughout the world. Without a consistent prayer life, we will not be effective warriors as we enter into battle. We must always be in prayer, and when we pray for fellow soldiers, they will be covered by the Holy Spirit.
We can dress with faith, righteousness, peace, and pure thoughts and be a great student of the Word, but if we do not pray if we do not keep in constant communication with our commander, we will not have the strength to battle against the enemy.
CONCLUSION
When we fight against each other, when we don't forgive, we give the enemy a temporary victory. But in addition, we also give him a stronghold from which he will be able to attack us again. We are admonished to;
"Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:9 NIV)
God is the Spiritual Warrior's true strength. Battles are won by trusting the Lord, not by trying to find strength within. Calling upon the name of the Lord is the answer. Jesus has been given a name that is higher than any other name, whether in heaven, on earth, or under the earth (see Ephesians 1:20-23). He is our strong tower, defender, shield, and the One who does battle on our behalf.
"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD..." (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV)
There is no authority greater than Jesus, and He LIVES in EVERY Born-Again Christian! He has been given authority over every principality and power.
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power..." (Colossians 2:9-10 NIV)
The battle belongs to the Lord, and He has already determined the outcome!
