The Christian's Armour

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”

The helmet of salvation speaks of the hope of the promise of the things to come. Hope always looks forward, having to do with the promise of living eternally with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now I said that this piece of armour is linked with faith, the fourth piece of armour. Faith is that trust that God will make good to His people those things He has presented in His Word. And hope that that patience that waits for the promise. Without faith hope is dead.

“And the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God” (verse 17). God has provided us with offensive as well as defensive ones. Now you may be thinking that I said earlier that God does not call us to be aggressive against Satan, seeking to invade his territory, and take it from him. This verse does not clash with the thoughts and ideas of the other pieces of armour at all. And to give you a clear picture of this let us look at 2 Corinthians 7:1.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

The sword of the spirit is not meant for you to go in hand-to-hand combat with Satan, but to be used to cut out and overtake the lusts and sins that rage within us. We are not only to resist our lusts but also to subdue and overtake them.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

It is interesting to note that how late the sword of the spirit is mentioned in the list. Why was it not the first in the list? Well the answer is quite simple. All of the other graces are needed first for us to make a right use of the Word of God. If there is not a sincere mind, a holy heart, and a will obedient to God then we would handle the Word of God dishonestly. If there is no faith and hope then we would misuse it. And it is next to last because it shows that even if we think that we have reached the highest point possible in our Christian life, we still need the Word.

The last piece of armour is given to us in verse 18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” Prayer is that point which the Christian soldier has taken unto himself the armour of God, fitted for victory, that point at which we turn to our General for the help that is needed for the day. In wearing the armour of God we are told to stand, to stand on our knees! Only prayer can keep alive the different spiritual graces that are figured by the various pieces of armour. “Praying always”: in every season-in times of joy as well as sorrow, in days of adversity, as well as prosperity. Not only so, but watching thereunto with perseverance”: that is one of the essential elements in powerful prayer-persistence. Think not only of yourself, but of all people, those who are also engaged in the fight and those that need to be engaged in the fight.