We’ve all seen in news reports videos of military personnel, whether our own nation’s military, or another nation’s. One thing we will notice is that, if they are preparing to go on duty, or preparing for battle, they are dressed properly and well-equipped. No one would ever send their soldiers out without their equipment, whether it is specific clothing or gear. Not having the proper clothing or gear can be a matter of life or death, and one is a fool to not put it on and use it. The same is true in our spiritual life. As we read in the closing chapter of the Book of Ephesians, we are presented with a list of what spiritual weapons we have at our disposal. Let’s see if we are using them.
We have heard many times that as believers, we are in a spiritual battle. Anyone who has been a Christian for any amount of time knows how true this is. Satan is real, and he wants nothing more than to destroy Christians in any way possible. He has millions of demons at his command, and they attack us in so many ways each day. It is important that we put on our spiritual armor every day. Jesus broke Satan’s power through His death on the cross and his resurrection, but conquering the powers of sin and battles of temptation still go on. We need the Lord’s power and every tool He has given us (vs. 10). This battle is from now until Jesus returns. There is no cease fire, no truce, no cessation of hostilities. It is an all-out war.
The devil is a very clever and cunning enemy, using crafty and deceptive methods to attack us (vs. 11). He propagates his methods through the evil world system of today. Satan’s goal is our destruction. He will do everything he can to undermine our faith. We face a powerful army, whose goal is to defeat believers (vs. 12). Paul tells us that a lot of our battles will be like wrestling. That gives a picture of hand to hand fighting, very personal in nature. So much of our battle with Satan is done personally, and it is long and hard. Thus, we need to always be prepared, with our spiritual armor taken up and put on as our life-long attire.
The first item that Paul tells us of is the belt of truth (vs. 14). A belt holds everything together. If we don’t wear a belt, often the other pieces of our clothing get all out of place. Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). God’s Word is truth. Jesus has no lies, deception, or hypocrisy in Him, and Satan is a deceiver and father of lies (John 8:44). The second piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. That would be like a bulletproof vest that the policemen wear. As we can imagine, we should never go out without that piece, as it protects our heart and other vital organs. Jesus’s righteousness and holiness, and not our own, is a Christian’s chief protection against Satan. When we aren’t living in His holiness and righteousness, depending on Him, we leave ourselves vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.
Though I like to kick off my shoes when I am at home, if I am going out to do serious work, such as a soldier would, I put on good, sturdy shoes (vs. 15). The shoes in our spiritual uniform enable us to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the peace we have with God when we accept Him as our Savior. They allow us to stand firm, and to carry that message on to others.
Shields are an important item in a soldier’s protective gear (vs. 16). Our shield is our faith, which we can use to stop the fiery darts or arrows that Satan throws at us. Faith and trust in God will protect us from Satan’s temptations. Temptations are like flaming arrows shot by the enemy. Satan wants to consume us with worry, fear, and doubt. They are like fiery arrows. Pick up our shield of faith. Faith is our strongest defense against fear and doubt.
We all need to put on our helmet, which protects our head. Our spiritual helmet is a helmet of salvation (vs. 17). Satan seeks to destroy a believer’s assurance of salvation with his weapons of doubt and discouragement. Also, all temptations first come as a thought. We need to protect our brain, where our thoughts originate.
Our only offensive weapon is a sword, which is God’s Word (vs. 17). God’s Word, the Bible, and that alone, is the only weapon that we can effectively use to defeat Satan. Not someone else’s words, or our own ideas or words. They won’t do a thing, and can end up bringing us down. Only the Bible is effective, which is what the Lord Jesus used when He was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11). Paul also instructs us to be sure and be in prayer at all times (vs. 18). A soldier keeps in constant contact with their superior officers. So should we. Send up brief, informal prayers throughout the day. Also, live so closely with Jesus that our life becomes a prayer.
This armor is as real as the clothes on our back right now. We need to dress for battle each and every day. Paul tells us several times in this passage that we need to stand. We need to stand firm against the enemy, without wavering or falling. Stand firm when the wicked appear to be winning. Stand firm in times of crisis. Stand firm when others compromise.
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