Introduction
Scripture tells us that our enemy is filled with “great wrath , because he knows that he has a short time” (Revelation12: 12). It is time that we, as Spirit-filled representatives of Christ, begin to act like the time is short as well. We are at war, but this is a Spiritual Warfare for End Time Warriors. We must equip ourselves for Spiritual battle in a way like never before. We need to operate as God’s Champions here on earth. We will grow in knowledge and power that is based solely on the Bible, not some man-made doctrine. The purpose of this message is to empower us to advance the Kingdom of Heaven the way Jesus talks about in Matthew 11: 12… forcefully. This is what is needed in these last days. We are called to be forceful in attacking the enemy’s camp. This message will give us all the information on the armor of God. Who does the armor belong to? Why has He given its use to us? Together we will change the Spiritual Atmosphere of the Poconos, and of our world. We will see a revival movement unlike any previous movement, and the Kingdom of God will advance. Even so, Lord, let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
God’s Champion
When we are talking about the armor of God, the biblical text that comes to everyone’s mind is Ephesians 6: 11–17 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 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. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The first thing we need to realize is that the armor is God’s, not ours. I have heard sermons preached that make this sound like it’s a gift God has given to you, but it’s not. It’s always has been HIS ARMOR. Why is that an important distinction, you may be wondering? The answer comes when we look at biblical history.
In Bible times, it was customary for kings to choose a champion to fight for them in battle. The champion would wear the king’s armor and any battles that were won by the champion were attributed to the king, not to the warrior in the king’s armor. This was the reason that Saul tried to clothe David in his armor in 1Samuel 17: 38– 39 “So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.’ So David took them off.”
God would not allow David to wear Saul’s armor. God made him uncomfortable in Saul’s armor because David was God’s champion, not Saul’s. Why is this of importance to us? When we put on the armor of God, we are operating as God’s Champion in the world. We put on His armor and fight for God against His enemies in the spiritual battle for the people of this world.
It is for this reason that Paul says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” He is reminding people that once you have put on God’s armor, you only fight against the armor owner’s enemies. Furthermore, the armor’s owner gets the credit for every victory you accomplish.
Defensive Armor
We must remember this because we often forget that the battle we are called to fight is a spiritual one. Because most Christians don’t have the gift of discernment, we can’t see into the spirit realm. This makes it easy to mistake our enemy for humans who are being used by the devil and his demons. But they are captives or prisoners in the battle, not the enemy. We must learn to keep that in mind as we enter the battle. We aren’t to use God’s armor against his children— either redeemed or yet to be redeemed. We are to use it against his true enemies, those of the spirit realm who chose to go against Him.
Notice all the pieces of this armor are for defensive uses only. Paul states why we are to put on the pieces of the armor that he mentions, “so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” I want to state that this isn’t all of the armor of God, only the defensive armor. The parts of the armor listed in Ephesians are what we use to survive the attacks of the devil against us. Not only does Paul tell us what they are for, notice that he tells us to “Stand”; there is no forward motion. These pieces of God’s armor aren’t used for advancing the Kingdom, but for standing our ground and defending what is already won. Paul reminds us again and again to stand. He even goes so far as to say, having done everything you can, keep standing.
Once we understand that the pieces of God’s armor listed here are used to defend, we are empowered to use them properly and effectively. When I finally saw this principle and understood it, my ability to defend myself and others spiritually changed.
For years, I resisted the call of God to ministry. I let the enemy tell me, I couldn’t be used by God in full-time ministry . Then one day while reading this passage, I felt the Holy Spirit teach me that this armor was to be used to defend myself and others against the lies (fiery darts) of the devil. I began to visualize putting on God’s armor to protect me and others. I finally saw the lies of the enemy for what they were: an attack to keep me from fulfilling the God-created purpose for my life.
You ask, how do you put on this armor? My answer to you is that I actually use my God -given imagination to see and place it on myself everyday. I would encourage you to do the same. To me, the armor of God looks like the armor of the middle ages mixed with Star Wars storm trooper armor, with just a touch of 1980’ s Cylon armor from Battle Star Galactica. I would encourage you to visualize it, however your imagination envisions it. Then having envisioned it, put on each piece daily.
Read what each piece is used for, study it, and get to know it. Then, as you put them on, remind yourself what that piece’s use is. You’ll be amazed at how empowered you become. It makes taking James’ command from James 4: 7 to “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” easier.
Belt of Truth
The Belt of Truth is the first element of the Full Armor of God.
In the ancient world, a soldier’s belt not only kept his armor in place, but it might be wide enough, as a girdle, to protect his kidneys and other vital organs. Just so, the truth protects us. Practically applied to us today, you might say the Belt of Truth holds up our spiritual pants so that we’re not exposed and vulnerable.
Jesus Christ called Satan the “father of lies.” Deception is one of the enemy’s oldest tactics. We can see through Satan’s lies by holding them against the truth of the Bible. The Bible helps us defeat the lies of materialism, money, power, and pleasure as the most important things in life. Thus, the truth of God’s Word shines its light of integrity into our lives and holds together all of our spiritual defenses.
Jesus told us “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV)
Breastplate of Righteousness
The Breastplate of Righteousness guards our heart.
A wound to the chest can be fatal. That’s why ancient soldiers wore a breastplate covering their heart and lungs. Our heart is susceptible to the wickedness of this world, but our protection is the Breastplate of Righteousness, and that righteousness comes from Jesus Christ. We cannot become righteous through our own good works. When Jesus died on the cross, his righteousness was credited to all who believe in him, through justification. God sees us as sinless because of what his Son did for us. Accept your Christ-given righteousness; Let it cover and protect you. Remember that it can keep your heart strong and pure for God.
Gospel of Peace
Ephesians 6:15 talks about fitting our feet with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace. Terrain was rocky in the ancient world, requiring sturdy, protective footwear. On a battlefield or near a fort, the enemy might scatter barbed spikes or sharp stones to slow an army down. In the same way, Satan scatters traps for us as we’re trying to spread the gospel. The Gospel of Peace is our protection, reminding us that it is by grace that souls are saved. We can sidestep Satan’s obstacles when we remember“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)
Fitting our feet with the readiness of the Gospel of Peace is described in 1 Peter 3:15 like this: “… always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear …” (NIV) Sharing the gospel of salvation ultimately brings peace between God and men (Romans 5:1).
Shield of Faith
No defensive armor was as important as a shield. It fended off arrows, spears, and swords. Our Shield of Faith guards us against one of Satan’s deadliest weapons, doubt. Satan shoots doubt at us when God does not act immediately or visibly. But our faith in God’s trustworthiness comes from the unassailable truth of the Bible. We know our Father can be counted on. Our Shield of Faith sends Satan’s flaming arrows of doubt glancing harmlessly to the side. We keep our shield held high, confident in the knowledge that God provides, God protects, and God is faithful to his children. Our shield holds because of the One our faith is in, Jesus Christ.
Helmet of Salvation
The Helmet of Salvation protects the head, where all thought and knowledge reside. Jesus Christ said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, NIV) The truth of salvation through Christ does indeed set us free. We are free from vain searching, free from the meaningless temptations of this world, and free from the condemnation of sin. Those who reject God’s plan of salvation battle Satan unprotected and suffer the fatal blow of hell.
1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that believers “have the mind of Christ.” Even more interesting, 2 Corinthians 10:5 explains that those who are in Christ have divine power to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (NIV) The Helmet of Salvation to protect our thoughts and minds is a crucial piece of armor. We cannot survive without it.
Sword of the Spirit
The Sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the Armor of God with which we can strike against Satan. This weapon represents the Word of God, the Bible. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)
When Jesus Christ was tempted in the desert by Satan, he countered with the truth of Scripture, setting an example for us. Satan’s tactics have not changed, so the Sword of the Spirit, the Bible, is still our best defense. Commit the Word to your memory and to your heart.
The Power of Prayer
Finally, Paul adds the Power of Prayer to the Full Armor of God: “And 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 Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV)
Every smart soldier knows they must keep the line of communication open to their Commander. God has orders for us, through his Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Satan hates it when we pray. He knows prayer strengthens us and keeps us alert to his deception. Paul cautions us to pray for others as well. With the Full Armor of God and gift of Prayer, we can be ready for whatever the Enemy throws at us.