Chapter Fifteen
The Full Armor of God
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."(Ephesians 6:10-18) [KJV]
Just as I was putting the final touches on the book, the Lord taught me a very important lesson I just know He wanted me to share. This was a last minute principle the Lord reminded me of that is so valuable to our walk with Him in order to experience His freedom and protection. It is so important to always put on the full armor of God. This is something we should do every morning. The full armor of God is one of His many wonderful and powerful gifts for all believers. When we personally tell God that we are putting on His full armor, it gives Him permission to enforce six particular blessings in our lives for His honor and glory. I realized that I was not putting on God’s full armor every day, that I was missing out on those six specific blessings, and that I was experiencing many trials and tribulations because I didn’t have any protection or weapons to defend against the enemy.
1. The Belt of Truth “…your loins girt about with truth…” The belt of truth keeps us decent. The truth is what is found within the pages of the powerful and living Word of God (the Holy Bible). The truth keeps believers grounded because is always has the answers we need. As Christians, it so vital that we believe in, trust in, and live in the truth. The truth guides, protects, loves, and teaches every believer; it empowers us to walk in God’s will.
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness “…and having on the breastplate of righteousness…” The breastplate of righteousness protects our hearts. Righteousness is obedience toward God’s Law. Since every person has sinned and has transgressed God’s Law, no one is righteous. However, there was One man who never sinned—Jesus Christ. When we put our faith in Jesus and accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior, He comes to live in our hearts and His righteousness lives through our spirit. In Christ, we are made righteous before the Father and are empowered to walk in righteousness. The breastplate is the largest part of the armor, symbolizing the importance of righteousness. When we walk in righteousness, the enemy has no power against us and our sensitive and precious hearts are kept safe.
3. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace “…And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace…” The shoes of the Gospel of peace lead us in all that we do. Peace implies more than a lack of conflict. According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, peace means, “completeness, soundness, and welfare.” When we experience God’s peace, we know we are completely taken care of in body, soul, and spirit. As Christians, we are to carry and spread the peace that lives in us wherever we go. Every believer is called to spread the Gospel of peace. Peace is one the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit. When we turn all things over to Jesus—when we surrender to God—He gives us everything we need to get along with people; we receive the fruit of His Holy Spirit. Using the right kinds of words is a great way to live in peace with others. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
4. The Shield of Faith “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” The shield of faith is the believer’s active line of defense. Faith is trusting and believing in Jesus in all situations. Faith is believing that He will get you through everything life brings. True faith in Jesus blocks all of the enemy’s fiery darts. Our faith is expressed by our actions (James 2:14). Jesus promised that a mustard seed amount of faith could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Faith in Christ brings about great knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to walk along His path daily.
5. The Helmet of Salvation “And take the helmet of salvation…” The Helmet of Salvation protects our minds. When the enemy tries to creep in and make you feel defeated, unworthy, or guilty, the helmet of salvation reminds him that the blood of Christ is sufficient to save and that you are a child of God. We receive salvation by accepting Jesus as our Savior and becoming born-again Christians. Every person can be saved by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8). Every believer is encouraged to remember that her salvation is a free gift from God and that it is eternally secure in Christ. Our salvation reminds us that Jesus is alive and well and that He speaks to us, in our hearts, every single day and night.
6. The Sword of the Spirit “…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all…” The Sword of the Spirit is the believer’s primary line of offense. When it comes to fighting against the enemy, we are called to let God do the fighting. His Word is powerful enough to defeat the enemy. Therefore, the more of God’s powerful and living Word of truth we know, the stronger we are! The Sword of the Spirit tells the enemy to get behind us and leave as we serve the Lord, our God Almighty! The Sword of the Spirit cuts the enemy’s devices off of us. The Sword of the Spirit—the powerful and living Word of truth—has Scriptures for every need, trial, tribulation and every area of our life.
Prayer for Putting on the Full Armor of God Daily
Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ God Almighty, for encouraging and empowering me to put on Your full armor every day. Thank You for encouraging and empowering me to walk with and in it for Your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. So be it. Amen!
The Full Armor of God
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."(Ephesians 6:10-18) [KJV]
Just as I was putting the final touches on the book, the Lord taught me a very important lesson I just know He wanted me to share. This was a last minute principle the Lord reminded me of that is so valuable to our walk with Him in order to experience His freedom and protection. It is so important to always put on the full armor of God. This is something we should do every morning. The full armor of God is one of His many wonderful and powerful gifts for all believers. When we personally tell God that we are putting on His full armor, it gives Him permission to enforce six particular blessings in our lives for His honor and glory. I realized that I was not putting on God’s full armor every day, that I was missing out on those six specific blessings, and that I was experiencing many trials and tribulations because I didn’t have any protection or weapons to defend against the enemy.
1. The Belt of Truth “…your loins girt about with truth…” The belt of truth keeps us decent. The truth is what is found within the pages of the powerful and living Word of God (the Holy Bible). The truth keeps believers grounded because is always has the answers we need. As Christians, it so vital that we believe in, trust in, and live in the truth. The truth guides, protects, loves, and teaches every believer; it empowers us to walk in God’s will.
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness “…and having on the breastplate of righteousness…” The breastplate of righteousness protects our hearts. Righteousness is obedience toward God’s Law. Since every person has sinned and has transgressed God’s Law, no one is righteous. However, there was One man who never sinned—Jesus Christ. When we put our faith in Jesus and accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior, He comes to live in our hearts and His righteousness lives through our spirit. In Christ, we are made righteous before the Father and are empowered to walk in righteousness. The breastplate is the largest part of the armor, symbolizing the importance of righteousness. When we walk in righteousness, the enemy has no power against us and our sensitive and precious hearts are kept safe.
3. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace “…And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace…” The shoes of the Gospel of peace lead us in all that we do. Peace implies more than a lack of conflict. According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, peace means, “completeness, soundness, and welfare.” When we experience God’s peace, we know we are completely taken care of in body, soul, and spirit. As Christians, we are to carry and spread the peace that lives in us wherever we go. Every believer is called to spread the Gospel of peace. Peace is one the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit. When we turn all things over to Jesus—when we surrender to God—He gives us everything we need to get along with people; we receive the fruit of His Holy Spirit. Using the right kinds of words is a great way to live in peace with others. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
4. The Shield of Faith “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” The shield of faith is the believer’s active line of defense. Faith is trusting and believing in Jesus in all situations. Faith is believing that He will get you through everything life brings. True faith in Jesus blocks all of the enemy’s fiery darts. Our faith is expressed by our actions (James 2:14). Jesus promised that a mustard seed amount of faith could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Faith in Christ brings about great knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to walk along His path daily.
5. The Helmet of Salvation “And take the helmet of salvation…” The Helmet of Salvation protects our minds. When the enemy tries to creep in and make you feel defeated, unworthy, or guilty, the helmet of salvation reminds him that the blood of Christ is sufficient to save and that you are a child of God. We receive salvation by accepting Jesus as our Savior and becoming born-again Christians. Every person can be saved by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8). Every believer is encouraged to remember that her salvation is a free gift from God and that it is eternally secure in Christ. Our salvation reminds us that Jesus is alive and well and that He speaks to us, in our hearts, every single day and night.
6. The Sword of the Spirit “…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all…” The Sword of the Spirit is the believer’s primary line of offense. When it comes to fighting against the enemy, we are called to let God do the fighting. His Word is powerful enough to defeat the enemy. Therefore, the more of God’s powerful and living Word of truth we know, the stronger we are! The Sword of the Spirit tells the enemy to get behind us and leave as we serve the Lord, our God Almighty! The Sword of the Spirit cuts the enemy’s devices off of us. The Sword of the Spirit—the powerful and living Word of truth—has Scriptures for every need, trial, tribulation and every area of our life.
Prayer for Putting on the Full Armor of God Daily
Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ God Almighty, for encouraging and empowering me to put on Your full armor every day. Thank You for encouraging and empowering me to walk with and in it for Your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. So be it. Amen!
