Editor’s Note: Read the previous article in this series below!
Put on the Whole Armor of God
A Declaration of War
If you’re a Christian, you’re at war. You’re engaged in the fight of your life, whether you know it or not. In Ephesians 6, Paul declares that all Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. We have orders from God to stand firm in the strength of the Lord in the midst of this great battle. However, we have an enemy who has made it his aim to take us down. He wants nothing more than to see us fail, so he bombards us with an onslaught of temptations and discouragements. The good news is that God has given believers everything they need in Christ to stand firm. He will strengthen you to withstand the attacks of the devil if you put on the spiritual armor that He’s given you.
Let’s look at Ephesians 6:13-20 to examine the specific pieces of spiritual armor that God has given us in Christ.
Our Armor: Spiritual Blessings From God
Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
verse 13
Since we have a great foe attacking us spiritually, we need to use everything God has given us. Thankfully, we have everything we could ever need. We’ve been given the full armor of God that He perfectly designed to withstand every attack we could ever face. Why are we told to take up the full armor of God? To stand firm.
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore,
verses 13-14
God has given us everything we need to withstand Satan’s attacks—but we still need to be obedient. We need to fight temptation. If we don’t fight, we’re sitting ducks to fall into sin. If we leave our weapons sheathed, what good are they? If we don’t pick up our defensive equipment, how can they protect us? We need to put everything that God has given us to use in obedience to our calling.
So, what makes up our spiritual armor?
having fastened on the belt of truth,
verse 14a
This speaks to a belt or sash that soldiers used to tie up long flowing robes. If you were wearing a loose robe, you wouldn’t be able to run and your robe would be getting in the way of your arms and legs. Imagine if you had to run a race wearing a long dress. You would be severely hindered. These belts would keep everything tight and from getting in the way of the soldier. The spiritual equivalent of this belt is the truth of God’s word and the truth of the gospel.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
John 17:17
The truth of God’s word keeps us from getting entangled in anything that will trip us up. It keeps us from sin. It keeps us from getting distracted by the cares of the world. It keeps us prepared for battle and in fighting shape. We must be in the word to effectively fight the lies and temptations of the devil.
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
verse 14b
A breastplate was a metal or leather chest guard that protected the soldier’s vital organs. Getting stabbed in the stomach, the chest, or the back usually meant death. Getting hit in the heart, lungs, stomach, liver, or spleen was a death sentence. A breastplate could deflect a sword thrust or a flying arrow. Paul likens righteousness to a breastplate guarding our inner being. As believers, we’re clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Phil 3:8-11
The righteousness of Christ protects us from the accusations of the devil. The blood of Christ covers us and washes away all of our guilt before God. Since Christ paid for our sins and clothes us in His righteousness, no accusation of Satan can stand. We are fully protected from the accusations of the devil that could condemn us spiritually. Additionally, if we are walking in the Spirit, we’ll be walking in righteous deeds and actions. Walking in obedience will keep us from falling into sin and temptation. It will protect our hearts from spiritual injury. It will protect us from the natural consequences of sin.
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
verse 15
Could you imagine going to war in flip-flops? High heels? Having appropriate footwear is crucial to be able to move quickly. Shoes protect your feet from injury, enable you to travel long distances, and help you brave the elements.
In World War 1, approximately 75,000 British troops died from something called “trench foot.” Prolonged exposure of the feet to water and mud can lead to tissue breakdown. That was often a gateway to infection, gangrene, or sepsis, which could be fatal. Having the proper footwear for trench warfare could mean the difference between life and death.
Spiritually, the peace that comes from the gospel enables us to move through this world quickly. We have a readiness to serve God that would not exist if we were concerned with our eternal destiny. We would be hesitant and slow to serve God if we weren’t sure of our standing before Him. Our natural state is to be an enemy of God when we are born into this world. Because of the gospel, we are now at peace with God.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:1
We can move freely and confidently to serve God and we can also move quickly to avoid temptation.
But Wait…There’s More
We’ve already looked at some incredible pieces of armor that God has given us to withstand the attacks of Satan. The belt of truth keeps us from entangling sin and worldly distractions. The breastplate of righteousness protects our inner person from the damning accusations of the devil and keeps us from the disastrous consequences of sin. The gospel of peace allows us to move quickly in service to God in confidence of our standing in Christ. If that was the full list, believers would already be well-equipped to fight sin and temptation. However, those are only a few of the pieces of the full arsenal that God has equipped us with.
In our next article, we look at additional weapons at our disposal in Christ.
