I usually end every episode of the podcast with “Stand Firm and put on the full armor of Christ and Fight the good Fight of faith. I realize some people may not fully understand what the Full Armor of God is. So this episode I’m going to go over it so that you can be better equipped with knowledge and understanding about it and how it is used in your victory as a Christian. Listen by clicking below.
Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
In the Christian Life we battle against rulers and spiritual forces which are evil forces headed by Satan, who is a vicious fighter as mentioned in 1 Peter 5:8. To withstand their attacks we must depend on God’s strength and use every possible piece of his armor. Paul is giving this counsel to the church in Ephesus, the body of Christ and to all individuals within the church up to today. The whole body of Christ needs to be armed. As you do battle against the forces of darkness, make sure you fight with the full armor on and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Who we are fighting against.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12
When this verse says “not against flesh and blood” it is referring to demons whom Satan has control of. They are not mere fantasies, but they are very real. We face an army whose goal is to defeat Christ’s church. When we believe in Christ they become our enemy and try to deceive us to turn away from Chris and back to sin. Although we are assured the victory, we must engage in the struggle until Christ returns, because the devil is consistently battling against all who are on the Lords side. We need supernatural power to defeat satan and God has provided us with this power through his Holy Spirit in us and the Full armor of God around us.
Lets look at the different parts of the Armor of God.
Belt of Truth: Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. Ephesians 6:14
Satan fights with lies and sometimes his lies sound like truth. But only believers have Gods truth which can defeat Satan’s lies. Reference Eve in the Garden.
John 8:44: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Breastplate of Righteousness: with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Ephesians 6:14
Satan often attacks our hearts – the centre or our emotions, self-worth and trust. God’s righteousness is the breastplate that protects our hearts and ensures his approval. He approves of us because he loves us and sent his Son to die for us. This is why the bible says in Proverbs 4:23: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Foot gear of the peace of the Gospel: and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15
Satan wants us to think that telling the Good News to others is a worthless and hopeless task because there are simply too many people for me to reach and the negative responses will be too much to handle. But the Footgear of God gives us the motivation to continue to proclaim the true peace that is available in God. News that everyone needs to hear.
Mark 16:15: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Shield of Faith: In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
What we see are satans attacks in the form of insults, setbacks, and temptations, But the shield of faith protects us from Satan’s flaming arrows. With Gods perspective we can see beyond our circumstances and know that ultimate victory is ours.
Hebrews 11:6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Helmet of Salvation: Take the helmet of salvation… Ephesians 6:17
Satan wants to make us doubt what God said, Jesus and our salvation. The helmet protects our minds from doubting Gods saving work for us.
James 1:6-8: But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God: Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
The sword is the only weapon of offense in this list of armor. There are times when we need to take the offensive against satan. When we are tempted we need to trust in the truth of Gods word.
Hebrews 4:12: 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.