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. 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 saints.
Ephesians 6:10-18
What is the Armor of God?
God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of
Jesus Christ Himself. "Put on the armor of light," wrote Paul in his letter to the Romans, "clothe
yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 13:12-14) When you do, He becomes your hiding
place, and shelter in the storm just as He was to David. Hidden in Him, you can count on His
victory, for He not only covers you as a shield, He also fills you with His life.
"I am the vine; you are the branches," said Jesus. "If a man abides in Me and I in him, he will bear
much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
Since living in the safety of the armor means oneness with Jesus, we can expect to share His
struggles as well as His peace. Remember, God has promised us victory in the midst of trials, not
immunity from pain. So "do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though
something strange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of
Christ." (1 Peter 4:12-13) Christian heroes who have been tortured for their faith continue to testify
to the supernatural strength, even joy, that enables them to endure unthinkable pain.
They affirm with Paul -"that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the
present nor the future, nor any powers will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39) This wonderful truth has become reality to all who believe
and follow Jesus. When you put on His armor, His life surrounds you, keeping you safe, close to
Him, free to be His precious friend and trusted companion. So "put on Christ."
(Galatians 3:27) He is your victory!
How do I "put on" the Armor?
This life in Christ begins with learning, affirming, and trusting in each part of the armor. The first
part is truth, God's revelation of all that He is to us, all that He has done for us, and all that He
promises to do for us in the days ahead. This enduring truth is written in the Bible, revealed by the
Holy Spirit, and realized through Jesus Christ. It cuts through all the world's distortions,
deceptions, and compromises. When you study, memorize, live, and follow truth, it enables you to
see the world from God's high vantage point. Putting on the first piece of the armor means feeding
on truth through daily Bible reading and making it part of your inner self. (Hebrews 8:10) I will put
My laws in their minds and write them in their hearts.
God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of
Jesus Christ Himself. "Put on the armor of light," wrote Paul in his letter to the Romans, "clothe
yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 13:12-14) When you do, He becomes your hiding
place, and shelter in the storm just as He was to David. Hidden in Him, you can count on His
victory, for He not only covers you as a shield, He also fills you with His life.
"I am the vine; you are the branches," said Jesus. "If a man abides in Me and I in him, he will bear
much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
Since living in the safety of the armor means oneness with Jesus, we can expect to share His
struggles as well as His peace. Remember, God has promised us victory in the midst of trials, not
immunity from pain. So "do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though
something strange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of
Christ." (1 Peter 4:12-13) Christian heroes who have been tortured for their faith continue to testify
to the supernatural strength, even joy, that enables them to endure unthinkable pain.
They affirm with Paul -"that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the
present nor the future, nor any powers will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39) This wonderful truth has become reality to all who believe
and follow Jesus. When you put on His armor, His life surrounds you, keeping you safe, close to
Him, free to be His precious friend and trusted companion. So "put on Christ."
(Galatians 3:27) He is your victory!
How do I "put on" the Armor?
This life in Christ begins with learning, affirming, and trusting in each part of the armor. The first
part is truth, God's revelation of all that He is to us, all that He has done for us, and all that He
promises to do for us in the days ahead. This enduring truth is written in the Bible, revealed by the
Holy Spirit, and realized through Jesus Christ. It cuts through all the world's distortions,
deceptions, and compromises. When you study, memorize, live, and follow truth, it enables you to
see the world from God's high vantage point. Putting on the first piece of the armor means feeding
on truth through daily Bible reading and making it part of your inner self. (Hebrews 8:10) I will put
My laws in their minds and write them in their hearts.
|
To put on the "full armor" and enjoy a daily and eternal love-relationship with Jesus Christ, thank
Him for what He has shown you in His Word. Know the Scriptures behind your prayer so that
your words and faith are grounded in the authority of the Bible. (Some of those verses are listed in
the chart above.) Then pray through each piece. You can use the following prayer as an outline:
• The belt of truth: Thank You, my Lord, for showing me the truth about Yourself. Thank You for
reminding me that You are the only God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the King of the universe, my
Father who loves me, and my Shepherd who leads me. You are my wisdom, my counselor, my hope, and
my strength. You are everything I need each day. Amen
• The breastplate of righteousness: Thank You Jesus, for showing me the truth about myself that on
my own I could never be good enough to live in Your presence. Thank You for taking my sins to the cross
and offering me a righteous life. Lord, show me any sin that I need to confess right now, so that nothing will
hinder me from being filled to overflowing with your Spirit. Thank You for forgiving me and for filling me
with You and gaining me a righteous life. Amen
• The sandals of peace: Thank you Lord, for the peace You give me when I trust and follow You. Show
me how to help others find that peace. Amen
• The shield of faith: Thank you my God, for helping me have faith in You. I choose to count on
everything You have shown me about Yourself and everything You have promised me in Your Word. Amen
• The helmet of salvation: Thank you Holy Father, for promising me salvation both for today's battles
and for all eternity. Amen
• The sword of the spirit, the Word of God: Thank You Holy Spirit, for the scriptures You have
given me to memorize. Please show me which ones You want me to use to cut through deceptions and gain
victory in any battle I may face today. Amen
Him for what He has shown you in His Word. Know the Scriptures behind your prayer so that
your words and faith are grounded in the authority of the Bible. (Some of those verses are listed in
the chart above.) Then pray through each piece. You can use the following prayer as an outline:
• The belt of truth: Thank You, my Lord, for showing me the truth about Yourself. Thank You for
reminding me that You are the only God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the King of the universe, my
Father who loves me, and my Shepherd who leads me. You are my wisdom, my counselor, my hope, and
my strength. You are everything I need each day. Amen
• The breastplate of righteousness: Thank You Jesus, for showing me the truth about myself that on
my own I could never be good enough to live in Your presence. Thank You for taking my sins to the cross
and offering me a righteous life. Lord, show me any sin that I need to confess right now, so that nothing will
hinder me from being filled to overflowing with your Spirit. Thank You for forgiving me and for filling me
with You and gaining me a righteous life. Amen
• The sandals of peace: Thank you Lord, for the peace You give me when I trust and follow You. Show
me how to help others find that peace. Amen
• The shield of faith: Thank you my God, for helping me have faith in You. I choose to count on
everything You have shown me about Yourself and everything You have promised me in Your Word. Amen
• The helmet of salvation: Thank you Holy Father, for promising me salvation both for today's battles
and for all eternity. Amen
• The sword of the spirit, the Word of God: Thank You Holy Spirit, for the scriptures You have
given me to memorize. Please show me which ones You want me to use to cut through deceptions and gain
victory in any battle I may face today. Amen
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| The Lords Church.org Ministries Website All Rights Reserved 2005-2008 |
| By Rev. Mark E. Vatcher |
