| 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 (NIV) |
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:
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
|
| The Lords Church.org Ministries Website All Rights Reserved 2005-2008 |
