The Full Armor of God

Make no mistake.  Life is a battlefield.  Our very existence is threatened daily as we live our lives only one tragedy away from coming face to face with death.  The commonality of death binds us together as human beings.  It is something that nobody would prefer to discuss but it is the very thing that ought to compel us to inquire about the only way to defeat it.  Of all the pursuits available to man, there is no greater pursuit than to seek to know our Redeemer intimately so that we can be assured of victory over death.

For believers, we have the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ and when we pledge to follow him, our adversary, the devil, endeavors to undermine our salvation and happiness through temptation and by casting doubt about the security we have as children of the Most High God.  Often, as we grow in our faith, it seems as though Satan ups his game and increases the intensity of his assault on our well being through underhanded methods.  He certainly doesn’t follow any fair play rules of engagement.

The apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12, “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.”  Paul goes on to say, in the subsequent verses, “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 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.” Ephesians 6:13-17.

This is the template to live by for those who are serious about living the gospel; not being satisfied to be just hearers of the word, but doers of the word.  This holistic approach to Christian living is the all encompassing allegiance to Jesus Christ through complete surrender to the Holy Spirit and following him as Lord over our lives.  One cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in Christ and expect to be an effective ambassador of the faith. The full armor of God employs the full counsel of scripture that leads the fullness of Christ.

Truth

The full armor of God begins with having the belt of truth buckled around your waist.  The devil is the father of lies and only truth can provide the standard by which we discern authentic and fraudulent claims.  Counterfeit proclamations enslave while the truth sets us free.  Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6, and, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31b-32.

Righteousness

The breastplate of righteousness protects our hearts and vital organs in a physical sense, however, from a spiritual perspective, it is the recognition that our righteousness is not our own.  Our faith is credited to us as righteousness when we sincerely believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for our sins and rose again after three days.  The breastplate of righteousness is imparted upon us, as is grace, it is a gift of God, not something we earn, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:9). No matter what accusations Satan may hurl at us, God’s gift of righteousness affirms that we are saved not by what we have done but by what Christ has done.

Endurance

Next, Paul says that we ought to have our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  The true Christian path is a rocky one that often leads over rough and rocky terrain in the form of ostracism, persecution and even death because of one’s faith.  This certainly held true in Paul’s experience, plus that of the martyrs over the past two millennia and still does in many countries today, where Christians are considered persona non grata.  The support that is offered by superior footwear makes navigating challenging territory less burdensome and greatly increases one’s endurance through the prevention of pain or injury that diminishes one’s ability of going the distance and reaching the finish line.

Faith

The shield of faith is the first line of defense for the Christian soldier and without faith there is no Christianity.  It is faith that defines us and faith that connects us to the power of God.  Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20.

The Bible tells us that the testing of our faith produces perseverance (James 1:3) and “for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4.  As a component of the full armor of God, faith doesn’t shrink in the face of the enemy, it is a willing combatant and formidable foe.  This is the very heart of Christian apologetics.

Salvation

The helmet of salvation is the understanding of our position as children of God because of Christ’s atonement for sin.  It is crucial to comprehend that just as all sin begins in the mind and that repentance is defined as changing one’s mind, it is the mind that must be committed to Christ before faith can be activated.  Without a helmet a warrior won’t last long in a battle as any blow to the head can prove to be fatal, and similarly, protecting the vulnerability of one’s mind to capitulating to temptation is paramount to strengthening their resolve to overcome temptation.

Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  Matthew 5:27-28.”  Armed with this knowledge, we ought to guard our hearts and minds and follow the advice Paul offers in Philippians 4:8, “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

The WORD

The sword of the Spirit is the word of God.  It is the only offensive weapon among defensive armor and it can cut the enemy to ribbons and have him flee from your presence.  Hebrews 4:12 reminds us, “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.” 

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11), he answered each temptation by quoting scripture.  This strategy comprised irrefutable truths that the devil could not rebut.  Nothing compares with the Bible’s ability to dispel myths and half truths resulting from the devil’s schemes.  When Christ returns to do battle with the armies of the world at Armageddon, he will destroy them with the word of his mouth (Revelation 19:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:8).

Knowing the power we have in Christ Jesus, liberates us from the deception of the devil, and frees us from the mendacity that we are insignificant pawns in a greater theater of meaning.  John wrote that we should not fear spiritual attacks.  “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4.  Furthermore, Jesus confirms this with his proclamation that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Matthew 28:18.

In Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul advises, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

A soldier would never go into battle with only half of his armor and without a loaded weapon.  Similarly, Christians cannot expect to prevail against the spiritual forces arrayed against them if they do not employ the full armor of God.  One cannot follow Jesus half way and one must not doubt the name above all names.  Acts 4:12 reminds us, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”