Imagine a fireman rushing off to fight a fire without his suit and helmet. Imagine a policeman going on duty without a bulletproof vest or a fighter pilot taking off without any weapons. You would call them back. You would tell them, “You forgot something! You can’t leave without being ready to defend yourself!”
We can all understand the need for these people to defend themselves, but how often do Christians forget the need to defend themselves against our enemy? How often do believers start the day without reading God’s word? How often do followers of Christ forget to put on the spiritual armor of God?
There are many reasons Christians live without adequate spiritual protection. Some don’t realize how strong the enemy is. Others think they can get by without being burned. Many Christians are living life so fast, they forget to suit up each and every day. In reality, the believer who doesn’t put on the armor of God is asking for trouble. He or she is heading off to battle without realizing how much they have left behind.
The book of Ephesians has a powerful chapter on spiritual warfare. It starts by calling the Christian to find their strength in the Lord and not themselves, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength.” (Ephesians 6:10, Legacy Standard Bible) The next command is to put on the full armor of God, “So that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” The next verse gives a sobering explanation of the enemy. He is not limited to the physical realm, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” The Christian’s battle is a spiritual one. It is against, “The rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
The spiritual reality of the Christian’s battle is one of the reasons it is so difficult to fight. As humans we are used to looking for cause and effect in the physical world. We are not used to looking out for spiritual cause and effect. We have to learn to look for how the world and the system of the world is being used by the enemy as a spiritual battlefield. The devil wants to tempt Christians to sin in any way possible. He wants them to question their faith (Gen. 3:1). He wants them to give into physical and spiritual temptation (Mt. 4:1-11). He wants them to forget that they are being tempted (2 Cor. 11:14).
Once a Christian realizes how dangerous the enemy is, he or she will be motivated to put on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (LSB) The idea of standing firm is taken from the Roman military. Before I explain the pieces of armor, it is important to remember that the soldier was never supposed to go into battle alone. Imagine a regiment of soldiers standing next to each other in a rectangular pattern, with shields guarding them on all sides. The Christian is not to think of themselves as a lone soldier, taking on the enemy themselves. No, that would be foolish because the enemy is so large. The wise Christian recognizes their own weakness and stands firm with other believers.
The wise Christian knows their armor and they know how to use it. Ephesians 6:14 starts the list of defensive armor with the belt of truth. This is a core piece of armor that is based upon the truth of God. The believer does not look to the world for truth, he or she looks to God and His word. The next piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. This is a reference to the actions of the believer. He or she can defend themselves against temptation by living a holy life. They should not place themselves in compromising situations, that would be going into battle without the breastplate. There are many Christians who think they can handle more than others. In reality, they have already started losing the battle because they have let their guard down. It is only a matter of time until they will be spiritually wounded.
One reason we know this armor is supposed to be defensive is because of the next item in the list. Ephesians 6:15 says, “as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” (ESV) The idea here is of the boots used by Roman soldiers. These shoes often had nails at the bottom to help the solider stand their ground. The spiritual meaning refers to the saving message of the gospel. A believer can not hope to resist the enemy if he has not committed his life to Christ. Once he has done so, the Christian will find immense strength knowing that his sins have been paid for. If the devil tries to make him doubt God, the Christian can be strengthened by trusting in the saving work of Christ!
There are three other important parts of the armor of God, but they will have to wait until the next part of this series of articles. I trust that this short analysis of the armor of God will help believers be encouraged to get dressed for battle every day. Christians need to recognize that reading God’s word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers are all a necessary part of being prepared for each day. It would be foolish for a soldier to leave the barracks without armor. It would be even more foolish for a Christian to leave his home without being armed for spiritual battle.
