The Armor of God

God's will for us

"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication 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," 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 your 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 offers us His victory in the midst of trouble -- not the absence 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)

Committed Christians who face torture 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 and keeps you safe in Him. He is your precious friend, and you are His! So "put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) He is your victory!

How do I "put on" God's Armor?

This life in Christ begins with knowing and trusting 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 wonderful, everlasting 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, He enables you to see the world from God's high vantage point. For He is the Truth! Putting on the first piece of the armor means feeding on truth through daily Bible reading and making it part of yourself.

God's Armor	Know the Truth about...	Affirm key Scriptures
Belt of TRUTH	God: the Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit	"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) Deut. 4:39; Psalm 23:1; 18:1-3
Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS	The holy and perfect righteousness of Jesus in those who are "born again" and filled with His Spirit	"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." (Matt. 5:6) Psalm 100:3; Rom. 3:23-24, 6:23; Gal. 2:20-21; Phil. 3:8-10.
Sandals of PEACE	Inner peace and readiness	"For He Himself is our peace..." (Eph. 2:14-15) Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14; John 14:27, 16:33, 20:21.
Shield of FAITH	Living by faith	"I am crucified with Christ:...and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God...." (Gal. 2:20) Rom. 4:18-21; Heb. 11:1; 1 Pet. 1:6-7
Helmet of SALVATION	Salvation through Christ today and forever	"Nor is there salvation in any other..."(Acts 4:12) Each day: Ps. 16, 23; Heb. 1:3-6 For eternity: 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 1 Thess. 4:17; 1 John 3:1-3
The victorious Sword of the spirit: GOD'S WORD	God's Word countering spiritual deception and accusations	"...the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory...." (John 1:14)  Heb. 4:12; Matt. 4:2-11; 1 Pet. 3:15; Ps. 119:110-112

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, Your plans and Your ways. 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! The breastplate of righteousness: Thank You 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 your perfect, 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. [Take time for confession] Thank you for forgiving me and for filling me with your RIGHTEOUS life. The sandals of peace: Thank you for the peace you give me when I trust and follow you. Show me how to help others find that PEACE. The shield of faith: Thank you 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. The helmet of salvation: Thank you for promising me SALVATION both for today's battles and for all eternity. The sword of the spirit, the Word of God: Thank you for the scriptures you have given me to memorize. Please show me which  you want me to use to cut through deceptions and gain your victory in any battle I may face today.

How can I explain the armor to my children? In a world where public schools, television, movies, and popular music all offer tempting counterfeits of what God promises His people, there is only one safe place for our children: in the loving arms of the Shepherd. So train your children "in the way they should go" (Proverbs 22:6) and help them to wear the "full armor of God" each day. 1. First, read Ephesians 6:10-18 together, then review the chart at the end of this section. It shows why the parts of armor will expose and resist all the main lies of New Age, neo-pagan and other contrary religions. 2. Memorize scriptures that show the truth about God and His righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation. Explain that these verses are scripture swords that counter the main lies of the enemy. Remember, when children know the truth about God, they won't trust popular counterfeits. Knowing God's way to peace and salvation, they won't choose today's numerous counterfeit and occult paths. 3. Remind your children that the armor is not like a magic shield they can casually slip on in order to be safe anywhere they want to go. Years ago, our seven-year-old son asked if he could see a popular movie with some friends. "No. I'd rather you didn't," I told him. "Why not?" he asked. "Because it makes occultism seem both fun and right. Even though your friends know it's fiction, the story and images leave the impression that you can win in life by using occult rituals to get supernatural power. Not only does the Bible tell us occultism is evil, it also shows how it destroys people." I started to look up Deuteronomy 18:9-13. "But I'll put on the armor." "It won't help. When you go somewhere that you shouldn't, you disobey God and "take off"  the breastplate of righteousness. You're never safe if you go somewhere Jesus wouldn't want you to go." Our son got the message and stayed home. He knew that by himself he was no match for occult forces. But by wearing the special protection God offers us through His armor, he would be able to stand firm against satan's strategies.  To help your children put on the armor, follow the scriptures and outline shown in the previous section. Make sure they know the Scriptures behind the prayer so that their words will be based on God's Word. Then pray through the pieces of the armor, simplifying each part to fit the ages of your children.