THE ARMOUR OF GOD

The mention of armour brings the thought of war. Without the armour, the Roman soldier is an already dead man in the heatof a battle. The Christian is constantly in a battle- a battle not fought with man-made weapons but spiritual, because our battle is a spiritual warfare against Satan and his demonic forces (1Pet. 5:8; 2Corin. 10:3-5; 2Corin. 4:8-9;Eph. 6:12). The sole aim of Satan and his demonic forces is to destroy the Children of God (Christians), to prevent them from doing the will of God. Yet many Christians are powerless and living according to the plans of Satan because we are ignorant of this warfare and therefore are without the protective armour provided by God to win this spiritual battle.

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God’s Armour

Paul in Eph. 6:10-18 revealed an armour provided to Christians by God. Accordingly, this armour can protect the Christian against all the weapons of Satan. Read Eph. 6:10-18

·  V10: encourages us to be strong (bold) in the Lord not timid.

·  V11: It is an armour that can fit any Christian and it should be worn fully for total protection.

·  V12,13: our struggle is not against flesh and blood so that we can use man-made missile or attack people with cutlass, guns, etc.- the law will catch you if you use these weapons against anybody. You also need to wear this armour of God in advance so you can stand when Satan strikes.

Composition of the armour

 (1) V14- We are first told to gird ourselves with the Belt of Truth: The belt held the weapons/ garment that allowed the soldier to fight. The belt reminds us that Jesus is the truth. He is the foundation for the spiritual battle- Jn 4:24; 8:32; 14:6. To win the battle, we must be anchored to the truth- 1Pet. 1:13-16. We are exhorted to put on truth for our own sanctification and those we witness to. We are to learn the truth and bind ourselves with it- it should be part of us. Remember, Satan is the “father” of lies (Jn 8:44).

 (2)V14B- The second item of defense is the Breastplate of Righteousness: This armour covers/ protects the heart, where God’s word and laws are written by the Holy spirit- Jer. 31:33. If our hearts are kept pure and we live righteous lifestyles, Satan will not be able to overcome us- James 2:20-24. When God changes our hearts, He gives us a desire to serve Him. It is a righteousness that comes when we receive Jesus as our personal saviour sincerely and not our filthy self-righteousness. We can guard our hearts through Phil. 4:8; Rom. 12:1-2. With righteousness, you don’t turn back but match forward.

(3) V15- Next, our feet are shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace: the shoes of the Roman soldier has metal grits underneath to ensure a firm stand. This means our willingness to go wherever the Lord leads us with the good news of salvation- Rom. 10:13-15; Isaiah52:7. We can only have the confidence to share the gospel when we know Him who called us and the gospel (1Jn 1:1-6). Matt. 28:19-20, commands that we be serious with winning souls and teaching them to obey the gospel.

 (4) V16- We need our Shields of Faith to protect us now.  A shield is normally used to block the enemy’s weapon during battle. When you reach unbelievers with the gospel to free them or want to walk that righteous walk, Satan attacks more fiercely- which is why you need the shield of faith. It helps extinguish the fears, doubts and lies that Satan throws at us. If we use the shield effectively, no weapon will get through- 1corin. 2:4-5; Ps. 18:30; Prov. 30:5; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 12:2. Trust in Jesus Christ as your faith.

 (5) V17- The Helmet of Salvation guards our minds: Mostly worn with leather straps to secure it to the head and not fall during battle. It protects the head and cheeks at battle- very critical part of the body. This implies that the Christians mind and way of thinking must be preserved. The head is the seat of the mind which when it accepts the true gospel will not accept false doctrine.  The unbeliever cannot decipher between truth and falsehood because he is without the helmet. (1Thess. 5:8-9). Therefore if you truly believe in Jesus Christ and are sure of your salvation, the battle for your mind is mostly won (Rom. 13:13). Because most of us lack the helmet, we are being easily deceived by Satan and His agents (2corin. 11:14-15)

 (6) V17B- The Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God: This is the main offensive weapon in our arsenal. Like the belt of truth, it protects and purifies us. The sword is also powerful to let Satan flee, cut through his strategies and deceits. (Matt. 4:1-11). It can also be used to free the minds of captives and advance the kingdom (Heb. 4:12, Jer. 23:28-29). Today, Christians are correcting the word of God, choosing which one to obey and reducing scripture to mere culture (2Tim. 3:16-17; Rev 22:18-21; 1corin14:36-38).

(7) V18- The Final Component, we need to Prayer: Jam. 5:16B. When things are tough, speak to the commander-in-chief of the Christian army- God, through Jesus Christ for spiritual support and strength. Are you growing weak and feeling you should give up, pray without ceasing.

Conclusion

God gave us the armour to equip us for battle ‘till Jesus Christ returns the second time to bond Satan and his agents forever. With the full armour of God in place, we can win over Satan and his forces of darkness- i.e. truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith in Jesus Christ, Salvation through Jesus Christ, the word of God and prayer. If you want to resist the Devil and win this spiritual battle, you must be sure to put on every armour in God’s arsenal. Amen!

How not to wage the war- Acts 19:13-16 (the sons of Sceva)

·       they relied on methodology

·       they did not have personal relationship with Jesus Christ

·       they did not employ word of God in warfare

the result was beatings and defeat by Satan. Conduct the spiritual warfare as the bible instructs and you will be victorious. Amen!