“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” – Ephesians 6:13
At the start of each day, I must decide what I am going to wear. The clothing that I choose depends upon several factors – the weather, my planned activities, what is clean, etc. I don’t really give it much thought otherwise. When I am finished dressing, I am ready to go out and face the world.
But what if I left my home without any shoes? Can you imagine what would happen? Whether it’s going for a walk, shopping for groceries, or going to church, I need to be wearing my shoes! If not, my feet would be unprotected! No matter what I have planned, my footwear is a very important part of my wardrobe. I better be sure I have the right shoes on!
But what about the other items of clothing? Aren’t they just as important? Absolutely! I must be sure I am wearing everything I need to prepare my body for whatever the day may bring and to protect it from any harm. I must also be prepared for the unexpected. I may need to carry an umbrella if rain is in the forecast, a coat if there is a chilly breeze, or a hat and sunglasses if the day is hot and sunny. Every piece is important to my well-being!
What about my spiritual clothing? Do I pay as much attention to what I am wearing to prepare my soul for the day? Without a doubt, the answer is yes! Like a knight in days of old, the Christian is to be clothed in protective armor. The Bible refers to it as the “armour of God.” Ephesians 6:11 states, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Just as it is important that our bodies be prepared physically to face our daily lives, the same is true for our souls. We are told in Scripture that we have fierce enemies in the spiritual realm. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Because of the ferocity of our enemy, much of the Christian’s armor is protective in nature. The truth of God’s Word must encircle the believer, and His righteousness must protect the heart (v. 14). If we do not read the Bible and hide its words in our hearts, we become susceptible to the enemy’s deceptions. The Word of God is our only defense against the sin in this world. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, it was the Word of God that He used to successfully combat the evil of the devil (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). Our next piece of armor is the shield of faith, which must be carried to repel whatever wickedness the world and its prince throws at us (v. 16). To fortify our faith, we again must cleave to the Word of God and its truths. Lastly, our head must be fully protected. Our minds must be secure in the salvation of the Lord (v. 17). Once we have accepted Christ as our personal Saviour, we have the assurance that God’s gift of salvation is ours forever. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13). Now that we are spiritually protected, we are ready to clothe ourselves in what we need to wear in order to do God’s work.
These last two pieces of our warrior’s armor is intended to equip us to do battle on God’s behalf. To carry the good news to others of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers, our feet must be securely shod with the gospel of Christ (v. 15). Through the study of God’s Word, we become “fully weaponized” to distribute the words of life to a lost and dying world. But we will face relentless opposition. Therefore, we must also carry with us the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God), so that we are prepared to fight the enemy at a moment’s notice (v. 17). As Jesus demonstrated, it is only through God’s Word that the battle will be won!
Just as we would never leave our homes physically unclothed, so we must never be spiritually naked, vulnerable to the spiritual forces surrounding us. Each day of our lives, we must make a determined effort to put on the whole armor of God. If one piece is lacking, we risk being severely wounded by the enemy, becoming an ineffective soldier in God’s army.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory, His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.
(from “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” by George Duffield, Jr.)
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” – 2 Corinthians 10: 3-4
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“Fight your battles through prayer, and win your battles through faith.” – Luffina Lourduraj