-God’s Armor For Spiritual Warfare
For a soldier to be effective on the battlefield, the following is needed: he should know who his enemy is; he should be strong; he should know his military armor; he should be in constant contact with his commanding officer. In Ephesians 6:10-18, the Holy Spirit applies these principles to the Christian’s warfare.
The Enemy
Our enemy is very formidable, namely Satan and his host of fallen angels. They are very well organized into different ranks, such as principalities, powers, and rulers. Satan uses worldly temptations and the fallen nature within us, often called the flesh, to accomplish his evil plans. People are not our enemies, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. If people oppose or even persecute us, the Bible teaches us to love them and pray for them.
To be Strong
If we were to fight against flesh and blood, we would need to be physically strong. But our conflict is a spiritual one and our strength is to be spiritual. We are to be strong in the Lord. To illustrate this, let us think of a child who wants to play in front of his house, but is afraid because there are other children there, stronger than he is, who frighten him. One day he asks his father to join him, and his father gladly agrees. He is no longer afraid, because he is “strong” in his father and “in the power of his might” (Eph. 6:10NKJV).
The Armor
We are told to take up the whole armor of God that we “may be able to withstand in the evil day” (Eph. 6:13). It is the “whole armor” because it is complete, lacking nothing. It is the whole armor of God because it is prepared by Him, not manufactured by man. If we were fighting against people, man-made weapons would be used. But because our war is against spiritual powers of darkness, only God-made weapons will be effective. This is how we can be sure to withstand in the “evil day,” the day when Satan attacks in a severe way. Every believer is apt to face an evil day. David failed on his evil day (2 Sam. 11), but Joseph was able to withstand, because he took up the whole armor of God and refused to do that “great wickedness and sin against God” (Gen. 39:9). This “whole armor” of God consists of six parts, mentioned in Ephesians 6:13-17.
1. Girdle of the Truth. We must have the truth if we expect to win the victory. The Word of God is the truth (Jn. 1:1,14). In Proverbs 23:23, the Holy Spirit tells us to “buy the truth and do not sell it.” In order to buy a valuable thing you must be willing to pay whatever it costs. Not to sell it means do not accept anything in its place. Accepting falsehood for temporal gain opens the door for Satan to enslave you.
2. Breastplate of Righteousness. Christ is our righteousness before God. However, there is a practical side to righteousness. The same grace that saved us and made us righteous before God is said to be “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Ti. 2:12). This practical righteousness is our breastplate without which we become vulnerable in vital issues. If our girdle of truth is the Word of God, our breastplate is walking in obedience to it.
3. Having Feet Shod. When we love the Word of God and live in obedience to it, we will want to share its good news with others. What a privilege it is to be always prepared to propagate the good news of salvation by which others can have peace with God. This is an essential part of the whole armor of God. I read about a man who was saved during an evangelistic campaign. The next week he saw the evangelist and told him that he had not been as happy as he thought he would be. The evangelist asked him if he had witnessed to anyone about his salvation. The man admitted that he had not, but the following week he did witness to a few souls, and that took care of his problem.
4. Shield of Faith. “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Eph. 6:16). This verse teaches us several things. First, the wicked one, Satan, throws darts at us and they are fiery. I believe these are the darts of doubt. But the good news is that with the shield of faith we can quench (put out, extinguish) all Satan’s darts. Truly, faith is the victory. If we trust God and all His promises, we can quench all of Satan’s attempts to sow the seeds of doubt in us.
5. Helmet of Salvation. In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, the helmet is defined as “the hope of salvation.” This refers to the blessed hope when we will be with the Lord, and thus be finally and completely saved – spirit, soul and body. Hope in the Bible is not a wish that may or may not be fulfilled, but a definite promise from the Lord whose fulfillment is yet future. The helmet of salvation in Ephesians 6:17 refers to our present salvation as well as to our future salvation. To be assured of this great salvation is an essential part of the whole armor of God. Without it we would be confused and unsettled, and Satan could cause us great havoc. God assured us in His Word of this salvation so that it may be as a helmet for our protection.
6. Sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). This is the sword the Lord Jesus used when Satan came to tempt Him in the wilderness. When Satan made a wicked proposition to the Lord, He answered him saying, “It is written” and thus defeated Satan by the sword of the Word of God. If Satan should try to tempt one with sexual immorality, the Holy Spirit reminds him of these words, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Th. 4:3). If it is a financial temptation, the Spirit reminds him of 1 Timothy 6:6-11. For every attack of Satan there is an answer in the Word of God. But notice that it is the sword “of the Spirit.” It is not to be used for selfish or revengeful purposes. We must not grieve the Spirit, but rather walk in the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit, in order for the Holy Spirit to use this sword effectively. Also we must be familiar with the many instructions and promises in the Word of God in order to benefit from this element of the whole armor of God.
Communication
Soldiers need a captain, a leader, who can give them the necessary directions and encouragement. The Christian also needs to communicate with the Captain of his salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through prayer, an essential requirement for victory. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication” (Eph. 6:18). To neglect prayer will always result in defeat. Christ said to His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mk. 14:38).
We know our enemy, and we need to derive our strength from the Lord and the power of His might to defeat him. The Word of God is our girdle, and to obey it and live righteously is our breastplate. Our feet should be shod with a readiness to propagate its good news, while we trust in its faithful promises as our shield of faith by which we quench all Satan’s fiery darts. God’s great salvation is our helmet, and His Word is our sword that is to be used by His Spirit. With all that, we must always be in communion with the Lord through prayer. Then we will be more than conquerors through Him who loved us, and we will joyously and triumphantly declare, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:14).
By Anise Behnam
With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org
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