Put it On: Armor of God
One of the simplest but most powerful habits we can do as Christians is put on the armor of God. It sounds like something we learn in vacation bible school and consider a little “silly”, but doing so daily has been one of the most transformative things I personally have seen transform both my walk with God and how He moves in my daily life.
Why do it?
Fact is: we are in a spiritual battle. In this world, there are two parts:
Physical world: what we see around us (trees, people, dogs, food, etc.)
Spiritual world: what is unseen (angels, spirits, etc.)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12
Paul’s letter to the church of Ephesus distinguishes these two worlds for us and makes our mission very clear, showing us that our true battle isn’t the person we see in front of us, or the situation that we’re struggling with, but the unseen spirits behind it.
What are you wearing?
Now that we know we are in spiritual battle, we need to put on the correct armor. Just like we see soldiers put on their protective gear when heading into war, so do we as we enter the war of the kingdom each and every day.
So what do we put on?
According to Ephesians 6:13 - 17, there’s 6 pieces of armor we put on:
Belt of truth
The belt on a warrior is where one’s weapons are stored. In the context of spiritual battle, this is the act of us studying God’s word and memorizing it so that we can effectively use our sword in our day to day.
Breastplate of Righteousness
Breastplates protect some of our most vital organs - our heart and lungs. If we don’t dress ourselves with righteousness, we would leave our bodies vulnerable to deadly attacks. To put on the breastplate of righteousness means to protect our spiritual beings by living out a life that is pleasing and honorable to God.
Shoes of the Gospel of Peace
The GOOD NEWS. God sent His son Jesus down to carry all sin and punishment just so we could be with Him again. “Putting these shoes on” gives us confidence that whatever path we are currently walking on, God has fully saved us and will carry us through.
Shield of Faith
The faith given to you will protect you against any “flaming attack” of Satan. Entering a battle with a shield of faith will allow you to look through your situation and stand firm that God is with you and He is for you.
Helmet of Salvation
When thinking of the helmet of salvation, take a moment to recount the moment you were saved by God. Think about your personal salvation and the things - known and unknown to you - He has taken you through. Let the truth of your salvation in God protect your mind
Sword of the spirit
This is using the Word of God. This is your one offensive weapon you are able to use against your enemies. It is in the Word we have the power to speak light into the darkest of situations, truth in a field of lies and attack back on our enemies
We are in a spiritual battle, but stand confident in the fact that we know the outcome is victory when Jesus defeated the cross. So BAE, put on your armor daily, for whatever you are facing now you can confidently fight, knowing your God will see you through.
With love,
Xx,
Jo
