The Christian Student Equipper: The Armor of God

The Christian Student Equipper: The Armor of God The JESUS!Ministry Equipper: The
Armor of God

The Armor of God

Foreward Do you feel defeated, depleted and depressed? The whole armor of God is a powerful defensive - and offensive weaponry - that we may stand victorious in the day of battle!
The rise of the Roman Empire was due to the well-equipped Roman Soldier who was trained in strategy, weaponry, defense, and understanding the enemy. Using the Roman Soldier's armor as a visual example, the Apostle Paul describes the Armor of God in the Book of Ephesians as both a defense and further as an offensive weapon.
If you've been feeling guilty, depressed, or fearful of late, it is perhaps you are not wearing the protective armor that God has provided for you, which you can put on in faith.
I was probably a month old in the Lord when I was first taught about the Armor of God. I remember how new everything felt, and anything and everything in the Bible was fresh revelation, like steaming bread fresh from an earthen oven! Despite the newness and anticipation, I could not understand why suddenly I felt so depressed and guilty.
When I accepted Christ, the reality of that salvation was so great, and yet I get these sudden flash thoughts: "You're not saved!" "God doesn't exist!" "God hasn't forgiven you!" "Why pray?" "Why read the Bible? It's full of errors!" "Jesus was just a man. Why believe in Him?"
Some older brothers and sisters showed me the basics of putting on (in faith) this armor - as if you were putting on something imaginary, only except for the fact that - spiritually - it is very real. So I did. Every morning, when I got up to pray, I'd put on each item of armor on, and it really did make a difference in my day - for two weeks!
I then tried not wearing the armor for a week, and those flash thoughts, depression and guilt returned as predictable as clockwork. Why? Because the mind is a battlefield (See Battlefield of the Mind) that the enemy is constantly placing under attack.
Consequently, the armor of God protects five vital areas in our lives, leaving plenty of room for offensive weaponry as well!
And, finally, once you put the Armor on, remember to never take it off!

Index Reference
Understanding our Warfare
The Belt of Truth
Breastplate of Righteousness
Helmet of Salvation
Sandals of the Gospel of Peace
Shielf of Faith
Sword of the Spirit
Persistent Prayer in the Spirit

Reference Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 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].
13 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.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Understanding our Warfare Let's examine Ephesians 6:2 again. "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]."
Here, Paul is saying that it is not people (flesh and blood) we are fighting against - your enemy is neither that brother in church who offended you, nor your boss, nor your neighbor's dog - but Satan and his cohorts who have already been defeated by Jesus but refuse to accept that defeat.
This verse describes how demonic powers are organized as a hierarchy.
Now, because our enemy is spiritual, it takes spiritual weapons to fight the good fight of faith. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 reveals:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

The section, "Battlefield of the Mind" will cover an in-depth study of this scripture passage.

The Belt of Truth As they geared up, the Roman Soliders first put on the girdle or belt. The belt was the one item to which other items were attached. The girdle protected the mid to lower abdomenal area.
Application - Jesus said in John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Just as in the laws of physics were light dispells darkness, in the law of the Spirit truth sets us free." (Incidentally, many cults claim they have the "truth." Your evidence that you have the Truth is first, that Truth has set you free, and second, Truth is not an idea or a fact... Truth is Jesus. John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life....") The belt or girdle was worn around the waist which speaks of a person's inmost being. The Lord wants us to be free completely from the inside out! Psalm 51:6 "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Thank God, that he whom the Son has set free is free indeed (John 8:36)!
So pray with me - "Lord, in Jesus' name, I put on the belt of truth. Thank you Lord that I am set free from every guilt, fear and depression that the enemy may launch against me, because Your truth has made me free!"

Breastplate of Righteousness One key area the Soldier's breastplate protected was the heart. While the heart is the one key organ responsible for sending blood through our circulatory system to keep us alive, our spiritual lives can deaden if our hearts are not right with God!
Application - 1 John 3:21 says, "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God." No wonder Satan wants to make us feel guilty all the time. Our relationship with God is so damaged when we view God as an unforgiving taskmaster whose only interest is to punish us and weigh us down with guilt whenever we do wrong! On the contrary, in Philippians 1:6, God is faithful to finish the work He began in you! And even though you blew it and sometimes fall to times in which you don't have any faith, God remains faithful to you (2 Timothy 2:13)! Don't forget that our righteousness was not earned by good works (Ephesians 2:9), but rather was credited to us (Romans 4:3, Amplified Bible), hence righteousness is a gift!
So pray with me - "Lord, I put on the breastplate of righeousness. Protect my heart, Lord, from anything that would stand in the way of Your perfect love and will in my life. Lord, protect my heart such that it is completely towards You, and help me hide no sin inside!"

Helmet of Salvation Helmets have been a part of armor, whether they be Persian, Ottoman, Roman Gladiatoror, Japanese Samurai, or Conquistador
. A well-designed helmet will protect you from various angles of attack.
Application - As mentioned before, the greatest battlefield is in our minds. This is the area that the enemy wants to attack the most. One key area he wants to damage is our assurance of salvation. Many Christians have been deceived into thinking that they have lost their salvation, that they had committed the unpardonable sin. Be encouraged, if this is the case. Those who commit the unpardonable sin have no heart to return to God. So long as there is the slightest inkling of wanting to return home into Jesus' loving arms, baby you've still got it!
So pray with me - "Lord, I put on the helmet of salvtion. I thank you for resassuring me that I am Your's, and that I belong to You, and I am a child of the King! Protect my mind from wrong, carnal and immoral thoughts Lord, and let my thoughts all day be on You and be holy thoughts!" When your mind's on God, God makes His thoughts to be known to you!

Sandals of the Gospel of Peace Some historians credit footwear as one of the greatest reasons why the Roman Army was so victorious over its enemies. The Roman Soldier was equipped with footware that had spikes on the soles which provided them a strong enough stance and balance that gave them a superior posture in battle on hills and uneven terrain. In martial arts, the stance is the most important move and is what is practiced first, for from the basic stance are all manners of kicks and punches launched!
Application - Have you ever noticed how when you stub your toe - when your foot hurts, the whole person hurts? In the Bible, feet speaks of your walk (Proverbs 19:2). When you are walking in the peace of God, not only do you have a sensitivity for Godly wisdom (James 3:17) but that your proclamation of the Gospel is particularly blessed (Isaiah 52:7). Make sure you do this with an alert mind when you put the armor on in the morning. When I don't get enough sleep, I tend to get sloppy, and the sandals of the Gospel of peace somehow end up on my hands!
So pray with me - "Lord, I put on the sandals of the Gospel of peace. Lord, your Word says that 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.' So help me to walk in Your peace, Lord Jesus, and help me have a right motivation and to bring You glory in all that I do."

Shield of Faith The Roman Soldier was equipped with a shield that effectively deflected arrows. While many movies show these shields as round, others have depicted them as rectangular. However, some historians have indicated that this was a full-length body shield.
Application - Psalms 3:3 in the NIV says, "You, O Lord, are a shield about me." God provides 360-degree by 360-degree complete protection! Notice that Ephesians 6:16 says that with this sheild we will be able "to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" or the "wicked one" - which is the enemy. These "darts" are the very flash thought attacks we get out of the blue for no reason at all! Remember that faith is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). We don't need to see with our natural eyesight in order to believe something of God. Our vision comes from our faith in God. David Wilkerson once said, "Man says, 'seeing is believing' but God says, 'believing is seeing!'"
So pray with me: "Lord, I take up the shield of faith, with which to quench all the fiery darts and flaming arrows of the enemy. Thank You, Lord, that You are a shield about me, and You're my glory and the lifter of my head!"

Sword of the Spirit The best steel for swords is an almost-pure high carbon steel. In our century, we have more alloys than you can imagine. There are many replica or fake swords that use stainless steel. The existence of chromium lends it its nice chrome effect and acts as a grain enhancer, but it remakably reduces its molecular strength! In a spiritual sense, we must make sure we have the pure Word of God, and not a denominational bias, not a mixture that might compromise our sword! A real sword can cut through one made of stainless steel!
B>Application - The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Satan said, "If You are the Son of God...." Yet Jesus did not respond like many of us would. So many of us shout at the Devil and believe that our volume is proportional to the distance Satan will flee from us! However, Jesus quoted His Father's words and spoke them with authority. Consequently, each Word-thrust was like a sword-blow to Satan's head! God has given us the authority to use His words because we are all ambassadors of Christ (Ephesians 6:20)! Hebrews 4:12 reveals that the Word of God "is quick and powerful...."
So pray with me in conclusion: "And finally, I draw the Sword of the Spirit. Lord, thank you for equipping me with Your word. I pray that I'll hunger more and more to hear from You and to constantly have a Word in season, as it says in Isaiah 50:4. Thank you Jesus, Amen!"

Persistent Prayer in the Spirit One Bay Area, California missionary who answered a call of God to China spent 15 years of preparation and finally was able to operate in China as an English teacher! The greatest revelation she lived on - which became the heartbeat of her ministry - was "Pray more, work less." What good is putting all that armor on if we don't remain sensitive to God such that we are blindly doing all kinds of things and not specifically those things that God directs us by the Holy Spirit to do?
For the Lord may say, "Son, I want you to witness to that person sitting over there," or "Daughter, comfort the girl next to you; she feels very unworthy before Me." Would we be so super spiritual that we pray, "Here I am, Lord! Send... er... somebody else!"
Futher, what good is it to prepare for the warfare of the day to get derailed in your faith from a lack of prayer? Rather, let us do as in Jude 1:20, "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost." Praying "in the Holy Ghost" or "praying in the Spirit" is also synonymous to Speaking in Tongues or, to be more accurate, speaking in the singular heavenly language that has no interpretation - but is a direct pipeline between your heart and the heart of God, where you pray to the Lord spirit to Spirit!

	The Armor of God
Foreward	Do you feel defeated, depleted and depressed? The whole armor of God is a powerful defensive - and offensive weaponry - that we may stand victorious in the day of battle! The rise of the Roman Empire was due to the well-equipped Roman Soldier who was trained in strategy, weaponry, defense, and understanding the enemy. Using the Roman Soldier's armor as a visual example, the Apostle Paul describes the Armor of God in the Book of Ephesians as both a defense and further as an offensive weapon. If you've been feeling guilty, depressed, or fearful of late, it is perhaps you are not wearing the protective armor that God has provided for you, which you can put on in faith. I was probably a month old in the Lord when I was first taught about the Armor of God. I remember how new everything felt, and anything and everything in the Bible was fresh revelation, like steaming bread fresh from an earthen oven! Despite the newness and anticipation, I could not understand why suddenly I felt so depressed and guilty. When I accepted Christ, the reality of that salvation was so great, and yet I get these sudden flash thoughts: "You're not saved!" "God doesn't exist!" "God hasn't forgiven you!" "Why pray?" "Why read the Bible? It's full of errors!" "Jesus was just a man. Why believe in Him?" Some older brothers and sisters showed me the basics of putting on (in faith) this armor - as if you were putting on something imaginary, only except for the fact that - spiritually - it is very real. So I did. Every morning, when I got up to pray, I'd put on each item of armor on, and it really did make a difference in my day - for two weeks! I then tried not wearing the armor for a week, and those flash thoughts, depression and guilt returned as predictable as clockwork. Why? Because the mind is a battlefield (See Battlefield of the Mind) that the enemy is constantly placing under attack. Consequently, the armor of God protects five vital areas in our lives, leaving plenty of room for offensive weaponry as well! And, finally, once you put the Armor on, remember to never take it off!
Index	Reference Understanding our Warfare The Belt of Truth Breastplate of Righteousness Helmet of Salvation Sandals of the Gospel of Peace Shielf of Faith Sword of the Spirit Persistent Prayer in the Spirit
Reference	Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 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]. 13 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. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Understanding our Warfare	Let's examine Ephesians 6:2 again. "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]." Here, Paul is saying that it is not people (flesh and blood) we are fighting against - your enemy is neither that brother in church who offended you, nor your boss, nor your neighbor's dog - but Satan and his cohorts who have already been defeated by Jesus but refuse to accept that defeat. This verse describes how demonic powers are organized as a hierarchy. Now, because our enemy is spiritual, it takes spiritual weapons to fight the good fight of faith. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 reveals: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. The section, "Battlefield of the Mind" will cover an in-depth study of this scripture passage.
The Belt of Truth	As they geared up, the Roman Soliders first put on the girdle or belt. The belt was the one item to which other items were attached. The girdle protected the mid to lower abdomenal area. Application - Jesus said in John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Just as in the laws of physics were light dispells darkness, in the law of the Spirit truth sets us free." (Incidentally, many cults claim they have the "truth." Your evidence that you have the Truth is first, that Truth has set you free, and second, Truth is not an idea or a fact... Truth is Jesus. John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life....") The belt or girdle was worn around the waist which speaks of a person's inmost being. The Lord wants us to be free completely from the inside out! Psalm 51:6 "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Thank God, that he whom the Son has set free is free indeed (John 8:36)! So pray with me - "Lord, in Jesus' name, I put on the belt of truth. Thank you Lord that I am set free from every guilt, fear and depression that the enemy may launch against me, because Your truth has made me free!"
Breastplate of Righteousness	One key area the Soldier's breastplate protected was the heart. While the heart is the one key organ responsible for sending blood through our circulatory system to keep us alive, our spiritual lives can deaden if our hearts are not right with God! Application - 1 John 3:21 says, "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God." No wonder Satan wants to make us feel guilty all the time. Our relationship with God is so damaged when we view God as an unforgiving taskmaster whose only interest is to punish us and weigh us down with guilt whenever we do wrong! On the contrary, in Philippians 1:6, God is faithful to finish the work He began in you! And even though you blew it and sometimes fall to times in which you don't have any faith, God remains faithful to you (2 Timothy 2:13)! Don't forget that our righteousness was not earned by good works (Ephesians 2:9), but rather was credited to us (Romans 4:3, Amplified Bible), hence righteousness is a gift! So pray with me - "Lord, I put on the breastplate of righeousness. Protect my heart, Lord, from anything that would stand in the way of Your perfect love and will in my life. Lord, protect my heart such that it is completely towards You, and help me hide no sin inside!"
Helmet of Salvation	Helmets have been a part of armor, whether they be Persian, Ottoman, Roman Gladiatoror, Japanese Samurai, or Conquistador . A well-designed helmet will protect you from various angles of attack. Application - As mentioned before, the greatest battlefield is in our minds. This is the area that the enemy wants to attack the most. One key area he wants to damage is our assurance of salvation. Many Christians have been deceived into thinking that they have lost their salvation, that they had committed the unpardonable sin. Be encouraged, if this is the case. Those who commit the unpardonable sin have no heart to return to God. So long as there is the slightest inkling of wanting to return home into Jesus' loving arms, baby you've still got it! So pray with me - "Lord, I put on the helmet of salvtion. I thank you for resassuring me that I am Your's, and that I belong to You, and I am a child of the King! Protect my mind from wrong, carnal and immoral thoughts Lord, and let my thoughts all day be on You and be holy thoughts!" When your mind's on God, God makes His thoughts to be known to you!
Sandals of the Gospel of Peace	Some historians credit footwear as one of the greatest reasons why the Roman Army was so victorious over its enemies. The Roman Soldier was equipped with footware that had spikes on the soles which provided them a strong enough stance and balance that gave them a superior posture in battle on hills and uneven terrain. In martial arts, the stance is the most important move and is what is practiced first, for from the basic stance are all manners of kicks and punches launched! Application - Have you ever noticed how when you stub your toe - when your foot hurts, the whole person hurts? In the Bible, feet speaks of your walk (Proverbs 19:2). When you are walking in the peace of God, not only do you have a sensitivity for Godly wisdom (James 3:17) but that your proclamation of the Gospel is particularly blessed (Isaiah 52:7). Make sure you do this with an alert mind when you put the armor on in the morning. When I don't get enough sleep, I tend to get sloppy, and the sandals of the Gospel of peace somehow end up on my hands! So pray with me - "Lord, I put on the sandals of the Gospel of peace. Lord, your Word says that 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.' So help me to walk in Your peace, Lord Jesus, and help me have a right motivation and to bring You glory in all that I do."
Shield of Faith	The Roman Soldier was equipped with a shield that effectively deflected arrows. While many movies show these shields as round, others have depicted them as rectangular. However, some historians have indicated that this was a full-length body shield. Application - Psalms 3:3 in the NIV says, "You, O Lord, are a shield about me." God provides 360-degree by 360-degree complete protection! Notice that Ephesians 6:16 says that with this sheild we will be able "to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" or the "wicked one" - which is the enemy. These "darts" are the very flash thought attacks we get out of the blue for no reason at all! Remember that faith is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). We don't need to see with our natural eyesight in order to believe something of God. Our vision comes from our faith in God. David Wilkerson once said, "Man says, 'seeing is believing' but God says, 'believing is seeing!'" So pray with me: "Lord, I take up the shield of faith, with which to quench all the fiery darts and flaming arrows of the enemy. Thank You, Lord, that You are a shield about me, and You're my glory and the lifter of my head!"
Sword of the Spirit	The best steel for swords is an almost-pure high carbon steel. In our century, we have more alloys than you can imagine. There are many replica or fake swords that use stainless steel. The existence of chromium lends it its nice chrome effect and acts as a grain enhancer, but it remakably reduces its molecular strength! In a spiritual sense, we must make sure we have the pure Word of God, and not a denominational bias, not a mixture that might compromise our sword! A real sword can cut through one made of stainless steel! B>Application - The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Satan said, "If You are the Son of God...." Yet Jesus did not respond like many of us would. So many of us shout at the Devil and believe that our volume is proportional to the distance Satan will flee from us! However, Jesus quoted His Father's words and spoke them with authority. Consequently, each Word-thrust was like a sword-blow to Satan's head! God has given us the authority to use His words because we are all ambassadors of Christ (Ephesians 6:20)! Hebrews 4:12 reveals that the Word of God "is quick and powerful...." So pray with me in conclusion: "And finally, I draw the Sword of the Spirit. Lord, thank you for equipping me with Your word. I pray that I'll hunger more and more to hear from You and to constantly have a Word in season, as it says in Isaiah 50:4. Thank you Jesus, Amen!"
Persistent Prayer in the Spirit	One Bay Area, California missionary who answered a call of God to China spent 15 years of preparation and finally was able to operate in China as an English teacher! The greatest revelation she lived on - which became the heartbeat of her ministry - was "Pray more, work less." What good is putting all that armor on if we don't remain sensitive to God such that we are blindly doing all kinds of things and not specifically those things that God directs us by the Holy Spirit to do? For the Lord may say, "Son, I want you to witness to that person sitting over there," or "Daughter, comfort the girl next to you; she feels very unworthy before Me." Would we be so super spiritual that we pray, "Here I am, Lord! Send... er... somebody else!" Futher, what good is it to prepare for the warfare of the day to get derailed in your faith from a lack of prayer? Rather, let us do as in Jude 1:20, "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost." Praying "in the Holy Ghost" or "praying in the Spirit" is also synonymous to Speaking in Tongues or, to be more accurate, speaking in the singular heavenly language that has no interpretation - but is a direct pipeline between your heart and the heart of God, where you pray to the Lord spirit to Spirit!