God calls us to be warriors. He calls us to defend the faith and to stand on truth. He calls us to give an answer to those that ask of us the reason of the hope that is in us. He doesn’t call us to defend and then leave us without help. He gives us the Armor of God.

Ephesians 6:11-17 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:

Donning the Armor of God gives us strength to stand against the devil. It gives us strength to stand for God and to overcome temptation. The Armor of God is given to us to protect us and help us grow.

Loins Girt About with Truth

Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,

The girdle is the part of the armor that holds all the pieces together. Truth is the foundation of our faith and strength.  In order to be girt about with truth we must study God’s Word, memorize Scripture, hide the Word in our hearts, meditate on God’s Word, and practice and obey the Word of God. We must know truth, understand it, apply it, and defend it.

Breastplate of Righteousness

Ephesians 6:14 and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

The Breastplate of Righteousness is our defense against temptation. It gives us strength to be over-comers. A breastplate protects the vital organs and is custom fit to the wearer. This means the breastplate doesn’t just give us righteousness over temptation in general, but also righteousness over specific temptations that attack us individually. We have no righteousness on our own- the breastplate is the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Walking in the Spirit will give access to the righteousness of Jesus, giving us the power to overcome temptation.

Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace

Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Before we can do anything we have to have a strong footing or we lose our balance. Shod feet give us a strong footing and allow us to stand on truth and in the face of opposition. We must prepare to stand on God’s Word and His promises. The preparation of peace is the building of our faith. Our faith is strengthened when we read God’s Word and act on what we read. We must be prepared in both Spirit and truth. We must be prepared to give an answer for what we believe. We must be prepared to contend for the faith.

Shield of Faith

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

We are to take the Shield of Faith ‘above all’. The shield covers the rest of the armor. Faith is our shield against attack. We build our faith through prayer and reading God’s Word. Through faith, we can do anything that God wants us to do. We can defend against any stronghold. We are covered through faith. Whatever attack the devil throws at us, we can deflect it through faith.

Helmet of Salvation

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation,

The helmet protects the head. The helmet protects our minds against temptations, imaginations, and evil thoughts. The Helmet of Salvation is our hope and deliverance in battle. Salvation delivers us from sin, and then protects us from sin. The Helmet of Salvation gives us strength to overcome temptation by guarding our minds from evil.

Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:17 and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

All other armor is protective- for defense. The sword is primarily an offensive weapon. The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is our offensive weapon against false doctrine and temptation. We must use the Word of God to proclaim truth. We must be thoroughly grounded in God’s Word in order to be effective in spreading the gospel and defending the faith.

Prayer

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Paul finishes his teachings of the Armor of God by telling us to pray. Through prayer, God will lead us in our Bible study. By staying close to God in prayer, God can bring scriptures to our memory when we need it. Through prayer, we position ourselves in the place we need to be to allow God to open our understanding and give us more light.

Conclusion

Soldiers must be well-equipped to win the battle. The Armor of God builds our faith, strengthens us in God’s Word, and helps us to live a life of holiness. The Armor of God equips us to be soldiers for Christ, but it is only useful if we use it. A soldier would not go into battle without his armor, and Christians should not either. Using the Armor of God, we will become soldiers for Christ, defenders of the faith, prayer warriors, and we will make more soldiers. The Armor of God protects us and gives us strength to fight for truth. All of this happens through prayer and studying God’s Word.