My women’s Bible study just finished studying the book of Ephesians. In the last section, Ephesians 6:10-20is about what the apostle Paul calls the armor of God. I was really excited about it, so I thought I would share what I learned with you. What is the armor of God? How does it apply to everyday life? Read on to discover more.
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Armor of God Meaning
I have done that in the past The armor of God study by Priscilla Shirer. I also researched a number of comments for our small group discussion, so this post is a conglomeration of insights from various locations.
So, what is the armor of God? The whole armor of God is what Paul refers to in Ephesians 6:10-20. This is spiritual armor that all Christians should put on to fight spiritual warfare. It is interesting to note that Paul lists each piece of God’s armor in the order in which the ancient Roman soldier would have donned it.
God’s armor
Before we talk further about God’s armor: What does it mean to put on the armor of God? As just mentioned, each piece of God’s armor corresponds to a piece of armor that a Roman soldier would have actually worn. Paul’s audience would have been familiar with this, so he likened each piece to a spiritual truth about what we need to live as followers of Christ Jesus. We need to be aware of these pieces and put them into our lives so that they can be used to fight Satan.
God’s armor is crucial in the Christian life for our survival in God’s kingdom. It is far too easy for Satan and his minions to distract us, make us question the truth of God, and sabotage our faith. That’s why we need the full armor of God in our daily lives.
What are the 7 parts of the armor of God?
Let’s get into the seven pieces of the armor of God and their meaning according to Ephesians 6. As we go through each section, we will also cover it what it means to put on the armor of God. As God’s children, putting on the armor of God is a great first step in battling the real enemy in the spirit world.
1. Belt of truth
What is truth? Today’s society may tell you that the truth is what you decide is right for you. However, we are talking about God’s truth. What is God’s opinion on this? What does God say in His Word, the Bible? That’s where our truth comes from.
As part of a soldier’s armor, the belt is the first piece of armor, and the other pieces of armor are hinged to it. The belt helps support the weight of the chest plate and provides strength to the soldier’s core so that he does not collapse under pressure. This power then flows to the rest of his body.
How do I put on the truth belt? As Christians we need to look at it God truth first. EVERYTHING is measured by it.
We can’t measure things based on feelings. Why do you think that is so? Feelings and emotions are constantly changing, but God’s truth never changes. His truth must surround us like a belt. God’s standard of truth frees us from guilt, provides protection, and enables us to live peacefully with others. God’s truth also helps us to be aware of false teachings that are entering Jesus’ church.
2. Breastplate of righteousness
Now we come to the breastplate of righteousness as another piece of the armor of God. First, we must define “justice.” Justice is doing what is right toward God and others. In short, it is how the truth is lived.
Without the belt of truth we just talked about, you have to bear the weight of righteousness on your own strength. That is a greater weight than any of us can bear, so we must keep our righteousness tied to God’s truth (see Romans 10:3,4).
The breastplate also protects the heart and other vital organs. Our spiritual heart is the center of the soul. It’s what makes you YOU. We must protect ourselves with God’s righteousness, which can only be found through Jesus, versus our own made-up righteousness… or what the culture says is right.
3. Shoes of the gospel of peace
Think of what shoes would do for a soldier. Their shoes had straps that encircled their ankles. They also had some points that would give them a strong grip. We need to have a firm grip in a world that is very unstable. We must be able to move forward at a steady pace and also remain steadfast when necessary.
Satan wants to steal this peace that allows us to remain steadfast. He tries to cause discord, chaos, fear and anxiety to cause us to stumble. He strives to bring about the opposite of peace. We need our shoes to keep us grounded and moving forward, so continue preparing the gospel of peace!
4. Shield of Faith
The next bit of the armor of God is the shield of faith. Faith can easily be defined as what you say you believe in action. Faith also reveals our trust in God. Our faith does not have to be great, but it must be rooted in a good and great God.
Your faith is tied to your perception of God. Priscilla Shirer says, “The truth of God’s character and His Word provide the framework through which our faith can blossom and prosper.” This shifts the focus of faith from us to God.
The shield Paul is referring to here is a large shield that covered most of the body. The enemy shot flaming arrows at his opponent to distract and cause chaos and distraction. The soldiers wet their shields and closed them over and around themselves like a turtle’s shell. The flames would die out as they sank into the wet wood.
Satan is the one who shoots fiery darts at us. We must take up our shield of faith so that these arrows can be extinguished!
As mothers, unless we prioritize our relationship with God, it can easily fall by the wayside. Learn more about grow closer to God. As we grow closer to Him, we also become better wives and mothers.
5. Helmet of salvation
Why do you think we need a helmet as part of the armor of God? I certainly wouldn’t want to go into battle, spiritual or otherwise, without a helmet! Salvation is not just about a one-time thing, but it is also an ongoing protection—a process of becoming more like Jesus.
I Thessalonians 5:8 calls the helmet the “hope” of salvation. Our helmet is meant to protect our minds from the devil’s schemes and lies…lies such as, “I am unworthy, incompetent, or unimportant.” Instead, knowing our identity in Christ will help us hear who He says we are. God tells us that we are loved, chosen, forgiven, and holy.
Choose to put on your helmet. Renew your mind in who God says you are. Because our thinking affects both our minds and our bodies, we have to be careful about what goes into it. Philippians 4:8 (NIV) says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
By putting on the helmet of salvation, we can protect ourselves from the devil’s wiles with the spirit of Christ. He is the father of lies and will do anything to keep you from believing who God says you are.
6. Sword of the Spirit: The offensive piece of the armor of God
Finally, we come to the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. The sword referred to here is a short sword intended for close-up combat. Our passage tells us what the sword is…the word of God. How powerful is that??!! This weapon has immense power against the forces of this dark world.
God’s Word is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12. Jesus used Scripture when Satan tried to tempt Him. This is the example we must follow. Put on the armor of God by learning and memorizing God’s Word.
7. Fervent prayer
Prayer is what ties everything together. Verses 18-20 remind us that our prayer should be constant, in the Spirit, pleading with God for the saints (all Christians). There are all kinds of prayers we can pray.
We must pray for perseverance and boldness to proclaim it Gospel. We must pray for the armor of God over our lives. Pray that we will have the power of God in our lives so that we can stand against the devil’s schemes.
Armor of God prayer
Now you the armor of God explainedas Christians we actually have to do that put on the full armor of God. God’s armor will not protect us if we do not use it. Pray one prayer in the full armor of God to help you remember to gird yourself every day with every piece of armor God has given us.
Now you the armor of God explainedas Christians we actually have to do that put on the full armor of God. The individual armors are useful, but on their own they do not fully protect us. Pray one prayer in the full armor of God to help you remember to gird yourself every day with every piece of armor God has given us.
Heavenly Father, Help me to actually put on the armor of God. I need the belt of truth, Your truth, to keep my core strong and stable. I protect myself with the breastplate of righteousness that only comes through the righteousness of Jesus. I thank you for the shoes of peace allowing me to stand firmly and walk steadily forward. Help me to root my shield of faith in my perception of who You are instead of who I think I am. Protect my mind with the helmet of salvation as I renew my mind in who you say I am. I’ll take the sword of the Spirit while I go on the offensive to combat lies with the truth. I fervently pray for boldness and perseverance as I fight the battle you have called me to. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Printable Armor of God Prayer
Download this FREE Printable Armor of God Prayer. Place it somewhere where you will see it often so that you will remember what God’s armor is and what it helps you do.
For further study on prayer, I highly recommend the movie War room. Following on from the film and The armor of God study is the book Fieryalso by Priscilla Shirer.
As a woman of God, are you putting on each of the different pieces of the armor of God? What armor do you find difficult to put on? What ways have you found to help? renew your mind or memorize Scripture? Comment below.
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