We’re constantly engaged in a spiritual battle as Christians. Once we turn our lives over to Christ we begin to feel the wrath of our greatest enemy. Without Christ we are no threat to Satan, but now we’re on his most wanted list. God, thru Paul, lets us know we have the tools to ward off the fiery darts of the evil one. The armor he provides enables us to remain true to God in the midst of those attacks.
Here's the breakdown of all the armor provided:
The BELT represents TRUTH ... The enemy fights with lies, only sometimes his lies sound like the truth, but ONLY believers have God’s truth, which can defeat the devil’s lies.
The BODY ARMOR represents RIGHTEOUSNESS ... The enemy loves to attack our hearts, which is where our emotions, self-worth and trust reside. God’s righteousness is the body armor that offers protection for our heart, ensuring his approval. God’s approval is based on the fact that he loves us, and that Jesus died for us.
The SHOES represents the PEACE that comes from the good news of the gospel ... The enemy wants to believe that spreading the gospel message is useless. The task is too great, and rejection can be overwhelming. The shoes given to us by God give us the motivation to press on sharing the true peace that comes from God.
The SHIELD represents our FAITH & TRUST ... Each day we can see the enemy’s attacks in the form of insults, setbacks, and temptations; however, the shield of faith & trust will protect us from incoming fiery darts. The shield enables us to see beyond our circumstances and know in our heart that ultimate victory is ours.
The HELMET represents our SALVATION ... The enemy goes all out to try to bring us to a place where we begin to doubt God, Jesus & our salvation. The helmet protects our mind
from the saving work God has done in us.
The SWORD represents the WORD OF GOD ... The only offensive weapon given to us is a sword, aka, the Word of God. There are many times we will need that sword to take on the enemy and smite him. When under attack we must trust the truth in God’s Word.
The devil can be a formidable foe to those who are unprepared for his attacks, but he is NO MATCH against the Creator of the Universe. We need to know WHOSE we are and what God stands for. Knowing him in an intimate way makes all the difference in the world. Those who only SAY they’re Christians, but live as they please, will be routed by the devil. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us that we are to ... “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” We don’t need to be intimidated by this because he is a toothless lion who can do nothing to us unless we allow it. At times GOD will allow certain attacks to strengthen our faith & trust in him.
Love always wins ... God is love*, therefore, God always wins!
NOTE: The Bible presents the shield as simply the SHIELD OF FAITH. I added the word TRUST because I see faith and trust linked together. Having faith in God must mean you trust him. Now it would depend on the depth of your faith as to whether you would add trust to the equation, but I still believe they are intertwined. For example, I believe in the existence of God, of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. I believe the Bible is the immutable word of God. I have chosen to believe these things; therefore, I have placed my faith in God and because I believe in him with my whole heart and soul I have learned to trust him. I believe that whatever in scripture is attributed to him, I accept it as absolutely true. Faith & trust in God are the two main cogs in the wheel called Christianity.
Up next we will take our first look at Paul’s letter to the church members in Philippi.
Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.
In His Name & for His Glory,
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.
* “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” - 1 John 4:8 NLT
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