The full armor of God discussed in the bible symbolizes in comparison to the Roman soldier armor during the days of Jesus, approximately 2,000 years ago. Just as the Roman soldier’s armor consisted of under garments, belts, helmets, swords, shields, breastplates, etc., God’s word prepares us for spiritual warfare against our true enemy and the evil wickedness in the heavenly realm as we read in Ephesians 6:11-12,“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Because this is a spiritual battle, the weapons today and the weapons back then do not stand against the evil forces. Bullets, bombs, and swords will not harm or affect the spiritual dark forces of this world and universe. Weapons like these are for battling against flesh and blood, and are not for fighting the evil spirits. This is explained in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” The bible mentions putting on the whole armor of God and not just one or two items of armor. Having only the sword of the spirit (word of God) and belt of truth are not enough to stand against the evil powers of heavenly places. God gives us true insight on how to prepare for this spiritual battle in Ephesians 6:13-18, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”
As the belt holds all the armor and garments into place, the belt of truth allows us to stand firm securing the breastplate of righteousness and the sword of the spirit. Knowing the truth, and having righteousness, provides us a strong foundation with the peace from knowing the true gospel. Jesus tells us in John 8:31-32, “…If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Knowing the truth about God’s kingdom sets us free from all of Satan’s lies who is the father of all lies as shown in John 8:44, “…He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Also, we are called to be holy and righteous servants for God through His son Jesus, and that we will enter many trials and tribulations as we read in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10, “but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” As soldiers for Christ, we must share in this suffering with other believers – 2 Timothy 2:3-4.
Because of the gospel, where Jesus paid the price for our sins, we have great peace (shoes of peace) knowing that we are saved by His unconditional love and mercy. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “…that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
We are to take up the shield of faith which through faith provides us God’s righteousness through Jesus as stated in Philippians 3:9-11, “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” By the grace of God, He has given and assigned us a measure of faith – Romans 12:3. As our faith is strengthened during our daily walk with God, our shield is strengthened. When God saved us through faith in Jesus, we died in the flesh as Christ died and our new self was resurrected in the spirit as Christ ascended into heaven as we read in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Because of what Christ did at Calvary, we can put on the helmet of salvation. As our old self has passed away through God’s free gift of eternal life and by our belief and acceptance by faith, we can now walk with Him who resides in us by His holy spirit – Ephesians 2:4-10. We are God’s temple and the holy spirit dwells within us – 1 Corinthians 3:16. We are redeemed and saved by His grace alone, not by works.
With knowing and living through God’s word, we can take up the sword of the spirit and through His holy spirit, we can recognize Satan’s evil devices, in order to prevent the evil one from devouring us – 2 Corinthians 2:11. Hebrews 4:12 also tells us the awesome power of God’s word: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Psalms 119:105 tells us that God’s word guides us through the darkness of this world, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Jesus tells us how important His word is in Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness and was tempted by Satan to turn stone into bread, but Jesus used the sword of the spirit and told Satan as stated in Luke 4:4, “…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
The bible teaches us the importance and power of prayer as we read in James 5:16, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17-22 also tells us to “pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” We must continue in our faithful and daily walk with God through Jesus, putting on the whole armor of God and remembering who our true enemy is – Ephesians 6:12. For Satan is a mighty angel and is very crafty in his deception by transforming into an angel of light – 2 Corinthians 11:14. The bible warns us in Ephesians 4:27, “…give no opportunity to the devil.” The devil seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us from our faithful walk with God. The bible commands us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Jesus also tells Satan as He was being tempted in the wilderness to ONLY worship God as we read in Matthew 4:10, “Then Jesus said to him, ‘ “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” James 4:7-8 also tells us to “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” Therefore, its important that we eliminate all of Satan’s worldly distractions by putting God and His kingdom first as we read in Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” God’s word tells us we can overcome the evil forces in the world as we read in 1 John 4:4, “…you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
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Do you know where you will spend eternity after you die on earth? Will Jesus be your Lord and Savior or your eternal judge – John 3:15-21, Romans 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:1? Jesus says He is the narrow gate to heaven where it is difficult to find and only a few will enter by it where many will enter the easy, wide and broad gate that leads to Hell and destruction – Matthew 7:13-14. Will you experience the second eternal death (spiritual death) – Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8? Do you know for sure that you are written in the eternal Lamb’s Book of Life – Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:12-15? The place called Hell is NOT a myth and is very real and an extremely scary place – Watch this Video!
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