The Armour of God

The Armour of God

Paul urges us to “put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes”. Our faith is at the forefront of this battle, and we should not let ourselves fall prey to the schemes of the enemy. Since this is a fight of faith, we should fight using means of faith. Paul detailed in Ephesians 6:14-17 the six components of the spiritual armour:

1.     Belt of Truth

Worn around the waist and typically to hold up garments, the belt is representative of the readiness of the believer to wield the truth as a means of protection against falsehoods.

2.     Breastplate of Righteousness

The main component of a soldier’s armour, the breastplate covers and protects our vital organs from harm. Righteousness is not earned through good deeds or behaviour, but only through faith in Christ - “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:22)

3.     Shoes of Peace

More accurately, Paul describes it as having “your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”  Like the Roman soldiers who need the shoes to travel far to fight against the enemy, shoes are essential to preserve us in our long faith journeys. The shoes outfitted with the gospel of peace form a firm basis for our feet to walk on and be a beacon of hope and peace to those also struggling spiritually.

4.     Shield of Faith

No armour is complete without the shield. Paul describes the shield’s purpose as to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” The shield of faith is our means of protection against the powers of darkness. With faith rooted in our victorious God, we will be able to overcome all that the enemy throws at us. “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

5.     Helmet of Salvation

In the Roman army, the helmet served as protection for the head. It was a vital piece of the armor, as an attack to the head could result in instant death. The hope and promise of our salvation encourage us to live boldly for the Lord and to take a stand in this war. We can also “be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

6.     Sword of the Spirit

The phrase “sword of the Spirit” is found only once in Scripture. Paul explains in Ephesians 6:17 that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. We know from 2 Timothy 3:16–17 that the word of God is from the Holy Spirit and written by men. We need to know how to handle the Word properly. Only then will it be an effective defense against evil, but it will also be an offensive weapon we use to “demolish strongholds” of error and falsehood (2 Corinthians 10:4–5).

Our faith and the Armour of God

Every day brings a new battle & fresh challenges. Paul instructs us to put on the set of divine armour of God, so that we can stand up to the many assaults in this fallen world from our powerful adversary.

In our pursuit of godly character as faithful Christians, there is no room for letups. Every day that we are not moving towards that goal we are being conformed to the world of ungodliness around us. Let us support one another and press on to know Christ and strive to be like Him. Here are some resources to help you prepare yourself spiritually:

• The Whole Armour of God 

By Iain M Duguid 

Delve deeper into what the armour of God entails. This book unpacks each of the pieces of spiritual armour Paul describes in Ephesians 6, inviting us to take up the armour each day, all while resting in the finished victory of Christ and the assurance that our strength for the battle comes from him.

• Stand 

By Warren W Wiersbe

Stand will reacquaint you with each piece of armour God has provided – and you’ll learn how to use that armour in your daily fight on the battlefield.

• Armour of God (Pamphlet)

All you need to know about the armour of God condensed into a handy pamphlet! Complete with the historical background of a Roman Centurion's armour and then draws vital correlations to the spiritual armour God gives His children, this pamphlet is the perfect guide for students!

• Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective

By Brian Borgman & Rob Ventura 

Learn to think biblically about spiritual warfare through this book as the authors give an overview of the battle, a guide to the armour God gives us, and instruction regarding the vital wartime disciplines of prayer and the proclamation of the Word. Be enabled to deflect the blows of the adversary, fight sin, and live God-glorifying lives as followers of Jesus.

• LifeGuide Bible Study: Spiritual Warfare

The Bible has much to say about the temptations and struggles you face day by day. This nine-session LifeGuide(R) Bible Study will deepen your understanding of spiritual warfare and direct you to God-given sources of power, assurance and hope.

• God’s Armour For Me

This early reader 16-page book teaches kids about the Bible and character traits. Get them to learn about the armour God gives us (Ephesians 6:10-18). 

• Go Fish! The Armor Of God Card Game

Introduce your children to the armour of God while playing the classic family card game Go Fish! Have fun collecting the pieces for your armour and assemble them all!

• Kid’s Guide To The Armour of God

Kids can learn how to dress in the armour God provides, and by doing so, are able to speak the truth, stand firm in the faith, and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.