Armor of God

Armor of God. As we begin this very familiar section in Ephesians 6, we will look, today, at the reasons that Paul exhorts us to put on the armor of God. In future devotionals, we will cover each item of armor separately.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 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. 13 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.

Ephesians 6:10-13, NKJV

Armor of God

Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 6:10, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." How do we do that? We are to put on the whole armor of God. As we begin this very familiar section in Ephesians 6, we will look, today, at the reasons that Paul exhorts us to put on the armor of God. In future devotionals, we will cover each item of armor separately.

What is the chief reason that believers need to be armed with God's armor? "That you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." How easy it is for us, as believers, to take this far too lightly. Oh, we know there is a battle between the forces of good and evil, but somehow we believe that it is God's battle and not our own. Our resulting apathy is a fertile ground for the devil to work his wiles against us.

The real battle we face, as believers, is not the life we see. The real battle is, "Against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

You may ask, how are we to fight a battle when we are not even able to see our enemies? That is exactly the right question to ask. That is what Paul addresses in the next few verses of Ephesians 6. For now, let us remind ourselves that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within our hearts. While we may not see our enemies, He most certainly can. As we grow and mature in the Lord, we need to learn to sense the leading of the Spirit in our lives. He will not lead us into error, but will deliver us from the evil which exists all around us.

Paul even tells us that if we take up the whole armor of God, we will be able to withstand in the evil day--and having done all, to stand. Before going through the various types of armor we are given, let us look at some general clues as to how we, as believers, can fight the forces of evil which so zealously attack us.

The first line of defense is to know that the threat actually exists. Unfortunately, most believers have been lulled into a sense of apathy. Life is good; we are busy seeking to gain all we can in this wonderful world in which we live. We laugh at the antics the world posts regarding Satan and His forces and even join our culture in welcoming entertainment that romanticizes witchcraft and idolatry.

As believers, let us not be thrown into this type of thinking. Let us understand that Satan and His demons are actively trying to keep people from Christ and destroy the faith of those who are Christians.

Second, let us lay aside our apathy toward God's Word. We are so fortunate to have the Word of God at our disposals. We need to be actively reading and studying God's Word every single day and teach our family members to do the same. God's Word is a strong defense against the power of the devil.

Third, we need to become a strong people of prayer. Let us not just utilize prayer as our means to cry out to God for our wants and needs, but let us also use prayer as a time for us to fellowship with God, Himself. He is available to us 24/7. How amazing is that? As we spend more and more time with the Lord in prayer, we find we turn to Him more and more each day--even in the busiest of times. We cannot live this Christian life without the help of God!

So, as we continue this study on the God's armor, may we pray for God's grace to take these things seriously and to actively work to equip ourselves for the battle which we face each day. What an amazing God we serve. From God's perspective, the battle is already done, but from our perspective, we are right in the middle of the battle.

Though Satan is already a defeated foe, he is working to take everyone with him that he can. May we find the strength and help from God to withstand Satan and his angels.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1, KJV

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2, NKJV

More devotions on the Armor of God

Breastplate of Righteousness, Ephesians 6:14

Gospel of Peace, Ephesians 6:14-15

Shield of Faith, Ephesians 6:16

Helmet of Salvation, Ephesians 6:17

Sword of the Spirit, Ephesians 6:17