Armor of God
Spiritual Warfare
After being extremely stressed out from various things happening in my life, I was diagnosed with shingles at the end of August.
Shingles? I thought only the elderly get that?
Although the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella zoster virus for all of my fellow medical nerds out there) can reactive in older individuals, it can also happen when you are stressed out or immunocompromised. In my case, after having the chickenpox for one day (literally) as a child in the 1990s came back as shingles in my early 30s due to stress.
Instead of throwing a pity party for myself, I recognized that I was undergoing spiritual warfare, not just because I was physically ill, but because of the stress and chaos going on around me. It seemed like something would always come up in nearly all angles of my life. That being said, during the time I spent in spiritual warfare, I knew the Lord wanted to give me some new revelations, so I spent time in His word. I re-read my go-to chapter, Ephesians 6, concerning the full armor of God, just to remind myself of what we as Christians must do daily.
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. For shoes, put on the readiness to preach the Good News of peace with God. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
I also did a devotional specifically on spiritual warfare (its called What Is Spiritual Warfare?) on YouVersion’s Bible app. It was no surprise that they also went through Ephesians 6. I kept re-reading this passage to meditate on it and really get it back into my spirit. As a result, the Lord gave me a new nugget of truth, which I’ll be sharing a little later in this post.
I was initially going to focus solely on a particular verse in this passage (specifically the nugget God revealed to me); however, every time I tried to publish it, I felt like I needed to talk about all pieces of the armor of God. So, without further ado, let us dive into this passage in order.
The Belt, Breastplate, and Shoes
Right out the gate, it says in the Word to
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace”
- Ephesians 6: 14-15 (NKJV).
The Belt of Truth.
When it comes to wearing armor, the belt is what holds the rest of the armor (particularly the parts protecting the most of the body’s vital organs) together. It also helps to carry our weapons close to us at all times (as long as we have the belt on that is).
In this passage in Ephesians chapter 6, the Bible makes reference to our belt (part of our spiritual armor) being truth. The truth that we should put and keep on is God’s truth, which is His word. After all, “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23: 19 NKJV). By being grounded in His truth, we will not be persuaded by lies that may try to deceive us. If we are being completely honest, there are lies that come our way on a regular basis. This is why it is essential to continually abide in the Lord’s truth.
In addition to blocking Satan’s lies, God’s truth strengthens and guides us throughout our lives. Now we see why God’s truth is what will hold the rest of our armor together and will keep us close to our weapons.
Breastplate / Body armor of Righteousness
As I mentioned above, the breastplate is what protects our body’s core (which also houses most of our vital organs). The Bible refers to our body armor as righteousness. When we are intentionally living our lives right before the Lord, by obeying Him [God], satan has less ammo to attack and overwhelm us with. We show him [satan] that there is no weakness in our body armor.
The What Is Spiritual Warfare? devotional on YouVersion’s Bible app actually makes a really good point on this piece of God’s armor. We intentionally choose to live right and be obedient to God NOT to earn His love, because God already loves us unconditionally and there is nothing that we can say or do to change that. Instead, we live righteously to prevent unnecessary difficulties from our own poor choices and our sins. By sinning or causing chaos in our own lives, we are showing the enemy that we are lowering or taking off our breastplate (aka becoming an easy target). The good news, however, is when we truly repent for our down fall, we can put that body armor back on by living righteously for God alone.
Shoes of the Gospel of Peace
Although they might seem insignificant to some, shoes are actually quite important to soldiers. Shoes give soldiers stability and protection as they engage in battle. They also help to propel them forward as they continue to take ground from the enemy.
The Bible refers to the shoes, of our armor, as the shoes of the Gospel of Peace. The Gospel of Peace is simply the Gospel, also known as the Good News. Through the Gospel, we were wooed by God, received our salvation after we repented and gave our lives to Him, and have a personal relationship with His as long as we continually fellowship with Him. The Gospel changes our lives for the better. This same Good News is what serves as our protection and firm foundation as we engage in battle and advance forward. Despite any attack by satan, God’s Gospel will help us to remain standing.
In the New Living Translation, it even mention having readiness to preach the Good News of Peace with God. This is in reference to the Great Commission. The truth is, we are all in a battle, whether we are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or a different religion. Some people have never heard the Good News and are attempting to fight in the battle without any armor or are missing some pieces of their armor. Similar to soldiers in the natural, we sometimes have to encourage and help out others fighting in battle. Sharing the Gospel can help. If the Gospel truly changed your life, imagine what it can do in the lives of others.
The Shield, Helmet, and Sword
Continuing in the the New King James Version, the Bible says this concerning these next three pieces of the armor of God:
“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
- Ephesians 6: 16-17 (NKJV)
The Shield of Faith
The shield is a defensive piece of the armor that the soldier has to physically pick up, hold, and utilize. By taking up the shield, however, it provides the soldier protection from the blows of the enemy. These attacks can either be close quarters or long distance attacks. Either way, the shield, when held up right, protects the soldier from the attacks of the enemy.
Our shields are our faith. This faith can only be grown and matured through our relationship with God. It is through our relationship with Him that we know He is our provider, healer, deliverer, way maker, savior, restorer, Father, etc… because of our own personal history with Him. So when new challenges arise, we have to once again choose to trust in Him so our faith can grow even more. This faith in Him will protect us from any attack from satan both near and far.
One thing the Lord highlighted to me, in this particular part of the scripture, was about the fiery arrows that the evil one fires our way. This time, I decided to re-read Ephesians 6 in the Amplified version.
FYI, I tend to read the same passages and scriptures in different translations for better understanding. Hence the NLT, NKJV, and AMP versions added in this post.
“Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Here the Greek word refers to the large Roman soldiers’ shield designed to protect the entire body. It had an iron frame and was covered in several layers of leather. When soaked in water before a battle the shield could put out the fiery missiles thrown at them by the enemy.”
The Devil’s Fiery Arrows
Reading this verse in the past made me think that the flaming arrows, which were referred to in this passage, were just direct attacks from the enemy. This could be direct attacks on our safety, on our health, families, and even finances. The arrows are essentially anything contrary to God’s truth (recall that the devil is the father of lies - John 8: 44). During my time of self-quarantine from the shingles, the Lord also showed me that the fiery arrows can also be distractions. These distractions can be:
- Social media
- Politics
- Social injustice
- People or things taking your attention away from what your need to do
- Random, frustrating situations that may present itself (including other people, including “friends”, trying to cause drama)
Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of all the distractions out there, but hopefully you get my point.
I do not want to emphasize our focus on satan. In fact, our focus should remain on God, especially putting and keeping His armor on at all times. However, sometimes the Lord will make us aware of what the satan is up to, especially if he is currently using these tactics to attack you. In my case, that is what exactly what was happening. After becoming aware of this, my focus was back on the Lord and making sure I had on all pieces of my armor.
Helmet of Salvation
Traditionally, the helmet was the last piece of armor that soldiers put on before going into battle. The helmet is worn to protect another essential organ in our bodies, our brains.
Recently, my husband and I got into discussion about combat helmets used by soldiers today. My husband explained how many helmets are more than capable of stopping bullets, including sniper bullets surprisingly. He even showed me some footage on YouTube displaying the durability and the immense protection helmets currently offer our soldiers. Although the helmet may be put on last, it provides necessary protection to our heads as we engage in combat.
Interestingly enough, our helmet is our salvation. We are saved once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. This means that we believe and declare that Jesus came to earth as God in human flesh and His life was given as a ransom for our sins. Through His stripes, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV) and through His death and resurrection, ALL of our sins have been wiped clean. We are restored back to God as a result of Jesus’ actions. He did it because He loves us!
Salvation through Him [Jesus] will protect us from the lies and mental attacks that satan will shoot our way, no matter how much fire power he put into each attack. We know we have been forgiven and redeemed and that God is a good good Father who won’t leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5 NKJV). This will continually give us hope throughout the battle.
Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God
The sword is utilized by the soldier as an offensive weapon that he/she has. If sharp enough, the sword can easily cut through flesh, bone, and even harder material. The sword can also be used defensively, by blocking or parrying, during attacks.
Our swords of the Spirit is the Word of God! Similarly to the dual purpose of a physical sword in combat, the sword of the Spirit serves to deal serious damage to satan while simultaneously protecting us from satan’s attacks. For instance, when a discouragement arises, satan will try to plant lies into our brains to make our situations seem like it is not going to get better or that we are worthless. By having the rest of our armor on, we realize that its an attack from satan. We fight back by declaring God’s Word and His promises that He has given us. This reminds us of God’s truth and helps to increase our faith.
Similarly to a physical swords, our spiritual swords must be sharpened regularly to prevent them from becoming dull. Fighting with a dull sword will prevent us from dealing the necessary detrimental blows to our enemies because our swords are not sharp enough. Therefore, we must sharpen our swords by continually studying the Word of God.
PRAY!
“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
- Ephesians 6: 18 (NLT)
Prayer typically gets left off when the armor of God is discussed. However, similar to every other component of God’s armor, prayer is another essential piece of our armor. We are guided by God’s truth, Word, and Spirit when we pray to Him. We even declare His Word and promises as we pray.
The act of prayer reminds us of our true and genuine need for God, not as our personal vending machine, but as our everything. We cannot do life without Him, no matter how much or hard we try. He is our Father that cares for us more than we will ever know. He is listening to us whenever we pray to Him.
Prayer allows us to deepen our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is an act of intentionally spending quality time with Him [God] and submitting ourselves to Him. It is in that time that our relationship with Him grows and becomes more intimate. We grow to trust Him through our prayers, especially when He answers our prayers.
The Word also mentions to stay alert and pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ all around the word. We stay alert through the time we spend in prayer with Abba Father (this also includes reading the Word and spending with Him in other ways, including worshipping Him). The Lord will sharpen our senses and alert us to various things when we spend time with Him. Through prayer, especially when we ask and allow the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers, we can pray for fellow believers all over the world, including praying for specific needs they may have. Remember, we are all fighting in a battle together and need one another for support (especially in prayer).
Every piece of the armor of God is interrelated and serves to protect us from the attacks of satan, while simultaneously improving our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
For the Weary
Continually fighting in a long battle can be exhausting. However, it is extremely important for us to stand our ground, trust in the Lord, and to give our burdens to Him [God]. During the time we spend with Him, He will reveal things to us and give us the strength & energy we need to keep fighting and standing.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
- Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
Circling back to the shingles episode:
As I mentioned earlier, the shingles manifested in my body due to stress. I was overworked, extremely stressed out, and sleep deprived from everything on my plate and everything that was coming my way. It wasn’t until I was “forced” to take a break, due to my surgery (from an unrelated condition) earlier this month, that I actually had a true rest since I had no other choice but to run to God with my issues. As a result of resting in the Lord, His Word, and His promises, I have a renewed energy and strength for me to fight in this battle.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…”
- Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
During this time, I also discovered that I didn’t fully trust God in some areas. After those areas were highlighted, I prayed to God about them. As a result, my trust in Him in, especially in those areas that were once occupied by doubt, have grown. The weariness began to melt away and I feel a renewed strength to keep going (thank you Jesus).
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for this day and for your unconditional love for us. Thank you Lord for never leaving or forsaking us, but instead being with us always. I thank you Abba for your help and daily reminder for us to put on and keep on your armor Lord, because we cannot afford to have any piece of your armor lowered during the battles we face. Thank you for your renewed strength and energy to keep going, Lord God, especially for those who are weary. Thank you for renewing their energy, in Jesus’ name.
Abba, I thank you for the new revelations you are giving us about your word and about you Lord. Thank you for our continual relationship and fellowship with you and other believers in Christ. Help us to continually to renew our minds and to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen!
I was initially not going to include any song with this post, until I heard this particular song again a couple of days ago. I pray that this song encourages you!
Lyrics
Verse 1
I can hear my daddy praying
I can hear my mama singing
It’s the only reason why I’m standing here
They say prayer was a master key
If I pray then God would answer me
He really did
He showed me his care
Oh his care
Chorus
Every prayer today is a seed for tomorrow
Keep praying, keep praying
Hold on to the faith and blessing will follow
Keep praying, keep praying
Post Chorus
We are living proof
Of what holding on can do
We are living proof
What holding on can do
Verse 2
He sees every tears that’s falling
He can the pain and burden
He hears every cry to heaven
So Let it rise
Chorus
Every prayer today is a seed for tomorrow
Keep praying, keep praying
Hold on to the faith and blessing will follow
Keep praying, keep praying
Bridge
Don’t grow weary
Keep believing
For in due season
You’re going to see it
Don’t give up
Don’t you ever give up
Don’t grow weary
Keep believing
For in due season
You’re going to see it
Don’t give up
Don’t you ever give up
There’s no way
He could let you down
So Keep your head up
knees to the ground
Don’t give up
Don’t you ever give up
Don’t give up
Don’t you ever give up
Post Chorus 2
We are living proof
Of what holding on can do
We are living proof
Of what holding on can do
Say a prayer for your brother
Say a prayer for your friend
Say a prayer for someone
Who really needs it
And see the proof
We’ll see the proof
