In Ephesians 6 we are told to put on the armour. I have heard so many times that we should put it on each morning, but let’s read what the Bible actually says. Please follow me in your Bible as I go through these important scriptures verse by verse.
I have heard many people say that they put on the armour of God each morning, it sounds good doesn’t it? Until you realise that to put it on each morning, they must be taking it off each night.
It says put on the armour, I don’t see anywhere that it says take it off, let alone take it off each night. So we are to put it on once and keep it on. There is good historical evidence for this, which I will explain as we go through.
verse 11
We are to put on the whole armour, not just a part of it. In order to be able to withstand the tricks of the enemy.
verse 12
We are in a spiritual battle not just a physical one. The injuries and wounds can be physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual. Too often Christians are insufficiently aware of the nature of the battle. They are unprepared, unequipped and think they can do it alone. That is not possible.
verse 13
Take up the whole armour is repeated, when things are repeated in the Bible, it means they are important.
“and having done all, to stand.” At the end of our personal battle and the end of the battle we are meant to be standing victorious, not cowed and beaten. The phrase bloody but unbowed comes to mind. Where are we to be standing? On the rock of salvation! The love of Jesus Christ.
verse 14a Gird your waist with truth. Gird means to wrap around you usually at the waist. The belt of truth. Belts are used for two things. To keep the uniform together and tidy and to keep your weapons handy… for quick use! Truth is a strong weapon in itself. How much more comforting it is when your clothes are not moving around impeding your movements when they are held by a belt. How much safer are we emotionally when we are held together by truth. The truth of the Gospel. “The truth shall set you free”
verse 14b
The breastplate of righteousness. Roman soldiers wore a breastplate made of metal, with a design which was meant to make them look strong, with big well defined muscles! It also was kept shiny. It was a declaration of strength and authority. Our breastplate is the strength, might and authority given to us by Jesus. It should be highly visible. Not worn under drab clothes and hidden away out of shame or something else. a desire not to stand out and be seen.
Today’s soldiers wear body armour made of kevlar. When on operations in the field, they wear it all the time. Even when they sleep. So did the Roman soldiers. Body armour is only removed when you are safe at home. We should only remove our body armour when we are in the physical presence of God! When the Kingdom of God has been restored on earth.
verse 15
Footwear of peace. We are not meant to trample on fellow Christians nor the unbeliever. But to stand in peace when confronted by hostility or aggression or false accusations. Isaiah, “How beautiful are the steps of those who walk in peace.”
verse 16
The shield of faith.
Shields are often thought of as being passive defence. You can’t do much with a shield it’s just a weight on your arm and it’s there only for protection. Not so. The Roman soldier had a big metal shield which was curved. When on the march he slept under it, with his hand on his sword. If attacked during the night he was instantly ready to defend and also to beat off his opponents. In attacking a fortified place they would form up in close order. The front rank would hold their shields vertically and the following ranks raised their shields over their heads presenting an unbroken defensive shield for the whole troop or army. It was called “the tortoise”. They simply marched forward to the gates and walls and over came.
The Roman soldiers at the sides would hold their shields to protect the flanks. The least experienced soldiers were in the middle of the tortoise, experienced soldiers brought up the rear and the sides, and the leaders would be in the front row because nobody else could see where they were going.
The shield is not just for the protection of the individual it is also a corporate defence. This should tell us that we need to use the shield of faith as a corporate weapon in the congregation and body of Christ.
The elders, pastors, apostles and prophets etc lead the way by exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The rest of the congregation join their shields together to form a carapace which protects the whole congregation from all sides. If this is left only at the individual level everyone is left vulnerable.
The Scots had a circular shield called “Targe”. It could be used actively. To disarm or disable an opponent. In other words it could be used offensively.
Faith in God is not just defensive it needs to be active too. Use your faith to gain strength of heart. Remember the promises that God has made. God made promises to Abraham, when things became tough abraham often forgot these promises. He didn’t lose faith he abandoned it. Though he did come back or recover his faith. And so did many others in the scriptures and as do many of us today when we are faced with difficulties. So we need to recover our active use of the Shield of Faith
verse 17
The helmet of salvation. A helmet protects the head, the head protects the brain and the mind. This helmet is knowledge of the Word of God and His promises to us as children of God. Jesus was able to defeat Satan during the period of temptation by quoting the scriptures. He knew the scriptures and we need to know them as well as He did. Without such knowledge we are weak and vulnerable. The enemy speaks lies and twists the truth. Remember the serpent in the Garden of Eden?
If we know the Word of God well, we can not be easily deceived.
The sword is the word of God and it is an offensive, or an active weapon. People who compete in sword fencing spend hours and hours practicing. They learn to use the sword to parry the attacks of the opponent, to make a riposte and also to initiate an attack. We need to be as diligent in reading and understanding the Word, so that we will know how to parry the attacks of the enemy which are often in the form of a twisted interpretation of the Gospel, or just downright lies. How can we detect these if we do not have a thorough knowledge of the Bible.
When I was teaching in London there was a tradition in the school that the pupils challenged the teachers at various sports. At one particular school there was a very active fencing club with some excellent fencers. I was elected to face a pupil in the sabre. I was told that this boy was the World Junior Champion in that weapon! The Fencing Master showed me basic defence and one move which I should employ early on in the bout. Which I did and scored a hit.
After that I never saw my opponent’s sword he was so skilled and fast. If that had been a real sword fight I would have been cut to pieces. A salutary lesson.
Do not go into the spiritual battle without the right training and equipment
Soldiers in the special services today know their weapons and armour thoroughly and they sleep with their weapons by their side. Even after leaving the service they keep a gun under their pillow at night!
The Word of God is not just the whole Bible… it is “love”. So our most potent weapon is the Love of God in action. Not just quoting passages of the scriptures. It is a loving attitude, a forgiving attitude, and a submission to God’s will.
So put on the armour, but don’t take it off at night. Put it on once and keep it on. Look after the armour develop it and strengthen it through study and practice. Then we may remove it, when our Lord Jesus has come again and His kingdom has been restored.