“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Every Christian needs to wear the full armour of God. God’s word tells us clearly that for every one in the body of Christ, this is the only armour that can and will protect from the evil days.
Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the whole armour of God”. It means to put on the “full” armour of God and not just a part of it. It we leave any one part off, the devil would hit us right in that place. The enemy is looking for whom he may devour. Therefore, we need to put on the full armour of God. Apart from the sword of truth, all the armour of God is defensive.
John repeatedly says that every believer should know he is of God and needs to distinguish himself from the fact that he does not belong to the wicked one. Satan exercises dominion over the world as its ruler. The enemy does not take a break. He is continually at work and that is why there is not a single place in Scripture where it tells us we can take the armour off. We have to put on the armour of God all the time to stand against the schemes of the devil in every place.
One thing God has assured that His peace will be with us. “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, But my kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall “My covenant” of peace be removed,” Says the Lord who has mercy on you.” (Isaiah 54:10)
The peace of God is a great weapon against the power of the enemy. This peace is something we experience even in the midst of the greatest battle. We will know the greatest peace even in the midst of the greatest battle, but there is no time we should ever let our guard down or remove our armour. Armour of God is not just protection that we have come up with human ability. It is something that God Himself has given us. This weapon will fully protect us in this life and from any weapon that is formed against us.
Standing firm is very significant. We are supposed to stand and stand firm. This armour does not cover our back which means we are to progress in the forward direction.
We can stand against the schemes of the devil. Note the phrase, “evil day”. Paul is not referring to any day in particular, although some disasters will take place in the last days. Paul talks about something that every Christian will go through. There will be times when his faith will be challenged and he must confront the forces of the evil. Is there a need to face the evil day? Yes, in fact, it is not an option but a certainty. We will not escape the evil day but we have to go through the evil day.
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
“We know that we are of God and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one”. (1 John 5:19)
May the Lord help us put on the whole armour of God always in Jesus name. Amen.
There are seven ‘pieces of equipment’ in this armour.
- The belt of truth, which is your trust in the Lord Jesus who declared Himself to be the Truth.
- The breastplate of righteousness is your assurance that the blood of Christ enables you to stand righteous before our Father – your heart’s decision throughout the day.
- Have your feet shod with the gospel of peace. That way you prepare for the Lord’s service as he is setting you apart to fulfil his purposes and wherever you go, his presence and power will be with you, ready for action.
- Next is the shield of faith to extinguish the enemy’s darts aimed at any weak areas in your life. The shield does no good unless you are gripping it tightly, prepared for battle.
- The helmet of salvation focuses your mind on eternity with God, and guards you against any further enemy intrusion into your soul.
- You wield the sword of the Spirit as you immerse yourself in God’s word and put it into action.
- Pray in the spirit, so you can be alert and available at all times for communion and intimacy with our Lord.
Persecution Live 