Recently I’ve got back into watching Marvel films – I absolutely love the action, storylines and characters! I often wonder how cool it would be to have superpowers, or some kind of specialised suit like Iron Man or Black Panther. Perhaps it’s just me – but don’t you think it would be pretty awesome if we had that kind of protection up our sleeve?
Well, the Bible does talk about one particular ‘armour’ that we can all ‘suit up’ in…
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armour 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 armour 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 armour of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 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.”
Ephesians 6: 10-18
Paul uses the description of ‘armour’, because this is something the people of his day could relate to. Today, we would probably relate to this more with the picture of suiting up in PPE to protect us against the Coronavirus!
Either way, I love the notion myself, that we are in a battle against Satan everyday, and that we too need to suit up and be prepared! I’ve read through the passage many times before, but have not fully understood what each piece means. When we look carefully, each piece actually represents an action or attitude based around how the enemy attacks us.
Helmet of Salvation: The helmet is designed to protect the head and mind. As a Christian, quite often the enemy wants us to doubt our faith and relationship with God. Thoughts can easily creep in and begin nagging away at us. By reading our Bibles and spending time in prayer, we can drown out our doubts, through the reassurance we find in our salvation. Find out more about combating our doubts by checking out this previous blog post – Without a Doubt.
“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
Psalm 94:19
Breastplate of Righteousness: This piece of armour is highly important as it protects our hearts. We are tempted by all kinds of sinful entanglements, but by remaining obedient to God’s instructions, His righteousness will then protect our hearts from being wounded by sin. Not only do we need the complete righteousness of Christ, but also the continuing righteousness that comes as a response to God’s gift. If you know there’s a particular area of your life where you often drift into sinfulness, why not speak to a trusted person and ask them to pray with you and help you be accountable for your actions?
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Proverbs 4:23
Belt of Truth: In Roman armoury the belt’s job was to hold everything together. Just like the truth of God’s words holds our lives together. If we do not know what the Bible says, then it is easy for Satan to attack our minds and confuse us about what is really right and wrong. Knowing God’s truth is the sure-fire antidote to Satan’s lies and deception.
“People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4
“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”
Isaiah 40:8
Gospel of Peace: Just as if we were going into a real battle, we wouldn’t go without our shoes! Shoes allow us to walk without fear because we have protection. The Bible gives us peace; a perfect peace that casts out all fear! It helps us to stay anchored and stand firm. When we experience true peace, we are able to share the truth of salvation more freely. Discover more about God’s peace here – A Moments Peace.
“The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.”
Psalm 29:11
Sword of the Spirit: No warrior would go into battle without the weapon of a sword, and likewise we need the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to guide and instruct us. God’s word is alive and is a mighty weapon against the enemy!
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
Shield of Faith: The shield is used to guard someone from an oncoming attack. We are to use our faith as a shield, to deflect the lies Satan tries to knock us down with. The lies that we are not loved, that we are not enough, that we will never be accepted, that we will not be forgiven etc.
“Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea’, and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
Matthew 21:21
God has given you exactly what you need to be victorious; so use the weapons you have been given! The enemy will look for your weaknesses, where he can attack you best, so be prepared and ensure you take time to read God’s Word, spend time in prayer and focus whole-heartedly on strengthening your relationship with Him. It’s time to suit up and wear the Armour of God, to stand firm and fight against the enemy with everything you have.
God Bless! 🙂 x
STEADFAST 