Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

I'll wear truth like a belt,
And justice like a breastplate.
In sturdy shoes, I'll be ready to
Announce Good News of peace!
I'll wear faith like a shield
When Satan tries to tempt me;
And salvation like a helmet
That surrounds me with God's love.
As for the Word of God,
It shall be my sword, protector;
I can depend on His Word for everything!
So with this Armor of God on
I can do all things in Christ,
And be more than a conqueror in Him!

This has been a tough year for everyone in one way or another. Our trials not only challenge us outwardly, but they challenge us inwardly as well. But God gave us a way to defend ourselves from the struggles we face. The very basic purpose of clothing is protection. We put on a hat to shield our eyes from the sun or keep us warm on a cold day. We wear a coat to keep us dry from the rain. Our shoes protect our feet from injury. Just as our body needs clothing to protect it, our soul needs spiritual clothing to protect it as well. As Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, the underlying cause of our struggles with one another comes from the dark forces of evil. Without our spiritual armor, we are vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. This armor protects every part of our soul. The helmet of salvation protects our mind, the breastplate of righteousness protects our heart, the belt of truth upholds our convictions, the shield of faith protects us from temptations, God’s word, often referred to as the Sword of the Spirit, is our weapon, and our feet are fitted in a peace that passes all understanding so that we may stand firm in our belief that we will be more than conquerors in Christ. So as you get dressed every morning, remember to clothe yourself with the armor of God as well. Pray for His protection and wisdom, thanking Him daily for the means to face any challenge that comes our way.

Lord, I pray the armor of God upon myself, my family, and friends. May the helmet of salvation protect our minds from negative, impure, and evil thoughts, and from doubts and insecurities. When these thoughts come to mind, may we immediately cast them to You, where You will hold these thoughts captive so we may instead think on that which is pure, righteous, and true, whatever is lovely, admirable and noble, whatever is excellent and praiseworthy, we would think on such things and thank You for them. I pray that the breastplate of righteousness would guard our hearts so that we do not stray from Your commands. I pray that the Sword of the Spirit is ever present on our minds and lips so that we may call upon them in times of need for ourselves and others. For we know that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, correcting, pointing out errors, and training ourselves to live lives approved by You. Therefore, Lord, I pray that the belt of truth would firmly uphold our convictions, and we would do nothing to compromise our faith such as, but not limited to, selfish gain, vain conceit, or a desire to conform to this world. I pray that our shield of faith would protect our minds and hearts from Satan’s fiery darts of temptation and deceit. May we be alert and in control so that we can recognize the warning signs and call on You for a way out, as Your Word promises, therefore not giving the devil a foothold. Finally, wherever we go, may our words and actions reflect Your Gospel of peace and love, grace and mercy, and forgiveness and salvation to everyone we meet. Amen!