Time To Don Our
Armor
By Matt Leasher
We live in day in
which there seems to
be much anxiety
throughout the world
about what the
future holds.
There is the
economic anxiety of
failing monetary
systems on a global
scale that leaves
many wondering what
will become of their
finances in the near
future.
There is the
anxiety of wars and
rumors of wars
throughout the world
on a scale more
fearful then ever
before with the
existence of nuclear
weapons throughout a
majority of the
world’s powerful
nations.
There is even
the anxiety of where
the next earthquake
will strike as we
are undoubtedly
witnessing the
increase of
earthquakes as Jesus
forewarned would
happen shortly
before His return.
Not only have
there been
increasing
earthquakes but also
an increase in other
types of nature
related calamities
such as volcanoes,
tsunamis, tornados,
hurricanes, cyclones
and many other
unordinary weather
occurrences and with
a frequency that we
have never witnessed
before.
Even the
animal world seems
to be in a state of
despair with the
increase of bees,
birds and fish
suddenly dying in
great numbers
throughout various
regions of the
world.
Romans
8:19-22 says that
all of creation
eagerly awaits the
revealing of the
sons of God, (at the
return of Christ),
that the creation
itself will be
delivered from the
bondage of
corruption, (the
curse of sin), and
that the whole
creation groans
and labors with
birth pangs,
(vs. 22).
I believe
that the increase of
natural disasters
that we are
witnessing are
indeed these birth
pangs spoken about
in Romans 8:22 from
the creation itself
before the coming of
the Lord.
The Bible warns us
that as we inch
closer and closer to
the return of the
Lord we will be
subjected to a world
that will wax more
and more evil.
Throughout
the ages there has
been a battle
between good and
evil that exists
beyond the tangible
world.
Many walk
through life unaware
that they are in the
midst of this unseen
spiritual war. The
apostle Paul tells
us in Ephesians 6:12
that
“we do not wrestle
against flesh and
blood but against
principalities,
against powers,
against the rulers
of this age, and
against spiritual
hosts of wickedness
in the heavenly
places.”
There are
spiritual “hosts” of
wickedness that are
pulling strings
behind the curtains
of the world’s
affairs.
We have
Biblical evidence of
this in Daniel 10:13
when the holy angel
that came to Daniel
to deliver to him a
divine message from
God got held up by
“the prince of the
Kingdom of Persia”
and Michael the arch
angel had to come to
his aid and help him
fight so he could
then escape and
deliver his message.
We see from
this occurrence that
the earthly Kingdom
of Persia was under
the influence of a
demon.
In 1 John
5:19 it goes even
further to say that
“the whole world
lies under the sway
of the wicked one”.
The human race has
been involved in
this spiritual
battle since sin
entered into the
world through Adam
and Eve’s falling in
to the temptation of
Satan in the Garden.
Since all of
creation is
subjected to this
spiritual battle of
good and evil what
are we to do?
First and
foremost we should
be sure that we have
obtained the “cure”
for this cursed
disease that has
fell upon creation.
That “cure”
is Jesus Christ.
The Lord
promised this “cure”
immediately when the
curse came into the
world.
In the Lord’s
divine interrogation
of Satan in Genesis
3:15 He said, “and
I will put enmity
between you and the
woman, and between
your seed and her
Seed; He shall
bruise your head,
and you shall bruise
His heel.”
All the
way from the
beginning the Lord
promised a “cure”
for sin and that
Satan would be
defeated. That
victory came at the
Cross when Jesus,
(who is the Seed of
the woman spoken of
in Genesis 3:15),
bore the sins of the
world and then
defeated the
consequence of sin,
(which is death, see
Romans 6:23), by
rising from the
grave three days
later.
So if you
have accepted Jesus
Christ as your
personal Savior and
made Him Lord of
your life then you
have obtained the
“cure” for sin and
you have taken part
in the victory.
While through
Christ we have won
the victory we wait
patiently to obtain
the reward that He
will bring at His
coming, (Revelation
22:12 & Isaiah
40:10).
It is while
we are in waiting
for His coming, in a
world that is a
battlefield of good
verses evil, that we
are to follow what
the apostle Paul
admonishes us to do
in Ephesians
6:11-17, and that is
to – “put on the
whole armor of God!”
God knows that we
are on this
battlefield and
since God loves us
so much He has
supplied us with the
armor and weapons we
need to fight
against this battle
until He returns to
finish the job at
the end of the age.
Before we
examine the
components of this
armor I’d like to
take a look at an
example given to us
in the Scriptures of
someone that took
full advantage of
the armor of God
centuries before
Paul even wrote of
its details in his
epistle to the
Ephesians.
That somebody
is David.
When David
was just a young boy
he found great favor
in King Saul, (the
first king of
Israel), as he would
comfort the king
with his harp
playing and also
became his armor
bearer. When war
broke out between
Israel and the
Philistines David
came to King Saul
and volunteered to
fight against the
leader of the
Philistine army, the
giant Goliath.
King Saul
doubted David’s
request
acknowledging that
he was just a young
shepherd boy.
David
convinced Saul to
allow him to fight
Goliath by informing
him that he had
single-handedly
killed both lions
and bears while
protecting his flock
of sheep through the
“Lord’s
deliverance” –
not his own!
Then Saul
took his battle
armor and attempted
to don David with it
but when David put
on the armor it was
too big and heavy
for the young boy to
even walk with it
on.
So David took
it off and went to
fight Goliath with a
different type of
armor!
Several
movies about the
life of David have
illustrated the
fight between David
and Goliath as being
in a desolate field
with no one else
around but in the
true Bible story
from 1 Samuel 17 it
actually says that
David killed Goliath
in front of both the
armies of Israel and
the Philistines.
When Goliath
threatened to give
the flesh of David
to the birds of the
air and the beasts
of the field, David
replied with,
“you come to me with
a sword, with a
spear, and with a
javelin. But I
come to you in the
name of the Lord of
hosts, the God
of the armies of
Israel, whom you
have defied.”
David equipped with
just a slingshot and
a stone defeated
Goliath by sinking
that stone into his
forehead with one
single God ordained
shot. When the
Philistine army saw
this they turned and
fled.
It wasn’t
that they feared the
young boy David or
even the Israeli
army but they saw
that David possessed
something far
greater.
He was
wearing the armor of
God!
Picture if
you will both armies
standing there on
the battlefield
dressed head to toe
in protective
metallic armor, even
Goliath the giant
was wearing armor,
but scrawny young
ruddy David the
shepherd boy was the
only one without any
“physical” armor on
and yet he was the
most powerful among
them all!
When we hear the
word “armor” we
immediately envision
a medieval knight in
shining metallic
armor or perhaps a
Roman gladiator
covered in battle
wear, but as we see
from the story of
young David and
Goliath, the
spiritual armor of
God is more
effective than any
physical battle
armor.
Examining the
story of young David
and his zeal to
fight Goliath
without any physical
armor we can’t help
but acknowledge the
fearlessness that he
possessed.
This is the
most rewarding
aspect of the whole
armor of God.
It makes us
fearless!
Fearlessness
is a trait that we
all should possess
as we venture into
the foreboding
future.
The epistle to the
Ephesians is one of
the apostle Paul’s
prison letters that
he wrote while
imprisoned in Rome.
Paul spent
much time around
Roman guards. In
fact he even had one
assigned just to
him, (Acts 28:16),
so Paul knew the
attire of the Roman
guard very well.
He used the
components of the
Roman guard’s
uniform to
analogically
describe the armor
of God.
He describes
the full armor as
follows:
“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; 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 6:14-17)
Lets briefly examine
how we can apply
this armor to our
lives. If we are
girding our waist
with
truth we are
living a life that
is not false.
When we walk
in truth we walk
according to the
truth of God’s word
– the solitary
source of truth.
Jesus said
that the truth will
set us free, so when
we walk in truth we
walk in freedom with
nothing to hide or
to be ashamed of.
We obtain
this freedom when we
confess our sins to
God and are open and
truthful with Him
freeing us from the
bondage of our sins.
This leads to
the next component
of the armor – the
breastplate of
righteousness.
We can only
obtain righteousness
through Jesus Christ
and not on our own
and we obtain this
righteousness when
we come to Christ in
repentance.
“If we confess our
sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive
us our sins and
to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9).
The righteousness of
the armor of God is
Christ living in us.
Next is the
covering of our feet
with the preparation
of the
gospel of peace.
Jesus said,
“Peace I leave with
you, My peace I give
to you; not as the
world gives do I
give to you. Let not
your heart be
troubled, neither
let it be afraid,”
(John 14:27).
Here is
where the
fearlessness of the
armor comes in!
Jesus
provides a personal
inner peace to every
believer in Him that
one can’t obtain
from anything else
in the world.
It is a peace
that the world does
not provide.
It is peace
that is permanent
and it is a peace
that you will take
with you when you
leave this world.
In fact your
relationship with
Christ is the only
thing that you will
take with you when
you leave this
world.
If you are
relying on the world
to supply your needs
then you won’t know
this peace but if
you rely on Christ
for your needs then
you carry this peace
everywhere you go
and in every
situation that your
feet may take you.
Next on the
armor is the shield
of
faith.
Paul says
that this armor
piece is above all
the others. Faith is
indeed our greatest
shield against the
wiles of the devil.
All
throughout the Bible
we see the results
of God’s will being
done by men of great
faith.
Chapter 11 of
the book of Hebrews
details what men of
great faith can do.
Too many people in
this world put their
faith in everything
else but God.
How many
people rely on their
bank accounts, their
educational skills,
their careers, their
own physical
abilities, etc.,
without ever relying
or having faith in
God for any of their
achievements?
Not that any
of those things are
bad but faith in God
should be above all
of them, not the
other way around.
All of those things
are perishable. God
is eternal and
always with us.
Furthermore,
strong faith can do
miraculous things.
There are several
times throughout the
gospels where
someone would come
to Jesus for healing
and Jesus would say,
“Your faith has
healed you”.
Healed them
from what?
Healed them
from sickness that
is the result of sin
in the world. The
ultimate result of
sin is death but
faith in Christ
saves us from the
sting of death and
allows us to pass on
into eternal life –
therefore faith is
the shield!
The helmet of
salvation is the
next component of
the armor.
This is our
confidence in which
we walk.
If you are
saved then you
should be sure of
it.
If your not
sure then chances
are your not saved.
To be saved
is to have a
relationship with
Christ.
If you are a
married person you
don’t walk around
saying “I’m not sure
if I’m married or
not”.
You know it
and you committed
yourself to it.
The same goes
with our
relationship with
Jesus Christ.
We are the
bride and He is the
bridegroom. To wear
the helmet of
salvation is to walk
in confidence, (not
pride), about who
you are and where
you are going.
If you are
saved then you are
of Christ and you
are going to be with
Him.
Lastly is the
sword of the Spirit,
which is the
Word of God.
The Word is
the sword.
We combat
evil and
unrighteousness with
the Word of God.
Jesus said we
are to love our
enemies. There are
Christians being
severely persecuted
throughout the
world, especially in
the Middle East.
It is hard to
love people that are
out to kill you for
your faith in
Christ.
So how do you
love your enemies?
With the Word
of God!
We witness
our testimony to
them of the love of
Christ.
This is what
the apostle Paul did
to his persecutors.
Jesus himself
used the Word of God
against Satan’s
temptations in the
wilderness.
Jesus
combated Satan by
quoting Scripture
three times.
Let the Word
be your sword!
“For the word of God
is living and
powerful, and
sharper than any
two-edged sword,
piercing even to the
division of soul and
spirit, and of
joints and marrow,
and is a discerner
of the thoughts and
intents of the
heart.” (Hebrews
4:12)
It is important to
keep in mind that
Paul says we must
put on the
“whole” armor of
God.
We must
possess
all of the
pieces of the armor
listed in Ephesians
6:14-17 in order for
our Godly protection
to be effective in
our warfare against
evil.
“Put on the whole
armor of God,
that you may be able
to stand against the
wiles of the devil,”
(Ephesians 6:11).
Paul himself is a
prime example of the
effectiveness of
wearing this armor
for Paul endured
more tribulations
and persecutions
than probably any
other patriarch in
the Bible.
In 2
Corinthians 11:24-27
he lists them –
“From the Jews five
times I received
forty stripes minus
one. Three times I
was beaten with
rods; once I was
stoned; three times
I was shipwrecked; a
night and a day I
have been in the
deep; in journeys
often, in perils of
waters, in perils of
robbers, in perils
of my own
countrymen, in
perils of the
Gentiles, in perils
in the city, in
perils in the
wilderness, in
perils in the sea,
in perils among
false brethren; in
weariness and toil,
in sleeplessness
often, in hunger and
thirst, in fastings
often, in cold and
nakedness.”
Notice that these
are all
physical
tribulations that
Paul endured which
he combated with the
spiritual
components of the
armor of God. Had
Paul not been
wearing the armor of
God he would never
have been able to
endure these things
and continue to
carry through with
his ministry.
The armor of
God will get us
through all of our
troubles and
tribulations also.
Without it we are
entering into life’s
daily battles
unarmed and when we
are unarmed we are
open game for the
enemy!
As we live in a time
where the future is
so uncertain with
the world tinkering
on the edge of
nuclear war and of
global financial
collapse, the
secular world wants
to provide solitude
in material and
temporary
enjoyments. The only
way you will be able
to cope in a world
that is heading
towards inevitable
turmoil is to put on
the armor of God.
I may sound
pessimistic about
the future but God’s
timetable for
prophetic
fulfillment is right
on schedule. All of
the end time chess
pieces are moving
into position. Our
present day world
may seem like evil
is winning but God
is still and always
will be on the
throne and in
control. We
shouldn’t be
surprised when we
read the headlines
and see
catastrophes,
corruption and wars.
Jesus said it
would be so but if
we are
wearing Jesus
Christ, (Romans
13:14) then we are
prepared.
In the world you
will have
tribulation; but be
of good cheer, I
have overcome the
world.”(John 16:33)
If you live a life
of anxiety or fear
then may I suggest
turning to Christ.
It isn’t just
the right remedy it
is the only one!
All other
remedies are
temporary and want
something in return.
Christ just
wants your heart.
Christ is a
giver not a taker
and what He gives is
life and in
abundance.
Spend some
time meditating on
Ephesians 6:14-17
and get acquainted
with your battle
armor.
Christ
doesn’t want you
living in fear. Fear
is of Satan. It is
one of his most
underhanded weapons
but we have armor
for it.
We have
Christ and we have
His promises of
overcoming the world
and of eternal life.
We know the end
because He has
revealed it to us
and at the end of
the day – we win!
In fact we
have already won the
battle but we are
just waiting for it
all to play itself
out.
While we are
waiting, be sure to
be donning your
armor.
Satan’s time
is running short and
he knows it.
In these last
days he is pulling
out all the stops to
take as many with
him as he can. We
live in an era that
is chock full of
temptations,
compromises,
deception, lures,
and distractions
from God then any
other generation
before.
That is why
it is so important
that we have on our
protective armor
– The Armor of God.
“The night is far
spent, the day is at
hand. Therefore let
us cast off the
works of darkness,
and let us put on
the armor of light.”
(Romans 13:12)