SPIRITUAL ARMOR Part 2

8 10 12 Spiritual Armor Part 2  

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For 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. 13 Therefore 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In 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 saints.

Yesterday we looked at the belt of truth. Today we will look at the next three pieces of God’s Armor for the protection of His saints (that’s you). This battle being waged within us and around us is not about the things of this world but a battle for the hearts and souls of mankind. But praise the Lord, we are not alone; all the forces of heaven are on our side. Remember, Jesus said, “in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33)!

• 14b with the breastplate of righteousness in place. There is only one type of “righteousness” that has been made known to mankind, the righteousness of Christ. His righteousness becomes our righteousness when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord. We show the righteousness of Christ by the way in which we live. It should be obvious to all around us that we are striving to live for Christ in everything we do. Righteousness is a desire of the heart and is a work of the Holy Spirit. It becomes ours as we submit ourselves to the will of the Spirit. Living righteously is a result of our new nature, our being born again and is seen in how we treat others regardless of how we are treated. Living righteously as a follower of God will always be an affront to the ungodly. It was the righteousness of Christ and his message of salvation that led to his crucifixion. Satan rejoiced in the unrighteous, godless behavior of mankind when they crucified Christ. He thought they had finally done away with this promised seed; but little did he know that the ultimate victory over sin and death came as a result of the death of Christ. Satan’s rejoicing was premature. He is a defeated foe. While Satan rejoiced heaven celebrated. Had Jesus not died there would have been no resurrection, no redemption, no forgiveness, and no life eternal. Instead of victory, Satan’s defeat was assured; the King of Righteousness will rule and reign for eternity. Right standing with God is now possible to all through the death of Jesus on the cross. The breastplate of righteousness we put on by faith can protect the heart of a child of God because they are under his protective care.


• 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. The peace we have available to us is the peace of God’s presence. There can be no peace without Christ. We may have periods of calm, but true inner peace will never be ours outside of Christ. But in Christ his peace is our peace, even in the midst of the most difficult battles. The gospel is our “good news.” When believed it takes care of man’s greatest fear, the fear of death. When there is no fear of death there is peace. It is our inner peace and lack of fear that enables us to share Jesus with others and encourage them to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. To share the gospel is to be an agent of peace. Once the peace of Christ is experienced we begin to understand why the Bible refers to the peace of Christ as the peace that passes all understanding. Spiritual battles may continually rage around us but the peace of Christ sustains us.

• 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The shield of faith is our ultimate protection. It is centered in the Word of God and the promises that God has made us. By faith we believe God and it’s through faith that God will deliver us. Faith can extinguish all of the evil lies that Satan hurls our way. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, when our faith is in Christ.

Word from the Lord: “Child of God the Christian life is an ongoing struggle of good against evil. It requires perseverance and hardship. Living our lives faithfully is the best defense against those who distort the truth and call the Bible into question. You are not only to deliver the truth; you are to live the truth. Living the truth is evidence of your personal relationship with my Son and your willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit. Put on the full armor of God dear ones so you can stand victoriously against the attacks of Satan, clothed in the whole armor of God.”

Did the Lord speak to you today?  Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory. 

Prayer:  What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!