SPIRITUAL ARMOR Part 3

8 13 12 Spiritual Armor Part 3  

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. 14 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.

Note: We continue with part 3 of our study about the Spiritual Armor God provides to the believer. Today we will look at the next two pieces of God’s Armor. Remember, there is a spiritual battle being waged within us and around us and the battle is not about the “things of this world” but a battle for the hearts and souls of mankind.

 ·         ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Notice there are two pieces of equipment in this verse of Scripture that we are to put on, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.

 Salvation is a result of God’s grace and accomplishes our deliverance, deliverance from being held captive by sin. Salvation is individual in nature. Deliverance from our old self is accomplished through our new birth in the spirit when we become a new creation in Christ Jesus. The helmet of salvation is there to protect the mind where the greatest attacks of Satan occur. Satan is the author of lies and confusion and will do everything in his power to cause us to doubt the word of God. The only weapon available to us is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It is so important to read the word and make it a part of our lives. The Sword of the Spirit is a supernatural weapon available only to a child of God. We use the Word of God as a defense against the enemy but also as our offensive weapon as we reclaim the territory that Satan occupies within our hearts and minds. We must rid our minds of the lies that the world (Satan) has been telling us and replace them with the truth of God’s word in order to be victorious. God’s enemies are our enemies and for a Christian to be fully equipped and ready to do battle, we must know and place our faith in the Word of God. When the attack of Satan comes we are to respond in the same way that Jesus responded, He quoted Scripture (Luke 4:1-13). We must abide in His Word, living out what we say we believe. This is the best way to overcome the attacks of the enemy. God’s Word is powerful and is able to defeat our enemies and deliver us in victory to the glory and honor of Jesus 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, you can never stand victoriously against the attacks of Satan unless you are fully clothed in the armor I have made available to you.”

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!