Equipped for Battle: Wearing the Armor of God (A Bible Study on Ephesians 6)

Ephesians 6 is the last chapter of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, and in verses 10-18, he encourages them to stand firm in the Lord. He knew that as Christians, we face an intense spiritual battle and must be prepared. Paul speaks about the armor of God, the tools that God gives His children so that we can overcome the attacks of the devil.

Life is a spiritual battle, and following Jesus is not a piece of cake! Believe it or not, the fight doesn't suddenly end just because you become a Christian. The truth is there are spiritual enemies out there, the devil wants to destroy God's people by separating them from God. But you do not go unequipped and alone into this struggle. Jesus is beside you, and you have been given spiritual armor that helps you win the fight.

By putting on and using the armor effectively, we will be able to face all the traps of the evil one and emerge victorious. Let's see what Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us about the armor of God, what it is for, and how we should use it. The Apostle Paul wrote about the armor of God in his letter to the church in Ephesus:

Ephesians 6:10-18

Preparing for Battle

The first step is to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. From Him comes our strength! This strength comes when we recognize that we depend on God, seek Him in prayer, read His Word, and listen to His voice.

Next, we must dress ourselves, take the armor, and put it on. This requires initiative, an action on our part, and a decision: I do not face this battle with my own strength, but I use the weapons that God gives me. It is an act of humility and total trust in God's power and wisdom.

Jesus has already defeated the devil on the cross; the final battle has been won. However, we face spiritual battles every day, and we must fight them with the weapons God gives us, not with our intellect or physical strength. This is a spiritual battle, and our adversary, the devil, is cunning and will try to discourage us in our walk with Christ. By properly using the weapons God gives us, we will overcome.

Spiritual Warfare

The reality is that we are in a constant spiritual battle, whether we like it or not. In 1 Peter 5:8-9, it says:

We are called to resist, to be prepared for the attack, and to stand firm in the faith. It is an intense battle, but God does not leave us defenseless. He provides the armor we need to overcome. We just need to put it on and use it!

We must remember that it is one armor, not several, and we must wear it in its entirety because it equips us to face all the attacks of the devil. We do not put on the helmet today and the shield tomorrow. No! Soldiers prepare themselves with the full armor when they go to battle, and we, as good soldiers of Jesus, must do the same.

By using all the weapons that God has provided for us, we will be protected and ready for the battle. This is how we will stand firm until the end, until we are with Jesus for eternity.

There are 6 elements to the armor of God, these are:

• The Belt of Truth
• The Breastplate of Righteousness
• The shoes of the Gospel of Peace
• The Shield of Faith
• The Helmet of Salvation
• The Sword of the Spirit (which is The Word of God)

The Meaning of the Armor of God

Let's look at a brief description of each part of the armor that God has made available to us.

1. The Belt of Truth

The belt that soldiers wore was quite wide. It served to keep the inner tunic in place while also protecting and supporting the body. In the same way, Christians must know the truth about who they are in Jesus and live a life of integrity that honors their position in Christ.

The belt holds the armor together; without the belt, the soldier’s armor would come loose and fall apart. Jesus is the truth, and his true words are written in the Bible, we must hold firm to what Jesus tells us otherwise our Christian journey will fall apart. Truth, grounded in God’s Word, guards against deception and ensures a solid foundation for Christian living. Lies are one of the devil’s favorite tools. He lies to Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:4, where he contradicts the words of God in Genesis 2:17), and he continues to lie to believers today.

As a disciple of Jesus, we must hold onto the Truth that sets us free. This isn’t optional, the passage above begins with a caveat ‘If you abide in my word’: we need to obey Jesus’s every word, and the only way we can do this is by reading the bible and applying it to our lives.

How to use the belt:

• Fill your mind and heart with the truth of God's Word.
• Cultivate a deep friendship with God through prayer.
• Strengthen your spirit daily by praising God and spending time with Him.
• Live a life of integrity and be truthful in all your actions and words.

2. The Breastplate of Righteousness

The breastplate was attached to the belt and protected vital organs. A wound to the chest could be fatal, so the soldier had to cover it well. In the same way, we must clothe ourselves with the righteousness of God that we have through Jesus. We are justified by our faith in Christ (Romans 5:1-3). We do not win the battle against temptation and sin through our own righteousness. We win by remembering who we are in Jesus and standing firm in that reality.

The breastplate of righteousness guards the heart against attacks of guilt and condemnation. We have sinned and led imperfect lives, but Christ lived a perfect life, always pleasing God. And so, It is in no way our righteousness we are equipped with, but Jesus's righteousness. Jesus' righteousness protects us from the consequences of our sins. All we need to do is repent of our sins and dedicate our lives to Jesus, with this he removes the marks of sin from our hearts.

We must not treat Christ's gift to us like a 'get out of jail free' card. Jesus makes it clear to the woman caught in adultery (John 8:10) that although she faces no condemnation, she is expected to go and 'from now on sin no more'.

How to use the breastplate:

• Remember your identity in Christ! Thanks to Him, you have been justified and belong to God for eternity.
• Do not believe the enemy's accusations when he brings up past sins as if they define your present.
• Do not believe him when he tells you that you cannot overcome a temptation.
• Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you, to remember the power He gives you to overcome, and to act always as He desires you to.

3. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

The feet need to be well protected to advance in battle. The enemy may place sharp objects or traps to make us fall and prevent us from advancing. His goal is to stop us from going out to proclaim the gospel of peace. He may attack with temptations, complexes, a sense of inferiority, anxiety, mockers... the list is long. But in Christ, our feet are firm and ready to carry the gospel of peace. We take steps and gain ground (lives) for the kingdom of God because He equips us, and because we have experienced His peace.

God equips us for the journey, and guides our path! Shoes protect your feet, and the gospel of peace provides stability and protects your path. All believers have to pass through rocky moments in their journey with Christ, perhaps difficult situations at work, school, or college, and maybe some people ridicule you or mock you for your faith. In these moments it can feel impossible to cope. The gospel tells us the good news of salvation through Jesus, which has brought peace and reconciliation between God and humanity. We can find day-to-day peace in this knowledge, no matter how challenging our circumstances may be, that our lives are now safe in God's hands.

The shoes of the gospel of peace also symbolize a readiness to share the message of salvation with our friends and colleagues.

How to use the footwear:

• Let the peace of God fill your heart every day.
• Spend time with Jesus and strengthen your spirit.
• Do not let the enemy's traps stop your progress and effectiveness.
• Steady your feet, ask God to give you courage, and share His gospel of peace with all those around you.

4. The Shield of Faith

Here, Paul not only mentions this part of the armor but also tells us what we will use it for. The shield he refers to was a large one that covered and protected the entire front of the soldier. It was sturdy and covered with leather because sometimes the enemy would attack with flaming arrows, and the leather acted as an insulating protector.

Faith protects you from the enemy! A shield protects you from arrows; faith protects you from the devil's attacks. Faith helps you defend yourself against the devil's accusations, doubts, and temptations. But a shield is not easy to carry! A Roman shield was a substantial, weighty, and cumbersome piece of equipment. It required real strength and endurance to carry over a long period. Similarly, faith, when faced with life's trials and uncertainties, can feel weighty and demanding. It requires perseverance and strength to hold onto one's beliefs despite challenges, and doing so increases spiritual endurance and resilience. The challenges faced in life can make faith seem like a hassle, but in those very moments that you hold onto your convictions, you are being refined and strengthened. Next time, as your assurance grows, your shield will not feel so heavy!

How to use it:

• In times of doubt and temptation, hold firmly onto your faith in Jesus.
• Try to resolve your doubts, and strengthen your spiritual resilience.
• Feed your faith by reading and memorizing God's Word, spend time with God.
• Fill your mind with the truth about Him and about who you are in Him, so that you can use that truth when doubts arise.

Learn a little more about what faith is.

5. The Helmet of Salvation

The helmet protects the head. Our mind must be filled with the certainty of our salvation. We must live each day the life that God wants us to live as His children, anchored in that certainty and with our hearts full of gratitude.

Jesus saves! If someone tries to rationalize away our faith in Jesus or use clever arguments to try and trick us or back us into a corner, we can confidently stand firm, knowing that an assurance of salvation protects us from doubt. Just as a helmet safeguards the head, the Helmet of Salvation secures our minds, allowing us to defeat arguments and lofty opinions with the unwavering truth of Christ's redemptive love. In tricky moments, knowing we're saved through Christ helps us control our thoughts. We stand strong, keeping our minds focused on obeying Christ and staying firm in our faith.

How to use the helmet:

• Remember that you are saved by faith in Jesus, and no one can change that.
• Live in confidence and obedience to the life that Jesus desires for you.
• Guard your thoughts with the assurance of salvation through Christ
• Anchor your mind in the truth of God's love.
• Reject wrong thoughts and lies.

6. The Sword of the Spirit

This is the only offensive weapon, while the others are defensive. The sword serves both for defense and for attacking the enemy. The Word of God lights our way (Psalm 119:105) and illuminates us with the teaching of the gospel. With the sword of the Spirit, we defend ourselves and confront the attacks of the enemy (lies, deceptions). At the same time, we attack with the truth. Let’s remember Jesus' example when He was tempted, how He used the Word effectively to overcome the devil’s temptations (Matthew 4).

The word of God is the sword of the Spirit! The word of God is also described as a sword in the book of Hebrews. A sword is capable of both wounding the enemy and defending against the enemy. The word of God also does both jobs, it destroys the enemy and protects us from spiritual attacks.

Note that in Hebrews the word of God is described as both living and active, it is capable of transforming lives, families, and communities across the world. It is not just an old static text but has dynamic potential and is relevant today. It speaks to us personally and guides our lives.

The word of God can only transform us and others if we dedicate time to reading it and discerning God's will and desire for us. We must then accept guidance from it, and allow it to change us.

How to use the sword:

• Study the Bible, memorize it, learn to use the Word of truth effectively.
• Fight lies and temptations by declaring the truths of the Bible.
• Trust in God's word.
• Seek transformation from scripture

The Importance of Prayer

The Christian soldier prepares for battle, strengthens, and receives orders through prayer. Communication with God, our Commander, must be constant to strengthen us and receive His instructions on the strategy we should follow.

We should not only pray for our own struggles, challenges, or difficulties. We must also support our brothers and sisters in prayer. If we see a brother or sister struggling with sin or doubt, or if they are going through suffering or persecution, it is our duty to support them with our prayers and encourage them.

Do you want to overcome in this spiritual war? Dress each day with the armor of God, spend time in prayer before Him, study His Word, and remain alert to the enemy's attacks.

Ready for battle? The armor of God will give you victory!

Do you want to know more strategies to strengthen yourself in God? Keep studying and meditating on the Lord's Word: Bible Study Lessons Organized by Theme