“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:10-11

Temptation is inevitable in the life of every believer. As followers of Christ, we are not exempt from the attacks of Satan – on the contrary, we become even bigger targets, because Satan hates those who worship God. The Bible tells us he prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. As we go throughout our everyday lives, it can be hard to recognize that there is a war being waged over our souls and if we’re not careful, we can play right into the traps that the enemy sets for us. So how can we defend ourselves against spiritual attacks? Ephesians 6 tells us the answer: Put on the whole armor of God. Paul mentions six key components to the armor of God. Each one is distinct, yet vitally important.

The Belt of Truth

Satan is known as the Father of Lies. His main strategy is to twist the truth in order to make us doubt the goodness of God. These lies can be convincing; Satan writes them specifically to appeal to our flesh. So how do we ensure that we are rooted in the truth? One powerful method of defense is to read scripture. God’s Word is the only source of absolute truth in this changing world. Nothing the devil says can negate what God has already established to be true. Meditate on the Word daily. Journal it. Sing it through spiritual songs. Speak it in encouragement to one another. Saturate your mind with the truth so that when Satan tries to ensnare you with a lie, you can turn it right back on him.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

What does it mean to be righteous? One definition is simply this: to do the will of God. To obey His commands. To reject what we know to be wrong and to pursue what He has told us is right. Sometimes, God’s will is easily recognizable. But at other times, the right thing to do can be obscured by our wants and desires, by false teachers, and by the wicked counsel of this world. In those moments, we can seek righteousness in two ways: Firstly, by reading scripture, as we’ve discussed before. Secondly, by asking God Himself to reveal His will. Through prayer, we have direct access to the Father and when we ask Him for guidance, He will never deny that to us.

The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

Shoes symbolize readiness – readiness to move, readiness to act upon a specific motivator. If you have truly grasped the wonder of the gospel, then it will always move you to action. Once we have encountered the grace of God and tasted of His goodness, we cannot remain in a life of sin and rebellion. We are motivated to flee sin and run towards God. The idea of our old life becomes repulsive to us, and the idea of obeying God becomes gloriously attractive. So whenever we are tempted, we can fix our eyes on the gospel. We can remember the price that Jesus paid to set us free from the chains of sin and as we do, our feet will begin to move.

The Shield of Faith

Faith is a crucial theme throughout the entire Bible. Hebrews says that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Matthew says that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains and so, the fact that faith is symbolized here as a shield is fitting. Unlike the other pieces of armor, shields can be used to protect your entire body. In a moment of attack, when all else fails us, we need only to have faith. We need only to cry out to God and believe that He will rescue us. He will cover us from head to toe. Our greatest defense is a deep trust and reliance on His power to save.

The Helmet of Salvation

The helmet is one of the most critical pieces of armor, because it protects the most vulnerable part of our bodies. It is the piece that ties everything together. According to Ephesians, the spiritual equivalent of a helmet is the salvation we have in Jesus Christ. When we stand firm in our salvation, all the devil’s threats become empty and meaningless. If we have put our faith in Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins, then there is nothing that can snatch us from His hand. What God has already declared cannot be undone. The cross has the final word.

The Sword of the Spirit

In this passage, Paul tells us clearly what the Sword of the Spirit represents: the Word of God. As we’ve already seen, the Word is a common thread throughout every part of the armor of God and when we consider its immense power, that should come as no surprise. Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. It is interesting to note that this is the only offensive piece mentioned in the Armor of God. In fact, the Sword is not truly a piece of armor at all. It is a powerful weapon by which we can pierce through Satan’s ranks and tear down his lies. One word from God is strong enough to drive out all the legions of hell.

Each of these pieces individually is not enough to fully protect us from spiritual attacks. It is when we put on the full Armor of God that we are able to withstand any temptation. Every day, we should be cultivating our relationship with Christ so that when the day of trouble comes, we have each of these tools at the ready. Remember: God is faithful, and He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear , 1 Corinthians 10:13.

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