Welcome to the Armory, where you can learn about the Armor of God to protect yourself and do battle more effectively.
If you haven't noticed, we're in a battle, and as Christians we're on enemy turf for the time being. It won't always be that way, but for right now we must be prepared and equipped properly.
This is in no way an exhaustive study, so I urge you to get your bible and a good concordance and do your homework.
Our primary bible reference for this briefing is Ephesians 6:10-18 (finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full Armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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. 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, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. 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.)
The first thing we notice in this passage is that we are told to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, not our own. Next, we our commanded to put on the full Armor of God, not just our favorite parts or most of the armor, but the full armor of god. Now that we understand that we are briefed on who our battle is against. We are told that we're not struggling against flesh and blood, but against a highly organized army of demonic forces and fallen angels. We are told to be ready to stand our ground when the day of evil comes; so the time to put on God's Armor and prepare is before the battle, not during it.
Following this briefing is a list of armor pieces and offensive weapons. I have added a description of that piece or weapon as it relates to both a roman soldier's armor and its strategic spiritual importance.
Although the holy spirit uses these analogies throughout the bible, we will use a roman soldier's armor for reference because I think the apostle Paul was probably chained to one when he dictated this. (for further study on this subject check out Chuck Missler's expositional commentary on Ephesians or his briefing package armor for the age of deceit, both from Koinonia house.)
Belt of truth
The roman soldier's belt was 6 to 8 inches wide. All the body armor and weapons were attached to it, and there was freedom of
movement with this arrangement. The belt (or girdle) also protected the groin area including the reproductive organs.
When we stand on God's Truth and walk truthfully with God, ourselves, and our fellow man, we have freedom and we keep our lines of communication with god open. Lies reproduce more lies, then sin is born and gives way to death, so if you're protected by the truth, you won't give birth to evil. Remember Satan is the father of all lies.
Breastplate of righteousness
The roman breastplate was bronze and backed with leather and shells. It covered the heart and protected the vital organs. A piercing of this breastplate was usually fatal.
When you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you are washed in his cleansing blood. The father then sees you as righteous because he sees you through his son. But you must also choose to walk daily in righteousness and integrity, with god's power, because this will guard your heart against the assaults of the devil.
Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace (army boots)
The roman army had shoes often made of brass (or the like) and leather. They defended the feet against sharp sticks that were laid to obstruct the way.
In any self-defense or hand-to-hand combat training, you will quickly learn the importance of sure footing. God wants us to have sure footing when we invade enemy territory. If we make every effort to live in peace with everyone and are prepared to spread the gospel of peace, our footing will be sure. Remember, living in peace doesn't mean accepting sin, but learning to separate the sin from the sinner.
Shield of faith
The roman shield was 4 feet by 2 1/2 feet and was maneuverable. It was covered with linen and leather to help absorb fiery arrows. The shields were also used by the roman army in combination. Twenty-seven soldiers in unison would link shields in a "tortoise" formation, with six in front and three rows of seven behind. Each of them would hold their shield strategically to form a kind of "walking tank."
Obviously your shield is very important for protecting yourself, your armor, and your portion of the walking tank", which is the church (the body of Christ). The integrity of the shield is of utmost importance, and the time to fix any holes is before the battle. Hebrews 11:1 says, “now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." that doesn't mean making faith some kind of "magic lamp" so that we can have anything we want,
But it does mean trusting in god and his inerrant word, even when we can't see him or touch him. As we trust him, we will see results. If there are any holes in your fundamental faith, fix them now!!! Study the word, talk to other believers, listen to testimonies, do your homework.
Helmet of Salvation
The roman helmet, just like all army helmets, protected the head and gave an overall sense of security to the soldier.
A believer's assurance of his or her salvation is vital in their defense against satanic attacks. If you have a problem in this area, click on the “briefing room" of this website, read the bible, talk to Christians, and pray.
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD
The Roman sword was the 24-inch double-edged "Machira" and was different than most of the swords of the day. It was excellent in close quarter combat, but the effective use of the Machira required special training and extensive practice. The romans conquered the world with this sword because they knew how to use it.
The Lord Jesus Christ, when tempted by Satan in the desert, responded each time with the word of god. Satan will try to dull your swords by twisting god's word and mixing truth with lies. That's why it's important that you know your bible. Remember, it is one of the two offensive weapons in your artillery, so practice and use it.
Prayer
This actually goes beyond personal armor. This is the heavy artillery. In any battle when you've got ground troops committed, you want plenty of flanking fire, and you want some artillery assaults to pave the way for you. That is why it is so important to pray for everything and everyone.
The Holy Spirit says through Paul to "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 the saints." (Ephesians 6:18,19) he doesn't say pray once in a while or don't burden god with too much prayer, but he says, “pray on all occasions."
These weapons are ours, but the only way they work is if we use them. So pray for yourselves and others; pray for wisdom; pray for ministries; and pray for god's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Make sure people are praying for you also.
Our commander and chief Jesus Christ has paid for our victory with his blood, so let's allow him to equip us for battle. If we all stand firm and fight the good fight (remember our battle is in the spiritual realm), we will join our lord in victory for eternity.