Fully Armed

Preparing for Battle

After emphasizing the spiritual blessings we have in Christ, Paul reminds the church that God’s people must still fight battles in the spiritual realm, knowing that God has already promised the victory. But we need not fight in our own strength; we can put on the armor of God and fight in His strength.

Every believer in Christ is called to battle, so Paul closes his letter to the Ephesians with a few final words about spiritual battles. Just as the Israelites once battled to take their rightful place in the Promised Land, so must God’s people engage in battle today. But the physical battles of the Old Testament are tangible examples of intangible truths in the New Testament. The battles we face today are of a spiritual nature. Forces of darkness are at work against us, attempting to discourage us and thwart our kingdom missions. But our God is greater.

Christ has already defeated the enemy; we simply walk forward in faith, knowing the battle belongs to Him. This battle doesn’t look like typical warfare, either. It looks more like time on our knees in prayer. It looks more like time in God’s Word. Because the battles we fight today cannot be seen with our physical eyes. As Paul sates in Ephesians 6:12, “Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”

Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God. Such armor is protective, and it begins with the belt of truth. By pouring the truth of God’s Word into our minds on a daily basis, we are able to fasten the belt of truth around our waist. And the breastplate of righteousness is a shield; our character and our conduct become a protective shield around us. Then we put on shoes fitted with the gospel of peace. This means we become messengers of good news, messengers of His peace. And we take the gospel of peace with us everywhere we go.

We needn’t be afraid to enter a spiritual battle because we are never unarmed and unprotected. We are shielded from head to foot. In addition to belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and the shoes of the gospel of peace, God also gives us the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

Every piece of this spiritual armor is metaphorical. For our spiritual armor is actually truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, and salvation. All these are protective in nature. Only one piece of the armor takes the offensive side in a battle – the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. God’s Word proclaims truth and pierces the darkness with Light. We need never fear the enemy, for greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (see 1 John 4:4)

God is faithful to finish what He started (Philippians 1:6). Let’s finish strong, with God on our side we are unstoppable.

I pray that you will grow deeper in God’s Word Daily; that God will reveal deeper truths to you through His Word. Growing in the fullness of who He created you to be. To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, give Him all the praise and glory. Amen!

As believers, our hope is in Christ, not our circumstances.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!