Ephesians 6:13-17

¨     Standing firm demands a protective panoply, 6:13-17.

          Believing children are almost always familiar with the picture of the Roman soldier arrayed in the gospel armor; adult believer should be just as concerned.  Believers are to resist (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9) or withstand (Eph. 6:13) the devil.  It is an aggressive stance as he engages the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, engaging both in defense and in attack as the armor indicates.

·        The belt of truth. The belt holds the other garments close to the body so the soldier can fight efficiently.  Truth does this for the believer.  Our opponent is the father of lies and always seeks to deceive.  If we buy into his ideas we waste our time in battle.  Rather every thought is to be taken captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

·        The breastplate of righteousness.  This piece only covers the front of the soldier.  There is no protection when we turn and run.  Sin in the life is an invitation for an attack on the heart so righteousness is protection that is essential.  Guard your heart for out of it are the issues of life (Prov. 4:23).

·        The ready shoes of the gospel of peace.  The soldier’s shoes were studded with nails in their souls to provide firm footing.  The believer is ready always to give an answer for his hope (1 Peter 3:15) and that answer is in the gospel.  In this way his feet, which are the part of his body that actually stands on the ground, are protected by the gospel.

·        The shield of faith.  The large, oblong shield provided protection from arrows smeared with pitch and lit on fire.  We need this defense because we are so prone to depend on ourselves.  Satan’s power exceeds our.  We need to trust in God’s faithfulness to will help us in our trials (1 Cor. 10:13).  This shield is taken up through prayer (Heb. 4:24-16).

·        The helmet of salvation.  The head is in desperate need of protection; one strong blow and the soldier will fall.  The helmet that saves protects us through the assurance of our salvation.  As God has saved us when we trusted Christ, so He will save us from wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10).  

·        The sword of the Spirit.  This sword is the Christian soldier’s primary offensive weapon.  It is said to be the word of God.  The word for word is a Greek term that refers to specific words out of the word of God.  Jesus used this weapon magnificently in Mt. 4:1-11, pulling specific texts out to destroy each of Satan’s deceiving seductions.  It is the sword of the Spirit because the word of God is exactly what the Spirit uses in His ministry of conviction and bringing people to saving faith in Christ.  Believer’s must be committed, as was Christ, to the memorization of God’s word so as to have a sharp sword for battle (Psalm 119:11).

          Are you properly arrayed?  Any believer with a proper understanding of the battle he is in would not venture about without the whole armor of God.