If you've clicked onto this post, then I believe it’s because you truly want to understand what putting on the full armor of God is all about. Or maybe you’re here, because you keep seeing “Put on the Full Armor of God” (I know all about it). Or maybe you’re here, because you receive my posts weekly (if so, thanks for your faithfulness as we grow together in our relationship with the Lord). Yet, in either case, you’re not here by chance. You’re reading this because Jesus is calling you to put on the full armor of God.
The Full Armor of God in a nutshell is…
- The Belt of Truth
- The Breastplate of Righteousness
- The Gospel (Shoes) of Peace
- The Shied of Faith
- The Helmet of Salvation
- And the Sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God)
All of this comes from Ephesians 6:14-17 (*I recommend that you read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and study it).
In addition, Ephesians 6:10-11 tells us, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” And Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
If you’re going to do anything for the Lord, know that you are going to experience spiritual warfare. It’s inevitable. We’re fighting unseen enemies that will stop at nothing to try to hinder us from fulfilling God’s plan for our lives. But you need to understand that we’re not alone and we have power. We’ve got supernatural protection for a supernatural fight.
So with that being said, you and I will have to purposely and deliberately put on the full armor of God. And when we do this, we are showing our enemy, Satan that we are ready to stand against any tricks, schemes, or deception that he tries to bring our way through the power of Jesus Christ and the armor of God.
Now, here’s how you purposely put on your war clothes when you engage in spiritual warfare (because that’s exactly what this is). When you wake up in the morning, get dressed, and…
Put on the Belt of Truth – Be truthful with the word of God and your life. Be a woman of integrity. Make a conscious choice to live God’s truth and be truthful. John 8:32 says, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” And Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.” Remember, the devil is the father of lies, so you can’t beat him at his own game. Live truthfully in every way, and you will overcome him!
Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness – Know that it’s His righteousness. Make your boast in Him. If you know anything about the Lord or if you’ve been saved for umpteen years, guess what? You can’t take credit for it, because you didn’t save yourself. Always give God the glory, so you don’t become self-righteous. Putting on this piece of God’s armor guards your heart from pride and any other arrow of sin. In addition, when you have on the breastplate of righteousness, it tells the devil, “I’m living right according to God’s word. So back up, because my heart is for God!” 1 John 3:7-8 says, “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning…” (NLT)
Put on the Gospel of Peace (Shoes of Peace) – Protect your feet by putting on the gospel of peace. Be ready to share the Good News about Christ which brings peace to those who are ready to receive Him or hear about Him. Be ready to move when God says move. And let the Lord lead you to the right people, to the right places, and through the right methods in sharing the gospel. But before you go, do what 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” If you do this, with all humility, reverence of God, and with a pure heart, you will be a force to be reckoned with!
Put on the Shield of Faith – Raise up your shield. When the enemy throws arrows of doubt, fear, worry, unbelief, defeat, lack of hope, lack of trust, depression, guilt, condemnation, you name it…raise up your shield and raise it up quickly, so that it doesn’t penetrate your heart or head. Of course, if you’re wearing your helmet of salvation and breastplate of righteousness, he won’t be able to get you anyway. But your shield gives you that extra protection against your enemy. Why? Because it's FAITH. It shows that you trust God no matter what the enemy throws your way. Ephesians 6:16 says, “In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.” So don’t fight without it. Raise it up and BELIEVE GOD!
Put on the Helmet of Salvation - Guard your mind. Protect it at all cost. You do this by casting down imaginations, unwelcome or unholy thoughts, a negative mindset, worry, fear, doubt, unforgiveness, and more. All of this weighs heavily on the mind. So stop thinking about trash, and think about God’s word and what He says about the situation and you. Proverbs 15:14 says, “A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash.” (NLT) Also, memorize and speak 2 Corinthians 10:5 which says, “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” *Kick the devil out of your thoughts quickly by renewing your mind with the word of God, so that you can move on and have a peace of mind.
Pull Out the Sword of the Spirit – This is the WORD OF GOD! And it’s a very powerful weapon used against the enemy. Second Corinthians 10:4 says, “For the weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” God will help you tear down strongholds in your life and help you fight against the enemy through His Word. So use it! And use it wisely. It’s there not only to help you fight against him, but also sin in your life. Remember, Satan wants you to sin against God. He's in a war against God for souls. So when He brings sin to you, cut it up like the game, “Fruit Ninja!” Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.” (NLT)
Use the Weapon of Prayer - Whatever you do, don't stop praying. There is so much power in prayer. It's another great weapon. So use it! Ephesians 6:18 says, "Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit." (NLT)
Well, there it is! I hope this helps you understand what putting on the full armor of God is all about. But before I close this post, here’s one more practical suggestion for you about this principle. Speak the Word. Declare it and speak it out loud. And make it personal by saying something like this…
“I’m putting on the belt of truth. I am a woman of truth. I speak the truth and not lies. I’m putting on the breastplate of righteousness. My righteousness is because of what Christ has done in and through me. I choose to live right according to God’s word today, etc.”
You get the point. The Lord is preparing you for battle. So make the choice to get dressed today and win! Don’t forget, you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ! Believe it!
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
Photo credit: ©Wikimedia Commons
