The Whole Armour of God
We are at war! And it is a world war! There is no part of this world that is not affected by it. No part at all. It is a war between good and evil.
Whilst this war manifest itself in different places and at different times, such as it did in both world wars, the battle between good and evil is everywhere, as it was during those times, and as it is now.
This war is not always seen as an open conflict with guns and bombs and such like, man physically fighting man, but when you step back and view it from a different perspective you can begin to see things from a different realm.
The apostle Paul tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
Every army that has ever fought sets out with a supreme commander who rules and orchestrates tactics and strategies. These are then delegated down to the lower ranks, and on down to the ranks beneath them, and so forth. These are usually the foot soldiers, the ones at the front. Every army that goes to war sets out with the single purpose of gaining complete victory over their enemy, and many times with little or no mercy.
Once upon a time, there was a thing called chivalry such as, at the end of the day’s battle there would be a truce where each army sent out soldiers to pick up the dead and wounded. There was no fighting during this time. It was called Mercy. But the next day the fighting began all over again. Nowadays there is no such thing. There is only an all-out war. The same single-purpose of complete victory is still the objective. But, today tactics rarely include chivalry or mercy towards the enemy. Victory is often gained by all and any means. The days of wearing a uniform by which an army could be identified have gone. The uniforms of today are camouflaged to help conceal the presence of the soldier. Today, the enemy will even be dressed in civilian clothes and live amongst us, sometimes for years, before they reveal themselves. We are all aware of some of the tactics of our enemies, and it seems that there is an accelerated purpose of, not just victory, but the total annihilation of a culture or race because of different beliefs, or simply the desire of absolute power over others. Little has changed, but it seems, if anything, it is more purposed.
Perhaps the greatest example of this was Hitler’s purpose to destroy the Jewish people in their entirety. Genocide. This was absolute evil manifested in a man who came into a powerful position by devious means supported by other people. Hitler saw that the German people, specifically after World War one, were depressed and that their great empire had deteriorated making the country very poor. There was a lack of pride that once prevailed in the Germanic culture. The German people were vulnerable; and any hope of them returning to a more prosperous life was something they yearned for, something to give them hope of a better future. Hitler’s rise to power was very much achieved by him and his cohorts providing the German people with exactly this. For example, the autobahns were built stretching from the borders of Germany into the major cities. A means of fast transport into the country and, of course, out of the country. But it did not only mean that cars and trucks could move more quickly and more efficiently but those military vehicles could also move more quickly. Even the famous Volkswagen “beetle” car is attributed to the Hitler regime. This was a vehicle that was very inexpensive to produce, was very efficient and more affordable to the German people than any other car had been in the past.
The pride that came with the production of this car is clearly shown in the name of one of the now-famous vehicle companies in the world. Volkswagen. In English, the word Volkswagen means “people’s car”. Hitler romanced the German people with things such as this. The proud German people were given back some pride. It was their car! This renewing of their pride also allowed Hitler’s regime to begin to bring people’s focus towards others. Other races were looked upon as being inferior. Specifically beginning with the Jewish nation. Hatred was built up against the Jews, and most of us are aware of the atrocities carried out against these people.
The effectiveness of this man’s evil philosophy, coupled with an extreme talent for motivational speaking, began to result in the gaining of allegiances with other nations like Italy and Japan, who had their own reasons for joining forces with Hitler. The Japanese were also the people who had no mercy towards their enemies, and there are many records of the atrocities that they inflicted. The Italians were not so vicious in their warring, and Hitler often looked upon them as being a weak nation. But, they were useful as, what was often called, “cannon fodder”. Placing them in positions where they could slow the allied progress down. Evil will often target the weaker ones, promising them a share of the glory of any victory where, in fact, this is never the intention from the outset. The weaker ones becoming a servant to the stronger because of the hold is held over them.
World War II was perhaps the most obvious unveiling of the war between good and evil.
When you come to realize that this war between good and evil has been ongoing for hundreds of years, you’ll have to admit that you are caught up in it. There are no conscientious objectors, there is no neutral territory or nation. There is no neutral person or race. Everyone who exists on this planet today is affected by both of these forces to one degree or another. Fact.
Each of us has a choice to make during our lifetime. It is simply the choice of which side you are on. Good or evil.
So, going back to our original statement, we are at war and we will choose a side. Good or evil, God or Satan. These are the two Supreme Commanders. you must choose one or the other. If you do not, it will be done for you. There is no middle ground. There is no neutral territory. There is no sideline upon which to stand. But, even if you make the wrong choice of evil, God will still be holding out His hand until the very end to try and bring you home to Him. But it does not have to be the “bitter end.”
The choice should not be difficult. But, remembering how Hitler romanced the German people to submit to him, just know that Satan employs the very same tactics by showing us worldly things which are designed to bring us into sin and, just like Adam and Eve, become subject to him. The Bible tells us that Satan is the father of sin and, therefore, anyone who is in sin is under his authority and belongs to him. Choosing your side really is simple. All the evidence that you need can be found by looking at the character of each of God and Satan. Just look at the character and the purpose of each, and how each carries out their purpose for this world and mankind.
God always rules His people through love. He is love. Sometimes He uses “tough love” but He never afflicts His people with sickness or disease, or poverty, or lack. So, if these are not of God, they must belong to the other side. The devil’s side.
It should be very offensive to any Christian who hears another saying things like “maybe God gave me this cancer to teach me a lesson.” or, “maybe God created the accident which caused my amputation, to teach someone else a lesson.” What absolute garbage! So, let’s put these lies to rest……
If you are a Christian, then you recognize God as your father in heaven. Think about this:
If you are, or were, the parent, and one of your children did something wrong or messed up in some way, would you afflict them with cancer or a tumor, or would you cause them to have an accident where they lost a limb? Of course you wouldn’t! So how could anybody ever think that the most perfect father that there ever was and is, or shall be, would even think about doing something like that! This whole mindset of our father afflicting us as punishment or to teach us a lesson is nothing more than a lie. And, who is the father of all lies? Satan.
As we’ve seen, in modern warfare, armies employ all and every means to achieve victory. Satan is no different and, knowing his tactics you can guard against them. But, you first have to accept that you can come to understand Satan’s tactics, that you can guard against them, and that you can actually defeat him because of this knowledge.
Looking at today’s military we can see that much of the equipment that is used in modern warfare utilizes both offensive and defensive components.
Going back to the apostle Paul’s statement in Ephesians 6:12 (above) he explains that Satan’s overall objective is to defeat God’s people through spiritual means manifested into carnal weapons and through carnal beings. He also explains how God has provided us with every piece of equipment that we will need to defeat Satan. Paul lists this equipment by using the illustration of the Roman soldier and the things that made up their weapons and armour, then explaining why we need it.
As you read through the scriptures you can begin to identify each component from the illustration:
(Eph 6:10) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
(Eph 6:11) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
(Eph 6:12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
(Eph 6:13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Take a moment and look at the illustration. Look closely and see how that virtually every part of the soldier is protected or could be covered by moving his shield to protect himself. When Paul was giving this teaching he initially explained that a true Christian’s enemy is not a man, but a spirit, Satan. But, Satan will use human beings to carry out his work sometimes with that person’s full cooperation, sometimes by taking advantage of that person’s ignorance. Even Christians have been used by Satan to carry out his work. To steal, kill, and destroy. So God has given us our own weapons and armour with which to both protect and fight against any attack or onslaught from our enemy, Satan.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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;….. (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5)
Looking more closely at these Scriptures, we can see that whenever there is any kind of warfare sent against us, we truly are at war. But our war is not a carnal war fought with guns or such like. Again, modern warfare today does not fight fair, it is fought to win outright. Satan fights to achieve that same end. His objective has always been to try and beat God. Much like the game of chess, whose objective is to capture the King, or to destroy him. Within this game of chess, pieces are captured and taken from the board, where the player cannot use them anymore. Satan tries to do this by taking out or making his enemies ineffective. His enemies are, of course, you and I. God’s children. And, he doesn’t fight fairly, using all his weapons against us. His problem is that God has provided weapons that not only defend against those of his but which are far superior in every way.
When we take account of what God has provided for us to overcome Satan and his attacks or devices, and really come to know what these weapons are, really learn how to use them, and use them as we are instructed to, we will not only see the truth in these Scriptures, but will be able to see how we can withstand all the attacks of the enemy.
Isaiah 15:17 – No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 55:11 – So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
The purposes of the Armour of God:
(Eph 6:14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,…. this refers to the belt which held the weapons and also the protective plates that hung from it but, in the spiritual reference it means that we should always walk in and speak the truth, no matter what. There is no circumstance where untruths are anything but lies. Lies and lying are sin, and there is always a consequence of any kind of sin.
(Eph 6:14 continued) and having on the breastplate of righteousness;…. the breastplate covers the upper torso and, as most people know, this is where our vital organs are encased. Perhaps the most important of all of these organs is our heart. If our heart is the same as that of God, it will be full of love for Heavenly Father as His is full of love for us and, just as His love is, we will love our fellow man unconditionally. It is said “love conquers all” and Jesus proved that, didn’t He.
(Eph 6:15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;…. sometimes also referred to as “the shoes of readiness”. During Paul’s time the roads were often stony and uneven. When a man walked along these rough roads it would have been very hard on their feet. The Roman army issued its soldiers shoes, or sandals, that were very hard wearing and made it much easier for the soldier to walk on rough terrain, and because of this, the longer distances and some of their enemies who were unshod. The Lord provides us the ability to walk anywhere, under any circumstance with ease of purpose because we are not only shod with the Gospel, but knowing that it is everlasting and will not wear out. It is also easy upon our feet enabling us to walk many miles, enduring the roads that we travel in spreading the Gospel.
(Eph 6:16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked…. It is obvious what the purpose of a shield is. It is very simply to ward off attacks from any weapon that is brought against a soldier. Once the soldier has confidence in his shield, he will readily stand behind it knowing that it will protect him. He will have faith in that shield! In our case, the shield, our shield, is the Lord God Almighty. And when we come to a place where we are believing Him, taking Him at His word, we are acting in faith. Not just trusting Him, but knowing that we can trust Him, and then we will trust that He is protecting us, being a shield for us and to us.
(Eph 6:17) And take the helmet of salvation, …. the soldier’s helmet protects his head. His head holds his brain, his eyes, and ears, his mouth. We think with our brains and Satan for one of his ploys will try and convince us, make us think that something is not real is real, and something that is real, is not. He will try and use our eyes and ears in the same way. Perhaps the doctors report which says we have a terminal illness when the Lord tells us that “who his own self bare our sins in his own body, on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed! (1st Peter 2:24). Protecting your mouth is God’s way of telling you to be very cautious of what and how to you speak. Remember, God created the world by speaking into existence: and you can also create things or situations by speaking them into existence. For instance, the saying “I love them to death!” Why not say, “I love them to life!”
(Eph 6:17 continued) and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:… It is very important that we realize that the “Word of God”, referred to here as the sword of the Spirit, and again referring to the illustration of the soldier, it is the only offensive weapon that is carried. This Scripture is telling us that we only need the Word of God with which to defeat, to destroy any enemy that comes against us. It is a spiritual weapon; it is creative and when it is wielded the required and is accomplished. Be that to destroy, to defend or to create:
Isaiah 55:11 – So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
God promises that His Word, will accomplish what it is meant to accomplish. And, when we speak that word in confidence and in faith, it will not return to Him void.
(Eph 6:18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
One of the most underrated, unused, and whose existence is denied by many doctrines, is “Praying in the Spirit”. Also unknown as “Praying in Tongues.” This is also known given as the evidence that a person, a Christian, has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is a most powerful weapon, and when it is used correctly and appropriately it can achieve things beyond human understanding. It is also a free gift given to us and one that every Christian should receive for themselves.
In summary
The Whole Armour of God is a lesson that should be learned, and the commandment that should be obeyed. The key to its effectiveness is your belief in God’s promises and therefore confidence that God is standing behind it, and His confidence in it should become yours. Because the final part of the commandment of its use is the word “stand”.
(Eph 6:13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Further teachings:
1.Rourke’s Drift
2.The Whole Armour of God
3.The Wind Talkers