Armor of God by Blessed Magazine Ministries

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BELIEVERS ARE AT WAR AND THE DEVIL IS OUR ENEMY Make No Mistake:

We Are At War A Comprehensive Look Into the True Meaning of Wearing the Whole Armor of God

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Table of Contents Introduction

Part 1: Helmet of Salvation

Part 2: Breastplate of Righteousness

Part 3: Shield of Faith

Part 4: Belt of Truth

Part 5: Sandals of Peace

Part 6: Sword of the Spirit

About the Author

About Blessed Magazine

The Armor of God Series: Part 1 (Introduction)

Much has been written concerning the ‘armor of God’ and spiritual warfare. Some say that there is no such thing as spiritual warfare and some, going to the other extreme, see every difficulty of life as a direct attack from Satan. In a series of seven articles, I would like us to look at the ‘armor of God’ we read about in the sixth chapter of Ephesians. I will not focus as much on the ancient usage of actual armor as I will focus on the meaning and application of the passage. I will only speak of the actual physical armor when it helps explain a spiritual truth. It is my intention that, as the Christian reads this series of articles, he or she will be strengthened in their walk with Jesus in practical everyday ways.

BELIEVERS ARE AT WAR AND THE DEVIL IS OUR ENEMY We are warned in First Peter to, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” 1 Peter 5:8 ESV). Peter here reminds us that Satan is real and his goal is to destroy us; he is at war with us. The prize is our soul. In Ephesians 4:27, Paul tells us that we must, “…give no opportunity to the devil” (ESV). Paul’s words indicate that the Devil is looking for ‘opportunities’ to tempt, deceive, and defeat us. Revelation 12:9 tells us that Satan is, “…the deceiver of the whole world” (ESV). The Bible does not clearly say why, but we know that if it were not for the grace of God, Satan would destroy all of us and consign us to an eternity of misery in hell. Every Christian is engaged in a spiritual battle between good and evil.

CHRISTIANS ARE IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE However, our battle is not like earthly battles, we are in a spiritual war, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 ESV). The Christian’s battle is not so much a physical battle as it is a spiritual battle, or a battle of the mind. It does not matter whether a Christian is a body builder or a child, because the fight is not a physical fight. This battle centers on what we believe about the Truth of God’s Word. Therefore, since the battle takes place on a spiritual level, our armor must be spiritual armor.

SINCE WE ARE IN A WAR, WE NEED PROTECTION When soldiers go into battle, they do things to protect themselves. Today’s military has sophisticated technology that is used to try to keep casualties to a minimum. However, in ancient times, the soldier relied on his armor for protection; his shield, his sword, his helmet, and other tools were employed to fend off his enemies.

The Armor of God Series: Part 1 (Introduction)

The Christian needs armor too. “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13 ESV). God does not expect us to defend ourselves apart from His gracious provision. The biblical admonition is to take up the armor that God has provided; He will protect us.

THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE BELIEVERS STRENGTH “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11 ESV). This verse reminds us that it is God’s power and strength that enables us to resist the devil. The phrase “…be strong in the Lord…” is in the passive voice. This means that the strengthening is being done to us; it is not simply that we muster up the resolve to push on. Rather, we are empowered by something; in this case someone, else. The strength is God’s and the armor is God’s; we, as His subjects, are filled with His strength enabling us to engage in spiritual warfare. Ephesians 1:19 speaks of, “…the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (ESV). There are some believers who mistakenly think that, once they are saved, God gives them power and ability to use as they see fit. However, the Bible says that these gifts are controlled by the Holy Spirit, “All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills” (1 Corinthians 12:11 ESV). God supplies everything we need to live the Christian life; however, these things only come to us as long as we are faithful to love, honor, and worship Him…as He rightly deserves. We have no spiritual power apart from God.

WE HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS The Gospel of John, chapter 15, clearly teaches that our source of strength is our union with Christ. Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5 ESV). As long as we have a vital active relationship with Jesus, His strength will empower us to resist the temptation to sin. It matters little whether that temptation comes from Satan or from the culture in which we live. The Bible promises us victory because we are united with Jesus Christ. This brings us to the end of the introduction and the beginning of the passage to be studied in the next six articles. We will be taking an in depth look at the ‘armor of God’. If we take these teachings seriously, we are guaranteed protection against our spiritual enemies; guaranteed because of God’s power and promise. We will be more effective Christian soldiers.

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The Armor of God Series: Part 2 (Helmet of Salvation)

The next piece of the Spiritual Armor of God is the Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17). The helmet, both physical ones and spiritual ones, protect the head. The spiritual helmet protects the mind of the believer; the thoughts and ideas the Christian has in his head and that which he dwells upon. Let us look deeper at this idea of the mind.

OUR MINDS ARE THE BATTLEGROUND OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE What we think determines what we believe; what we believe determines how we live. It is in our minds that we think, reason, discern, and live out the immaterial part of our Christian faith. Our minds, soul, and spirit are so closely connected as to be virtually indistinguishable. Therefore, the mind plays an incredibly foundational role in every aspect of our existence, especially our relationship with God. The Bible tells us that humanity’s chief duty is to, “… love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 ESV; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). This means that we must love God with every part of our being; our actions and our thoughts. Too many Christians think that it is only their external actions that God is concerned with; they assume that their thought life is exempt from His Lordship. This is not the case. It is clear from the Bible that God is as concerned with our inner being as with our outer being, maybe more so. Jesus made it clear that simply to think certain things is a sin (Matthew 5:22, 28), they do not even have to be acted upon.

WHAT ONE THINKS ABOUT REVEALS ONE'S HEART The Bible tells us that unbelievers have their minds occupied with things of the world rather than things of God (Ephesians 2:3; Colossians 1:21). This is evidence that one does not love God with all their being. It is wise for the Christian to periodically evaluate our own thought lives to see if what we are thinking about is pleasing to God. Our thought lives reveal much about our commitment, or the lack thereof, to God.

OUR CHOICES CONTROL WHAT OCCUPIES OUR MINDS The apostle Paul tells us that, even as Christians, we have to make a willful decision whether to obey God or not, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5 ESV). The focus of our minds determines our spiritual path. We still have a choice to be disobedient. However, Paul’s warning should make us think long and hard about these types of decisions. He writes that, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God” (Romans 8:6-7 ESV)

The Armor of God Series: Part 2 (Helmet of Salvation)

Even the apostle Peter failed to set his mind on the right things at one point during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus confronted Peter with these words, he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23 ESV). Peter had set his mind on things other than God’s will for him; we must be careful to keep our focus on Jesus, where it should be (Colossians 3:2; Ephesians 4:22-24).

WE MUST TRAIN, TEACH AND STRENGTHEN OUR MINDS FOR SPIRITUAL BATTLE Paul tells us that we should be, “…be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV). When we are surrendered to God, and allow Him to teach and transform us, we are then able to know His will and we will be better able to serve Him. 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that believers “have the mind of Christ” (ESV). When our minds are set upon thinking the thoughts of God, He will guide, strengthen, and comfort us with His power. The Bible instructs us to, “…take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV). We will be unable to live a victorious life of faith if we do not seek to control our thought life. Jesus warned, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:19 ESV; cf. Mark 7:21). How we are on the inside will be reflected on our outside.

GOD IS THE SOURCE OF THE 'HELMET OF SALVATION' The apostle Paul writes, “…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV). This passage, among many others, makes it clear that God is the source of our spiritual peace and our mental protection. If we do not remain close to Him, we disconnect ourselves from the very source of life and peace (Romans 8:6).

We must remember that we must be diligent in nurturing our relationship with God. Relationships are not one-sided; communication must take place between those in a relationship. It is not that God does all the work and we sit back and bask in the comfort of our faith. We must seek His face, we must love Him with all our hearts and minds, and we must make the choice to think the thoughts that God wants us to think. As he finishes his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,

The Armor of God Series: Part 2 (Helmet of Salvation)

if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8 ESV). It is our responsibility as to what we think about.

CONCLUSION Spiritual warfare occurs mostly in the mind. If we truly expect to live a victorious Christian life, one that is vibrant with the Holy Spirit, one that exhibits love and consistently has victory over sin, we must think the thoughts that God wants us to think. We must be devoted to Him mentally, as well as spiritually and physically. We cannot say we love Him if our thoughts are focused on worldly desires. We must renew our minds by submitting ourselves to God, studying His Word, and prayer for His guidance, strength, and protection. God supplies the ‘helmet of salvation’. It is His strength and protection for our minds, if we stay closely connected to Him. We must be careful as to what we allow into our minds. What we look at, what we read, and what we listen to, all affect how we think. How we think affects how we act, and how we act is how we live. We must always seek to live for Jesus.

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The Armor of God Series: Part 3 (Breastplate of Righteousness)

As with the other pieces of the soldier’s armor, the breastplate was designed to protect certain areas of his body. The breastplate protected his upper torso, most notably his heart. The spiritual Breastplate of Righteousness also protects the spiritual heart, the center of one’s relationship with Jesus. The Bible instructs believers to, “…put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14b ESV). In this article, I would like to study just what that means to the Christian seeking to live for God.

WITHOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD The Bible tells us that God is holy (Leviticus 11:44; Joshua 24:19; Psalm 99:3, 5, 9; Isaiah 40:25; Habakkuk 1:12; John 17:11; I Peter 1:15). Charles Ryrie writes, “…holiness in the Bible means separation from all that is common or unclean. In respect to God, holiness means not only that He is separate from all that is unclean and evil but also that He is positively pure and thus distinct from all others” (Ryrie, p. 38). The Bible tells us that we are by nature sinful beings (Genesis 3; Romans 3:23, 5:12). We are also told that sin separates us from God: “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13 ESV, also Psalm 5:5). The Bible says in Exodus 33:20 that sinful man cannot look upon Holy God and live. This puts humanity is quite a quandary; we are separated from the source of life by something we cannot fix…our sinfulness.

WE CANNOT BUILD OUR OWN 'BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS' Isaiah 64:6 tells us that all the good we can muster up on our own is like filthy rags compared to the righteousness of God. We cannot make ourselves good enough for God. Compared to God’s holiness, this is how man appears, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12 ESV; Psalm 53:1-3). There are too many people today who think they are good enough to be accepted by God. They might think that they have done more good than bad, or they think that God’s standards are the same as their standards; therefore, God should grant them forgiveness and eternal life because they have ‘been as good as they could be’. Nevertheless, in God’s eyes, those who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ have only the judgment of a Holy and Righteous God to look forward to.

GOD PROVIDES THE 'BREASTPLATE' We have seen that God is holy, righteous, and just. Our sin separates us from Him. We cannot make ourselves good enough, nor do enough good things, to attain righteousness.

The Armor of God Series: Part 3 (Breastplate of Righteousness)

However, God gave us a solution to that problem. Jesus’ death on the cross provides the way for us to be reconciled to God; Jesus’ righteousness is accounted to us so that we can be seen, by God, as righteous, “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5 ESV, see also Romans 4:11; Galatians 3:5-7). Those who believe are not forgiven based on their own merit; they are forgiven because Jesus paid the penalty for their sinfulness when He died on the cross. This was entirely God’s plan, as we read in Scripture, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10 ESV). We are forgiven based on Jesus’ payment on the cross for our sins. John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the world with these words, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 ESV, cf. Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2, 3:5, 4:10). This entire concept is contained in a passage from the Gospel of John, which may be the most important piece of Scripture there is, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16-18 ESV). This passage is a virtual summary of the Bible’s message; it tells us that: (1) people have only two final destinations; eternal death or eternal life, (2) God loves us greatly, (3) God provided the way for us to be saved, (4) faith in Jesus is how one is forgiven and gains eternal life, and (5) anyone who rejects Jesus Christ is condemned already. This is the message the Christian is charged with telling the world. This is the Gospel in a few verses. We put on the breastplate of righteousness by putting our faith and our trust in Jesus Christ’s payment for our sins and then living for Him out of gratitude for all He has done, and is doing, for us.

AS BELIEVERS, WE MUST CONDUCT OURSELVES RIGHTEOUSLY After we have given our lives to Jesus, been forgiven of our sins, and put on the breastplate of God’s righteousness, then we must live as if we are righteous (1 John 1:7). Even as

The Armor of God Series: Part 3 (Breastplate of Righteousness)

believers, we still have choices to make. The apostle Paul describes one of these choices relating to righteousness, when he writes, “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness” (Romans 6:13 ESV). Christians still have the choice to obey, or disobey, God. The basis for righteous living is found in the Bible. The Word of God contains all the instruction that the believer needs, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to live a righteous life. It is to our great benefit to read and study the Bible; meditating and praying for God’s guidance, understanding, and strength to enable us to be transformed by God’s Word (Romans 12:1-2).

THE 'BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS' INSURES INTEGRITY The apostle Peter writes, “…having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter3:16 ESV). Unbelievers, skeptics, and many who are simply ignorant of why Christians do what Christians do, will always insult and mock those who attempt to faithfully follow Jesus. Christians are representatives of God and His standards; therefore, we should conduct ourselves according to the righteousness which we received from Him; the righteousness that indwells us in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we are living with the righteousness of God indwelling us and we are attempting to live our lives in a righteous manner, we will be wearing the ‘breastplate of righteousness’ and be protected by God in the midst of the spiritual battle we all face daily.

The Armor of God Series: Part 4 (Shield of Faith)

The fourth piece of the Armor of God is the “Shield of Faith”. Faith is an essential element of Christianity. The Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God if we do not have faith (Hebrews 11:6). The Bible also tells us that the righteous shall live by faith (Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). Faith is such an important part of the armor that it protects all of the other pieces of the armor (1 John 5:4). Let us take a closer look at this thing called ‘faith’ to make sure we understand it.

EXTINGUISH 'ALL' SATAN'S FIERY DARTS (TEMPTATIONS, DOUBTS, ANGER, FEAR, ETC.) Ephesians 6:16 This faith protects us from anything Satan can throw at us. Whether he tries to tempt us, cause us to doubt, or become angry, the shield of faith stops his attacks cold. It is because, no matter what the circumstances look like, or feel like, we know we can trust God’s promises to be true. Therefore, when Satan sends a temptation our way we know that, “No temptation has overtaken [us] that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let [us] be tempted beyond [our] ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that *we+ may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV). And it is the same with any other kind of attack Satan can muster. We know we can count on the promises of God.

FAITH IS MORE THAN MERE KNOWLEDGE OR MENTAL ASSENT; IT IS TRUST IN AND COMMITTMENT TO JESUS The Bible says that even the demons believe in God (James 2:19); but their belief is not one that saves. They believe in the fact that God will judge them one day and that judgment will not be enjoyable. The demon’s type belief is a belief in facts; it is not a trust and commitment to God as Lord. To be saved, we too must have a deep trust and commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord. A mere mental assent to the facts will not do. Faith is believing and trusting in God and His Word. We trust the picture of God’s character that we see in the Bible, we trust God’s provision for salvation through Jesus Christ, and we trust the truth of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the promise of victory over sin. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is much more than wishful thinking, rather it is a confident, “…assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (ESV). This assurance is guaranteed by the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.

IT IS THE OBJECT OF FAITH, NOT FAITH ITSELF, WHICH GIVES FAITH ITS POWER There are some who teach that faith is a force in and of itself. The “Signs and Wonders”

The Armor of God Series: Part 4 (Shield of Faith)

movement of the church was a major proponent of this type of thinking. They taught that faith is literally a force that the believer can control for his own purposes, much like the Star Wars force. They taught that this faith [force] was given to them when they were saved and they could use it any way they chose. However, this is not the biblical idea of faith at all. A story from the Gospels illustrates this point far better than I can. We read in Mark 9:14-29 (also found in Matthew 17:14-21) about a father in whose son dwelt an evil spirit that tortured the boy continually (Mark 9:17-18, 21). The father loved his son and desperately wanted him healed. The father told Jesus, “So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able” (Mark 9:18 ESV). The disciples were unable to heal the boy. Jesus healed the boy and His disciples asked Him later, “Why could we not cast it out?” (Mark 9:28 ESV). Jesus had previously given His disciples authority over unclean spirits, “…to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction” (Matthew 10:1 ESV; cf. Mark 6:7). Should they not have been able to cast out this tortuous spirit? What prevented them from doing such?

Jesus answered His disciple’s question this way, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer”* (Mark 9:29 ESV). Jesus was telling the disciples that they had not prayed enough to be able to cast out the evil spirit that was in the boy. Prayer is not a force, it is not a magical incantation; it is coming to God seeking His will, His guidance, and His power. I believe this is an example of the disciples thinking they could do the things Jesus did without relying on Jesus. They believed they had the power themselves. Jesus showed them that any strength that the believer possesses comes from his or her relationship to God [Jesus]. If there is no proper relationship, there will be no power.

FAITH SHOULD RESULT IN ACTION James tells us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22 ESV). The Lord Jesus even issued this warning, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 ESV). Christianity is not a static religion. We are not to simply sit by and silently enjoy our salvation. The believer is to live out his or her faith; actively following God’s will for their lives. We are to be Jesus’ hands, feet, mouth; we are to be the body of Christ here on earth (1 Corinthians 12:27). Bodies that do not move around grow unhealthy and unproductive. God saved us for a purpose; we owe it to Him to serve that purpose.

FAITH IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD SHARE Jesus instructed His disciples (that’s what we are) in this way, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with

The Armor of God Series: Part 4 (Shield of Faith)

you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV; cf. Mark 16:15-16). We are to share the good news of salvation, through faith in Jesus, with every one we can. If we do not take the Gospel to people, “…how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14 ESV). It is up to you and me to share God’s good news of salvation and forgiveness with a lost and hurting world. This is faith in action.

CONCLUSION There is so much more that could be said about the topic of biblical faith that I had to leave much unsaid. One point that needs to be made is that this piece of the armor is specifically noted as being able to deflect Satan’s attacks. However, we must remember that our ability to resist Satan comes from our relationship with God, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7 ESV). We are powerless to carry out the second part of this verse unless we obey the first part. It is very important that we nurture our faith at all times, by reading and studying the Bible, by praying constantly (which is addressed in the passage directly following the ‘armor of God’ passage), and by seeking to love God and live for Him more everyday. In this way we can be sure our Shield of Faith is impenetrable.

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The Armor of God Series: Part 5 (Belt of Truth)

Truth is essential to our existence. We base our decisions on what we know, and if what we know is not the truth, we will make very bad decisions. The gas gauge in our cars must tell us the truth, so we do not run out of gas. Our doctor must know the truth about our physical condition, so that he can correctly prescribe the treatment. We want the truth from our spouses, so that our marriage can be all it was meant to be. Since truth is this important to our temporary physical lives, how much more important is it to our eternal soul? At the most, our mortal existence will be about a hundred years in length; our existence in the afterlife will be forever. Would we want to base the decisions we make concerning our eternal destiny on anything less than the truth? Only a fool would think so. The Bible contains the truth humanity needs in order to guarantee an eternal life in paradise with God. Truth is essential to our existence. We base our decisions on what we know, and if what we know is not the truth, we will make very bad decisions. The gas gauge in our cars must tell us the truth, so we do not run out of gas. Our doctor must know the truth about our physical condition, so that he can correctly prescribe the treatment. We want the truth from our spouses, so that our marriage can be all it was meant to be.

Since truth is this important to our temporary physical lives, how much more important is it to our eternal soul? At the most, our mortal existence will be about a hundred years in length; our existence in the afterlife will be forever. Would we want to base the decisions we make concerning our eternal destiny on anything less than the truth? Only a fool would think so. The Bible contains the truth humanity needs in order to guarantee an eternal life in paradise with God. We begin our study of the armor of God with the ‘belt of truth’ (Ephesians 6:14a ESV). Having the truth, knowing the truth, and living by the truth are essential pieces of the Christian’s armor. As someone has rightly said, “If you don’t stand for the truth, you’ll fall for anything”. During the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, we read this discourse between Jesus and Pontius Pilate, Jesus said, “I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38 ESV). Let Scripture answer Pilate’s question.

GOD'S WORD IS TRUTH Jesus, in a prayer to God for His disciples, said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17 ESV). Jesus Christ pronounced God’s Word, most notably what we now have contained in the Bible, to be Truth. Jesus also indicated that this Word is able to make us holy.

The Armor of God Series: Part 5 (Belt of Truth)

Jesus said that the only right way to worship God is, “…in spirit and truth…those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24 ESV). This means that we must not only worship God in external ways, but we must worship in our hearts; with our entire being. It is possible to appear to worship God while our hearts are far away from Him (Isaiah 29:13). The true believer must worship God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind, body, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:6, 11:1, 13:3; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).

JESUS EMBODIES THE TRUTH “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 ESV). Jesus was the walking, talking embodiment of the Truth, the Word of God. Everything He did, everything He said and taught, all that He is, represents God. Jesus told His disciples, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9 ESV). Jesus also said Himself, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6 ESV). Jesus’ life and teachings consisted of the Truth of God (see also John 1:17, 8:45-46; Ephesians 4:21). Jesus’ message was, and is, a message of Truth. Everything about Jesus is trustworthy; we can count on Him, He will never disappoint.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE 'SPIRIT OF TRUTH' The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is the “…Spirit of truth” and the believer knows, “…him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17 ESV). This assures the Christian that he or she will know the truth; the Holy Spirit will teach, and remind, the believer of it. The Holy Spirit will bear witness of Jesus (John 15:26). Jesus told His disciples that He was going away, but that the Holy Spirit would come to live inside of them. Then Jesus added, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak…” (John 16:13 ESV). The Holy Spirit speaks truth to us, “And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6b ESV).

TRUTH AND DECEPTION CANNOT CO-EXIST The Bible clearly says that Satan, “…has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 ESV, cf. Genesis 3; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9). Satan is the embodiment of evil, deception, and misery; and he trades in untruth in his attempts to lead people away from God. Since the Devil is so closely linked to untruth, it should not surprise us when we see unbelievers also trading in lies and deception. Romans chapter one tells us that unbelievers know the reality concerning God’s existence and power, but they choose to suppress the

The Armor of God Series: Part 5 (Belt of Truth)

truth (1:18), exchange the truth for lies (1:25), and they do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness (2:8; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Timothy 6:5; 2 Timothy 3:7; 4:4). It is interesting that the Bible here presents ‘truth’ and ‘unrighteousness’ as opposites. One cannot be righteous while rejecting God’s truth. The Bible makes it clear that if our actions do not line up with our words, we are not His followers. We may know the truth, but we are not living the truth:

If we say we are Christians, but willfully and wantonly continue in sin (1 John 1:6) If we claim we are sinless and say we do not need Christ’s sacrifice to cleanse us (1 John 1:8) If we say that we are Christians, but live in disobedience to Him (1 John 2:4) Nevertheless, God says in His Word that He has better plans for those who are faithful to Him. Speaking through the apostle John, we read, “I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:21 ESV). Faithful followers of Jesus know truth when they encounter it; and they are able to recognize lies and deception (1 John 4:6).

THE SCRIPTURE CONTAINS TRUTH THAT SAVES AND GUIDES OUR LIVES The Bible contains the record of God’s perfect creation, humanity’s rebellion, and Jesus’ sacrifice for humanity’s sins. This Gospel, or good news, is often called ‘the truth’ in the pages of Scripture (Colossians 1:5-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:25). These passages tell us that we are forgiven of our sins by believing and accepting the Gospel by faith; this Gospel ‘truth’ will set us free (John 8:31-32). An example of the Gospel referred to as ‘the truth’ is found in this passage, which speaks of God’s wonderful grace, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4 ESV). A true Christian loves the truth (1 John 3:18), speaks the truth (Ephesians 4:15; 25), walks in the truth (2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:3-4), and works for the truth (3 John 1:8). A Christian’s life should be characterized by a love for the truth. Those who are lost, are lost because, “…they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10 ESV). The Bible also tells us that it is the responsibility of the Church to guard the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15), to learn what it says, and to mold ourselves after its teachings, “…rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Not only are we to embrace the Truth that sets us free, but we are to treat others truthfully and honestly, “…having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame”

The Armor of God Series: Part 5 (Belt of Truth)

(1 Peter 3:16 ESV). Believers represent Christ; therefore, they must be characterized by truthfulness.

CONCLUSION In biblical times, the belt in someone’s armor functioned as the foundation for all the other pieces of the armor. The belt performed a foundational duty in the ancient soldier’s armor, much as truth performs a foundational duty in our spiritual armor. No matter what confronts us in our life, we can rely on the Truth of God’s Word to be rock solid for our Christian faith. The Word contains the Gospel by which we are saved, it contains guidelines by which we are to live, and it contains God’s promises to His followers through which He guarantees certain things to faithful believers. When other philosophies come against the Word of God, we can take comfort in the fact that God has given us His Truth within the pages of the Bible. The better we know the content of the Bible, the better equipped we will be to distinguish truth from falsehood. Having a solid grasp of the Truth contained within the Bible enables us to confidently hang the other elements of our Christian faith on a solid foundation.

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The Armor of God Series: Part 6 (Sandals of Peace)

Ephesians 6:15 says: “…and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace” . The third piece of the believer’s spiritual armor is his shoes. There is an emphasis in this verse on peace. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9 ESV). We are put off by any so-called Christian organization or group that advocates violence as a means of getting its message heard. The reason we recoil at this is because our message is a message of peace; it is illogical and counterproductive to try to spread a message of peace by using violence. Peace is a very important element in the message of the good news of Jesus Christ.

WE MUST BE 'PREPARED' TO SHARE THE GOSPEL OF PEACE Sandals and shoes make the feet ready for travel. The Christian must be prepared to take the Gospel to a lost and hurting humanity. “Preparedness’ means that the believer is always ready, even eager, to move for the Gospel’s sake. The Christian not only knows the Gospel and is a partaker of its salvation, but he or she is able to explain to unbelievers how they might also know this Good News (1 Peter 3:15). Not only that, but the believer must be prepared in his/her own heart and mind. The Christian must not only know what he or she believes, but why he or she believes it. This is important for a confident, unshakable faith.

FIRST, WE MUST HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THAT COMES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST We read in the book of Acts that those who put their faith in Jesus have, “…peace through Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:36 ESV). The apostle Paul states it very clearly when he writes, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 ESV, cf. Romans 15:13; Colossians 3:15). The source of peace is God just as He is the source of love. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27 ESV). When we have been forgiven and reconciled to God through faith in Jesus, we can confidently approach any witnessing situation knowing that we are protected by God’s grace, love, and strength. If our relationship with God is as it should be, we have nothing to fear when we face non-believers, because God’s Word promises us, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”(Philippians 4:7 ESV).

WE SHOULD STRIVE TO HAVE PEACE WITH OTHERS The Kingdom of God is characterized by peace (1 Corinthians 14:33); it is not a kingdom of chaos as we see too often here on earth. Part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is peace (Galatians 5:21); therefore, one of the evidences that we are saved should be an attitude of peace which surrounds us. We should treat everyone in ways that promote peace.

The Armor of God Series: Part 6 (Sandals of Peace)

In the book of Romans, Paul admonishes us, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18 ESV). The Bible says that, when we are faithfully serving the Lord, even our relationships with unbelievers should be better, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7 ESV).

PEACE SHOULD BE A CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH The apostle Paul wrote, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up building” (Romans 14:19 ESV, cf. 2 Timothy 2:22). In the book of First Thessalonians, Paul repeats the idea when he writes, “Be at peace among yourselves”. As Paul finishes his letter entitled Second Corinthians, he writes, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV). Jesus instructed His disciples to, “be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:50 ESV). As a body of believers, we are to treat each other in a manner that promotes peace. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12 ESV). Jesus was stressing the fact that those who claim to be His followers will treat each other in a loving, peaceful way. There is a hurting lost world out there watching us to see if we truly have the answer to life’s questions or not. Jesus pointed this out when He said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV). In order for the body of Christ, the Church, to function as it should and be a witness to the world, we must treat each other with love and peace.

WE ARE TO SHARE THE MESSAGE OF PEACE WITH THE WORLD We, as Christian, are to be ambassadors for Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:20); we are to take the message of salvation to a lost and hurting world, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV, cf. Acts 1:8). When we share the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, we are in essence spreading peace. Those to whom we share, who trust Christ as their Savior, will know peace with God, peace with others, and then they too will be ambassadors for Christ, empowered to take the Gospel of peace to others. A lost and rebellious world will seldom come looking for salvation; it is the responsibility of the Christian to take the initiative in sharing his or her faith, always in a loving way, so that others may enter the Kingdom of Heaven, “And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

The Armor of God Series: Part 6 (Sandals of Peace)

(Romans 10:15 ESV).

CONCLUSION The Gospel of Jesus Christ contains within it the idea of peace. There are several aspects of this peace: peace with God, peace with others, and peace within the body of believers. The Christian should always be ready to go where God leads him or her in order to share the saving message of Jesus Christ: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” (Isaiah 52:7 ESV)

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The Armor of God Series: Part 7 (Sword of the Spirit)

The final piece in the Armor of God is the Word of God, “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:17-18 ESV). The Word of God is synonymous with the mind of God. It originates in God and it is communicated to us by God. Because He loves us, He tells us what He wants us to know. In Old Testament times, God spoke directly to the Prophets and had them write down what He told them (2 Peter 1:21). In our day, we have this written record plus the record of Jesus’ time on earth, the beginnings of the church He inaugurated, and instructions on how to live as one dedicated to loving and following Him as Lord, Creator, and God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The apostle Paul, here in Ephesians 6:17, calls it a sword.

THE WORD SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MOLD OUR HEARTS AND MINDS “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 ESV). God’s Word is more than a history book; it contains the very words God wants us to know. Francis Chan writes, “Think of how you would respond to hearing a voice from heaven speaking directly to you. We should approach the Bible with the same reverence” (Chan). Christians should, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Peter 2:2 ESV). “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV). The Bible is our instruction book on living the Christian life. However, it is much more than that when we read and study it in faith, allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate its message. We should allow, even desire, the Word to mold us into what God would have us be. For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16 ESV).

THE WORD TEACHES US THE TRUTH The apostle Paul instructed the Christians as Colossae to be on the lookout for deceptive teachers, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8 ESV). He also warned his young apprentice pastor, Timothy, with these words, “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge …” (2 Timothy 6:20 ESV). In the fifth chapter of Ephesians, Paul warns the church in Ephesus to guard against false teaching; “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6 ESV).

The Armor of God Series: Part 7 (Sword of the Spirit)

We are to guard our hearts and minds against deceptive teaching. However, how do we know what the truth is? The Truth is contained in the Word of God, the Bible. Jesus, in a prayer for His disciples, said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17 ESV). Jesus used Scripture when He was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; cf. Luke 4:1-13). Jesus is our example in everything. He relied on the Truth of God’s Word to defeat Satan; so should we.

THE WORD PROTECTS BELIEVERS By studying God’s Word and letting it mold our lives, we have protection from lies and falsehoods that could lead us down a path to eternal punishment, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5 ESV). When we wrap ourselves in the Truth of God’s Word, God protects us from harm; there is no enemy, no tragedy, nor any false teaching that is mightier than our God, “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30 ESV).

THE WORD SHOULD BE USED AS THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDES US Ephesians 6:17 tells us that the Word of God is the “…sword of the Spirit…”, this indicates that we must wield and/or apply the Bible’s content only as the Holy Spirit leads and confirms. This keeps us from misinterpreting the Bible’s teaching for our lives or bashing anyone else for the sin we perceive in theirs. Verse 18 of Ephesians 6 tells us that, after donning all the armor of God, we should be in constant prayer (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:17). This reinforces the concept that it is the Spirit of God who guides us as we engage in spiritual battle. We must never be so arrogant as to think that we are able to live the Christian life under our own power.

THE WORD IS INSTRUMENTAL IN SALVATION The apostle Paul wrote to the church of Rome, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 ESV). The apostle Peter connected the Word of God directly to salvation, “…since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…” (1 Peter 1:23 ESV). “…how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard…” (Hebrews 2:3 ESV).

The Armor of God Series: Part 7 (Sword of the Spirit)

The biblical record indicates that salvation is dependent on one being exposed to the Word of God. The disciples met the living Word, Jesus. Since that time, men and women have been confronted with the spoken Word , the written Word, or the Word in one form or another. However, every form of the Word is a manifestation of the character of God. Additionally, in every case, the one who rejected the Word, in whatever form, rejected forgiveness of their sin and eternal salvation (Hebrews 12:25; Jude 1:8).

CONCLUSION If we trust God’s Word, and allow it to mold our hearts and minds, it will teach us truth and protect us from that which would lead us away from Him. If we will allow the Holy Spirit to guide us as to how and when to employ Scripture, we will be enlightened, empowered, and equipped to spread the good news of God’s glory everywhere we go. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:7-11 ESV) This concludes the 'Armor of the God' Series. We hope these posts have been a blessing to you and you can feel confident knowing that in Jesus, you possess every thing necessary to stand firm against the wiles of the enemy through Christ Jesus

About the Author

Robert Driskell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Pastoral Ministries and Biblical Studies from Mid-America Christian University in 1995. He is convinced that the hope of the world lies in men and women having a saving relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Robert believes that the Bible contains the truth that God wants us to base our lives upon. He is passionate about understanding the Bible and helping others do the same. Only when one views life through the lens of the Bible can one arrive at a worldview based on truth. Robert is happily married and lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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