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. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
(Ephesians 6:13-18 ESV)

Every soldier who heads into battle must be prepared. A soldier carries protective gear, supplies, ammunition and weapons. Everything needed for defensive and offensive support is included in a soldier’s outfitting. The Christian has also been given spiritual armament for the battle as well.

The belt of truth – Although we are told that today’s generation is no longer concerned with truth, that may be an overstatement of the situation. For instance, most of us are still angry if we aren’t provided with truth in advertising. If we are told that a product provides this service when it doesn’t, we are upset. We don’t appreciate our government officials telling us lies about political situations. We would not want our physician lying to us about our health. We don’t like being lied to on a personal level. We want our friends to be honest with us. It’s just ultimate truth that we have rejected. The absolute truth about ultimate realities, the truth that is always true for everyone everywhere all the time throughout all generations, is what our culture rejects. It’s what Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer would call truth Truth. Truth for many in our generation is truth that is true for me but not necessarily for you. It is true in this situation but not necessarily in every circumstance. It is true for now but may change later. This is fickle truth that cannot be counted on. Fortunately, Christians are given true Truth. His Word is true. He is not a man that He should lie. Our Savior is the way, the truth and the life. His truth sets us free. And we are to speak the truth in love. We have believed the truth. Truth is a binding force in our lives, providing a source of stability and strength. Truth is absolutely essential as a defense to the lies of the devil and the errors and falsehoods of people.

The breastplate of righteousness – Recognizing that vital organs lie in the chest area and need protection, soldiers have been given protective gear to guard this important region of the body. The breastplate is such a provision. Righteousness, or rightness, refers to right thinking and right living. How do we guard our faith? How do we guard our passion? How do we guard our commitment? These are sensitive areas in the Christian life. We cannot think and live loosely and maintain a guard on our internal spiritual life. Some may seek the illusion that we can live as we please and still maintain a pure, healthy and committed spiritual life, but when we face reality, we see that what we think and how we live affect who we are deeply. Righteousness, provided by God and imparted to us, maintains a guard over our spiritual life.

Gospel shoes – The soldier’s feet may seem inconsequential in the overall scheme of battle gear, but they are not. The feet serve as the foundation for stability and mobility. The Roman soldier wore boots laced up the foot to the top of the ankle to give support and spiked to provide added strength. In this passage, Christians are challenged three times to “stand.” The gospel provides the foundation for “standing firm.” When I remember how much my salvation has cost (the life of my Savior), how indebted I am (I owe a price I could not pay), and how blessed I am (with every spiritual blessing), I am motivated to stand firm in the face of hardship, difficulties, and opposition. The gospel tells me I am a sinner saved by grace. The one who has been forgiven much loves much. This is the gospel of peace. Jesus promised his disciples that He would leave with them His peace. The Apostle Paul tells us that the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6). Peace with God, at peace within myself, and working to spread peace in my relationships provide the strength to stand firm.

The shield of faith – Probably one of the first protective elements used was a shield of some sort. Shields are used to deflect the offensive weapons and blows of the enemy. Faith could refer to “the doctrines of faith” we have believed or it may refer to our trust in Christ, the act of faith. It could be that the two, believing and what we believe, are interconnected and both are in view. This shield of faith protects us from “the flaming darts of the evil one.” What are these “flaming darts?” Well, we know that Satan is a liar. When the thought is planted in my mind that I am not good enough, my faith reminds me I don’t have to be good enough. I have trusted Christ and His goodness and forgiveness. When I think that I cannot face this situation or make it through that trial or endure that person, my faith reminds me that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” When I am tempted to think that I have had to sacrifice more than others, that my situation in life is not fair, that I am not treated well, my faith reminds me that I am no better than the One who gave Himself for me, that I have been blessed beyond measure, and that I have a home prepared for me with Him. My faith defends me against Satan’s lies and other devices, such as appealing to my pity, anger, resentment, pride, etc.

The helmet of salvation – The need for headgear is universally acknowledged. The battle is won here. What we see, how we respond, the split-second decisions we make, the tactics we employ, all originate here. The Bible reminds us that Christians have the mind of Christ. We are told we must “think” on the things that are good, beneficial, and profitable. We are told to think “soberly.” We are told that we must guard our thinking. We are commanded to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). In battle, a clear mind is essential. Mistakes made during heavy fighting can have disastrous consequences. Our salvation provides us with the wisdom and resources to think clearly about God, ourselves, others, and our circumstances. We make bad decisions when we refuse to rely on our provision. We have no excuse for foggy thinking.

The sword of the Spirit – the Word of God. This is a powerful weapon that we fail to utilize, either because we aren’t familiar with it, don’t know how to use it, or underestimate its effectiveness. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 KJV). The Apostle Paul describes our warfare this way:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
(2 Corinthians 10:4-5 ESV)

We do not wage war according to the flesh. Our enemies are false ideas, philosophies, and thinking. We confront them with the truth of the Word of God.

Prayer – Many people stop describing the Christian’s armor with the sword of the Spirit. But there is no break between the sword of the Spirit and prayer. My ESV Study Bible calls prayer “the main weapon of spiritual warfare.” As underutilized as the Word of God often is, prayer is possibly the more underutilized weapon. In battle, every soldier understands that the lines of communication need to be established, maintained and guarded. The only way for waging an effective campaign is to stay in touch with HQ. Out of touch with command center, soldiers are vulnerable, not knowing where to turn, when to move ahead, how to proceed. Prayer is the Christian’s “walkie-talkie,” keeping us in touch with Command Center. When are we to pray? “At all times.” In what attitude? “In the Spirit.” How? “With all prayer and supplication.” In what frame of mind? “Keep alert with all perseverance.” For what do I pray? “Making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.” We are told elsewhere to live in an attitude of prayerfulness, “praying without ceasing.”

Soldiers whose armaments are adequate will not be able to blame their failure on their equipment. Failure to utilize the equipment effectively will more likely be the problem. The Christian has been outfitted with the most effective and powerful resources for the battle. We must rely on these resources to wage the war against the forces of evil.