The Armor of God (pt. 1)

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. 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. 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 6:10-13 ESV).

 

As the Apostle Paul comes to the conclusion of his letter he writes, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (v. 10). It is in the following verses that he uses a very familiar image to his readers to describe the defensive and offensive weapons we have been given from God “to stand firm” (v. 13). In that day it was a very common sight to see Roman soldiers in the streets patrolling and keeping the peace. Just as we are very familiar with the uniform of our police officers, so they were familiar with the uniform of the Romans. He will list these in subsequent verse, and we will look at each piece. Today, I want to call your attention to the need for such equipment.

 

The contrast that the apostle uses is very important to note. He says that our real enemies are not “flesh and blood,” which is a reference to the things we can see. I find it interesting that we often see our challenges in terms of things or people that we have difficulty with. The truth is the real enemy is in the spiritual realm, the “powers of darkness.”

 

Let me use a minor inconvenience as an example. Imagine you’re in the grocery store, the lines are long and you only have a few items that you need to pay for, while others have baskets full of groceries. You patiently wait your turn and are next in line when the clerk and the customer begin a lengthy conversation “catching up” on all the things their kids are doing. What could have been a few minutes turns into fifteen, which feels like eternity. Is that really a problem with the clerk and her friend, or is that a problem you’re having with your internal mindset and the temptation to express your impatience? Our real enemies are “the world, the flesh, and the devil.” Paul urges us to use the armor of God to protect us from these things so that we might “stand firm.”

 

Today, renew you commitment to put on this armor and protect yourself from the darkness of our fallen world.