Ephesians 6:11 – 17 reads as follows:
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Hence, from reading this passage, there are 6 things that make up the armor of God that we NEED to have to stand against the tricks of the devil and to fight against principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places.
Those 6 things are:
- The Belt of Truth
- The Breastplate of Righteousness
- The Shoes of Peace
- The Shield of Faith
- The Helmet of Salvation
- The Sword of the Spirit
When you receive Jesus Christ, you receive 3 of these 6. It would appear from the verb tenses in Ephesians 6:14,15 that three of the pieces of armor – belt, breastplate, and shoes – are already on you: “having girded,” “having put on,” “having shod.”
These pieces of armor represent the elements of your protection made available when you receive Jesus Christ and in which you are commanded to STAND FIRM.
The past tense of the verb, “having,” signifies that the action it refers to was completed before we were commanded to stand firm.
That’s the logical way a soldier would prepare for action: He would put on his belt, breastplate, and shoes before attempting to stand firm. Likewise, we are to put on the full armor of God after having already put on Christ by receiving Jesus Christ into our lives.
The Rest of the Armor
Paul mentions three more pieces of armor that we must take up to protect ourselves from Satan’s attack: the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The first three (belt, breastplate, and shoes) are established by our position in Christ; the last three (shield, helmet and the sword) help us continue winning the battle.
Find out more about these things that make up the Armor of God by clicking on each one.
- The Belt of Truth
- The Breastplate of Righteousness
- The Shoes of Peace
- The Shield of Faith
- The Helmet of Salvation
- The Sword of the Spirit
- The Armor of God. How Do I Put It ON??? Do I Have God’s armor already?
References:
King James Version of The Bible
Anderson, Neil. The Bondage Breaker.Eugene:Harvest House, 2000. Print
I am so glad that the Lord has left us well equipped with the tools we need to withstand any satanic attacks. The Bible says that God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness. Therefore, everything we need to live a godly life has been given us. We have no need to fear, or feel ill-equipped for this journey. We already have everything we need. Thanks for your dedication in encouraging God’s people with the word of God. May the Lord continue to reward your faithfulness, and continue to bless your ministry.
Thank you SO much for the encouragement. As referenced by the prophet Jeremiah 20 verse 9, his word is in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones. God has provided, IS providing and will ALWAYS provide for those that love and know Him. He loves us with an EVERLASTING love and would NEVER send us into the battle with NO covering. He will NOT lie to us. I also agree that we have NOTHING to fear because He has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. Be encouraged also to fulfill the call that God has for your life.