Suit Up

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“Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:10-17

Suit up. Yes, I am 100% picturing Barney from How I Met Your Mother while saying that! One of the many funny things about Barney is that he is always wearing a suit (I mean his pajamas are even a silk suit! So ridiculous). Why does he always wear a suit? Two reasons: First, if you know the premise of the show at all, you’ll know that Barney’s character is a huge womanizer. A suit is a must if you’re trying to impress the ladies. The second reason is to show his position of power and authority. This identity is something that carries over for him from his workplace to his day to day life (although, part of the joke is that no one knows what his job is . . . but the every-moment-suit-wearer gives his friends the impression that he works a high class job where he gets paid tons of money). Whether Barney wears a suit for the girls, or to symbolize his position at work, it is a part of who he is and what he does and everyone knows this about him. Everyone expects it from him! As Christians, we also have a suit to wear. This suit should be one that we put on daily, one that the enemy expects us to be wearing and one that represents and reminds us of our identity and daily participation in the Kingdom of God. This suit is called the Armor of God.

A few weeks ago, my weekly discipleship group was studying Ephesians 6. One of the girls mentioned how she prays this armor over herself every single day. Part of the reason that is a value for her is because, growing up, it was something her mom often prayed over her. You mean to say this was an every day kind of routine for her family? Is there something the rest of us are missing out on here by not doing the same? Let me say a resounding ‘YES’! And missing out on praying this over ourselves daily is actual exactly what the enemy wants.

In 1 Corinthians we come across the famous passage of the Body of Christ. This ‘body’, is a spiritual body made up of all the believers with all of their specific gifts and talents. We are all unique, but God crafts us each to be a part of this body to work together to build one another up and to share Jesus with the world. This body does not look like a typical ‘dad bod’, but is a body built for war. . . . a body of a soldier. And we need to dress appropriately to share our position and to be ready on every occasion for an attack. If you’re a Christian, you were built for this battle and you have been thrown into the ultimate fight. Each day there is so much going on spiritually that I don’t think we can ever imagine and often that we choose not to recognize. One of the biggest tactics of the enemy is to get us to forget (or deem unimportant) the unseen war happening around us at all times. Because of this, our guard will come down. And, an unguarded target is an easy target.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 6:12

The Matthew Henry Commentary on Ephesians 6 says: “We have enemies to fight against, a captain to fight for, a banner to fight under, and certain rules of war by which we are to govern ourselves.” If we know all of this to be true, and we know that the struggle around us is much more than what can be seen, then what are we going TO DO about it? Well, hopefully when we know better we will choose to do better. Yes, that’s convicting. But my hope is that now that I have thought of this and shared it with you, the both of us will put into action, through prayer, what we have learned and remember the significance and the privilege it is, as a Christian, to fight for God’s team.

What exactly is this armor and what is the spiritual significance of what we will be praying over ourselves?

The Armor of God can be compared to a Roman’s military armor during the the time that this letter was written to the Ephesians. After all, Rome was the hub and the central power at this time (with Ephesus being a leading part of the Roman Empire) and the letter recipients would have understood the author’s comparisons made to Roman soldiers.

1. Belt of Truth. As you can see, the belt goes around the core of the body, holding up the rest of the armor and, in particular, holding the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God). With a strong and secure core, you can stand firm no matter what comes your way. If you forgot to put on your belt, there would be no sword and the rest of your armor would come crashing to the ground. The belt, as God’s Truth, must be the core of everything. If we don’t hold God’s Truth at the center, and we choose to accept whatever suits our needs (typically according to the way the world influences us), we are left defenseless. And the problem is, it is easy to be influenced away from God’s Truth! That’s why we need to be diligent in putting on our Belt of Truth and by daily focusing on the Truth that God has graciously put into our hands – the Holy Bible.

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Joshua 1:8

2. Breastplate of Righteousness. The breastplate is the piece of armor that covers the chest. It goes over the heart and protects the vital organs during battle. I always think of the breastplate of righteousness as a covering over our identity. Our heart often represents the essence of who we are. When we talk about our heart or what is on our heart, it often represents the deepest part of us. When we are praying the breastplate of righteousness over ourselves, we are remembering Christ’s righteousness – which is now ours in Him! I think that one of the greatest attacks of the enemy on Christians is to make us forget or question who God has called us to be. The breastplate protects that identity and reminds us of our righteousness.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

1 Peter 2:9

3. Shoes of the Gospel of Peace. The shoes are a vital part of a warrior’s attire. Roman soldiers wore shoes called ‘caligae’. These shoes helped protect their feet on their long marches into battle. The shoes also had spikes on the bottom to help them stand firm throughout their travels. The shoes were the ‘firm foundation’ of their outfit. I always thought of the shoes of peace to signify the peace we should pursue in our relationships with one another and to remember the peace we have in our relationship with God through Christ. I believe that to be true! However, whenever thinking about the shoes, I always seemed to leave out the word ‘gospel’. When I remembered that they are not just the shoes of peace but the shoes of the GOSPEL of peace, that enhances the meaning. The shoes were the firm foundation of the soldier’s outfit, just like the Gospel (which means ‘good news’) of Jesus is the foundation of everything we believe. And that gospel doesn’t just stay stationary, but moves with us, leaving an imprint (a footprint) wherever we go. When we pray to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace, we are asking God to help us stand firm in the good news of Jesus, but to also increase our impact and give us opportunities to share about Him and be the living example of Christ in the world.

” . . . for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’

Romans 10:12-15

4. Shield of Faith. The shield is the primary defensive weapon for battle. Roman soldier’s shields were made with impenetrable materials and doused in water before battle to be able to extinguish the fiery arrows of the enemy. The shield is different from the rest of the armor because it has to be moved in order to be used effectively. When moved around, it has the ability to protect the entire body. You have to put your faith into action and be intentional about it in order to ‘use’ it effectively. Jesus perfected faith (Hebrews 12:2) and God is the source of our faith. When we pray to be armed with the shield of faith, we are praying to remember that our faith is not our own and to asks the Lord to increase what He has so graciously given us.

That’s not where it ends though! As you can see from the image above, the soldier’s have coordinated putting their shields together in order to make an effective barrier. A soldier’s shield is the strongest when it’s linked with another’s shield. How beautiful! Our faith is also the strongest when we can come together in community, looking for opportunities to pour into, strengthen and uplift the faith of other believers. When we pray for the shield of faith, we are praying for opportunities to link together with others for the sake of the Kingdom.

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37

“And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

5. Helmet of Salvation. The soldier’s head is one of his most vulnerable areas. A single blow to the head is fatal in battle. There are two parts to the helmet of salvation. First, it is referring to the exact moment of salvation. Without that moment and the Holy Spirit coming inside to live with us, all the other armor is useless. And, without the helmet of salvation we are open to the final, most fatal blow to our souls. When we pray for the helmet of salvation onto our heads, it is truly a moment to thank God for that initial moment of salvation. It is a daily reminder of God’s grace and goodness and a call to think on that throughout our day . . . because it’s the whole reason that we are even able to pray the armor on in the first place!

Second, it reminds us to pray for the salvation of others and to fight for those around us. Putting this helmet on is a reminder of why we are here and what we are doing. It keeps our mind focused on the things of God.

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:2

6. Sword of the Spirit. The sword is the only offensive part of the armor. And, when you read Ephesians 6, it doesn’t just say “the sword of the Spirit” but it says “the sword of the Spirit – WHICH is the Word of God.” The very Word of God is our only weapon. This has two meanings. First, the Word as in the scriptures. In Matthew 4, when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He used the Words of the prophets, the Word of the Lord, to combat what the enemy was tempting Him with. It was His weapon against evil. When we pray to wield the Sword of the Spirit we can pray for God to bring reminders to us of what His Word is to use against the enemy in times of trouble.

Second, the Word is Christ Himself. The recognition I had of this the other day brought such comfort. Jesus, the victorious King Himself, is our weapon against evil. Do you find yourself trying to fight your own battles against sin? Pray to use the Sword and remember that God Himself does the fighting: “The Lord your God will fight for you, you need only be still” (Exodus 14:14). Trust in Him to fight your battles.

“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

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:1-5

So now that we know the power and the great significance of this protection, what excuse do we have to no use it? It is time to suit up. Each morning is new and each day is fresh, so don’t be caught unaware or unprepared. Let’s take time to pray this armor on our self each and every day. For protection yes, but also a reminder of the battle, which will instill in us a godly perspective. Each part of the armor is a piece for battle – offensive or defensive. But more than that it’s all a reminder each day of what’s truly important. A call to action, a call to mission and a remembrance of the fight against evil and of the war waged daily against us. I know, it’s hard to be consistent with praying this every day because we don’t see the spiritual ramification of putting something as powerful as the very armor of God upon ourselves. It seems like an empty prayer, but we must have faith that God is taking our words and placing this invisible, impenetrable barrier around us. It is time to suit up!

Written by: Justine Joy