The Full Armor of God

Scripture Reading
“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.”
— Ephesians 6:13–17 (ESV)

This is a widely known and talked about scripture, but I think we take it for granted. Take a walk through this passage with me as we look at it from a practical perspective.

Every believer is called to battle—not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of darkness. Paul reminds us that to stand firm, we must put on the whole armor of God. Each piece serves a divine purpose in defending and advancing our faith.

The belt of truth is where it all begins. A belt holds everything together. Without truth, everything falls apart. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) To live truthfully, to speak truthfully, and to walk in truth is to walk in Christ Himself. What does it mean to “Walk in truth” simply put to Know Jesus is the only way to the Father. Knowing this it shapes everything else wo do, we must tell the truth, even if its not popular. We must filter the lies of the enemy and not be entangled in a snare of lies. In an old song it states ‘‘You’ve got to stand for something or You’ll fall for anything”, so Stand for Truth in all circumstances. And if you don’t put on your belt, its gonna be hard to fight when your pants keep falling down!

Next comes the breastplate of righteousness—a covering that guards our heart, both morally and spiritually. It represents living an upright life, walking in integrity, and protecting what is most sacred—our relationship with Christ. What does this look like in day to day life? For me a big part of this is controlling what I let into my daily life, vulgar language , Lust, the “Acceptance culture”, Hate, Etc… . That’s hard to do in our culture, but it is easy when you make small shifts in daily behaviors, instead of a “R” rated movie how about some reading time. Instead of Doom scrolling social media put the phones up and have a family game or just a conversation. You don’t have to be a Nun or Monk in a monastery, just make better decisions one at a time.

Then we have the shoes of the gospel of peace. The Roman soldiers’ footwear was revolutionary—it gave them endurance and stability, allowing them to march farther and faster than any army before them. In the same way, the gospel gives us strength to walk long distances through the rough terrain of life. As believers we are ALL called to “go and make disciples.” This doesn't mean everyone is called to go to the ends of the earth and live in mud huts and spread the gospel(Some are), But it does mean we all have some part in spreading the good news. Practically we each can do this by just being Christ like everyday, as hard as it is, people are watching you and how you act determines their out look on Jesus. Again small decisions each day can make a huge impact. Be grateful, be kind, be truthful, and be ready to share the gospel anywhere! As far as mission filed, it starts when you put your feet on the floor, you house, your community, etc…….., All the way to the ends of the earth. Find where God is calling you to serve.

The shield of faith protects us from the enemy’s fiery darts—those doubts, lies, and temptations meant to wound us. Roman shields came in two forms: one small for close one on one combat, this one would sustain the soldier for a moment however they had another one large enough to cover the body( About the size of a house door). When soldiers stood side by side, their shields locked together, forming an unbreakable wall. The enemy would shoot arrows on fire through the air and they would sink into the shields and be extinguished. Faith works the same way, When believers stand united, the enemy’s attacks lose their power. Jesus DID NOT DO IT ALONE, he had the disciples. So how is it we think we can? We need community, we need other believers to strengthen and help us defend against the constant attacks from the enemy. Find Community.

The helmet of salvation guards the mind. This is crucial because the mind is the enemy’s favorite battlefield. Whispered lies like “You’ll never be good enough” or “Just give in one more time” can wear us down. But through salvation in Christ, we are renewed, redeemed, and covered by grace. My Favorite Quote of all time is “The Man on the Middle Cross said I Could”. This refers to a sermon depicting the thief on the cross showing up in heaven and being questioned on how he got there. We must remember and remind ourselves daily that HE chose us, and that we belong to Him. So when the enemy tries his best tactics they will because we belong to the man on the middle cross!

All these thing items so far have been defensive, but Christians should always be on the offense.

“ GO Therefore…..” not Stay therefore!

Finally, we take up the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. Unlike the other pieces, this one is meant for offense. Jesus Himself wielded this sword when tempted by Satan, saying, “It is written…” (Matthew 4:4) The Word of God silences lies, pierces darkness, and strengthens the believer. Caution, to many times well meaning Christians wield this sword and cause harm. Any weapon in an un skilled persons hand is dangerous, so learn your weapon and become an expert in its uses. Read the word, commit it to your heart, understand its meaning and use it wisely. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you!

As followers of Christ, we are not called to retreat. We are called to advance. The Christian life is not passive—it is a daily stand against evil, equipped with prayer, truth, and the living Word.

So before you step into your day, pause and prepare.
Fasten your belt. Adjust your armor. Lift your shield. Sharpen your sword.

Because today, you are stepping onto a battlefield.
And victory belongs to those who are dressed for it.

Prayer
Father,
Thank You for equipping me with Your armor.
Teach me to walk daily in truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation.
Strengthen me to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy,
and remind me to wield Your Word with confidence and love.
Help me to fight not from fear, but from victory—knowing You have already overcome.
In Christ’s name. Amen.

Takeaway
You can’t face a spiritual battle with earthly weapons.
Put on your armor.
Stand firm.
And march forward—fully equipped, fully covered, and fully confident in Christ.