Building The Body Study 20 - Weapons for the Body
Ephesians 6:10-20 NIV
[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. [12] 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. [13] Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. [14] Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, [15] and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [16] In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [18] And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. [19] Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, [20] for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.10-20.NIV)
We now come to one of the most incredibly misunderstood passages in the Bible.
To understand it correctly, we must prise it apart from fantasy, fiction and even some church practice and tradition and see what it actually says.
Many interpretations of what spiritual warfare is owe their fantastical ideas more to horror and fantasy movies, wild fringe traditions and even paganism. They have nothing at all to do with the Bible.
Let’s bust a few myths to start with.
The devil is no match for God. At no point in time is he presented in Scripture as battling with an equal. Instead, he is utterly subordinate and totally defeated. That is why he is forced to resort to subterfuge rather than full frontal attacks.
People are not engaged in spiritual warfare by praying for or assisting angels in prayer. That aspect is never mentioned in Scripture and is pure fiction.
The battle over satan is not won because we pray. The battle is already won at the cross. We can do nothing to add to it. We just need to enter into it.
Spiritual warfare is often linked to demonology and exorcisms. The Bible does not stipulate any rituals for exorcisims because – and this may come as a surprise for horror film afficionados – there is no requirement for any rituals to be carried out. Look at all of the exorcisms in the Gospels. Look at all the exorcisms in Acts.
Do you see any rituals?
No.
Jesus and His disciples simply stand on His authority and tell the demons to flee, and they do. There is no violence. There are no blood sacrifices. There are no spinning heads or bright red eyeballs or anything like that.
Why?
Because the demons are a defeated force and on Jesus Christ’s authority they must flee.
Look at this verse:
Luke 8:31 NIV
[31] And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.8.31.NIV)
Why would they do this? Why would they beg Jesus like this?
Because Jesus has full, final and complete authority over them. When He commands, they must comply.
Because they and their lord are utterly defeated foes.
The Bible is clear: satan only acts under and is completely limited by the power and authority of God. He and his minions cannot act without God’s knowledge and control.
That’s it to say that he can’t do damage. The millions of lives he has wrecked and continues to wreck on a daily basis testify to that. But his power, authority and even his very existence (Revelation 12:12) is not unlimited.
So what we see here is not some kind of Christianised ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Let’s be absolutely clear on that. It bears no resemblance at all to the fictional fantasies of those who are quick to denounce the evils of board games like ‘Dungeons and Dragons’, but just as quick to twist the Word of God and indulge in their own fantasies to make themselves look good.
Look at this verse:
Colossians 2:18 NIV
[18] Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/col.2.18.NIV)
There is a very good reason why we don’t see Biblical leaders indulging in some of the so-called ‘spiritual warfare’ like some fringes of the church.
It’s because it’s not for us to do.
Our warfare is different.
So what are these verses really about? How and where do we wage warfare?
All Christians should be physical pacifists but spiritual warriors.
How?
Our warfare is spiritual and every Christian is enlisted from the moment they accept Jesus as their Saviour.
But our warfare is not running around battling demons and carrying out exorcisms all over the place like some kind of twisted computer game.
This is rather more serious than that.
Look again at the weapons in these verses and what they represent.
Assurance of salvation.
Righteousness.
Faith.
Truth.
Readiness to share the Gospel.
These aren’t the kind of weapons you would incorporate into some esoteric pseudo-spiritual ritual.
No, these are all things that every Christian needs to survive and thrive in deeply challenging situations.
Yes, the Ephesians were a very spiritually-aware people. Yes, dramatic healings and exorcisms had taken place there.
But not every Ephesian Christian would have been involved in them, while these verses were written to every Christian.
So what advice was Paul writing in these verses that would help all of us?
There are six things Paul told us to do. The first of these is to Be Strong.
Be Strong
Ephesians 6:10 NIV
[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.10.NIV)
I am typing this study on a mobile phone. It’s quite an old one so the battery isn’t great. During the day it will likely need to be plugged in for a top up charge.
Now, I want you to imagine that you have a phone like mine. The battery is running low on charge. You don’t have a cable or a power bank with you and there is no wireless charging point nearby.
If you say to your phone ‘Be charged!’ will the phone battery immediately leap to 100%?
Of course not! Basic physics dictates that it must be connected to a power source, otherwise it won’t charge.
Whenever someone is having a tough time, either physically or psychologically, we often say to them ‘Be strong!’ or ‘Stay strong!’, but if we’re honest, we’ll realise that it’s a bit nonsensical.
It’s a bit like commanding my phone battery to be charged.
Struggle and pain cause our strength to deplete, and sometimes quicker than we would expect. We need to recharge.
But where do we find the strength we need?
David found out, when he was under intense and unrelenting pressure:
1 Samuel 30:6 NIV
[6] David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1sa.30.6.NIV)
That’s why finding strength in the Lord became a constant refrain in the Psalms:
Psalms 18:1-2 NIV
[1] I love you, Lord, my strength. [2] The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.18.1-2.NIV)
Psalms 28:7-8 NIV
[7] The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. [8] The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.28.7-8.NIV)
So how do we obtain this strength, this power?
How else but through a three-pinned plug?
The first pin is prayer. We obtain power when we admit that we cannot deal with the situation on our own and we need God’s help.
Psalms 43:5 NIV
[5] Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.43.5.NIV)
The second pin is promises. We read the Word of God and are encouraged and assured by His promises to us.
2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV
[20] For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/2co.1.20.NIV)
The third pin is to pass: that is, to pass our problems to God and leave them there, as these verses tell us:
Psalms 55:22 NIV
[22] Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.55.22.NIV)
1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV
[6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. [7] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1pe.5.6-7.NIV)
What we have to understand is that there are generally two reasons why we feel powerless.
One reason is then we actually are powerless: the situation we find ourselves in is way above our pay grade to resolve.
The second reason is when we should have the power to resolve the situation, but our power has been so depleted by dealing with it that we no longer have the power to do so.
For those situations, we pray, stand on God’s promises and pass the situation to Him because – and there is no shame in admitting this – there is genuinely nothing at all we can do to resolve it. Once we stop trying to bear this load, which we were never made to carry, and give it to God, the power drain ends and we slowly become powerful once more.
We can see, then, why it’s not enough to simply tell someone to be strong. They need to know how and they need to know through whom.
There is no-one better to give them the strength than God Himself.
Apart from being strong, the second thing Paul told us to do is Prepare for Battle.
Prepare for Battle
Ephesians 6:11 NIV
[11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.11.NIV)
My in-laws come from a country where natural disasters of varying ferocity happen every year. They are prepared for it. As prepared as they can be. They gave grab bags to go with in an emergency. They have copies of the emergency service numbers. They know where their local evacuation centres are.
They are ready because they have to be.
In Japan, where earthquakes happen often, children are schooled from a young age in what they should do to survive.
I live in a country where disasters rarely happen. We are very complacent. We are caught out by a little snowfall or minor flooding.
We are not ready.
Both the Ephesians and Paul were facing a very difficult situation. Paul was facing a death sentence. The Ephesians were facing unrelenting pressure and persecution from both the Jews and the Gentile Romans, not to mention the outright hostility of their idol-worshipping neighbours.
They had to be ready to face the threat. That threat came through a very specific and insidious channel:
Their thoughts.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV
[3] For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. [4] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. [5] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/2co.10.3-5.NIV)
These verses tell us where we fight.
Do you see where those strongholds are? They’re not head shops or vape shops or casinos or drug dens or porn studios or betting shops or idolatry temples or abortion clinics.
No, the strongholds are in our mind. They are our thoughts.
Think for a second about what a stronghold is.
These Old Testament verses give us an idea:
Judges 9:46 NIV
[46] On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jdg.9.46.NIV)
2 Samuel 5:17 NIV
[17] When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/2sa.5.17.NIV)
A stronghold was the ancient equivalent of a panic room. It was a strongly fortified place, easily defensible, where a retreating group would hide in the hope that they would be safe until trouble had passed. The Bible even describes God as our stronghold (Psalm 18:2, 43:2, 59:9, 94:22 and 144:2 are some examples).
But in 2 Corinthians 10:4, the sense is decidedly different. Here the sense is that they are centres of stubborn resistance and rebellion, holding out in vain against the Lordship of Christ.
Our battle is not to defend these strongholds, but to destroy them until there is nothing within us that defies the will of the Living God.
And the way in which we battle these strongholds is by using the weapons Paul described in Ephesians 6.
Normally strongholds are a defensive position. However, they can also be a strong base from which to counter-attack. Paul mentioned the devil here not as an equal to God in anyway, but as a wily insurgent, sure to be defeated in the end but going down fighting until then. He uses these strongholds in our life - our culture, our mindset, our values, our habits – as defensible strongholds from which to attack us.
And his biggest trick? Making wrong seem right.
Every time when temptation strikes, that is how it preys on us.
This also tells us what we fight.
Look at what Paul said elsewhere:
2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV
“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/2co.11.14.NIV)
We need to be prepared for this.
Let me give you a few hacks I’ve learned over the (many) years I’ve been a Christian that have helped me in my spiritual warfare:
Love is the line. If you are tempted to believe something that would affect your ability to love God, your neighbour or yourself, it’s a temptation to sin. Avoid it.
Faith is a fundamental. If you are tempted to believe anything that would cause you to think less of God (i.e. that He’s letting you down or that He doesn’t care or won’t come through for you), that is a temptation to sin. Avoid it.
Hope is an essential. If you are ever tempter to give up and walk away from your walk with Jesus Christ because life would be easier without it, that is a temptation to sin. Avoid it
Christian, you need to be prepared.
My wife is quite adventurous when it comes to holidays. I guess it comes from having been brought up in South East Asia. A week in a caravan at a brown sand Ayrshire or Fife beach just doesn’t cut it for her.
A crucial part of travelling is preparing to go: making sure you meet immigration requirements, lining up accommodation and tours and transport, packing the right clothes.
It often takes longer than the holiday itself!
As Christians, we also just be prepared, but for the daily battle against sin and temptation.
We can’t assume every day will be the same. Our only expectation should be that there will be a battle, and that whatever temptation we will face will seem perfectly right and justifiable at the time.
But if you have to justify it or explain it, then it’s probably wrong.
So we have seen, then, that our spiritual warfare consists of being strong and preparing for battle.
The third aspect of this is that we should Know Our Enemy.
Know Our Enemy
Ephesians 6:12 NIV
“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. ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.12.NIV)
I used to work in a finance team. Technically, it was an IT Support Desk within a finance department. However, for security reasons, we had to undergo some of the same training as the finance staff so that we could also help in the front line against fraud.
A crucial aspect of this is something called Know Your Customer, where you familiarise yourself with how your customer identifies themselves, and also with the transactions and behaviours that are typical for them. Thus, when things are done that out of character for them, you know to carry out further security checks to counteract potentially fraudulent behaviours.
Just as it’s important in finance to know your customer, it’s even more vital in war to know your enemy. Wars, and lives, have been lost because army leaders either overestimated or underestimate their opponents’ capabilities and resources.
It is even more vital to understand who your enemy is. Modern warfare has led to around 10-25% of all casualties of war being caused by ‘friendly fire’ or ‘blue on blue’ actions: essentially being harmed by your own side.
This is often been the problem in the church. We have allowed ourselves to be dragged into battles that are not for us, and worse, have led is to stop loving God, our neighbours or ourselves – sometimes all three – as we should. Often we are embroiled in other ‘righteous’ causes such as politics, human rights campaigning, struggles for and against abortion, immigration and LGBT issues and the likes.
We may be utterly convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are right and the other side is wrong, but that is not the point: these struggles cannot be our priority. They are not our focus. They are not our fight.
When they become our fight, we quickly cross the love line and violate the commandments given to us by Jesus Christ.
In short, we abandoned the Eternal Christ for a temporal cause.
And that will never do.
Look again at this verse. Pay attention to it. Paul told the Ephesians that their struggle was not against flesh and blood. The Ephesian Christians would have known what a struggle against flesh and blood looked like. The founding legend of their city was that it was founded by a Greek warrior. The church in Ephesus was subjected to both Roman and Jewish persecution, as it was across the known world.
Yet Paul told the Ephesians that their struggle was not against them.
In a much misunderstood and misinterpreted series of phrases, Paul recalled the different administrative layers of Graeco-Roman government. And no, I don’t believe he was listing the layers of power in hell.
Firstly, how would he know?
Secondly, why would it be relevant?
No, I believe he was doing it to emphasise that our enemies are not physical but spiritual; they are not the Roman Empire’s middle management, but spiritual powers and authorities.
And then, with a flourish, he reminded the Ephesian church that their enemies were in the spiritual, not the physical realm.
This is so important. At every crisis point in history, in the fog of battle, we are tempted to identify the wrong enemy. So-called Christians have been doing it for generations. That is why so many have been side-tracked into bitter sectarianism, partisan politics, racism and other modern evils.
But just because someone disagrees with us does not make them our enemy.
Look what Peter told the early church:
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1pe.5.8-9.NIV)
When we get involved in bitterness, blame and division, we are breaching the Royal Law, willingly walking up to that roaring lion and putting our head between its jaws.
Look at how Jesus said we should respond to those who should be our enemies:
Matthew 5:43-48 NIV
“ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.5.43-48.NIV)
Do you see it?
Your enemy is not the person on the other side of any of the fault lines in our society, or someone with an opposing theology. No, your enemy is the trickster who is doing his utmost to get you to stop loving God, your neighbour and yourself, to cross the love line and to sin.
Put him in your cross hairs, uncover his devious ploys, and then you will make progress in spiritual warfare.
So our first three things we should do are be strong, prepare for battle and know our enemy. The fourth is Take Your Stand.
Take Your Stand
Ephesians 6:11-14 NIV
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.11-14.NIV)
As I write these notes, the Scottish football (soccer) season is in full swing. Many columns are written in newspapers, and many hours of podcasts are recorded, with much discussion about formations, shape, balance and tactics: how teams line up to face their opponents and how well they execute their coach's plan.
Tactics and execution are important. Matches and tournaments are won and lost on the basis of tactics and how well they are executed.
This is where, over time, many Christians, churches and even mission agencies and Christian organisations have got things badly wrong. They perceive that it’s our job as a Christians to enforce our point of view, our morals, our way of life, our culture. So they go on the attack. They protest. They picket. They post inflammatory material online about how we need to defend our nation and our culture and our race. They mount legal challenges to prevent other religious groups coming into town. They harass people from industries that they cannot support.
But none of these are what Paul told us to do.
He used one single Greek word to describe what we are to do.
Do you know what it is?
Histemi.
Stand.
Not undermine. Not attack. Not overthrow.
Take your stand.
Rather like this:
2 Samuel 23:11-12 NIV
“Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/2sa.23.11-12.NIV)
This is not an attacking term. It is a purely defensive term.
Not only that, but even a quick scan of the weapons we will study later shows us that this is not a ‘stand’ where you force your beliefs on other people.
No, these are weapons for an single soldier. This is a personal stand.
What it means is that you stand firm on God: His character, His Word, His promises, and you do not move from them, no matter what:
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.16.13-14.NIV)
2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/2th.2.15.NIV)
1 Peter 5:12 NIV
“With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1pe.5.12.NIV)
This is what Paul taught the Ephesians to do.
Do you see the difference?
Over the years, many so-called Christians have been quick to flex their muscles and insist that other people are so very obedient to so many rules, while they themselves are not standing firm at all in the faith.
They were straining gnats while swallowing camels (Matthew 23:24).
They are massive hypocrites.
Our job is to take a stand first and foremost on what we believe in our lives, to be rid of the sins we commit, to rid ourselves of the doubt that plagues us in our mind, to decide for ourselves to love God, others and ourselves. Once we get that right, we will not need to tell others to obey God, because our lives will show then what it means. That is why Paul could say this:
1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.11.1.NIV)
If we want to be able to say this, we cannot for one second be weak in our battle against sin and the destructive, negative thoughts it brings.
We must take our stand and fight.
We must stand.
That is our tactic. That is our strategy.
That is the order we must obey.
We have seen that we should be strong, prepare for battle, know our enemy, and take our stand. Fifthly, we must Bear Our Arms.
Bear Our Arms
Ephesians 6:14-17 NIV
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, 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.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.14-17.NIV)
I would like you to imagine a soldier on the front line. He is about to join the battle – be in a trench or in some abandoned building, riddled with bullet holes, within sight of the enemy.
Only there is a problem: he has left all of his uniform and kit behind. He is standing there, next to his better prepared colleagues, barefoot and in boxer shorts and a string vest. But he is praying: ‘Lord, I pray that you would over my chest with my body armour; my skin with battle fatigues; my feet with socks and boots; my head with a helmet; that you would provide me with my rifle and my bayonet.’
Would that be acceptable? Would that be normal?
Of course not! It would be really silly.
I’ve been in prayer meetings when Christians have prayed their way through these elements of the Armour of God. And I get it. I really do.
But the point of these weapons is not to know what they are but to use them.
Let ne tell show you what I mean as we walk our way through them.
Let’s start with the belt of truth. This is essential. It gathered the soldier’s garments together, held them in place abs made it possible for him to bear the rest of his arms. It provided freedom of movement. Without it, the clothes he wore would get in the way and trip him up, which in the battlefield could be fatal.
Truth for the Christian is far from inconsequential. Without any notion of truth – and absolute truth in particular – the Gospel becomes nothing more than a peculiarity and an absurdity: why would there be any reason for its founder to die a painful and degrading death if the love of God and the sinfulness of mankind were not absolutely true and objective reality?
If we tolerate for even a second the idea that these things are not objectively and absolutely true, or that someone else's s are equally true, then Jesus Christ died for nothing.
And that would be senseless.
John 8:31-32 NIV
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.8.31-32.NIV)
There is no better heritage for our children than to know the truth, and in particular the truest of truths: the Gospel. There is nothing worse we can do for them than undermine the truth.
The belt was the first thing a Roman soldier would put on over his clothes. Without it, all of his clothes would come apart and trip him up.
Look around us. Look at a society that has abandoned the concept of absolute truth and drowned itself in the murky depths of relativism.
Isn’t that exactly what we see happening?
So the first of our weapons seems to be an unlikely one, but is utterly essential: that of truth.
Next we see the breastplate of righteousness.
To properly understand this we have to understand what parts of the body the breastplate protects: the vital organs, in particular, the heart and the spine.
We also need to understand the nature of righteousness. It isn’t just a sense of justice, although that is important. It’s also integrity: purely of thinking, feeling and acting.
We also need to understand that righteousness builds on truth: there can be no righteousness without truth.
Think about it: how could our criminal justice system function without any clear idea on way is true and what is not? How can we have any idea about what is righteousness before understanding what is true?
This has a huge effect both on how we feel about things and our resilience when we face them. As we saw in Ephesians 4:11-16, knowing and growing in the truth gives us backbone. We are no longer blown here and there by every dodgy teaching that appears or by every rumour or innuendo that springs up. We are hooked onto the truth and we do not let it go.
We become righteous.
But we also are fully aware of who made us righteous:
Romans 5:19 NIV
“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.5.19.NIV)
This also changed the way we feel – about other people and their sins. We know that without Christ we would be right where they are, and so we refuse to give in to self-righteousness and hypocritical condemnation of others.
Apart from truth and righteous less, we also see shoes of readiness.
What this refers to is being ready to go. You know the truth, including the truest of truths. You feel the difference it has made in your life. You want to share it with others.
And that is really all there is. Paul was not talking here about any training programs or theological education – although these can be helpful. What he meant is simply being ready in your heart to be a messenger of the Gospel.
And all that ever took was having your life thanked by Jesus:
Luke 8:38-39 NIV
“The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.8.38-39.NIV)
John 9:25 NIV
“He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!””
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.9.25.NIV)
The readiness talked of here isn’t necessarily theological or intellectual. We can have both of these but stull be unwilling to share the Gospel. Or when we do, we do it with such an air of indifferent superiority that people are offended.
No, it’s about submitting your mind and your heart to Jesus Christ and having His heart for the loss. That is how your witness looks more like this:
1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1pe.3.15-16.NIV)
In this way, our message is truly perceived as good news. And good news can sometimes be received with joy:
Isaiah 52:7 NIV
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!””
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.52.7.NIV)
So tell me: how beautiful are your feet?
Apart from truth, righteousness and readiness, we also see the shield of faith.
This part of the Armour of God is unique, because it’s purpose is explicitly mentioned: the evil one fires darts; the shield of faith extinguishes them.
So what is the nature of the fiery darts that are extinguished by a shield of faith?
The answer, I would hope, is obvious.
What is the opposite of faith?
Doubt.
Not just questioning doubt that causes us to inquire whether a thing is true or not. That kind of doubt is healthy.
No, the doubt here is doubt in the very nature of God that questions if He is good and His intentions towards us are good.
Because that doubt lies at the very core of all temptations.
Look at what happened at the very first temptation:
Genesis 3:1-5 NIV
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.1-5.NIV)
The serpent’s aim was not just to get Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. What impact would that have on an eternal being?
No, it was to disrupt the relationship between Creator and Created by causing Adam and Eve to doubt God’s character. That was the real target.
And how did he seek to do that?
By undermining Adam and Eve’s faith in the character of God.
Which is why faith in the character of God is what extinguishes the attack and cuts off the temptation.
Faith is critical for every Christian:
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.11.6.NIV)
Once it is dismantled, we are without our shield. We are defenceless.
So yes, our faith is equally as important as truth, righteousness and readiness. But so is the helmet of salvation.
At first glance, this might seem strange. Why would salvation be our helmet? But this is not the only place in Scripture where this picture occurs, and neither is it something Paul imagined:
Isaiah 59:15-17 NIV
“Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.59.15-17.NIV)
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 NIV
“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1th.5.8-9.NIV)
But why the helmet?
Many people treat salvation like a ticket to a concert. My daughter bought me one for my birthday. It’s great to have it. I’m sure the concert will be a great experience. But before the concert (and after it) nothing really changes: live goes on as before.
People who view salvation in this way see it as something in the future that doesn't affect their here-and-now at all.
But that just isn’t true.
The reason why Paul used a helmet to discuss the effect of salvation was not just because he was ripping off Isaiah. It’s because the fact of salvation ought to change how we think.
Hence what we see in Romans:
Romans 12:1-2 NIV
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.12.1-2.NIV)
Being saved ought to change what we think and feel about the world around us, and in particular the people around us:
2 Corinthians 5:14-16 NIV
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/2co.5.14-16.NIV)
Philippians 2:1-5 NIV
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/php.2.1-5.NIV)
There is a direct causal link between realising you are saved and having a reward mind. The reason for this is simple: you have already secured the most important thing any human can have – you are saved for all eternity – so you no longer have the urge to stomp on other people to secure temporal, fading glories like power, prestige or wealth.
Salvation is a helmet that doesn’t just protect our ability to think, it changes how we think.
We have seen truth, righteousness, readiness, faith and assurance of salvation. These are all very powerful weapons against anxiety and stress and temptation.
But the last is the one that finishes it off for good, and is the only weapon in this arsenal that presented a direct physical risk to those who mishandled it: the sword of the Spirit – the Word of God.
Again, this is not the only time the Word of God is described as a sword:
Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.4.12-13.NIV)
Isaiah 49:1-2 NIV
“Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.49.1-2.NIV)
Revelation 19:11-15 NIV
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/rev.19.11-15.NIV)
The Word of God must be handled with care, reverence and respect.
Yet this same word is a vital weapon against temptation. You only have to look at Matthew 4:1-12 and Luke 4:1-13 to see how Jesus answered the devil when He was tempted. Every bit of His response was the Bible. Every bit of it was the Word of God.
Because the Bible teaches us right from wrong. The Bible exposes and lays bare all the devil's schemes. If we listen to and obey its teaching, we will see the one truth that the devil wants to keep silent:
The ugly consequences of sin.
Once we have seen these consequences, we will flee from it.
The Bible is a vital weapon against temptation. We must use it. If we undermine it, we become very vulnerable.
Jesus once gave this warning about following Him:
Luke 14:31-33 NIV
“ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.14.31-33.NIV)
Before we wage war on the world, the flesh and the devil, we need to know what weapons we have on our side. We do have weapons. They are powerful. They were given to us by God.
When we trust Him, and them, victory is ours
But apart from being strong, preparing for battle, knowing our enemy, taking our stand snd bearing our arms, there is one last thing we must do: Pray.
Pray
Ephesians 6:18-20 NIVUK
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.18-20.NIV)
I read the story recently of an extraordinarily brave Ukrainian grandmother. She was standing outside her house when she saw a Russian drone. In sheer frustration, she grabbed a rock and threw it angrily at the drone. She hit the drone and knocked it out of the sky. She then walked over to it (remember: it could have been laden with explosives or weapons), came up behind it and noticed a thin fibre optical cable coming out of the back of it. Correctly identifying that this was how it being controlled, she followed the cable until it reached a hatch on the back of the drone. She opened the hatch, reached inside, felt a reel of fire optic cable and yanked it from inside the drone, which disabled it. Then she called the Ukrainian army.
Which all teaches us two lessons:
Number one, don’t ever mess with a Ukrainian babushka, especially one with rocks in her garden.
Number two, in wartime, command and control is crucial. The flow of information is critical.
Every Christian is at war. We need to receive accurate command and control information every day. We need to be in contact with our Divine Commander every day.
Therefore, we must pray.
Prayer is vital. Not just when we feel cornered or under attack, but all the time.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/php.4.6-7.NIV)
There is a direct correlation between victory in the fight against anxiety and prayer. There is a direct correlation, as Paul identified, between boldness and clarity in ministry and prayer.
There is a direct correlation between success in the battle against sin and temptation and prayer.
So tell me: did you pray this morning?
Did you pray before that challenging meeting?
Or that impossible task?
Or that difficult conversation?
Did you give thanks for that wonderful thing that happened?
Dis you give God the glory for your latest achievement?
Did you pray for a Christian missionary, politician, sportsman, captain of industry, medical practitioner, social care worker, civil service officer, that their Christian witness would be bold and undimmed?
Did you pray for the children, lost and alone, whose values are being polluted by a culture that sees them not as people made in the image of God, but as cash cows to be milked?
Did you pray?
Because it is through prayer that the victory comes.
Conclusion
Ephesians 6:13 NIV
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.6.13.NIV)
Up until December 7th, 1951, America was at peace. While most of its friends were involved in a bitter struggle for their own survival against an evil horde, America refused to help them. They did not want to risk the lives of their own people for someone else's war.
Even when the Japanese Imperial army was taking whole swathes of the Pacific and behaving with unconscionable cruelty. Still the Americans did not get involved.
Until the Japanese saw the US base at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii as a threat to their ambitions of domination. On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese mounted a surprise raid on the air and naval base there.
Now the US was at war.
Maybe your attitude towards the struggle against sin is akin to that of the American government during World War II. It’s someone else’s problem. Not yours. It’s for people with addiction issues or poor impulse control or who are drowning in debt. It’s not for you.
Besides, you just don’t want to get involved. You don’t have the ‘emotional bandwidth’ (which is a short way of saying that you don’t want to care).
I’m afraid that is a load of nonsense.
If you are a Christian, then you at war. The declaration of war was announced at Eden. The battle has been raging since then. You can try to convince yourself that it isn’t true, but you would be deceiving yourself.
These verses are your call up papers. You are a soldier. The church is your battalion. God is your commander.
The choice is whether or not you choose to bear arms and fight.
This longer study has container the six actions we need to take to enter into the victory Christ won for us on the cross: be strong, prepare for battle, know your enemy, take your stand, bear your arms and pray. These six actions contain both our summons to the front line and the tactics we should deploy when we are there.
We cannot pretend that the war has not begun. The evidence is everywhere.
But the victory is sure.
So, Christian, will you join the battle against sin, death and hell?
Will you answer the call?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I am sorry for all the times when I haven’t put up a fight: when I’ve let satan invade my thoughts and emotions and allowed him to run amok. No more! Show me how I can fight back and enter into Your victory. Amen.
Questions for Contemplation
Who are our enemies in this war?
What is our tactic? Why is this important?
What are the six actions Paul old us we should do? How will you do these in your battle against sin?
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