Part 7: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:17a
And take the helmet of salvation,

Visit a construction site, and you will find workers wearing hardhats. Many states have rules for ATV and motorcycle riders, requiring helmets to be worn during operation. When your child goes out to ride his or her bike around your neighborhood, a bike helmet is a necessary accessory, be it stylish or not. Football players and baseball batters also don the headgear for their respective sports.

The reason for all of this is common sense: even a small injury to the head can cause massive injury, or even death. Combat soldiers know that helmets are necessary, especially in the kinds of wars we see being fought today with snipers, IEDs, and the like.

The head is unique. It houses four of the five senses, it is home to the brain (which, of course, governs every other part of the body), it is how we are recognized. If you bump your arm or leg, you might get a bruise, or possibly break a bone, but if you bump your head in the right place, you could lose consciousness or even lose your life. Therefore, the head requires special attention when it comes to protection.

Like it or not, we are in this world (for better or worse), but Scripture tells us that we are not to be of the world. This is difficult, given the fact that our minds are such a vital part of our existence. Not only do physical things affect our mind, but spiritual things also affect it; the mind is stimulated by emotions, by internal and external attacks. Some things we can guard against, but other things are a bit more difficult. We wear a helmet to protect ourselves from external, physical forces. Therefore, it stands to reason that we need similar protection from those things we cannot necessarily see with our eyes.

We are to take the helmet of salvation to guard our minds, and thus our lives, from the inevitable spiritual, physical and emotional attacks of our enemy Satan. Using Strong’s Greek Dictionary, you will find that the word helmet comes from the Greek (transliterated) word “perikephalaia,” which means “an encirclement of the head.” This gives us the picture of a helmet which completely surrounds the entire head, providing as much protection as possible. This kind of helmet would have holes or slits for the eyes and mouth, but everything other vulnerable area protected.

This is the kind of spiritual helmet we need, because an attack might come from any direction and take any form. Never knowing when, where or how the blow will fall, we need protection. Again, this protection is for our mind, which is vulnerable to our general health, as well as situations and other people. Whoever said, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me,” obviously had no enemies or friends or anyone who ever said anything against him. Words can enter our minds and rob us of our security and peace. When this happens, we stand in the danger of spiritual defeat. Animosity, doubt, fear, and a host of other feelings can take over; we need protection for our mind.

That helmet derives its protective nature from salvation. Again referring to Strong’s, we find the word “sōtērion,” or “defender.” The salvation provided by Jesus Christ is a strong defender against those fiery spiritual darts which fly our way. But that salvation can also be a strong defender for our mind.

Over the years many people have been deeply hurt by close friends, by Christian brothers or sisters. They say no one can hurt you worse than a friend, and when this happens to us, we find it difficult to function. Our relationships suffer, thoughts and feelings that we could never conceive of harboring seem to consume us. We find it hard to focus on anything else but these feelings of pain, of anger, of revenge. Whether we want to admit it or not, these feelings begin to shove God out of our mind, and His voice becomes harder and harder to hear.

At this point, our peace, our joy, and our spiritual growth, effectively cease. We cannot split ourselves, serving two masters. Anger and peace cannot coexist. Isolation and fellowship, discouragement and joy, defeat and victory cannot coexist. One will always defeat the other. Now, you can see why Satan tries so hard to hit our mind; when these things negatively affect our minds, our spirit suffers. If our spirit is incapacitated, we are no longer a threat to him.

We never know what each day will bring, who it is who will say or do something to us to hurt us, what circumstances will transpire to derail our plans. But when these things do come, it is vitally important that we take the time to meditate on the salvation of the Lord. Can God do anything? Is there even one thing too hard for the Lord? If we believe that with Jesus, nothing is impossible, then we must rely on His power and grace to help us overcome all those things which threaten us.

All of us, pastor and parishioner alike, face attacks on the mind. Unfortunately, these attacks don’t stay there. Their effects penetrate every fiber of our being, and are highly efficient in weakening or even destroying us. Yet, we have something to protect us, if we will use it. Our job is to pray daily that the Lord would protect our mind from these attacks, no matter when, where or how they fall. By doing this, we help ensure our continued effectiveness for the Lord and our own spiritual growth.

NEXT TIME: Ephesians 6:17b


© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Part 6: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:16
above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

I have always enjoyed all things “history.” One of the things I remember from studying armor throughout the ages is the development of the shield. The shapes and sizes of shields, as well as the material used to build them, varied from culture to culture. Shield construction was also dependent upon its intended use.

The Roman Empire in particular comes to mind as I write this entry. As the troops marched toward battle, they used full-length shields which were somewhat curved. Several feet in length, the soldiers could find protection behind this curved shield (see picture below).



Now, the shield was most effective when combined with the shields of the other soldiers. On the front line, each soldier would put their shield edge to edge, forming a wall. The soldiers behind the front line would lift their shields above their heads, linking their shields end to end with the others, creating a kind of roof (see picture below).


(NOTE: Shield pictures above courtesy of A2 Armory, at a2armory.com)

With such protection, enemy arrows would indeed find it difficult to penetrate the fighting force. Thus protected, the army could advance and overtake their enemy with few casualties.

The shield of faith is a vital addition to the armor of God. But how is it used? What is its significance to our lives? Why does the Apostle Paul use the words “above all”? This is what I want to talk about in Part 6.

Everyone has some level of faith, whether that faith is in God or self or anything else. It is that faith which enables us to move forward with life. For example, you have faith in your car and your driving ability. Therefore, when you get in your vehicle, you believe it will continue to run until you get to your destination, and you believe your own ability is good enough to get you to your destination safely. If you didn’t have this faith, you would never start out on your journey.

Faith in an unfailing, omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God enables us to move from day to day, knowing He will be with us and see us through whatever it is we must face. But Paul talks about a shield of faith. How does this time into the overall theme of faith?

First, let’s look at the “fiery darts” he mentions. Imagine arrows dipped in oil or tar, set ablaze, and shot from a bow. Not only do you have something that will penetrate a target, but there is the very real potential for collateral damage caused by the fire. This is exactly what the devil does: he shoots the arrows of doubt, fear, anger, temptation, etc, and if that isn’t enough, he sets them on fire first, so that they cause the greatest amount of damage possible.

Our faith in Jesus Christ enables us to have a shield to protect us from these deadly arrows. We are still subject to the incoming projectiles, so all we can do is find protection. This protection, though, cannot simply be some stationary place to find cover. We must continue advancing despite the onslaught; thus, our need for a shield.

The Roman shields pictured above were mostly made of wood, which is still somewhat prone to burn. The shield of faith in Jesus, though, is firm and solid. When used correctly, it is effective in offering protection to our entire body (physical and spiritual), and enables us to move forward through life, even against the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Quench. Interesting word. It means to smother, extinguish, put out, or reduce. The shield of faith can do this to the fiery arrows of Satan. So, how do we use it? Again, it’s a daily thing.

The arrows are already in the air, and they are heading straight and true toward their intended target: you. We have three choices: run away, stand still, or move ahead. Running away keeps us from arriving at our destination, so that’s out. Standing still is a sure-fire way (pardon the pun) to get yourself killed, so that’s out, too. Moving ahead can also get you killed, but not if you have a shield to protect you.

The fiery darts can hit in many different ways: in our mind, in our heart, in our body. The trouble they bring can manifest itself in many ways as well: in our own life, in the lives of those around us, through circumstances, through temptations, and on and on. What we must do, then, is learn that whenever or whatever the effects of the fiery darts might come our way, we must use the shield of faith. We use this shield not only to block the incoming arrows (which is one way to use it), but to quench them, extinguish them.

All of us have known trouble, have confronted a terrible problem or a particularly difficult trial. It is easy in such instances to give in, to focus only on the problem at hand, and lose sight of God (and the victory He gives to His children) in the process. When this happens, the arrows have done their job.

No matter what it is you’re facing, make the conscious effort to focus on the Lord, His power, and what He can do in and for you. Is there any problem too big for your God? Is there any, ANY power which can overcome Him and His will? The answer, of course, is ‘no.’ But, let’s be honest, when we’re going through a bad time, it’s hard to remember that, or keep going forward even though you know it.

That is where the faith part comes in. Faith (with the help of a thesaurus) can also be called confidence, trust, reliance, assurance, conviction, belief, devotion and loyalty. All these things speak not of empty hope, but of something with a rock-solid foundation. If you look past yourself and your own fears and weaknesses, and focus instead on what God is able to accomplish, your faith is strengthened against any and all enemies. During those rough times, the shield of faith gives you a renewed devotion and loyalty to the Lord, and makes you totally assured and confident in Christ’s ability and faithfulness to see you through. This is indeed, a remarkable weapon for us. But we must use it.

Train yourself to put it to use. When you are tempted, when things seem to be going from bad to worse, when discouragement rears its ugly head, when fear paralyzes you, stop, take a deep breath, and say, “There is nothing too difficult for the Lord. In the name of my Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, I rebuke these fiery darts, and ask for the strength to continue forward.” Do this again and again, every time, and you will discover that despite the ferocity of our foe, you are consistently resisting, and moving ahead.

Those who know me, who are familiar with my style, will know that I like to identify what is, to me, the key word in a verse of Scripture. In Ephesians 6:16, I think that word is ALL. There is no weapon so terrible, no attack so fierce, that our faith in Jesus Christ cannot overcome. If you say, “Yes, but my faith is weak,” my answer to you is this: the only way to strengthen a muscle is to use it. Exercise it, and it will grow. The same is true of faith. To have a shield of faith, you must not merely claim to know Jesus. You must be consistent in your prayer life, in gathering together for worship and fellowship, in study. It must be a practical part of your daily life. If not, the shield cannot help you withstand the incoming arrows.

I, for one, am glad we have this shield. Whether we use it or not is entirely up to us. I guess it’s a matter of whether we want to fail or succeed. God has given us the tools. It’s up to us to put them on and let the Lord show us how to use them.

NEXT TIME: Ephesians 6:17


© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Part 5: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:15
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

In our last examination, we looked at the breastplate of righteousness. This particular piece of armor is designed to prevent enemy attack, a close blow or an incoming projectile. Today’s piece of armor, however, is for something entirely different.

I remember my days as a child sitting around my grandfather’s legs, listening to the stories of his youth. I was amazed at some of them, imagining my grandfather as a young man many years ago. One story in particular sticks out in my mind at this time. He said that when he and my grandmother and their friends played their games, they went barefoot most of the time.

Well, this struck me as odd. You see, many years ago I was traipsing through the yard, without proper foot attire, and accidentally stepped on a bee. Needless to say, the bee was not amused, and shared with me its disapproval by inserting its tiny stinger into my flesh.

We were leaving early the next morning for that year’s International Convention of the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana, quite a long trip for a child with a big, sore, itchy knob on the bottom of his foot. In a few days, though, the swelling went down, and I continued with my halcyon youth.

I asked my grandfather about what he did without shoes, what it felt like when he was a kid, and he said, “We never paid much attention. We’d run over gravel, step on bees, but our feet were so hard and calloused that we didn’t even feel them.” Pretty hard feet. Last night I had to go out to my car to roll up the window, and I walked across some gravel. They didn’t feel that great (of course, for those who know me, they understand that I have a lot of foot with which to step on gravel!), and I don’t think it has much to do with me being “soft.” Still, though, through experiences such as I have described, I appreciate the need for shoes, even if I find it difficult to find size 15s when I need them.

I do not think that the United States military, or any other serious fighting force, sends its troops to battle without shoes. Shoes are important, because the feet are what carry the soldier into the fighting. Injure the feet, and the soldier is crippled.

From the spiritual point of view, we see the same thing. While the breastplate helps protect the vital organs (see Part 4), the feet being shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace keeps us safely and effectively moving forward.

A few definitions for you before we move on:
SHOD – to put on shoes; more importantly, to bind, as onto one’s feet.
PREPARATION – to be ready, prepared.
GOSPEL – good news.
PEACE – prosperity, quietness, rest, being at one with.

Having these definitions at hand, we see that Ephesians 6:15 is telling the Christian to make sure we take every step each day bound to the truth, to be ready in all things and at all times with the good news, the message of Jesus, one that brings us spiritual quietness and rest.

It is important that we approach our daily life with a certain attitude: each step we take is a potential trap of the devil. Now, before you get depressed and say, “What kind of optimistic belief is that, Preacher?” please bear with me for a moment. We must remember that Satan is a master of disguise, that he rarely engages in an obvious, full-frontal attack. The reason is that a sneak attack is much more effective, especially against someone who isn’t expecting it at all.

One reason many people fall into the devil’s snares is that they grow over-confident, even complacent, in their spiritual life. They believe they have it all together, that they “have arrived” in their Christian walk. Therefore, they pay little attention to their spiritual feet, their condition, or where they step.

WHAMMO!!!! Devil – 1, Us – 0.

This piece of spiritual armor, and all the others as well, are things that we know and understand we need every day. As you read this, you may be thinking, “Well, yeah, that makes sense. I need to put on the armor of God every day. And that think about paying attention to my spiritual walk, I get that, too.” Well, we sometimes forget.

God knows how vital the armor is, and so He reminds us throughout His word, especially in Ephesians 6. As you go through your day, on the job, at school, relaxing, doing your chores, do you consciously think about your relationship with the Lord, and how your actions (or inactions) affect that relationship? Do you consider how these things affect the spiritual lives of those around you? We should, and we must.

Every day the Christian faces battles. They may be severe and trying, or they may be trivial. But make no mistake, each battle is significant. Even small battles, over time, can produce the same devastating effects of a single, large battle. So how we advance through each day is important.

To be successful during these trying days, we must remember to daily put on these spiritual shoes. We need to bind, fasten, tie these shoes to our feet, joining and uniting them as one. (They are always a perfect fit, too.) These shoes, the things that protect our means of moving forward, is having the good, truthful, complete message of Jesus Christ always at the ready.

The gospel of peace. One of the greatest benefits the Christian has is the peace of God. Knowing the Prince of Peace gives us the ability to remain strong, even when we are weakened in our battles. Even well-trained soldiers, if they are never injured in battle, will testify that the battle is not easy, that it is hard, and leaves scars that others may never see.

The same is true of our spiritual battles. Just because you are trusting in the Lord, just because you’re doing what the Bible tells you to do, doesn’t mean it’s easy. Even during the worst of times, no matter how much you rely on your faith in the Lord, it can sometimes be all you can stand.

But in the midst of it all, if you daily meditate on the message and meaning of Jesus and His peace, and be ready to think about and use it with each step you take, you will find, eventually, that you were well prepared to do battle for the Lord. Without the protection of this gospel of peace, each step might be the one which leads us into disaster. With it, though, we can be victorious for ourselves and others.

You see, it’s not calloused feet that keep us from spiritual soreness; it’s making sure we have the right kind of shoes to walk the sometimes rocky path of life

NEXT TIME: Ephesians 6:16

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Part 4: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:14
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Finally, we dive into an examination of the various pieces of Godly armor. If you have not read the preceding three parts to our series, I encourage you to read them in order before proceeding. If you have already read these parts, then by all means, continue!

I would be remiss if I did not reiterate the importance of the word WHOLE in our study. We are instructed to put on the WHOLE armor of God. Each piece is vital in and of itself, but together they form the ultimate spiritual protection and strength for the believer. Part 4 explores Ephesians 6:14, and gives us the first two pieces of armor.

Just before we begin looking at the first piece, we see the first two words in this verse are, “Stand therefore.” Up to this point, we have seen the need for strength and power, to stand against the devil’s wiles, able to withstand, having done all to stand, and now, to therefore stand. Sense a recurring theme? Standing up against our enemies is essential to Christian success, and in order to properly and effectively use the strength, power and might of the Lord, we must use the armor the Lord provides. So without further adieu, the first item we will examine is …

GIRD YOUR WAIST WITH TRUTH
Walk around a mall for any length of time, and chances are you will see a number of adolescents with a common dilemma. What this might be is up for debate. From my personal opinion, it could be a number of things, including rapid weight loss, clothing stores with a lack of proper sizes, an inability to properly measure, etc. What is this malady? Kids wearing the pants off their rears.

Now, I know that’s the style these days. It’s been around for years, but there seems to be a resurgence of the trend. These kids, sans belts, walk around with their boxers showing, the waists of their pants some few inches above their knees. What is particularly amusing is that, in order to keep up with style, they are constantly holding the pants with their hands to keep them from all together falling down.

My wife, a public school teacher, told me the other day about the annual high school talent show, where a group of young men were performing a rap song. While shouting out and busting the proverbial moves, their gyrations facilitated the falling of the jeans, so that most of their set consisted of trying to hold their drawers in place.

Perish the thought that I am trying to be a fashion critic. I do, however, personally know that it is more than annoying when you don’t have a belt on to hold your pants up. Without a belt, you take a few steps, and suddenly you’re reaching around, hiking them up toward your armpits, in a vain effort to avoid embarrassing yourself in a number of ways. For me, I must have the belt.

What has all this to do with our first piece of armor? Allow me to explain. What happens when you need a belt and don’t have one? Here are a few things:

1) You remain distracted by making sure the pants are always up, keeping your focus on how many more steps you can take before they fall completely off.
2) Your pants do fall down, causing everyone to see that today, of all days, you decided to put on your underwear with the dinosaurs and duckies.
3) Before you can grab the sliding waist of your pants, they hit your ankles in mid-stride, causing your face and the ground to have an impromptu, and somewhat painful, meeting.

So, how do you avoid such scenarios? Purchase, and then wear, a belt. Pretty simple, eh? Well, let’s get back to business, and be a bit more serious. The truth is one of the most important pieces of armor in our arsenal, and it is no mistake that it is mentioned first on the list. Battle requires us to be limber, flexible, unencumbered by anything, and girding our waist makes sure we are able to stand, walk, and maneuver effectively.

Additionally, truth is what holds everything up and holds everything together. Without truth, nothing else matters. The world today (in one of those fiery dart attacks) tells us that truth is subjective, that as long as you’re sincere in your beliefs, all is well. This is not the case, however, and the truth of God’s Word must be the first thing you put on, the first thing you use, your ‘first step’ in your spiritual walk.

Also, as you walk, in order to turn other directions, your waist moves; it helps determine the direction of your legs, and thus your ultimate destination. From a spiritual standpoint, this is why it is so necessary that we have the truth. No matter what direction we go, we must have the truth in order to ensure we’re going in the right direction. If we wish to find victory, the truth must be our guide.

Finally, a belt surrounds. We must have the truth all around us. The truth in our life keeps everything in place. It helps us keep things in perspective, as well as living our life as an effective testimony for the Lord. From whatever direction people see you, let them always see the truth in you.

THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Perhaps one of the most vulnerable places on our body is our heart. A well-placed blow to the chest or an attack of a knife or bullet can have instant, and deadly, ramifications. Our heart, our lungs, and other vital organs are all there in a relatively small area. Therefore, through the centuries armies have seen the necessity of providing protection and armor for the heart and surrounding area.

This vulnerability is not only physical, it’s emotional. We know from even the most basic physiological knowledge that emotion is seeded in the brain, but throughout the ages, we talk about deep emotions being in the “heart.” We talk of being heartsick and heartbroken. When our emotions reach their breaking point, when we’ve reached the limit of our endurance, surely our “heart” can’t take any more.

Going one step further, we also hear of the great need to take care of our physical heart. It is said that the number one killer in America today is heart disease. There are countless medicines for cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other ailments affecting the heart. In a fraction of a second, our heart can experience an attack of its own, doing serious damage to the rest of our body, and even causing death. When the heart stops beating, most of the time, that’s it.

Is it any wonder, then, that so much care needs to be taken to protect our heart (both physical and emotional)? Carrying this thought over to the spiritual realm, we see the need to protect our soul, the spiritual heart of our lives. This is a very vulnerable place for us, and the devil knows this, which is why he focuses his attacks so often on our hearts. You see, our spiritual heart is very closely related to the physical and emotional heart. Allow me to explain.

Our spirit suffers when our emotional or physical heart suffers. When someone hurts us deeply, be that person a believer or unbeliever, a stranger or a close friend, our spirit is often times deeply affected. Our emotions begin to take control, and we might say or do things we would otherwise never do. We get depressed, angry, confused, and our spiritual relationship with God suffers the most.

Also, when we are suffering through some physical trauma, when we are hurting, going through an illness of some kind, our spirit also suffers. It is very difficult to maintain a healthy relationship with the Lord when you feel bad. I’ve known many people over the years who could not understand why they were ill, they couldn’t see past the pain, and because of this, their spirit grew weak right along with their body.

We don’t know what form the attacks of Satan will take toward us, but rest assured they will be fierce. We can only do so much when it comes to guarding our health and our emotions, but our spirit is a different story. We get to choose how close to the Lord we wish to be, and while the attacks on our spiritual heart are also fierce, we take comfort in the knowledge that the Lord is protecting us . . .if we have chosen to wear His armor.

Righteousness is not a relative concept; by this, I mean that righteousness is not subjective, not reliant on individual variables. Human righteousness, on which so many people base their entire lives, is as filthy rags compared to the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, I ask this question: if you were going onto the battlefield to fight, which would you rather have protecting your heart: three or four dirty rags tied together, or a metal breastplate? Would you rather have a roll of gauze or a Kevlar flack jacket? The choice is clear.

If we intend to protect our heart from the many things which can negatively affect it, we must make sure we have not just armor, but the right kind of armor. We must not consider ourselves arrayed for battle if we are only trusting in our own righteousness, for we will soon discover the ineffectiveness of our armor. It is only when we cover our heart with the righteousness of God that we can hope to prevail.

What is this righteousness? Well, I don’t have the time to fully explain. I could spend the next ten years trying to explain it, and still wouldn’t scratch the surface. I will, however, tell you how you can find it. First, pray to the Lord to give you the understanding that comes only from the Holy Spirit. Sincerely ask the Lord to enlighten your knowledge in spiritual things, to give you the grace to see beyond the human, beyond the temporary, and find the truth of His righteousness.

Second, study the Word. Don’t worry about all that you don’t know; focus instead on what the Lord can show you. And don’t give up if you don’t get it right away, or if you don’t understand it all. Let the Spirit lead you at the pace He desires, and it will be the best for you.

Third, practice what you know and learn. Don’t leave it inside the cover of the book. Make it a part of your life. Will it be easy? Heavens no! But again, the Lord will be right there to remind you of what His righteousness is, and will help you use it daily. The Christian life, and the Word of God, are useless unless we decide to live what we learn.

Finally, repeat the process! If you live the Christian life for 10, 20, or 50 years, you will never “arrive,” you will never reach the top of your game. There’s always room to grow and learn. So, the more you learn, the more you should strive to learn. Consistency is the name of the game. Never fail to keep praying, keep studying, and keep practicing, for in this process you will not only find blessings for your own soul, you will see what Christ’s life was truly all about, and you will be able to let others see in you the life of Jesus.

Always remember that it is not about our righteousness. Our righteousness cannot protect us one bit. But the righteousness of the Lord can protect us from every fiery dart the devil can hurl our way.

Next time, we will move to the next verse and examine our next piece of spiritual armor. At the end of this series, I hope to show you something about this armor that you may have overlooked. Until then, I encourage you to seek the Lord to show you more about this armor, and how you can best use it in your life. And as you read through the different pieces, try to figure out what it is you may have overlooked. See you next time!

NEXT TIME: Ephesians 6:15

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Part 3: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:13
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.

As I write this entry, I have been writing other things for about 2 ½ to 3 hours already, and considered waiting, but I felt it necessary to continue. I was unsure in the last entry to include verse 13 in the discussion of Part 2 of The Armor of God, but after prayer and reflection, I felt led to use it as a “jumping off” point for the discussion of the various pieces of spiritual armor, which we will begin studying in Part 4. I have amended the schedule from last time and, instead of looking at two verses this time, I will only be discussing one. I trust this series has been helpful to you thus far, and that you will return to this blog as we continue our exploration (don’t forget to leave your comments and pass along the web address to your friends!).

In Part 2, our discussion dealt with the need for strength, and what those forces are which require Godly strength to overcome. Verse 13 seems to be a natural break in the thought, the continuation of the overall message. After explaining the enemies of the child of God, the Apostle Paul says, in essence, “So, since all of these things are against you, because this is such a serious and severe battle you face daily, you must now do what is necessary to overcome.” This brings us to Part 3 in this series.

You will recall toward the end of our previous entry, I mentioned that the key word in verse 11 was the word WHOLE. Again Paul stresses that, in order to overcome the forces against us, we must take each and every piece of God’s armor, if we have any hope of success. He says that the entire key to surviving and enduring these daily challenges rests not only in the possession of, but the utilizing of the whole armor of God.

The power of God is not like some invisible force field you’d see in a Star Trek episode, shielding us from the attack of the enemy. While it is God’s power that ultimately gives us success, there is an element of choice on our part, and the choice we make is essential.

I can perhaps best illustrate this by using an everyday example. As you are preparing to leave your home one morning, you see a flash of lightning and hear the crack of thunder rumbling in the distance. Pulling aside the curtains reveals a dark, blustery day awaiting you. The wind is whipping the tree branches around, and rain is falling in heavy sheets, obscuring your view of the end of the sidewalk, where your car awaits you.

You finish getting ready, hoping the wind and rain will lessen by the time you are finished. It does not. So, you start walking around your house collecting those items that will keep you dry on your way to the car. Gathering each item and placing them on the couch, you finally have everything at your disposal. You have a waterproof raincoat that goes almost to the ground. You have rubber coverings for your shoes. You have a hat, which is also waterproof. In addition, you have a large umbrella.

Your goal is to reach your car without getting wet, so the question presents itself: what will you choose to use? You are free to pick whatever items you wish, using all, some or none. If you choose to use the rubber shoe coverings only, you’re going to get soaked. If you choose to use just the raincoat and hat, your shoes will get wet. Just take the umbrella, and the wind will most certainly blow the rain underneath and drench your clothes. One other option presents itself. You can fold up the coat and place it under one arm, put the hat in one hand, the shoe coverings in the other, and the umbrella under your other arm, and head out into the storm.

Now, take this example and insert it into verse 13. To be able to withstand the storm effectively, without getting wet, every piece of equipment you have must be used. But it must be used properly and effectively. As I said in the previous paragraph, you can take everything out the door with you, but unless you’re using it the way it was intended, you will still get wet, even though each item was designed to keep you dry.

Satan makes sure that the storms in your life are fierce, that they blow in every direction, and that everything is done to maximize the difficulty you will face. God has provided us with the tools necessary to withstand and overcome, but only if we know what they are, where they are, and how to use them. Then, we must choose to put each one to use, otherwise those things we do end up using aren’t as effective at keeping us safe.

Now, let’s look at the rest of this verse, and once again figure out a way for us to understand it. The last part of verse 13 says, “…and having done all, to stand.” Returning once more to our example, let’s say you do end up putting on everything, the raincoat, the hat, the shoe coverings and the umbrella. Then, after adorning yourself in this fine waterproof array, you sit down in your recliner, prop up your feet, turn on the television, and enjoy your favorite program.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Those rain-protecting items are meant to be used in the rain, and if you’re going to use them, then use them! After having done all the work, it’s time to head out into the storm. You put your trust in these things to keep you dry, and once you reach your car, you find that all the work paid off. You’re ready to head off to your destination, and you’re doing it dry.

We go to church, we study and pray, and intellectually we know that the armor of God is there for us. However, we need to remember that we’re on a journey. The Lord didn’t design us to sit still, but to move. It’s safe to stay isolated, to never take a personal risk, but we never accomplish anything. God has instructed us in what His armor is, and how to use it. Now, after we have done everything, it’s time to stand. The armor will work, and once we have put on every piece, we must put it to use and stand.

God does not want us to go out into the storms of life and get drenched. When we claim to be a Christian, everything we say and do (and everything we don’t say and don’t do) reflects on the Lord. If God promised to be with us and never forsake us, if He said His grace was sufficient, if He gave us armor that will enable us to stand, then it is our obligation to do all we can to stand. We must rely on His strength to see us through, but we must be the ones to choose to use that strength.

Life is filled with storm and trials. The devil will hit us with everything he’s got, when it is and is not convenient for us, when we are taking a risk or playing it safe. Therefore it is necessary that we take up all of God’s armor. It is the only way we can overcome. Nevertheless, taking up the armor is not enough. We need to put it on and use it.

Storms will come. The key is what we will do with the storm when it does arrive. We know the enemy, we know his ruthlessness and his tricks, and we know we have the hope of beating him. It is time to stand.

So, what are the pieces of this mighty armor, and how do we use it? How do we “put it on?” That is a discussion for another time. Check back soon, and we will begin to examine each piece of Godly armor, what it means for us, and how to most effectively put it to use each and every day.

NEXT TIME: Ephesians 6:14

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Part 2: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

In Part 1, we saw the need for strength. The first question this brings to mind is, “Why exactly do I need strength?” We need strength in order to stand firm under our trials, to stand for the Lord, to stand against Satan and sin, and to stand with our brothers and sisters. It takes strength to stand.

But with everything we tend to have going against us, the next logical question is this: “From where do we gain this strength?” The answer is found in these verses. We find the strength to stand by using the armor of God.

No matter whom you are or how strong you may be, even the strongest person is vulnerable to vicious and even deadly attack. Think back through the centuries of warfare, and you will find even the most battle-hardened soldiers would wear their armor. The wearing of armor was not a sign of weakness, but evidence of forward thinking and honest assessment of personal limitations, as well as the fierceness of an attacking enemy. To be victorious in battle, protection is needed. Even today’s soldier wears protective body armor to withstand enemy attacks.

And while there are things in this life that might require a suit of armor, physical armor is not enough. We are not fighting against physical, conventional weapons, but against weapons that can penetrate our minds, our emotions, our very spirits, if we are not extremely careful. The devil does not only through things at us that we can see and fight. He is sneaky, and he knows how to hurt us effectively.

No matter how smart, how strong, how spiritual you think you are, the devil is cunning, and will find your weakest point, in order to exploit it to his advantage and to hasten your destruction. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “wile” (from verse 11) as, “strategies or tricks intended to deceive or ensnare; a disarming or seductive manner, device or procedure; to influence, to entice.” (A further meaning, which will come into play in a moment, is, “to pass time,” i.e. to wile away a pleasant evening.)

As you can see, Satan will use whatever means he can to influence your decision-making process, to seduce you into making a poor choice, to trick you and then trap you. And, at the very least, he will try to get you to pass your time, to ignore the importance of every moment, and rob you of your life, one second at a time. These means all lead to one end: your destruction. This destruction is not a threat to your eternal soul. The devil wants to destroy your testimony and witness. He wants to destroy your effectiveness for the Lord’s work and kingdom.

God knows what we face daily; He knows the temptations and trials, the struggles and pain of this life. He knows these things because He Himself came in the person of Jesus, and lived our experiences, and through His own power overcame these wiles of the devil. Since we are imperfect, He shares with us the armor we require to overcome our own problems. And as we go through life, we find that there is no other way to stand and survive. Verse 12 shows us what we’re up against. It’s not difficult to look around every day and see these things against us. We must stand against these forces. We must have the armor of God upon us, in order to stand.

Briefly, I want to define these wily enemies of the child of God, using the dictionary definition, and then the practical foe we face.

PRINCIPALITIES – a territory ruled by an individual, and the authority and sovereignty of that individual. This world is controlled by Satan; just turn on your television or open a newspaper and you can see that. The Christian is described as being, “in the world, but not of the world.” We spiritually stand against these forces, and while we live in this world, we do not have to be like the world. This difference automatically makes us an enemy of the ruler of this world.

POWERS – ability to effectively perform some act; the strength and force required to act and able to be exerted; a specific capacity or aptitude. No matter how strong you are, the devil is stronger. Satan has the ability to effectively destroy you, if you are not properly protected. He has far more power than you do within yourself alone, and his specific task is your ruin and destruction. No regular armor, no amount of wits nor preparation can defeat these powers. Something more is required.

RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AND SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES – As time moves on, there never seems to be a lack of evil. Someone is always ready to step up and take the reins of evil, and it is found from the very top to the very bottom of society. The heavenly places refer to everything around us. It seems we cannot escape evil, no matter how far we run. One reason for this is that in ourselves, we tend to take that characteristic with us. There are hosts of wickedness all around us, and we must have an adequate defense against that which can simultaneously be against us, around us, above and below us and within us.

There is no other way to stand. Alone, we are defeated before we ever begin. But with the armor of God, we can and will overcome. Armor is only effective if it is used. If you were about to face a battle, your armor would not save you if it remained in your closet, or sitting on your coffee table. It must be used. Each piece must be examined and understood, so that it is used effectively. Then, it must be carefully applied so that the protection is complete. This is true for earthly, physical armor, and it is especially true for the spiritual armor of God.

I have always been fond of finding the “key words” in various Scripture, and in these two verses, the key word is found in verse 11. That word is WHOLE.

To be successful in our spiritual warfare (a warfare in which we are all engaged, whether we acknowledge it or not; it is not a war of our choosing, for we fight it regardless; the question is whether we will win or lose that fight), it is necessary that we possess and use the WHOLE armor of God. Leave one piece out, and it’s as ineffective as if you wore no armor at all. Satan can find the smallest crack in our defenses, and if we leave out one piece of God’s armor, that is exactly where He will attack.

It is not enough to apply most of the armor. Likewise, it is not enough to follow most of the Bible, most of God’s instructions for righteous living. We must follow completely, or not at all. The enemy is fierce, and it seems as though we have no hope of success. But God’s armor is more than effective enough to give us victory, if we will only use it.

In Part 3, we will begin to explore what each piece of armor is, and how we can best use it in our daily lives. I hope you’ll join me soon as we continue this study.

NEXT TIME: Ephesians 6:13

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.