There is no denying that the judgement of God is coming to all the earth. Some people believe His judgement is already starting. While this my be true it will just continue to get worse until the end of days.
There’s a old Chinese Proverb that reads “It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.” I believe it’s always better to be prepared for what’s coming.
Jesus defeated every enemy when He died on the cross and conquered the grave three days later. It is from confidence in His victory that we can put on the full armor of God and stand firm in our daily battles.
God has called His people to become an army for Him. The Armor of God is our uniform He calls us to wear. We can learn about this Armor in Ephesians 6:10-18,
“Finally, be strong in the Lord in His mighty power. 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, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feel 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. 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.”
Here are some practical ways to us the Armor of God, piece by piece, that I have learned to use them.
The Belt Of Truth
A soldier is only ready for battle when they are girded with their belt. A Roman soldier’s belt was made of metal and thick leather and was a carrying in place for sword. It had a protective piece that hung down in the front. His belt held all the other pieces of his armor together. To be fitted with his belt, meant he was ready to face action.
Truth is the belt that holds the believer’s armor as well. Ultimate truth can be found in God’s Word and in the person of Jesus (John 14:6). We must know this truth in order to protect ourselves against our flesh, the world, and the father of lies (Satan). Truth grounds us and reminds us of our identity in Christ.
How to use the Belt of Truth:
Start your day In God’s Word. How we start our day is vital to winning the daily battles that we will inevitably face. Before anyone else wakes up, set aside at least 10 minutes to begin your day in God’s Word. It important that we are able to immerse ourselves in scripture without distraction.
End Your day in the Word.
Find a quiet place before you lay down, dedicate 20 minutes to studying the Word.
Memorize Scripture based on what you are struggling with.
The Bible is a guide book for life, which was written by the Creator. No matter what your struggling with, there is a scripture to point you in the right direction. You can do a google search for “Bible verses on. to find a verse that speaks directly to your heart. Then memorize it and speak it aloud whenever Satan attacks you.
The Breastplate Of Righteousness
A Roman soldier was always equipped with a breastplate. This piece of armor protected his vital organs in the midst of the battle – when he wasn’t quick enough to put up his shield. The breastplate was for the quick unexpected advances of the enemy.
As believers, we have no righteousness apart from that which has been given to us by Christ. Our breastplate is His righteousness. His righteousness will never fail. Though we have no righteousness of our own, we Have His power, when we choose to do right. Living a right life, being rooted in God’s Word is powerful protected with our heart, killing our flesh, and defeating the enemy.
How to use the Breastplate of Righteousness
Identity righteous activities in your life that strengthen you.
This may be as simple as having an occasional conversation with someone less fortunate as you and getting to know their name.
Identity unrighteousness activates in your life that weaken you.
For each of us, this is going to be unique. I found that I was constantly watching movies that didn’t line up with my values. I’m a sucker for a good horror film. But by intentionally exposing myself to immoral behavior, I was allowing Satan to weaken my walls that Christ had put around me.
Sandals With The Gospel Of Peace
Romans soldier’s feet were fitted with sandals called caligae. These sandals were made to help protect the soldier’s feet during their long marches into battle. They had extremely thick soles and were wrapped perfectly around their ankles in a way that protected them against blistering. Caligae also had spikes on the bottom to help them stand firm as they traveled. This helped them have a firm foundation.
Believers have to have a firm foundation in the Gospel. As believers we have peace in knowing we are secure in what Jesus has done for us.
How to use the Gospel of Peace
Remind yourself of the Hope you have in Jesus. Because of His sacrifice and your belief in Him, you will not perish but have eternal life. Do not wait until the hardship to remind yourself of this. Build your foundation on a daily reminder of this Hope, and you will be able to get through anything.
Share your testimony with others
The easiest and most effective way to share the Gospel with others is to tell your story of how Jesus has changed your life.
Live by example
The way you walk through life will be seen by many. When you carry yourself with the fruit of the spirit, people will stop and notice.
The Shield Of Faith
The Roman soldier’s shield was a complex piece of armor. The shield was called a scutum, and it was the soldier’s primary defensive weapon. It was made of impenetrable wood, leather, canvas and metal and it coupe doused with water to extinguish the fiery arrows of the enemy.
Faith is the shield of the believer. Trusting in God’s power and protection is imperative in remaining steadfast. When the battle rages, we must remember that God works all things for good. He is always true to His promises.
How to use the Shield of Faith
Take time to remember the promises of God.
When fiery darts try to impact your heart, extinguish them with reminders of God’s goodness over your circumstances.
Here are some promises:
- He will never forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).
- He will meet all your needs (Philippians 4:19).
- Call on Him and He will answer (Psalm 3:5-6
A soldier’s shield was the strongest when linked with one another.
Band together with other believers in the fight of faith. The best way to band together is through the closeness of a small group. This is actually how the church began in the first century and this is where the strongest bonds are made today. Finding a small group of believers and starting having a prayer meeting on a week is also very beneficial.
Recount God’s past victories in your life,
In the movie The War Room, Miss Clara had a framed plaque on her wall will all of her answered prayers. Make a list of all the ways God has come through for you in the past. Whenever your faith waivers, recite this list and remember in detail how God made a way.
The Helmet of Salvation
The soldier’s head is one of his most vulnerable areas. Without his helmet, one blow to the head would prove fatal. His helmet covered his entire head, facial area, and between the eyes. His armor would prove useless if he wasn’t equipped with his helmet.
The believer’s helmet of salvation is the most crucial piece of armor for the Christian. Without the indwelling Holy Spirit that enters a believer at the moment of salvation, all the other armor is useless. Salvation empowers believers to fight. It protects us in our weaknesses. Without salvation, there is no victory.
How to use the Helmet of Salvation.
Stand on the conviction of your salvation.
When you know without a doubt that you are going to heaven because of what Jesus did on the cross, not even death can defeat you. We will all face extremely dark times. In these times, our salvation will light the way and carry us home.
The Sword of the Spirit
All other pieces of the soldier’s arsenal are defensive weapons, but not his sword. The sword, a gladius, was a deadly weapon. In the hands of a skilled warrior, he could pierce through even the strongest armor.
Our word is the Word of God, both the written and the incarnate Word. Every other piece of armor protects us against attacks. With God’s Word, we are able to fight and defeat all enemies. Jesus used scripture to defeat Satan when He was tempted in the desert. And we must do the same to defeat
How to use the Sword of the Spirit
Arm yourself
Be intentional about reading scripture. Find time to dedicate to readying and studying the Word of God when you are free from distractions.
When attacked fight back with the Word of God.
When Satan attacked Jesus in the desert he told him, “No.. for it is written …” We should use Jesus’s example when Satan tries to come after us
When you feel beaten down, immerse yourself in the Bible.
Even those with great faith are going to have days when they feel like they are barely hanging on. On these days, ten minutes of your time in the Word of God isn’t enough.
Prayer
In prayer, we show our reliance upon God to act and move. Our entire armor is rooted in God’s strength. Without His presence, we are powerless in the fight. We must fight on our key. The One who has won the war is with us in the battles. We will see victory when we fight in His power.
How to use Prayer
Pray when your eyes open every morning. Before you do anything else, go straight into prayer. I start everyday asking God for wisdom to make good decisions, and the discipline to stay true to His word, and the vision to hear His voice for direction.
Pray impulsively throughout the day. Sometimes we can get caught up in saying the same prayer over and over again this can be religious and God doesn’t want us to be religious. You can break through the repetition by impulsively praying throughout the day. Praying for people you encounter. Pray for the wonders and beauty of God’s creation.
Have a conversation with God before you go to sleep. There is something very powerful about speaking to the King of Kings. God is omnipresent and available to talk to Him about whatever is on your mind.
Although the war has been won, the daily batt must be fought. Thankfully, we know with every fight we face, that we have the armor and weapons to he,o us defeat the enemy.
From Pity to Praise 