In Ephesians 6:13, Paul told us to take up the full armor of God so that we will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. In Ephesians 6:14-17, Paul tells us to stand firm, having put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, taking up the shield of faith, which helps us to quench the flaming arrows of the evil one, taking up the helmet of salvation, and taking up the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And in Ephesians 6:18, Paul tells us with every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.
So what does this mean? I didn't fully understand this until I completed the devotional study, "Lord, Is It Warfare? Teach Me To Stand" by Kay Arthur.
The first thing we need to remember is that Jesus told us that satan is a liar, thief, and murderer, and he is the father of lies. He attacks our hearts and minds with doubt, fear, and lies; THOSE are the fiery arrows of the enemy.
To stand firm against satan and his schemes, we need the armor of God. We need the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
The belt of truth holds everything together. It is the truth of God and His word, and staying with it and adhering to it. If we don't live in the truth, our armor is completely ineffective.
The breastplate of righteousness is Jesus' righteousness that has been credited to us through our faith. In order to keep it on, we need to continue to live righteously, applying God's word and instruction in our lives, and continuing to pursue God's righteousness.
The shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace is knowing and understanding of the gospel and being able to share it. More importantly, it is also having the peace with God that Jesus brought by bearing our chastisement for our sins on the cross. It comes from forgiveness from our sins and being reconciled to God, no longer enemies with Him.
The shield of faith is faith! It's trusting in God and His word. In order to wield it effectively, you have to continue to stay in God's word in order to know His promises and to give you strength in Him. This keeps the enemy's fiery arrows away.
The helmet of salvation is the assurance of salvation. One of satan's favorite tactics is to get people to doubt their salvation and their standing with God. If you're constantly assured of your salvation, then he isn't going to be able to cause you to feel doubt and fear.
The sword of the Spirit is God's word. More specifically, it's specific scripture that is used both offensively AND defensively in order to disarm the enemy's lies. The best example is when satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness after His 40 day fast when He was weak and hungry, and Jesus countered his attempts to tempt him with scripture.
We also need to remember that prayer is our offensive spiritual weapon. It can be used to bind and loose the things of the enemy and the kingdom of heaven. To pray in the Spirit, we ask God to lead us in our prayers and show us what to pray for. And we need to pray as God instructs us to in scripture; for world leaders, nations, families, revival, the peace and protection of Jerusalem, for other saints, etc.
We also need to remember to stand firm. We may not win every battle, but we do not need to be afraid, nor do we need to retreat. The victory has already been won!
My hope and prayer is that what I have learned will be helpful to you and increase your understanding and effectiveness as believers.
May God bless you abundantly and keep you!
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