An Armour Is Protection worn in battle.
The Christian warfare is a spiritual one and the soldier must be, by God’s grace, determined to fight to the end. The enemy to be defeated is sin. Paul encourages believers to stand with their waist girded with truth — Ephesians 6:14.
The belt of truth holds up and keeps in place all other pieces of the armour. In everyday life we wear a belt to hold things in place or else our clothing would soon begin to fall apart. In the same way, truth keeps us secure in Christ and makes effective all the other pieces of the armour.
Truth
In I Corinthians 5:8, we are told, “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Truth is the sincerity of the heart. Sincerity leads us to be open to God. It keeps our motives pure, devoid of malice and wickedness toward our fellow man. If we are to be effective in spiritual warfare, our hearts must be pure. Truth in our hearts makes us sincere and teachable before God. In the mind, truth strengthens our will to serve the Lord. When a sincere heart and a determined will combine they give us a firm girdle that keeps us rooted and grounded in Christ.
As we put on the belt of truth we ask ourselves these questions. Am I right with the Lord? Is there any untruth lingering in my heart? Is there any bitterness and malice being entertained in my heart?
The breastplate of righteousness
In Ephesians 6:14 there is the breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate protects the heart and other vital areas that may cause death if wounded. In the believer’s case the breastplate is not manmade (iron), but righteousness. A soldier with his breastplate on goes boldly into battle. He is confident. Righteousness affords us the opportunity to stand before God.
Righteousness is two-fold:
- We are reckoned righteous — our faith is counted for righteousness.
- We are to behave righteously — keeping God’s principles with His help.
In Romans 4:6-7, Paul tells us of the blessedness of man to whom God imputes righteousness. Abraham believed God and God considered this righteousness. God makes us right with Him because we believe and accept the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.
Faith that is counted righteousness gives us boldness in the presence of God. His presence gives us boldness to change our lives. God wants us to live holy lives. As you submit yourself to the leadership of God and the power of the holy spirit, sin will no longer have dominion over you. Have the breastplate of righteousness and keep in on.
Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
Most people today will spend thousands of dollars (Jamaican dollars) on a name brand shoe. This qualifies them as the ‘hot’ boy or girl. That is material. It is not a spiritual asset and will soon fade away.
Paul, in Ephesians 6:15, speaks of the shoe that aids the believer’s movement. It has nothing to do with the appearance. God is interested in our hearts, not how we look. Looks can be very deceiving. Paul speaks of how we are planted in the truth. The feet must be shod with the gospel of peace (Luke 2:14).
The shoes we wear have soles that help us going over hard ground and equip us with something to offer to the needy souls along the way. The feet are to the body what the will is to the soul. We go wherever our will tells us. Are our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace?
Stay focused
The gospel sets the will of the believer. It gives him a purpose and a focus. It presents him with a message and a task. It gives meaning to life and nothing else seems to matter. There is no calling without the gospel; no sacrifice without understanding.
A barefooted man shrinks when his foot touches hot sand and he also shrieks when he stumbles on a sharp stone. But when the will and heart are prepared and ready to serve the Lord, the believer’s feet are shod. They are prepared and equipped to face any trouble they must go through to complete the task ahead.
Like Paul, the believer must spend time preparing himself in the word so that he can bear fruit in time of trouble. We are told to preach the word in season and out of season (II Tim. 4:2).
The shield of faith
“Above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” — Ephesians 6:6.
The shield of faith not only defends our whole body but also our armour. It keeps the darts away from the head, chest, waist, arms and legs. The shield of faith has a very specific function — quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Not some, but all of them.
Not one of the other pieces of weapons mentioned is as highly exalted as the shield. It moves with the attack. A skilled soldier can use the shield to hold back the darts of the enemy no matter the direction from which they come. When the shield is down the vulnerable areas are exposed.
What is faith?
Faith is what is in our hearts when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our saviour. Faith is what allows us to call God our Father (Rom. 8:15). It is the confidence and assurance we have in the crucified and risen Christ. When we lift up our eyes to God and rely on Him to see us through; that is faith. We can pray from now till tomorrow but see no answers if we have not the faith to receive it.
Let us be fervent in prayer, James 5:15-17.
Pray expecting God to answer. He will.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One