Ephesians 6:10-19 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” NASU

 

Without further ado let’s dive right into the next application of looking at the Armor of God or the Armor of the Believer that is given by God and applied by the Holy Spirit.

THE ARMOR.

5. The Helmet of Salvation.

If we were looking at the pieces of armor in one sitting I would think that we would be rejoicing by now.  We are “saved”, “born-again”, “members of the Family of God”, and “equipped” for battle!

Knowing who you are in Christ Jesus allows you to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  It allows you to recognize the lies of the enemy and lift the Shield of Faith whereby you quench or stop the fiery darts or flaming arrows of the wicked one before they have the opportunity to do harm!  This piece of armor protects our thought life and enables us to think Christ’s thoughts!  It is a vital piece of the Armor of God!

6. The Sword of the Spirit.

There should never be any question as to the Power of the Word of God and its effect in our lives on a daily basis.  I speak not only of the logos but also of the Rhema of God.  I like what the Psalmist had to say in Psalms 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” NKJV Likewise the writer of Hebrews declares “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV).

This is a most formidable piece of our armor and weaponry.  It is one of the weapons used by Jesus in the time of His temptation or testing by the devil in Matthew 4:4 – “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” NASU

The Word of God Always defeats the enemy!  Remember Israel in the wilderness?  David in 2 Samuel 22:32-51 gives us a picture of the power of God’s Word saying, “I have pursued my enemies… and beat them as the fine dust of the earth.”

Sadly, too often we do not spend time in the Word so as to get the Word in us.  We quote passages and use proof texts, but too frequently we have not allowed the Living Word of God to become such a part of us that we are one with the Word.

7. Praying Always.

According to the Word of God, if I put on the Whole Armor, Stand my ground, Resist the devil and Pray Always… I Will Overcome!  Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “…pray without ceasing…” NKJV The idea is that of living in a state of prayer and communion with the Lord at all times.  Oh, I’m not speaking of what most of us think of as prayer but a mind that is fixed on the Lord at all times and a heart that is sensitive to the direction and leading of the Holy Spirit at all times.

In bringing this to a conclusion it is my firm conviction that the first order of business for every believer is close the door on the devil.  Begin by receiving the covering of the blood of Jesus.  Begin the process of getting in spiritual condition by developing a consistent and daily habit of prayer.  Get into uniform with the Whole Armor of God through the Holy Spirit.

On a daily basis, allow the Holy Spirit to effectively have the Whole Armor of God working and operational in your life.  Use the Shield of Faith to stop all those fiery darts or flaming arrows of the devil that are hurled toward us by the enemy of our souls.  Search the Scriptures to know the promises and provisions of God for you. Be well armed with the Word!  Then on a daily basis remind yourself that you, as a believer and diligent student of the Word of God are Well Armed in the Lord’s Army.  Allow the Holy Spirit to teach you how to use the Weapons of Spiritual Warfare to pull down the devil’s strongholds and enforce the victory that Jesus purchased through His own blood on the Cross.

It is my sincere hope and desire that each of you walk in Total Victory in Christ and that your Christmas celebration be the best you have ever enjoyed with the Lord as the focal point and centerpiece of your celebration.

God bless you richly and keep your hearts in perfect peace!