Strong Armor – Ephesians 6:10-20

A text – Ephesians 6:10-20

6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power; 6:11 put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, 6:12 for our struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having prevailed against everything, to stand firm. 6:14 Stand, therefore, and belt your waist with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness 6:15 and lace up your sandals in preparation for the gospel of peace. 6:16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 6:19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

A reflection:

Most of us do not have to put on armor as we go to work each day. But some of us have been under assault in our lives. Whether from physical danger or mental woes or spiritual suffering, some of us know about needing armor. We know that we can never stand up alone against whatever assails us.

How does Paul describe the armor that protects us? Belt your waist with truth. Put on the breastplate (bullet-proof vest) of righteousness (righteousness does not mean being faultless – it means knowing you and God are in a right relationship). Lace up your sandals for the gospel of peace. Take the shield of faith (to fend off flaming arrows). Put on the helmet of salvation (your head and your mind are protected). Take the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Strong armor indeed.

I once met a church leader who was going through high conflict. Not just conflict among people. She knew there was also spiritual warfare happening. Every day she ended her morning devotions by reading through this passage and visualizing putting on this armor. It gave her strength to get through the tough time. God loves us and gives us what we need to survive trouble. When we follow Jesus, it is not all roses. If we are called to lead, we lead through something requiring courage. God stands ready with armor. She is alive and well today in a better town and place, and she knows where her armor is.

Remember, when you are frightened by what needs to be done, God is beside you to keep you as safe as possible. God will not forsake you. God will bring you help. Remember to look for it.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us help in times of trouble. Keep us from constant worrying, reminding us that we have armor for the challenging times. Help us to stop looking for things to be anxious about, and to stand ready when real trouble appears, knowing you are beside us always. Amen.