“By becoming a Christian, I automatically signed up to a war in the spiritual world. Whether I like it or not, whether I would prefer to remain an obscure scientist, an avid reader and foodie: I have no choice. I am now a soldier.”
Do I have the full armour of God?
I have heard people preach on this before but it was in the manner of spurring us up so that we feel good about ourselves – or at least that’s how I felt. I am safe, secure and doing everything right. Nothing to worry about.
However, this time when my spirit sincerely asked that question (or rather when the Spirit enquired my spirit), the reply was some sort of devastated feeling mingled with a sense of urgency; but no audible answer came out of my mouth in the midst of the disarray that was my suddenly congested mind. So, I relive the question once more: Do I have the full armour of God? The simple honest answer is no – at least not the full armour. I may fasten on some items now and again but my armour remains mostly incomplete and inadequate.
Reading Ephesians 6, it is bluntly evident that in my present condition, I am screwed. I am easy prey. And I do fall down a lot. God does pick me up time and time again; however, with the complete armour, I won’t fall in the first place. I will stand firm:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 Therefore put on the full armour 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. (Ephesians 6:10-13 NIVUK)
After giving practical notes on living in unity among our fellow Christians and as a light to the world in his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul proceeds to address our spiritual defences against forces of another world. He refers to these guards collectively as the full armour of God.
The full armour of God is obviously not physical clothing of any kind or a special way of dressing, or some sacred accessory or jewellery that one puts on to ward off evil. It is an array of attributes gifted by God to Christians through the Spirit that lives in them. Importantly, it is not just for defence but also for offence against our only enemy, the devil, and his schemes. As noted by Paul and Barnabas[1], as Christ followers we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. These difficulties they were talking about are not of our own making (like many human troubles) but are the active efforts of the devil to tempt us to let go of the cross we carry and the hope in Christ we possess.
I am seeing more and more clearly that by becoming a Christian, I automatically signed up to a war in the spiritual world. Whether I like it or not, whether I would prefer to remain an obscure scientist, an avid reader and foodie: I have no choice. I am now a soldier. All my personal will and desires are subject to the Godly command and ministry. What kind of soldier am I if I am not even aware that my life is now a warzone? Or if I am still dressed in civilian clothes? What am I without any protection from the assaults of the enemy? I am useless and unfit for battle. I am prone to discouragement and despair, subject to temptation, and a wild confused goat who tends towards rebellion against the King.
The drive to proactively ensure one’s armour is on, well-fitted and in use is the realisation that we are under attack and an understanding of the nature, magnitude and determination of the enemy we are up against. It is crucial to note that the spiritual world is where the fight is. We are not at war with human beings here on Earth no matter how horrid any particular one may seem – that’s why we are called to show love to everyone, even our enemies[2]. Neither are we battling against any other physical object we see around us. Our struggle is against the spiritual powers of darkness. Moreover, to fight against this darkness, one has to believe in it in all its potency. That is why we need to adjust our perception of the devil and his evil.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:14-17 NIVUK)
The first thing that jumps out of the pages of my Bible and immediately makes me feel wanting are my stubborn feet. They should really be dressed with eagerness and preparedness to go where God leads as Paul was ready to serve Him and go anywhere – even to death – to proclaim the Gospel; but as I run this race, my feet are fitted with an entirely different kind of shoes. This footwear I strut says, “I will go wherever you lead as long as I like the place”, and I have a whole collection of them in a rather large mental closet. My shoes also have an unshakable reluctance to share the Gospel which is the good news that sin and its death have been swallowed up through my God, Jesus Christ. Of course I, not God, designed them. God’s own footwear of readiness to serve Him should always be on my feet – not taken off now and again but always on. How can I say that I am a Christ follower if I’m not actually ready to follow?
The belt of truth to stand against the devil’s lies: How many times have I taken the enemy’s words as fact and let them have their way? Lying is the devil’s prime weapon of choice and the most effective against humans. It is the blow he used in his conversation with Eve in the Garden of Eden when he rebuffed the words of God spoken to man: “You will certainly not die…and you will be like God…”[3]. Thus, the devil’s first recorded lie in human history is his claim that God is a liar. And he still tells this very same lie today.
The devil knows my weaknesses better than I know myself and will attack me in these soft spots with his expert deceit. Accepting the devil’s lies renders me inactive and births a disregard for the word of God – the truth – about our lives. I often find myself in moments of doubt and despair where I find it so difficult to be convinced that the devil is a deceiver because his words seem to make so much sense. His deception often seems indisputable and bulletproof; but when I do remember the devil’s craft, I bring to mind God’s words of truth about me and about all who are sanctified by Him. Then my spirit is strengthened and I stand up again.
Our salvation is a guard against spiritual fatality just as a helmet protects from mortal blows to the head. I see the breastplate of righteousness as an honour bestowed on us by God, a glory on display for all to behold. Faith in God shields us from arrows of the enemy and it can catch them from every direction. Furthermore, salvation, righteousness and faith in God are intertwined. It is by faith [in Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection] that we are saved[4] from the power of sin and death and through our faith shown in action that we are credited as righteous[5].
We are to wield the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Many Christians don’t know what the Bible says neither are they in tune with the voice of God. How can an army function without knowing its commander’s orders? How can we plunge assaults against the devil without the weapon that Jesus Himself used to shatter the devils tempting words[6]? What’s more, the writer of Hebrews describes the word of God as:
…alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NIVUK)
The word of God pierces deep, exposing the most-hidden of intentions, unmasking the true nature of things and fighting off the devil’s plans. Take it out of that dusty scabbard, hold it and use it well.
Along with the full armour, prayer is absolutely essential, and not just any Sunday service mantra but prayer in the Spirit, prayer that is mindful of the will of God:
18 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. (Ephesians 6:18 NIVUK)
One thing I immediately notice in the above verse that I certainly do not do enough of is praying for other Christians. Like many in the church today, when I do say my half-hearted prayers, my mind is on me and what I want. I hardly ever pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ. These selfish prayers are not love. By not praying for others, I am not contributing to the strengthening and encouragement of the church, the body of Christ. If the church is weak, how are we to stand up to the pressures and attacks from the enemy against our unity without shaking and toppling over? Surely, we cannot stand firm. I need to pray for other Christians.
Once I lifted up that cross and decided to follow Christ, I became the devil’s bullseye; and his darts will keep coming till I let go of the truth that is Jesus Christ or take my last breath. Yet, I can power through all the trials and suffering the devil throws at me because of the full armour. However, it is important to make this note: The gear in question is the full armour of God and not the armour of my incompetent human efforts. For whatever I try to do by my own hands without the Spirit of God will surely fail.
Lastly, as I march against the enemy as a soldier well-groomed and properly dress, God’s banner over me is love. This love came down to die for me, and through Him that loves me, I am more than a conqueror[7] over the devil’s schemes.
[1] Acts 14:22
[2] Matthew 5:43-48
[3] Genesis 3:4-5
[4] Ephesians 2:8
[5] Romans 4:18-25
[6] Matthew 4:1-11
[7] Romans 8:37
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