Ephesians 6:14-17 says,...
Today's verses are Ephesians 6:14-17, which read,
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 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. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
We can be eternally thankful that Paul put armor parts with these disciplines so that we could visualize and remember them. Many a Sunday School teacher has had students act out the armor or color it on a learning sheet. The word picture of the armor aids us in the process of putting this armor on every day by helping us remember its parts. Again, we are to put on the whole armor of God.
Yesterday we also were instructed to be strong and be in the strength of the Lord and in the Lord. The armor of God enables us to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. We are to continually put on this armor of God in which we will look at the pieces today and their corresponding disciplines. Each piece is crucial to this defense against Satan.
"...having girded your loins with truth..." - You girded this undergarment with a belt. The belt held this undergarment from getting in the way during the time of battle. It was now not dragging along the ground or in the way to trip you up. You were more agile and more freely to move with your undergarment girded by your belt. The belt is truth. You are living a true life. All of your life is tucked into that truth. You walk in truth. You battle in truth. You speak in truth. Underneath all the other armor, before the rest is put on, you make sure that you have your belt on that will aid in being able to move more freely. A truthful life is essential to be able to move against Satan's schemes.
"...having put on the breastplate of righteousness..." - Police officers do this today when they don a bulletproof vest. It would be a similar piece of equipment in Paul's day that would protect the vital organs of the heart, lungs, and internals. The righteousness that we have has been given to us through Christ's righteous act on the cross and we are to follow His example in life. We are to actively live a righteous life for Him and after Him and because of Him. A lack of a life of holiness or righteousness leaves us vulnerable to Satan's attacks on vital parts of our lives.
"...having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace..." - Good shoes are important to your ability to move and your ability to stand your ground. Poor shoes will give you blisters and can cripple you for moving forward or even standing in place. The Roman soldiers had shoes that had spikes in the bottom to hold traction when standing firm in place and getting traction to move quickly. This would be very similar to our athletic shoes with cleats of our day. We stand firm and we move forward with the gospel of true peace which is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I have true peace because of Him and it allows me to stand and it allows me to move forward with that message of His gospel.
"...taking up the shield of faith..." - The shield was so large that the soldier could hide completely behind it if needed. The enemy could shower in flaming arrows but the soldier was protected behind his shield. The arrows would bound off and then eventually burn out. Our faith, our trust in God, is what we put in front of us. When Satan tries to attack with the temptations of his flaming arrows, we turn our faith in and of God, our shield, in that direction and allow it to put out Satan's lies.
"...take the helmet of salvation..." - Another vital part of the body that needs to be protected is the head of the soldier. The brain communicates with the rest of the body what to do so it is given a helmet to protect the command center. Our protection is our salvation given to us by God through the cross of Christ. That protection of salvation given to us as a free gift directs the life of truth and the actions of righteousness and the message of the gospel and the putting of our faith in God in the direction of the enemy.
"...and the sword of the Spirit..." - The soldier has one offensive weapon given to him and that is his sword. It is very mobile and extends out from him to pierce what needs to be pierced. Paul tells us that the sword represents the Word of God. This is the Christian's only offensive weapon and it is again something that has been given to us and not generated by us. We use His words in the battle and not our own. His words of truth pierce through the lies of Satan.
Remember, each piece of the armor is important.
Have I put on the belt of truth, living a life that is not a lie because sin is repented of and confessed rather than allowed to linger and lag us behind?
Have I put on the breastplate of righteousness, living a life with acts of holiness patterned after Jesus or am I traveling down the wide road of destruction with the crowd?
Have I put on proper shoes of the gospel of peace, so that how I stand and where I go is dictated by His message to the world and not my own agenda?
Have I taken up the shield of faith, using it to extinguish the attacks of temptation from Satan or do I think I have a better plan?
Have I taken up the helmet of salvation, being reminded that what I have been given is a gift from Him that guides all my other parts to do what they are suppose to do or was it just to get me out of jam and Jesus is on the shelf of my life right now?
And lastly, have I taken up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, or has it been gathering dust when it is my only offense given by God and through God to use? Is the whole armor on today? Lets pray.
"Lord, each piece is so vital and the pieces of the armor complement each other. You have provided each piece and each piece only works because it is attached to You and Your truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, and Word. Help me to examine my life in light of all of this. Amen."
Pastor Adam
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 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. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
We can be eternally thankful that Paul put armor parts with these disciplines so that we could visualize and remember them. Many a Sunday School teacher has had students act out the armor or color it on a learning sheet. The word picture of the armor aids us in the process of putting this armor on every day by helping us remember its parts. Again, we are to put on the whole armor of God.
Yesterday we also were instructed to be strong and be in the strength of the Lord and in the Lord. The armor of God enables us to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. We are to continually put on this armor of God in which we will look at the pieces today and their corresponding disciplines. Each piece is crucial to this defense against Satan.
"...having girded your loins with truth..." - You girded this undergarment with a belt. The belt held this undergarment from getting in the way during the time of battle. It was now not dragging along the ground or in the way to trip you up. You were more agile and more freely to move with your undergarment girded by your belt. The belt is truth. You are living a true life. All of your life is tucked into that truth. You walk in truth. You battle in truth. You speak in truth. Underneath all the other armor, before the rest is put on, you make sure that you have your belt on that will aid in being able to move more freely. A truthful life is essential to be able to move against Satan's schemes.
"...having put on the breastplate of righteousness..." - Police officers do this today when they don a bulletproof vest. It would be a similar piece of equipment in Paul's day that would protect the vital organs of the heart, lungs, and internals. The righteousness that we have has been given to us through Christ's righteous act on the cross and we are to follow His example in life. We are to actively live a righteous life for Him and after Him and because of Him. A lack of a life of holiness or righteousness leaves us vulnerable to Satan's attacks on vital parts of our lives.
"...having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace..." - Good shoes are important to your ability to move and your ability to stand your ground. Poor shoes will give you blisters and can cripple you for moving forward or even standing in place. The Roman soldiers had shoes that had spikes in the bottom to hold traction when standing firm in place and getting traction to move quickly. This would be very similar to our athletic shoes with cleats of our day. We stand firm and we move forward with the gospel of true peace which is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I have true peace because of Him and it allows me to stand and it allows me to move forward with that message of His gospel.
"...taking up the shield of faith..." - The shield was so large that the soldier could hide completely behind it if needed. The enemy could shower in flaming arrows but the soldier was protected behind his shield. The arrows would bound off and then eventually burn out. Our faith, our trust in God, is what we put in front of us. When Satan tries to attack with the temptations of his flaming arrows, we turn our faith in and of God, our shield, in that direction and allow it to put out Satan's lies.
"...take the helmet of salvation..." - Another vital part of the body that needs to be protected is the head of the soldier. The brain communicates with the rest of the body what to do so it is given a helmet to protect the command center. Our protection is our salvation given to us by God through the cross of Christ. That protection of salvation given to us as a free gift directs the life of truth and the actions of righteousness and the message of the gospel and the putting of our faith in God in the direction of the enemy.
"...and the sword of the Spirit..." - The soldier has one offensive weapon given to him and that is his sword. It is very mobile and extends out from him to pierce what needs to be pierced. Paul tells us that the sword represents the Word of God. This is the Christian's only offensive weapon and it is again something that has been given to us and not generated by us. We use His words in the battle and not our own. His words of truth pierce through the lies of Satan.
Remember, each piece of the armor is important.
Have I put on the belt of truth, living a life that is not a lie because sin is repented of and confessed rather than allowed to linger and lag us behind?
Have I put on the breastplate of righteousness, living a life with acts of holiness patterned after Jesus or am I traveling down the wide road of destruction with the crowd?
Have I put on proper shoes of the gospel of peace, so that how I stand and where I go is dictated by His message to the world and not my own agenda?
Have I taken up the shield of faith, using it to extinguish the attacks of temptation from Satan or do I think I have a better plan?
Have I taken up the helmet of salvation, being reminded that what I have been given is a gift from Him that guides all my other parts to do what they are suppose to do or was it just to get me out of jam and Jesus is on the shelf of my life right now?
And lastly, have I taken up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, or has it been gathering dust when it is my only offense given by God and through God to use? Is the whole armor on today? Lets pray.
"Lord, each piece is so vital and the pieces of the armor complement each other. You have provided each piece and each piece only works because it is attached to You and Your truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, and Word. Help me to examine my life in light of all of this. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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