Day 30: Putting on the Armour of God

Read Ephesians 6:10 – 20 

“Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:13)

Put on the Full Armour of God (v.10 – 13)

Spiritual warfare is real. The Greek word for "schemes" is *methodia*, from which we get the English word "method." Spiritual warfare involves two sides devising strategies to gain the upper hand. Our enemy is active, like a roaring lion, seeking to devour through deceptive, unfair methods. It is naïve to think we can fight this battle with our human abilities alone. We are called to stand firm and resist by relying on God's strategy—by putting on the full armor of God.

The Full Armour of God (v. 14 – 17)

The full armour of God equips disciples to stand firm, resist the enemy’s attacks, and advance with the gospel of peace.

We stand our ground by:

• Fastening the Belt of Truth – We know the truth, and the truth has set us free (John 8:31-32). We are no longer enslaved by the deceptive practices that once led us into sin. Fastening the belt of truth means making the conscious decision to follow Jesus and embrace His teachings, allowing truth to be a central part of our lives.

• Putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness  – Our conduct must align with the truth we believe in. It is not measured by worldly standards but by God’s righteousness. As James 4:17 reminds us, if we know the right thing to do and fail to do it, it is sin. The breastplate of righteousness represents living in accordance with the truth we have received.

Advancing into Enemy Territory: We use the following parts of the armour to resist and withstand the enemy's attacks:

• As shoes for our feet, we advance in readiness given by the gospel of peace into enemy’s territory.  This gospel of peace has the power to tear down the dividing wall of hostility cause by the deceptive work of our enemy. It brings about the realization that our Jesus had paid the price for our sin and as our Prince of peace, we can make peace with God our Creator.  This is the gospel that we are advancing into enemy territory.

• The Shield of Faith: Our shield is firm confidence in the Lord and His Word. The flaming arrows of the evil one—temptation, deception, discouragement, or doubt—will come at us. When these trials hit, and we feel "shipwrecked," our faith brings us back to the God we trust. He is always our shield of faith.

•  The Helmet of Salvation: This reminds us that we have already overcome. We are not fighting for victory, we have already gained the victory through Christ, we have rendered death powerless. We can boldly proclaim, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). In Christ, we have already won the ultimate victory.

 In battling our enemy, we use:

•  The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: This is our only offensive weapon. Jesus used the Word of God when tempted by Satan, quoting the appropriate scripture to counter each attack (Luke 4:1-13). The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). We carry this authority into the battlefield—the Sword of the Spirit.

The need for watchfulness, prayer and intercession (v. 18 – 20)

In battle, prayer is the very atmosphere in which Christian soldiers live and breathe. The Apostle Paul understood the importance of prayer in his ministry, urging the church in Ephesus to “pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” for all the saints on the battlefield, so they may boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel. Be fully alert, persevere in prayer, and uphold one another with sincerity of heart. This is how God’s Kingdom advances.

Application

Are you trying to fight a spiritual battle with physical weapons? Spend some time praying and reading the Bible to Spiritually strengthen yourself for the battle. Satan will tempt you with lies. Memorize Scripture to remind yourself of the truth.

Prayer

Let these 30 days not mark the end of my devotion to You, Lord. I boldly declare that I have hidden Your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. Let Your Word dwell richly in me and become alive in my actions, so that others may see You in me and glorify You for the transformative power You’ve worked in my life. Amen.