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THE ARMOR OF GOD
4/25/2007 10:28:27 AM
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God's will for us
"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore,
having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the
gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will
be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which
is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication
for all the saints...." Ephesians
6:10-18
What
is the Armor of God?
God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective
covering. It is the very life of Jesus Christ Himself. "[P]ut on the
armor of light," wrote Paul in his letter to the Romans, "...clothe
yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 13:12-14) When you do, He
becomes your hiding place, and shelter in the storm--just as He
was to David. Hidden in Him, you can count on His victory, for He not only
covers you as a shield, He also fills you with His life.
"I am the vine; you are the branches," said Jesus. "If a man
abides in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from
me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
Since living in the safety of the armor means oneness with Jesus, we can
expect to share His struggles as well as His peace. Remember, God has promised
us victory in the midst of trials, not immunity from pain. So "do not be
surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange
were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of
Christ..." (1 Peter 4:12-13) Christian heroes who have been tortured for
their faith continue to testify to the supernatural strength--even joy--that
enables them to endure unthinkable pain.
They affirm with Paul -
"that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
who loved us.... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers....
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)
This wonderful truth has become reality to all who believe and follow
Jesus. When you put on His armor, His life surrounds you, keeping you safe,
close to Himself, and free to be His precious friend and trusted companion. So
"put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) He is your victory!
How do
I "put on" God's Armor?
This life in Christ begins with learning, affirming, and trusting in each
part of the armor. The first part is truth--God's revelation of all that He is
to us, all that He has done for us, and all that He promises
to do for us in the days ahead. This enduring truth is written in the Bible,
revealed by the Holy Spirit, and realized through Jesus Christ. It cuts
through all the world's distortions, deceptions, and compromises. When you
study, memorize, live, and follow truth, it enables you to see the world from
God's high vantage point. Putting on the first piece of the armor means
feeding on truth through daily Bible reading and making it part of yourself.
God's Armor
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Know the Truth
about...
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Affirm key
Scriptures
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Belt of TRUTH |
God |
Deut. 4:39; Psalm 23:1; 18:1-3 |
Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS |
The Righteousness of Jesus in you |
Psalm 100:3; Rom. 3:23-24, 6:23; Gal. 2:20-21; Phil.
3:8-10. |
Sandals of PEACE |
Inner peace and readiness |
Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14; John 14:27, 16:33, 20:21. |
Shield of FAITH |
Living by faith |
Rom. 4:18-21; Heb. 11:1; 1 Pet. 1:6-7 |
Helmet of SALVATION |
Salvation through Christ today and forever |
Each day: Ps. 16, 23; Heb. 1:3-6
For eternity: 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 1 Thess. 4:17; 1 John 3:1-3
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Sword of the spirit GOD'S WORD |
God's Word countering spiritual deception and
accusations |
Heb. 4:12; Matt. 4:2-11; 1 Pet. 3:15; Ps. 119:110-112 |
To put on the "full armor"--and enjoy a daily and eternal
love-relationship with Jesus Christ, thank Him for what He has shown you in
His Word. Know the Scriptures behind your prayer so that your words and
faith are grounded in the authority of the Bible. (Some of those verses
are listed in the chart above.) Then pray through each piece. You can use the
following prayer as an outline:
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The belt of truth: Thank you, my Lord, for showing me the truth
about yourself. Thank you for reminding me that You are the only God, the
Creator of heaven and earth, the King of the universe, my Father who loves
me, and my Shepherd who leads me. You are my wisdom, my counselor, my
hope, and my strength. You are everything I need each day.
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The breastplate of righteousness:
Thank you for showing me the
truth about myself--that on my own I could never be good enough to live in
your presence. Thank you for taking my sins to the cross and
offering me your righteous life. Lord, show me any sin that I need
to confess right now, so that nothing will hinder me from being filled to
overflowing with your Spirit. [Take time for confession] Thank you for
forgiving me and for filling me with your righteous life.
Kathy Hamilton 253 277 1238
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