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Growing in Christ |
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| Putting on God's Armour |
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As Christians we need to be strong in the Lord and in His power by putting on
the whole armour of God. In New Testament times, Roman soldiers wore
armour to protect themselves in battle. We don't wear armour today.
but Ephesians 6:10-18 tells how we can stand firm against the devil's tricky
plots to defeat us. You can read it in your Bible. Belt of Truth:
"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist (Ephesians 6:14a). With his strong belt on, a soldier could move around with confidence, knowing his other armour pieces would not slip out of place. We are to put on the "belt of truth" by learning more and more of the Bible's truths. You can do this by reading Bible verses, thinking about them and memorising them. Breastplate of Righteousness:
"Stand ... having put on the breastplate of righteousness" (Ephesians 6:14b). A breastplate covered the soldier's body from his neck to his waist and protected the vital organs. It was made of metal plates or chains so that no sword or arrow could go through it. We need a breastplate to protect our hearts. That protection comes from our righteousness. This means our right standing with God and having our sins forgiven". Jesus makes us right with God and protects our hearts. Feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace:
"Stand ... having your feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace" (Ephesians 6:15). Roman soldiers wore heavy protective sandals with hobnails in the soles. This made them sure-footed when in a battle with the enemy. We wear shoes to protect our feet from thorns and rocks. The word "Gospel" means the "Good News", and this is that Jesus has made peace with God in our behalf. We need to bring the Gospel message to others so they can also experience Salvation and have eternal life. Shield of Faith:
"Stand ... taking the Shield of Faith" (Ephesians 6:15). The Roman soldier's armour also included a large shield made of wood. To get to him, the enemy's arrows had to get past the shield first and then pierce through the armour that was worn on the soldier's body. The Bible tells us that without us using our faith, it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). But, God is willing to give us the faith we need to defend ourselves against Satan's fiery attacks. Helmet of Salvation:
"Stand ... taking the Helmet of Salvation" (Ephesians 6:17a). The helmet protected the Roman soldiers' head. We need helmets to protect our brains when biking or playing sports. We need to let God control our minds so Satan can't lead us astray. That means we have to be careful what enters our minds. We have to be careful what we think about, what we read, what we watch on TV, or what we listen to in music. Sword of the Spirit:
"Stand ...taking the Sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17b). With all our armour on, we're ready to pick up our swords and go into battle. Our sword isn't made out of steel because we're not fighting against people. We're fighting a spiritual battle - one that can only be won by God's power. We must use the Bible, our sword, to protect and defend ourselves, since it shows us what is right and wrong, how to live godly lives, and how to defeat Satan.
"For the Word of God is living and sharper than any double-edged sword. The more you use a steel sword, the more chipped and duller it gets. But, the more you use your Bible, the sharper and more effective it becomes. This means we should be reading and learning verses from God's Word so the Holy Spirit can bring them back to our memory when we are tempted to do wrong. Prayer:
"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). A good soldier is always in touch with his commander and doesn't act on his own. We are soldiers in God's army and God has given us everything we need to be victorious. But we must take up the whole armour, stay in touch with our Commander, Jesus Christ, and be ever alert for the enemy's attacks!
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