Strong in the Lord:
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 the Apostle Paul tells how we should stand firm against the devil's
tricky plots to defeat us. You can read it in your Bible in
Ephesians 6:10-18.
The Belt of Truth:
"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist (v14a).
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.
The Breastplate of Righteousness:
"Stand ... having put on the breastplate of righteousness" (v14b).
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 get 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.
The Gospel of Peace:
"Stand ... having your feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace" (v15).
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" that Jesus has made peace with God
on our behalf. Being "fitted to our feet" means that we must go and
find other people with whom we can share the Gospel message that Jesus
loves them and wants them to go to Heaven. If they accept Jesus as
their Saviour and Best Friend, then they can also experience Salvation and
have eternal life.
The Shield of Faith:
"Stand ... taking the Shield of Faith" (v15).
The Roman soldier's armour also included a large shield made of wood and
leather. To get to him, the enemy's arrows had to get past the shield
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 has given us the faith, so we need to
believe and trust Him to defend us against Satan's fiery attacks.
The Helmet of Salvation:
"Stand ... taking the Helmet of Salvation" (v17a).
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, and what music we listen to.
With Jesus as our Saviour and with the Holy Spirit guiding us every day, God
will protect our brains and minds and keep us safe!
The Sword of the Spirit:
"Stand ...taking the Sword of the Spirit" (v17b).
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 which is 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.
It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
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:
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. Paul assures us of this in 1 Corinthians 15:57:
"But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ."
Remember, put on the whole armour of God and use your faith to stay in touch
with our Commander, Jesus Christ, and be ever alert for the enemy's tricks
and attacks.
God bless!