Full Armor Christian Apparel The Full Armor of God

When asked to write about the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), I thought about what you might have already heard or read and I thought it would be meaningful to examine the full armor of God from a radically practical perspective that speaks to the complex mixture of spiritual, physical, social, mental and emotional components that make us human.

In the Bible, 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 describes Christians as living epistles, or letters of recommendation for Christ, written in their hearts by the Spirit of God. As well, the Bible is described as “alive and active” in Hebrews 4:12; the Greek word for “active” in this verse is energes, which literally means “in work“. The English word “energy” comes from this Greek word. Let’s look at the full armor today from the real world experiences of living epistles, to give energy to the word of God.

Just to recap, the full armor of God represents the defense Christians should take in their spiritual lives. From a practical perspective, it can be applied to everyday life through practices like prayer, reading scripture, and living a life that aligns with God’s truth.

Here are some of the components of the armor of God and how they can be applied in practice:

Belt of truth: A belief in God’s truth and power. This is a basic piece of armor because truth is essential for believers to withstand attacks.
Breastplate of righteousness: Living out the truth daily through right action, thinking, and relationships.
Shoes of the gospel of peace: Standing on the firm foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Shield of faith: Placing faith over fear and courageously letting faith rise up. This can be strengthened by reading God’s Word, watching what God does, and keeping a diary.
Helmet of salvation: Renewing the mind and having confidence in life through God. This protects against doubting ourselves and the plan of God for our lives.
Sword of the Spirit: God’s Word, which is a powerful tool for refuting lies.

The universal message of the full armor of God is that Christians must be spiritually vigilant and prepared to stand against the schemes of the devil. And not just stand but stand with truth that is specific to the to attack. This is critical. While the attack comes from the spirit realm, orchestrated by the enemy, the enemy uses or tempts willing vessels to carry out the attack (James 1:13-15). And the willing vessels are more often than not someone close to us like a friend, a loved one and even a spouse.

Judas’ betrayal of Christ is an example of how the enemy will use those close to us to carry out an attack. In life and relationships, resisting the enemy (James 4:7), often calls for us to use discernment (Matthew 7:15-20), as well as create boundaries that protect our hearts and our life from behavior that threatens our armor, our safety and God’s plan for our lives (Jeramiah 29:11). The full armor of God doesn’t stop the attacks of the enemy, it gives us the truth and the confidence to resist the attacks of the enemy — weapons will be formed but they will not prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

In John 16:33 Jesus tells us, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Without a doubt, the armor of God will be tested by life itself. It is important to understand the armor in relationship to life’s difficulties. The armor of God not only gives us the ability to defend against attacks of the enemy but it also gives us our identity. Identity tells us who we are and what we’re capable of no matter what life brings. The armor of God tells that we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), and all things work together for the good for them who love God (Romans 8:28).

In our darkest hour, when we are walking through life’s valleys, when we are challenged to rise from the ashes or confront our fears, the armor of God reminds us of who we are and Whose we are…you are truth, you are His righteousness, you have peace that surpasses all understanding, you have faith that can move mountains, you are saved and created for a purpose, and God did not give you a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind! Circumstances may change but your identity tells you that, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

Nothing is as easy as it sounds, things are not always as simple as they appear, and hidden complexities can lead to frustration and disappointment…and the full armor of God is no exception. The actual practice of consistently applying the principles of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation in daily life requires ongoing effort and dedication to withstand spiritual challenges; it’s not just a one-time action, but a continuous commitment. Mastering our armor, becoming one with our armor, is one part trust and one part work. We have to trust the armor and it’s power enough to commit to doing the work to harness its power.

Whether in a storm or in a valley, whether applying for a new job or starting a new business, whether a setback or a heartbreak, the full armor of God is not only our spiritual defense but our resilience, our “God-fidence” to face our fears, our faith to get out of the boat and walk on water as Peter did, and our trust in God to direct our footsteps to five smooth stones to defeat our Goliaths. With the full armor on, your mind is clear and your focus is sharp and your battle is already won (1 John 4:4). Put on your armor, practice wearing it daily and in every battle, become one with who you are and Whose you are, and God will uphold you with His righteous right hand! (Isaiah 41:10).

Patrick Weaver