Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.  Ephesians 6:11 HCSB

Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the armor that God gives us in order to stand against the Devil. But armor does no good if we don’t use it. So, today I ask you where is your armor? When I worked in law enforcement, we were assigned vests to protect our vital organs against gunshots. The problem with these vests is that while they may be custom made to fit perfectly, they are cumbersome. In order to be sufficient to stop a bullet from penetrating them, they must be thick. We typically wore them under our clothing. The last thing you want to do in southeast Louisiana in the summer is layer. They could be very hot in the summer. So, more often than not, mine was found in the trunk of my car.

We were also issued offensive weapons like pepper spray and firearms. Now those things I kept on a belt around my waist. When you throw in the handcuffs and the extra ammo, my belt weighed 17 pounds. Now I faithfully wore this belt anytime I was out in the field, but when I was in the office it too was usually stashed in my car.

God gives us armor to wear each day as we face the evil forces in this world. So, I ask you today, where is your armor? Are you wearing it and standing ready for whatever spiritual battle you may face or is it tucked away in a closet or perhaps the trunk of your car?

Are you wearing the belt of truth? For the Roman soldier, the belt was worn under his outer garments and held everything together and kept it in place. Is the belt of truth too cumbersome for you? My grandmother used to tell me that someone who would lie would do anything. By this she meant that for those that lie they can cheat or steal and think because they are good liars they will get away with it and some do. So, do you faithfully wear the belt of truth or is it stashed away somewhere because it’s too cumbersome?

The breastplate of righteousness is the armor that should be worn on our chest to protect our hearts from evil. Are you wearing your righteousness like a breastplate of armor or is it too cumbersome?

Are your feet properly fitted with sandals for the gospel of peace? The Roman soldiers wore these sandals that were also like boots going up to their knees. They were made of leather and had slits for ventilation. The bottom had hobnails which made them like a football player’s cleats. This helped them to maintain solid footing when in battle and helped them to move forward in whatever type terrain they may find themselves. Do you have the good, solid footing of peace that allows you to stand firm and move forward in your walk with Christ?

We must take up the shield of faith. This shield was 2 feet wide and 4 feet long. It was made of wooden planks with leather covering it to extinguish flaming arrows shot at them by the enemy. Do you trust in God when those flaming arrows start flying? Or did you tuck your shield of faith away opting to fear instead?

Are you wearing the helmet of salvation? Helmets are designed to protect our heads and our brains. Our salvation protects our minds from evil. Do those around see your salvation as clearly as they would a helmet on your head?

Do you carry the sword of the Spirit? This is God’s word. Have you studied the Bible enough that you can use God’s word as a weapon against the devil? When the devil was tempting Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus always replied with, “It is written,”. He always used God’s word to stop the devil in his tracks. You can do the same, you know.

Last but not least, Paul encourages them to pray at all times and stay alert. We need to be in close communication with our protector, Jesus Christ. We must always be alert as we are told in 1 Peter 5:8 that the devil is constantly prowling around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

My friend if you are being pummeled by this thing called life and you can feel the flaming arrows striking, know that you don’t have to go through this without your armor. If you have been leaving your armor tucked away somewhere, pull it out. God equips us with all we need to stand against the devil and his tactics. He protects us with His armor, but we must choose to put it on. If your armor has been tucked away, pull it out and put it to use. You will be so glad you did.

Have a great day!