Armed for spiritual warfare (1)

Friday 23rd February 2024

‘Put on the full armour of God …’ Ephesians 6:11 NASB20

Every day you live, you will battle the world, the flesh, and the devil. In order to be armed for spiritual warfare, Paul gives us six specific pieces of spiritual armour. Here are the first three:

1) The sturdy ‘belt of truth’ (Ephesians 6:14 NLT). During World War II, a plane flew many miles past its destination. Why? Because the crew, not realising there were such strong tailwinds, refused to believe the cockpit instruments. As a result, everyone on board perished. Yet when the plane was found years later, the instruments were still in perfect working order. You can depend on God’s Word to guide you. Read it daily and believe it no matter what your mind or emotions tell you.

2) ‘The body armour of God’s righteousness’

(Ephesians 6:14 NLT). Note that it is God’s righteousness, not yours. You’re not saved by trusting your own performance but by trusting Christ’s performance on the cross. When you know that, God’s righteousness becomes the breastplate that protects your heart from doubts about your salvation (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

3) ‘For shoes, put on … peace’ (Ephesians 6:15 NLT). Shoes indicate you’re going somewhere, so don’t expect to hear from God if you’re determined to remain frozen in the same spot. When you start moving ahead, He confirms the rightness of your direction by giving you a sense of peace (see Colossians 3:15).

When you don’t have peace about something, seek God for direction. This is particularly important if you’re a self-starter who loves what you do. God wants you to have an abiding sense of His peace – so don’t go without it.