All God's Amour

(Ephesians 6:11) “Put on the whole armour of God.”

Why must a soldier go into battle with all His armour? Well, the law of probabilities may test that, if he leaves off any item he may regret it; it may cost him his life. So any trained soldier will give careful attention to detail in that regard. In the spiritual realm, it is an obvious fact that if we leave off any piece of the armour God has given us, we will fall prey to the “roaring lion”, even Satan and all his wiles.

Let us then examine why each piece is advantageous. Paul tells us that our war is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. He also tells us that the day is evil, forget yesterday as it has past, what is done is done. Today is full of warfare, evilness lurks around every corner and he has laid his snares. The devil will always attack the truth; he often if not always begins there. “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say?” Or he will try use the truth to get you to test the Lord Jesus and His word by twisting it out of context. The Lord Jesus had fasted forty days and was hungry, he had a need, and His body required food. “The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." Do you see how important it is to have our waist girded with truth? If we are unsure of what truth is then we become double minded, should I do this or that or maybe it will be different this time around, it is all trickery and a lie, do not believe anything outside of God’s Word. For when our waist is bare and not protected by truth we are like water and get tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. We are easily enticed and before long we are in tears and looking for repentance. We must have a high regard for sound doctrine, it will do us well in this ongoing battle. Because when doubt presents itself and it will, we can look to God’s Word just as our Saviour did and respond in like manner. “But he answered, "It is written, “'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" And when the devil shifts gears in offering us wealth and prosperity, we must have no part in his offer. “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "‘you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” The Lord did not say to Satan that he did not have access to the wealth of this world, but rather rebuked him and used scripture in context to prove to us that his waist had its armour on. I trust we see the benefit to standing on the truth of God’s word. “Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.”

The very first article of armour that needs careful attention when we dress is truth, and interestingly it covers our reproductive area. It was designed in such a way that without it in place no other amour could be fastened securely.

Will we be like men that sow their seed without much thought fathering illegitimate children as and when their need arises? We must not listen for what we think we want to hear, but rather what God has actually said. Once again I will with boldness declare that if we do not heed our God’s almighty voice we will be the ones who suffer loss. However, that will only happen if sound doctrine (correct contextual teaching of God’s Word) is not held in high regard.

Next we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness, that which covers our hearts a vital organ, that which pumps blood and supplies the rest of the body with oxygen so that it can function fruitfully. Righteousness must be our breastplate.”The breastplate shelters the heart. The righteousness of Christ imputed to us is our breastplate against the arrows of celestial wrath. The righteousness of Christ implanted in us is our breastplate to fortify the heart against the attacks which Satan makes against us. The apostle Paul explains that by “putting on the breast-plate of faith and love.” Faith and love include all Christian graces; for by faith we are united to Christ and by love to our brethren. These will deduce a diligent adherence of our duty to God, and a righteous manner towards men, in all the offices of justice, truth, and charity.” Our hearts are protected by righteousness; sin opposes righteousness, so when sin is rife in our lives and we have been lured by it we have forgotten what was right in the sight of God’s eyes. We must always remember Christ’s example, it must be about God’s will and not ours, easier said than done at times but nevertheless this is the call for every believer. We are not justified by our own works but, we are called to be righteous. We are called to live in Christ’s finished work. We must guard against sin which robs our joy in the Lord and secondly we need best to understand that we are only righteous because of the righteousness of Christ, which being imputed by God, and received by faith, is a guard against, and repels the accusations and charges of Satan, and is a security from all wrath and condemnation. So even when we trip and fall, we are not saved because of our ability to stand, but remember when we stand the devil will flee from us, until the next time. If we fall let us remember to stand on the finished work of Calvary, confess our sin and find forgiveness from our every gracious and compassionate Father who will be just and faithful to forgive us. The breastplate of righteousness is the finished work of Calvary and therefore even when we are downcast and are low in spirit let us remember our great Saviour and remind ourselves that it is not about our achievements but His. So when the devil roars, let us remember it is only a roar and not a bite, because our Jesus has overcome.

We will look at the rest of the armour tomorrow, Lord willing.

May God help us to find grace to stand and having done all just to STAND!

Signing off

Tyrone