How to Fight Your Battle with the Full Armor of God
When we put on the full armor of God to face battle, we must remain in the Holy Spirit to fully win each battle. We must understand the enemy and be able to put on the whole armor of God to stand firmly.
Ephesians 6:10 NIV ~ “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Why we need the full armor of God: the enemy is real
Ephesians 6:12 NIV ~ “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
We must indeed put on the whole armor of God because our enemy is real. The Bible states that our battle is not against other people, but against the powers of darkness and evil spiritual forces.
1 Peter 5:8 NIV says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Unfortunately, we have to give the enemy a little credit as a master at temptation, deception and tricking you into idol worship, BUT we cannot give him too much credit. He will never be stronger, smarter, or more powerful than the Lord God Almighty!
The full armor of God: What are the pieces of the armor of God?
Ephesians 6:13-17 NIV ~ “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
What are the pieces of the armor of God?
- Belt of truth
- Breastplate of righteousness
- Feet fitted with readiness and peace
- Shield of faith
- Helmet of salvation
- Sword of the Spirit
When talking about the full armor of God, which piece of armor is first? The belt of truth must be the first thing you turn to in battling the enemy. Notice that the belt of truth is buckled—not tied, not loose, not decorated, but buckled. That is because the enemy is a liar, and you do not want to be caught without your pants!
We often go into situations without knowing the truth about ourselves, others, and situations. For example, someone without the truth of God’s love might face a situation believing that God does not love them or that he has abandoned them. Knowing the truth that God loves you and that He will never leave you nor forsake you allows the truth to build in your mind and spirit. Then, you will be able to put on the full armor of God to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes.
Christians tend to fight with only one or two pieces of armor, and sometimes they only have a helmet. We must pursue truth, Bible study, and prayer to put on the whole armor of God.
The full armor of God: Prayer
Ephesians 6:18 NIV ~ “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
John 15:7 NIV ~ “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
Romans 8:26 NIV ~ “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV ~ “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
From these verses know that:
- To battle effectively, you must practice the presence of God just like a basketball team practices for the big game (Do not expect God to show up if you haven’t practiced being in God’s presence.)
- Yes, you use words to pray and make requests known to God; however, the key to intercession is the presence of God and remaining in the Spirit.
- You will feel peace when the Spirit is interceding on your behalf.
When you put on the whole armor of God, remember that prayer is an integral piece of the battle plan against the enemy. Spending time in God’s presence is the practice needed for prayer and intercession.
Dear Christian friend, put on the whole armor of God today. Start with the buckle of truth and end with time in God’s presence.
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