ST. PAUL SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (I Corinthians 11:1)

(With Frank Eiklor, Walter and Cecilia Contreras, and Christopher Lucey)

In human warfare, there have been political and military leaders who have sent soldiers into battle without adequate armor and/or weapons. Such scandalous behavior has cost the lives of young men and women who should have been given the resources needed to fight and win.

The Captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ, makes no such error. When God sends us into battle against our invisible adversary, the devil, He gives us armor and weapons that all of hell's powers cannot withstand. In Part 1 of this lesson, we recognized some of Satan's strategies to try to draw us away from Christ. We learned how to face temptations with God's promise that He will always make a way to escape. In Part 2, we will now look at the greatest section of Scripture that describes the armor available to every believer. This lesson will mostly concentrate on the armor of God for defensive purposes. We will cover the weapons of the Spirit (offensive warfare) in our next lesson.

I am in the habit of putting on the armor of God in my morning devotions. One day, a simple but precious truth dawned on me. In Romans 13:14, we are told to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”, while in Ephesians 6:10-17 we are admonished to “put on the whole armor of God.” I looked closely, and found that my Jesus and my armor are really one and the same. Let's look and see.

In Ephesians 6:10, we are told to be strong in the Lord—to draw our strength from Him. In verse 11, we are given the armor of God so that we “may be able successfully to stand up against all the strategies and the deceits of the devil.” (Amplified) We are told in verse 12 that we are not “contending only with physical opponents but against…the spiritual forces of wickedness in the supernatural sphere”. (Amplified)

Now you will see why each part of our armor reminds me of Jesus.

1. “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14)

Your loins belted with truth. He is the Truth. “Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” (John 14:6) Your breastplate of righteousness—Jesus is made our righteousness. “For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

2. “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)

Your feet shod with the gospel of peace—Jesus is your peace. “For He is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14)

3. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” (Ephesians 6:16)

Your shield of faith—you live by the faith of the Son of God. “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

4. “And take the helmet of salvation…” (Ephesians 6:17a)

Your helmet of salvation—Yeshua (Jesus) means salvation. “And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

5. “…and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17b)

Your sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Jesus Himself is the Living Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Develop the habit of putting on the full armor of God each day. For when you do, you are putting on the mighty Lord Jesus Himself. Then you can face any adversary and win any battle.