Weapons for the Believer: 9 – The Armor of God

Weapons for the Believer: 9 – The Armor of God

According to Paul, there are weapons of warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

We are considering ten weapons that the Believer has at their disposal. We looked at the first eight in previous posts. If you haven’t read them I encourage you to do so.

The next weapon on the list is the Armor of God.

Whenever “weapons” are mentioned in Christian circles most immediately go to Ephesians 6 where we find a list of items Paul refers to as “the whole armor of God.”

Ephesians 6:10-18 (ESV)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,  …

9. The Armor of God,

1) Belt of Truth

2) Breastplate of Righteousness

3) Shoes To Carry the Gospel of Peace

4) Shield of Faith

5) Helmet of Salvation

6) Sword of the Spirit (The Word of God)

7) Praying Always

8) Alertness with Perseverance

Like most of the “weapons” we have seen in this series most of these items are intended more for defense than offense. When the Believer is living the life God intends the enemy is kept at bay by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Some of these were considered individually in prior posts, such as “1) Belt of Truth” (Weapon #3: Speak the Truth In Love) and “7) Praying Always” (Weapon #6: Prayer).

2) “Breastplate of Righteousness” is one of the most critical to the Believer because it guards the heart. It is vital to keep our heart safe. When our heart suffers our whole body suffers because the life-giving nutrients are not pumped through our body to keep us strong and healthy. The heart is our access to the things of the Spirit. When we suffer hurt our first tendency is to close our heart to prevent further harm. However, that also closes off our access to the very source of our healing: The Holy Spirit.

The Roman breastplate not only covered the heart but covered the soldier, front and back, from the neck to the waist. When we understand that our righteousness has been given to us through Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, we will be protected from many areas of attack. The enemy cannot cause us harm if we do not give him access. Living from a position of righteousness is a great defense.

3) “Shoes To Carry the Gospel of Peace” is the mission of Believer. Paul quoted Isaiah when he said:

Romans 10:15 (ESV)

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV)

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

There is no greater peace than when you are in right-standing with God!

4) “Shield of Faith” is our access to God. He is already reaching toward you, seeking after you, and compelling you, by the Holy Spirit, to come to Him. Faith is how we connect with Him.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Our greatest hope is the life provided through Jesus, and faith brings it from unseen to seen in our life.

5) “Helmet of Salvation” protects our minds, the greatest battlefield for the Believer. Once you settle your salvation your mind becomes guarded by the confidence you have in Christ. When you follow the pattern Paul gave us in Ephesians as to how God made possible your salvation you will never have to doubt again. Salvation is not filling out a card or shaking a preacher’s hand. It’s not repeating a model prayer or the result of any good works that you may do. Any, or all, of these things may occur in the process, but the only requirement for salvation is this: that we identify our self with Jesus in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension to Father, seated at His right hand, and receive the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to us, along with the gifts that the Spirit brings.

6) “Sword of the Spirit (The Word of God)” has to become our daily bread. God has given us 66 books filled with His plan and purpose for every human ever born. It is the only “weapon” Jesus used against the enemy when tempted during His Forty Days in the wilderness. The writer of Hebrews describes the power of God’s Word.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The Word of God, when allowed to do Its work in us, will expose anything that is not part of God’s best for our life.

8) “Alertness with Perseverance” keeps us from the “fowler’s snare” as the psalmist put it. Peter said it like this:

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

I recently posted on being “Sober.” If you haven’t read it take a quick moment to read it now. It is time for the Church to understand our place in this earth, and the time is right for us to stand up and be the Body of Christ in our world.

Weapons for the Believer: 8 - Fasting

Weapons for the Believer: 8 - Fasting

According to Paul, there are weapons of warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

We are considering ten weapons that the Believer has at their disposal. We looked at the first seven in previous posts. If you haven’t read them I encourage you to do so.

The next weapon on the list is fasting.

Matthew 9:14-15 (ESV)

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

8. Fasting

Our Western culture minds do not have a great understanding of fasting. Much information has been disseminated in the past few decades that have brought many benefits of fasting; mostly from the health community. However, for the Christian, fasting has nothing to do with health or nutrition. It is for spiritual reasons that we fast.

When we choose to fast, we keep our body from dictating to our soul how it will carry out the will of God for our life. We do not fast to get God’s attention. We fast so we can give Him our attention.

The most important aspect of fasting is to have a proper focus. If you fast to impress others then, as Jesus put it, “you have your reward.” There is no lasting benefit to fasting for the sake of others. This was the instruction given by Jesus.

Matthew 6:16-18 (ESV)

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

When properly positioned, fasting helps us hear God’s voice more clearly because we have determined, by leaving off natural desires, to focus on our spiritual senses. During times of fasting the Holy Spirit was clearly heard as He led the early Church.

Acts 13:2 (ESV)

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

The meaning of the words for “fast” in both Hebrew and Greek are very simple: “To cover the mouth.” In other words, nothing goes in. There are many really good resources on fasting. Again, this forum is not the place for long, detailed teaching on such subjects. Just do it! Find a way to start small. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you in this effort. The grace of God is there to help you through the process.

Weapons for the Believer: 7 – Worship

Weapons for the Believer: 7 – Worship

According to Paul, there are weapons of warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

We are considering ten weapons that the Believer has at their disposal. We looked at the first six in previous posts. If you haven’t read them I encourage you to do so.

The next weapon on the list is worship.

Genesis 22:5 (ESV)

Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”

7. Worship –

Hebrew: prostrate (especially reflexive in homage to royalty or God) :- bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

Greek: to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (literal or figurative) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore), worship.

One tool in studying topics in scripture is called “The Law of First Reference.” The first time “worship” is used is when Abraham was explaining to his companions what he and Isaac would be doing on the mountain. Abraham was following a request by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, the promised one, as an offering to God. This, Abraham called this act “worship.”

This verse is one a little less well known. It is the reason God sent Moses to get the people of Israel out of Egypt. Moses was to bring the Jewish people to the mountain where God met with Moses so they could “serve” God there. Another interpretation for this word is “worship.”

Exodus 3:12 (ESV)

He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Fast forward to the story of Jesus when He encountered the Woman at the Well. In an attempt to sound knowledgeable she commented to Jesus about her “fathers” worshipping on the mountain. Jesus had this reply.

John 4:21-24 (ESV)

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Jesus moved worship from a physical act in a physical place to a spiritual experience that can occur anywhere, anytime. He also introduced the notion that there was a difference in motive among worshippers. He referred to those with proper motives as “true worshippers.” Another way of stating this is those who “truly adore” God. That narrows it down quite a bit. It is a heart issue.

There is a place of worship where we direct our total attention to God. He alone is worthy of our worship. When tempted in the wilderness by satan, Jesus responded with this declaration.

Matthew 4:10 (ESV)

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

Our relationship with God is carried out one on one. There is no intermediary under the New Covenant of Grace. We fellowship with Him in worship.

Later in Paul’s writings he mentions some of the activities of the Believer regarding the use of music in the life of the Believer. This is not worship to God alone, but refers to a gathering of Believers (2 or more) where they sing songs “to one another” and “to the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:19 (ESV)

addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

This is a picture of corporate worship.

The most powerful example of the effect of worship as a “Weapon of the Believer” is found in two verses, one Old Testament and one New Testament.

The first is from Jesus responding to the religious leaders on the day He entered Jerusalem, just prior to His death. These leaders were upset at the children crying out to Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna!” I love Jesus’ response.

Matthew 21:16 (ESV)

and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2.

Psalm 8:2 (ESV)

Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.

Because of some differences in language meanings it is a little fuzzy, but this is the essence of what Jesus said. The power of words used in praise (worship) to God, even out of the mouth of babes, causes the enemy to stop his actions. The words “prepared praise” and “established strength” have the same root meaning. The result is the enemy is “stilled.” This is the same word we would see used when the Federal Reserve shuts down a bank. They issue a “Cease and Desist Order.” The bank has to immediately stop any financial transactions. They lose their authority.

That is an amazing tool for the Believer. The reality is, however, that the Believer’s worship to directed toward God, not the enemy. It is during our worship that the enemy’s authority is destroyed. This is why we are instructed to “ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (ESV)

There is so much more that could be said regarding worship. Maybe more will come later.

Weapons for the Believer: 6 - Prayer

Weapons for the Believer: 6 - Prayer

According to Paul, there are weapons of warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

We are considering ten weapons that the Believer has at their disposal. We looked at the first five in previous posts. If you haven’t read them I encourage you to do so.

The next weapon on the list is prayer.

6. Prayer.

I once visited a young lady in the ICU. She was in grave physical condition. While speaking with her she made a comment that speaks to how most Believers view prayer. She said, “I guess all we can do now is pray.” After all was done by the medical team attending to her care she was still not improving. She had come to the resolve that it was now up to God to help her.

My response to her was simply, “And prayer is enough.” You see, God is ready to hear us whenever we call out to Him. The challenge for the Believer is to pray on the outset instead of under duress. Prayer should be our first alternative, not the last.

This weapon is really the first one we have considered that has within it a sense of offense. However, regular prayer will serve as a great defense. Prayer is our means of communing with our Father. When we pray with the direction of the Holy Spirit we get our spirit in tune with God, and allow Him to speak His heart and wisdom to help us navigate the events that will make up our day.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Paul exhorted those in Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing.” How is that possible? Was Paul just waxing poetic? I don’t think so. I have found that God doesn’t waste words that He placed in the Bible. I have a plausible explanation. If you have another thought on this I’d love to hear it. I do not claim to have the only explanation of this.

First of all, not all prayer is praise, but all praise is prayer. Whenever you give praise to God it is a form of prayer. Secondly, looking at Paul’s words to the Church at Ephesus we see these words.

Ephesians 1:11-12 (ESV)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

We are to “be” to the praise of His glory. In other words, as we live our lives in fellowship with God, we are living in a state of prayer to Him, simply “being” with our Father as we walk through each day.

There is a need for times of intentional prayer; times where we bring our concerns to the Lord, and to hear His thoughts about them. Paul said it like this to Timothy.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV)

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

A weapon that keeps us a peace is quite a powerful weapon. It reminds me somewhat of the Cold War between the US and USSR. We both had nuclear weapons. Knowing the other had megatons of firepower kept either from attacking. I believe, in a similar way, when we exercise our privilege of prayer we keep the enemy at bay because we remain in close communion with our God. The closer we stay to Father the further the enemy will remain from us.

When praying, there is a place to make requests. Paul used the word “supplications.” Unfortunately, many Believers stop with this type of prayer. The second type of prayer Paul mentioned is simply “prayers.” The Greek word here means “oratory.” In other words, we are to spend time simply talking to the Lord. We should share with Him what is on our mind. He already knows, but praying these things will help us.

The third type of prayer mentioned in 1 Timothy 2 is “intercessions.” This is where we come to God on behalf of another. I have found that I can have more faith praying for others than I can for my own needs. That is the power of intercession. The final type of prayer Paul instructed Timothy to practice is “thanksgivings.” This is self-explanatory, but often is overlooked or forgotten, just like the nine leapers that were healed but did not return to give thanks. Jesus asked the one who returned, “Where are the other nine?” Never neglect thanksgiving to God. We have so many reasons to give thanks.

There is much more that could be said about prayer. This is not the forum for an in-depth look. Just be sure to use prayer in your life as a Believer. It is essential to survive spiritual warfare.