The armor of God must be activated with God’s authority and power. It can be done by surrendering our will to God’s will, by the renewing of the mind, by walking with Him daily, by obeying His Word, serving Him at all times, by living holy lives. These, and more are necessary requisites for the armor of God to have an affect in our spiritual battles. First, the complete armor of God must be on and kept on for us to resist the devil. Resistance is a form of strength applied against the enemy’s ideas and schemes. We can only firmly stand our ground on evil days by resisting the devil. It is a demand we must pay attention to for the entire armor to work for us. Since it is a spiritual and also invisible armor, it will work only by faith. Putting on every day as some do, without making sure that their lives are in agreement with His Word, it constitutes a routine empty of spiritual success. How do we stand firmly on our ground? By shading our feet firmly in preparation to face the enemy. Shoes are very important part of the armor in the fact that it will keep us stable and secured to stand up, and to walk the difficult grounds.
The belt of truth speaks of securing the loins, by holding things together for stability in the battle field, while fighting and flexibility to run, if needed to, in order to redeem the time, which is so necessary to accomplish what we are here to do. The Bible says that YAHSHUA is the Way, the Truth and the Life; only through Him we can go to the Father. Truth must be held close to us; the belt of truth must be fastened tightened at all times, for it is Truth that will shine the way through darkness, abolishing and ridding of lies. It is Truth that will set others free. During His trials, YAHSHUA revealed to Pilate that the reason that He had come into the world was to bear witness to the Truth (John 18:37b). We are witnesses of the truth, carrying it out to the entire world. With its belt tightened, securing it firmly, and persevering to the end.
The breastplate is that part of the armor that protects our vital organs: the breast which also includes the heart and all surrounding organs. A blow to the heart and death is certain. It is a defensive part of the armor; it must be kept on, so that no surprise from the devil will find us unprepared and vulnerable. Peter said, Be well balanced, be vigilant and cautious at all times, for the enemy, the devil, roams around like a lion, roaring, seeking someone to seize and devour (I Peter 5:8). In the spiritual, it is “integrity, moral rectitude and right standing with God” (The Amplified Bible). We cannot go to the battle field practicing immorality, dishonesty and not having a relationship with God. This is a recipe for spiritual disaster. The covering shield of saving faith is also a defense part of the armor with a powerful purpose [that of] to quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one] (Eph.6: 16). By grace we are saved through faith… (Ef. 2:8a). The shield of faith is used to quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one. Without faith, the Bible says, we cannot please God. It is a requisite to be saved, to please God and very necessary in our daily life. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (I John 5:4). Because the flaming missiles from the devil are everywhere, the shield of faith must be lifted up to confront them. Withstanding firmly in our faith, is one way to resist the devil for him to have no other choice but to flee from us.
Peter said, So, brace up your minds; be sober; set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace that is coming to you when YAHSHUA the Messiah is revealed (I Peter 1:13). The mind is the battlefield of the devil. He successfully had an entrance to it since the first day he tempted Eve and she let him. It is so crucial for a Christian to keep the helmet of salvation on and activated all the time. The mind is part of the soul. With it we reason, we think, we decide. Through fear, anxiety and worries, we have given Satan a foothold, an opportunity to our mind. YAHSHUA told us not to worry, not to be anxious, but to seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness…He concluded by saying, So, do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble (Math. 6:31,33-34). Of all the parts of the armor, this one is key in every aspect of life in the battlefield.
Paul said to take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17). Together, one to defend and the other to attack. For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart (Heb. 4:12). This is the only offense part of the armor of God, which is very powerful, if we take it to heart to study it to be knowledgeable, in order to have spiritual discernment to attack the devil in his lies and schemes. The Word of God that is left to the mercy of dust, never touched even to be dusted, does not connect to equip someone to use it to attack the enemy. It is the hidden Word of God in our hearts that has power to keep us from sinning, power to have victory over the enemy. Paul counselled Timothy to study and be eager and do his utmost to present himself to God approved, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing the Word of Truth (II Tim. 2:15). To activate the whole armor of God it is necessary to have a persistent consecrated life of love and obedience to Him. Paul concluded his teaching on the armor of God by saying, Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and entreaty. To that end, keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (Eph. 6:18). Prayer is our link to God, our means of contact with Him at all times, letting ours and the needs of others be known to Him in the battlefield or out of it. Prayer opens the lines directly to God; no waiting, no busy signal. We must not go to the battle field without praying. It is also an important part of the armor of God, for it opens the gate of heaven and God joins us in our battles.
Light from the Word 