Have you ever heard about the armor of God? If you’re familiar with the Bible or Christianity you probably have heard about the armor of God at least once or twice. But what is it really? And why is the armor of God important? Should we be praying it over us? Let’s discuss it!
The Armor of God
The armor of God is talked about in the New Testament of the Bible. Its discussed in Ephesians chapter 6. So, let’s look at it:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle 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.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;…
Ephesians 6:10-18
Related: Learn about the Bible and focus on what each chapter means with these free pretty printable Bible study worksheets.
The Armor Of God Summed Up
It is a little long, but we can break down the verse into smaller sections to help make the armor of God easier to remember and then we can discuss each piece and what it means and why it is important to our spiritual battle.
- The Helmet Of Salvation
- The Breastplate Of Righteousness
- The Belt Of Truth
- The Boots Of The Gospel Of Peace
- The Shield Of Faith
- The Sword Of The Spirit
The Armor Of God Explained
Okay, now let’s deep dive into what the armor is. I know it may seem a little odd, it seemed weird to me at first and I really didn’t understand the important of the armor either. So often times I did not pray it over myself or my family, but as I got more secure in my relationship with God I realized how important putting the armor on daily is.
1. The Helmet Of Salvation
We receive Salvation when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and acknowledge and believe that He died on the cross for our sins and then rose 3 days later. Now, putting on the helmet of salvation is relying on what Jesus has done for us. But also using that salvation in every part of what we think and do.
Our mind is the biggest battlefield. And the helmet of Salvation allows God to work His word and His truth into the way to think about things and the way to see things. This breaks down any strongholds the enemy has over us and prevents strongholds from being put up.
2. The Breastplate Of Righteousness
If you don’t know what righteousness means, let me explain. According to the dictionary righteousness means
:acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin
:morally right or justifiable
:arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality
Merriam Webster
When the Bible talks about righteousness it is generally speaking about the righteousness Jesus Christ gave us or the righteousness of God. A breastplate covers the heart and shields the organs during battle. So what happens when we combine the two?
The breastplate of righteousness is the righteousness of God protecting us from attacks of the enemies and protecting us.
If you look at Proverbs 4:23
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23
Satan wants to accuse you and break you and your heart, and God’s protection saves you from those accusations and charges.
3. The Belt Of Truth
Truth here is talking about the truths of the Bible opposed to the lies Satan spews. We all know Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) and we know that God doesn’t like lying tongues (Proverbs 6:16-19). And Jesus even said that if you know the truth then the truth shall set you free. (John 8:32)
Knowing you are a beloved child of God, understanding His love, grace, forgiveness, as well as Jesus’ sacrifice, the second coming, these are truths that we can focus on and set us free from the lies of the enemy who tries to tell us otherwise. The belt of truth also reminds us to be honest, to have integrity, and be a person of principle.
4. The Boots Of The Gospel Of Peace
We are soldiers of Christ! We are prayer warriors! And what do warriors need when marching into battle? Good shoes. Ask my husband, he’ll tell you. This is the piece of Armor of God that took me the longest to understand though.
As Christians we must put on the boots of the gospel of peace. Why? For a couple of reasons honestly. Peace is an attribute of God (Galatians 5:22). In Greek, peace means “oneness”. The gospel is the good news of Christ. So how do we put this all together. We are to be one with God, and if we are following God we will be at peace not only with ourselves, but others. We can feel this peace and keep it with the knowledge of the good news which is we have salvation in Christ.
With these books we will stand secure in Christ and walk as He did. (1 John 2:6). Knowing the good news will also help us hear Jesus’ voice so that we may follow him (John 10:27).
5. The Shield Of Faith
Let’s talk about another piece of the armor of God: the shield of faith! What is a shield for? A shield protects the soldier from attacks. When Satan attacks you with his “fiery darts” the shield of faith protects us. This keeps us standing strong in Christ and keeps us safe from Satan’s accusations and temptations. This is because we have faith.
Faith isn’t from us, but is a gift from God. God gives us all faith (Romans 12:3). We walk with God and we trust and have faith in Him to protect, forgive, and love us. We walk by faith all of our life until we finish our race. (2 Timothy 4:7).
6. The Sword Of The Spirit
The sword is a very sharp weapon. It’s the only weapon we have as a Christian spiritually. So what does it do? Well, let’s acknowledge out of the entire armor of God this is the only offensive piece as the other pieces of defensive.
The sword represents God’s word which is described as
…living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Hebrews 4:12
Even Jesus used this sword when He was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness.
If it is powerful enough for Jesus to use, then it’s powerful enough for us. This is why it is so important to know God’s word since it is His word that destroys the enemy and their lies.
Praying The Armor Of God Over Your
Lord,
Today I come to you and ask for forgiveness for all sins I have committed. I also release all debts of anyone who has wronged me. I come before you clean and ask of you to guide me today. Help me keep captive every thought, action, and every word. To see the world and people as you see them and to love and forgive them as you do.
I pray the armor of God over myself and my family today to guard us against attacks from the enemies, to protect our joy and faith. We put on the helmet of salvation so that our minds will protected from the enemy and their strongholds and to be reminded of our salvation in you.
We put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts from the temptation and the hurts that come from battle.
Next, we put on the belt of truth so that we may see through the lies of the enemy. So that we can focus on your word and be honest people of integrity.
Now, we put on the boots of the gospel of peace so that we are ready to follow you no matter where you take us, so that we can be faithful, and be one with You, O’ Lord.
We take up the shield of faith to protect us from the fiery darts of the enemy. Our shield will extinguish all the darts, lies, threats, and temptations the enemy throws our way.
And lastly, we take up the sword of the Spirit. We take up Your word, Your offensive weapon as we go forth in battle, the only weapon that destroy the enemy. Your word is a living word alive and stronger and sharper than any double-edged sword.
Be with us today as we live for You Lord and protect us. Help us keep the faith and joy knowing that You love and forgive us. We thank you for today and every blessing You have given us.
In Christ’s name I pray,
Amen.
Free Printable Armor Of God Prayer PDF File For You To Take Anywhere You Go
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Do you put the armor of God on everyday?