For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  

                                                                                                           Ephesians 6:12-13 

This passage acts as a great reminder for us to keep our eye on the real battle, the spiritual warfare that each of us encounter. When Paul says that, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” he is saying that our struggle is not with other people. It seems that so many believers have forgotten that we are to love our enemies, bless those who persecute us, and pray for those who do not yet know the Lord. Remembering that our fight is not with other individuals rather it is with spiritual rulers, powers, and forces, will assist us in behaving properly when confronted with evil and wickedness.

But so often our experience dictates that we see the confrontation as a struggle with people. There seems to always be “that person” in our life who challenges us, and if we’re honest, has the ability to really irritate us. When this happens, we would do well to ask ourselves, “What is going on in this person’s life that would cause them to think, speak, and behave in this manner?” Understanding that the person is not the problem rather the issue is possibly with the thinking, the ideology, or the belief system of that individual. And of course, let us not forget the tremendous pull that our flesh has on us, even those who belong to Christ. Rejecting those fleshly urges to react negatively requires a total dependence on God’s Spirit within us. After all, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and the rest are all attributes of God’s Spirit, not ours.

So knowing that people are not with whom we are at war rather understanding that our battles are spiritual, we are now ready to consider Paul’s next declaration: “putting on the full armor of God.”

Paul uses word pictures to illustrate each piece of armor: belt, breastplate, feet, shield, helmet, and sword. I believe that there is some significance in acknowledging each piece in this way (i.e. the breastplate guarding our hearts, the helmet protecting our minds, and so forth) but our focus will be on what each of these word pictures represent. I believe that the real power behind God’s armor comes as we correctly understand and apply each spiritual truth to our lives.

And what is the purpose behind our putting on all of the armor? First, it serves as a reminder that we truly are in a spiritual battle. Secondly, much like physical armor protects us physically, this spiritual armor will protect us spiritually. As the enemy fires his fiery arrows at us, we are able to render them ineffective (Ephesians 6:16). But lastly, Paul tells us that the armor will allow us to “stand firm.” Christians should be a confident and strong people. As believers, we are sons and daughters of God and fellow heirs to His kingdom. All of the spiritual riches of His kingdom are available to us as well (Romans 10:12). We have tremendous resources in prayer, faith, and the power of the Spirit. I believe that there are far too many believers living in defeat simply because they do not correctly identify themselves in Christ and apply the armor to their lives. Christ has already overcome the enemy. It is up to us to choose each day to put on the full armor of God by practicing the presence of God, talking to Him about every aspect of our lives, and spending quality time in His Word, memorizing, meditating, and applying scripture to our lives.

I hope you are excited to spend some time examining each piece of armor and how it protects, preserves, and empowers us to live victorious lives in Jesus Christ!