Woman to Woman: Are you wearing your armor? by Jodi Tollie

What do these movies have in common? Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge, Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbour, and American Sniper.

They are all war movies. Movies that are based on battles that have been fought. Some of those battles have been won, and some lost. While many people have been in real-life battles like these, many of us can only imagine what those battles entail.

Do you know that being a Christian means that we, too, go through battles? Sometimes even wars? There are battles with flesh and sin that we face in our everyday lives. These battles may be within our own minds, with unbelievers, and even fellow Christians.

However, there are also spiritual battles. These spiritual battles are the enemy’s attacks against us. Some days we may be aware of these attacks, but sometimes we may not. That is why I want to encourage you, as a fellow Christian sister, to be on guard. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us of this threat with, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

I don’t know about you, but that verse scares me. How can we always be watchful? That sounds like an anxiety attack waiting to happen. Take heart, my friends. As Christians, we are equipped with armor to help us stay watchful and fight in these seen and unseen battles.

Under Attack? Is your armour ready?

If I were to tell you we were under attack, what would that mean to you? What are these spiritual battles that I have mentioned? Being in a spiritual battle means that some force is causing confusion, disrupting your faith, or tempting you to sin.

Let me give you some examples: Do you ever feel like everything is going wrong? Do you feel like sometimes your best friends are the hardest people to get along with? Are you trying to clean up your language, only to find that your old habits keep finding you everywhere you turn? In movies, books, music, or maybe even family?

I want to spend a minute sharing what this armor is and why it is so important.

We find in Ephesians 6:11 that we are to ‘put on’ the armor: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Verse 13 tells us to “take up” the whole armor so that we would be able to stand firm.

These verses seem serious-minded to me. I feel like Paul wanted his writing to seem determined. He wrote the book of Ephesians while imprisoned, so I think he knew a little about spiritual warfare.

If we are to go to war, we need first to look and act like soldiers. As I walk us through these, picture a Roman soldier.

They do not look like our modern military men and women do. Actually, they had long dresses like sacks. They had helmets and swords. I want to take some time today to explain why this armor is so important. Ephesians 6:14-17 gives us our instructions.

The Belt of Truth

“having fastened on the belt of truth”

Why do you think that Paul would list the belt first? The Oxford Dictionary defines the word belt as a strip of leather or other material worn around the waist or across the chest, especially to support clothing or carry weapons.

It appears to me that a belt would be very important to a soldier, ensuring that their clothing and weapons are securely fastened. Roman soldiers would have to belt up their dress around their waist so that they could move. Have you ever tried running in a long dress? It can be quite difficult. The belt would keep their legs and feet free to move.

So, what is this ‘truth” we are to fasten around us? The truth that Paul is writing about is God’s truth. How would we ever be able to know if we are being deceived if we do not know God’s truth? As a result, we must equip our minds to know God’s Word.

We must study it, pray over it, and memorize it. We must live out of God’s truth. I think Paul listed the belt first because we must base our lives not on our own feelings but on the steadfast truth of God. Without knowing the truth, we would stumble and fall for anything.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

“having put on the breastplate of righteousness”

I want you to think about a modern-day bulletproof vest. A vest that you wear into battle to keep safe or protected. The breastplate Paul mentions would be the equivalent. It keeps all the bullets and darts coming in at you from all sides, protected.

So, what is this righteousness? Righteousness to me means to be in right standing with God and to live a Christ-like life. To obtain this kind of righteousness, we first must repent of our sins and then live by the standard of God’s Word.

Have you noticed what the breastplate covers? The breastplate was designed to cover the soldier’s chest, thereby guarding their heart. This idea is important because the heart (our emotions) is vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks. The heart tends to take a punch when our feelings get hurt, when the intrusive thoughts invade our minds, or we don’t get the response we were looking for from another person.

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

“as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace”

Have you ever bought a new pair of shoes and, no matter how often you wear them, they just hurt your feet? The price we pay for having good-looking shoes. On the other hand, does anyone own a pair of shoes that are so broken in that when you wear them, you feel like you are walking on clouds? Or is that just me?? Shoes are essential for our health. A day in a bad pair of shoes can end up being a bad day!

Did you notice Paul says ‘readiness’? When we put on the shoes of the Gospel of Peace, we need to be ready to act, to go. What are we acting on? Spreading the Gospel of Christ. We were given a command in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.“

The Gospel of Christ is the firm foundation on which we as Christians must stand. We need to make sure our shoes give us peace. Both the shoes in our human life and in our spiritual life.

Shield of Faith

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.”

The enemy likes to throw darts of doubt and fear at us. He likes to make us confused and question our faith. Why is it that when we start to doubt ourselves, we begin to doubt everything else? Do you ever feel the flaming darts from the evil one? I know they hurt.

Using the Shield of Faith is one that I personally need to work on. The shield is made up of our faith. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) When our faith in God is strong, the shield is strong, and the flaming darts do not have a chance to make it to us. They will soon burn out.

Let us keep our eyes fixed on God, the perfector of our faith. Faith is such a small word, but so big in our Christian walk. Even Christ himself knew of the kind of faith we would have. He mentions this in Matthew 17:20, “He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

How do we keep our faith? We must keep praying, reading God’s word, and living a life with active worship and praise. We have to choose to live a life of faith each day.

Helmet of Salvation

“and take the helmet of salvation”

When was the last time you accidentally hit your head? It can cause headaches, dizziness, or confusion. I hate when I do it, and I can guess that you do too. Our head is to protect the brain and mind, which makes us able to think and act both good and bad.

The helmet is the protection and hope we as believers in Christ have for our future. Knowing that Christ died for our sins, rose again, and is coming back for us! We have hope for the future. We have an eternal home.

I feel like Paul used the Helmet of Salvation wisely. The helmet covers the soldier’s head and mind. It guards the mind from despair about what the future may hold. It should give us boldness in Christ, knowing that in the end, we have the victory! Salvation in Christ does not bring confusion.

Sword of the Spirit

“and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

A sword is not often used in battles today. I remember, as a young girl, watching Xena, Warrior Princess, and being fascinated by how she could fight with her sword. I know, I just aged myself!

Just like the Belt of Truth, the Sword of the Spirit goes hand in hand with the Word of God. Knowing God’s Word gives us offense and defense in our spiritual battles.

Having two of the amor pieces so closely related, I think Paul is trying to tell us something. We must know the Word of God. I believe we should have a desire to know it and keep pursuing it. We must apply it to our lives and live God’s Word out loud!

Jodi’s Takeaway:

I want to end by finishing with verse 18. It says, “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.” I love how, at the end of the Armor of God passage, Paul mentions other believers. I think he was encouraging us to keep alert, not only for ourselves but for our fellow believers.

We need to stay humbly in prayer, standing firmly when the battles keep coming, and when there seems to be no end in sight. I am reminded of Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Let us pray for each other. Let us gear up and go to battle for one another. And let’s not forget that the final war is not over, because we as believers in Christ will have the final victory through Jesus Christ himself!

Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the many blessings You have poured into my life. Thank You for these beautiful readers and for the lives You are shaping through Your Word. I pray that they are encouraged and strengthened as they navigate life’s battles. May they feel Your presence and be reminded that they are never alone.

Lord, help me to be a faithful friend to those who are weary—able to stand with them in the fight and lift them up when they cannot do it themselves. Lead us, guide us, and help us never lose sight of the faith we have in You.

I love You, Lord, and I give You all the glory.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

---

Jodi has often contributed to the pastormarkrogers.com website. Her first article, “Do you dare to crave?” can be found by clicking here.