Be Strong in the Lord-
Dr. John K. Mathew
Ephesians 6:10–20 deals with the Christian’s armor. This passage certainly means that the Christian’s warfare is against more than just the natural temptations of his flesh. There are powers in the unseen world against which we are powerless except through the aid of Christ. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the word and prayer, are weapons that ward off the darts of the unseen enemy.
Now we stand in a room wherein hangs the whole armor of God. The armor is His, not ours. But He tells us to put it on. We must put on the whole of it for us to be safe. The armor is not for a museum where we can go and look at its strength, but it is for the battlefield.
Clinton E. Arnold gives us a clear definition about each of the armor.
1. Put on your Trousers: Wear Truth. Know the truth of who you are in Christ. ( for the powers of darkness will try to deceive you) Practice honesty and live with integrity.
2. Put on your breastplate of righteousness: Realize your status before God as one who has been acquitted of all guilt. Acquire personal holiness and develop good character.
3. Put on your boots: Prepare to share the Gospel of peace. Prepare yourself for sharing the Gospel wherever God calls you.
4. Take the shield of faith: Do not doubt. Believe that God will help you overcome.
5. Put on the Helmet of Salvation: Be secure in your identity in Christ- or one who has been saved, united with Christ, made alive, co –resurrected and co - exalted.
6. Take the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God: Devote your life to aggressively spread the Gospel. Know scripture and apply it to every difficult situation.
7. The bottom line: Pray!
Ask God to strengthen you and other believers to resist temptation and share the Gospel effectively.
Henrietta Means states that we must come to Calvary for each piece of this wonderful armor. When we come and take it for ourselves, we can see that our whole body is covered. We are to be able to stand against the enemy. Stand, Christians, in the victory Christ wrought on Calvary. But you notice there is no armor for the back. The Christian is never expected to run from his enemies but is to fight the good fight of faith.
