The Armor of God

I did a little study recently on the armor of God.  I don't know how many times I've read Ephesians 6:10-18, which says to put on the full armor of God so we can stand our ground when we're faced with trials and temptations. 

That's an encouraging verse, but I wondered what that means.  How do I "put on" this armor?

The Bible describes the Christian life as a battle against sin and Satan. We are soldiers of Christ in a spiritual warfare.  God knows we will face attacks, and He's given us weapons to fight with.  It's our duty to learn how to use these weapons.  I wanted to know more about the weapons, so I did a simple Internet search and learned a little more about each of the weapons.

Belt of Truth
There is liberating power in truth, and the one who walks in the truth in all his ways will be set free. A lie, no matter how little, gives the powers of darkness an opening for attack, but the truth chases them far away.

Breastplate of Righteousness
The breastplate of righteousness is entirely the righteousness of Jesus which He gives us freely when we accept Him as our Savior. It is Christ’s righteousness — not our own righteousness — that covers and protects us.

Shoes of the Gospel
As soldiers of Christ, we must put on “gospel shoes” that will allow us to march wherever God leads.  Satan will try to place obstacles in our path, but in Jesus’ strength we can walk forward, following the Lord, obeying Him and advancing the gospel.

Shield of Faith
This faith is God’s gift to us. He gives each of us a measure of faith.  As we walk with Him, our faith grows and develops until it becomes a shield, protecting us and allowing us to live a victorious life in Christ.

Helmet of Salvation
When we have a sure knowledge of our salvation, we will not be moved by Satan’s attacks. When we are certain that we are in Christ with our sins forgiven, we will have a peace that nothing can take away.

Sword of the Spirit
God’s Word is truth. That is why it is so powerful. That is why it is so important that we study the Bible and become familiar with its truths and its power.  The sword of God’s Word both protects us and destroys our enemy — the devil and his temptations.

Prayer
Even when we are clothed with the armor of God, we also have to pray.  Prayer brings us into fellowship with God so that His armor can protect us.

The bottom line is this: All the pieces of the armor are found in a relationship with Jesus. Paul said “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”  When we come to Jesus and “put on” His righteousness, we are clothed in the whole armor of God.