Spiritual warfare is a real thing, and the Bible teaches that Satan and demons intend to drive us away from God and his purposes for our lives. But God has given us resources to resist the devil and his schemes, and Paul calls it the armor of God:
Ephesians 6:12-13 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against … evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.
Ephesians 6:14-17 describes this armor in detail. The armor is typical of a first-century Roman soldier. But the image is not drawn just from Paul’s experience in Roman jails. The Old Testament talks about being armed for action. Isaiah 11:5 says, “[The Messiah] will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.” Isaiah 52:1 calls on God’s people to clothe themselves with strength. Isaiah 59:17 describes the armor God himself puts on as he prepares to act. In this vein the apostle Paul describes six pieces of armor for spiritual battle: a belt, a breastplate, shoes, a shield, a helmet, and a sword.
The Belt of Truth
The soldier’s belt was the centerpiece of a Roman soldier’s armor, securing the body armor and housing the sword’s scabbard. For spiritual warfare, this centerpiece is truth. Remember – spiritual warfare takes place primarily in the mind, and Satan is the father of lies. Christians prepare for the fight by fixing the truth of God’s word firmly in our minds and hearts (Romans 12:2).
The Body Armor of Righteousness
The soldier’s body armor protected him from the neck to the upper thighs. For a Christian, this represents a lifestyle of righteousness that gives Satan no targets to exploit. But before we can start living that lifestyle, we must remember that the body armor is God’s, not ours (Isaiah 59:16-17). Christ himself transferred his righteousness to us when he took our sins on himself on the cross (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The Shoes of Peace
The soldier’s footwear – clearly the most boring item in this list – enabled him to get from one battlefield to the next. In scripture, feet were often connected to sharing a message, as Paul explained to the Romans:
Romans 10:15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Let’s not forget the point of spiritual warfare: to allow God’s Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Central to this mission is the message of the gospel, and Christians are the messengers! Our ultimate goal isn’t to fight against the world – it’s to take the gospel into it.
The Shield of Faith
A Roman soldier was equipped with a large oblong shield that covered his body completely. When a row of soldiers lined up side by side, their shields created an impregnable wall. That’s how faith works for Christians: it’s more effective in community. Our faith – linked up with the faith of other believers – creates a wall of defense (Hebrews 12:1).
The Helmet of Salvation
The soldier’s helmet obviously protected his head. If you’re a Christian, Satan will try to get “in your head” by lying to you about your worthiness before God. That’s what the helmet is for: the assurance of our salvation protects against the devil’s accusations. Paul made it even clearer to the church in Thessalonica:
1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
In part this points to our eternal destiny in Christ. We won’t lose heart in the battle because we know the final outcome, when one day Satan is defeated and we are united with Jesus our Savior forever (Romans 12:10).
The Sword of the Spirit
The soldier’s sword was his only purely offensive weapon. Paul connects this final piece of armor to the Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible, in our hands, to drive off the enemy. The particular word used here suggests some specific portion of the Bible particularly applied to a given situation. For example, when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus answered with specific quotes from the Bible. Learn where to find those key verses that combat the temptations Satan normally fires at you. Memorize them so that you always have your “sword” ready at hand (Hebrews 4:12).
In the end, taking the armor as a whole, God invites us to stand firm in our spiritual battles by arming ourselves with God himself. Paul’s inspiration for this entire vision probably came from the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 11:4-5 The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.
Spiritual warfare is God’s battle to fight, and each element of the armor points us to something about God’s character that we can draw upon. As Romans 13:14 puts it, “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ….”
