Putting on The Armor Of God – He’s Our Only Defense Against Dark Powers
Have you been wondering what this kind of armor really represents? I have sat through long sermons as people overanalyze this teaching from Ephesians 6:10-17 and turn it into a message about us doing more and trying harder on our own when this is really about the exact opposite. The reality is this is simply teaching us not to be strong in our own ability, but to be comforted, and to be strong is the ability of Jesus. It’s not about us trying harder or giving more human effort. It’s about resting in the amazing power of Christ! Verses and comments inline below:
Verse 10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
(Note: Who were are we to be strong in? The Lord! Not ourselves)
Verses 11-13 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
(Describes the battle is against evil. You couldn’t beat this on your best day. But God can. The message is to “put on Jesus!”)
Verse 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
(Who is the truth? JESUS! Who is our righteousness? JESUS! So who are we putting on? JESUS!)
Verse 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
(The gospel of peace is Christ crucified)
Verse 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
(Faith in Jesus. That’s your defense. The arrows are lies that cause you to doubt your identity in Christ. When we remember our FAITH saved us, and not our works, our shield will protect us against deception. We realize through faith we have been made new with new hearts and new desires we discover that sin is not originating from us, but rather from the dark powers of this world.)
Verse: 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(As the evil one causes you to doubt your salvation and identity in Christ, remember to put the helmet of salvation on. Satan wants you to think your struggle still causes you to be distant from God, but God says you have been saved and brought near to Him through the blood of Christ.
So yes, we all need to put on the full armor of God. But let’s remember God is not asking us to fight the dark powers, but rather He is saying to lean on His power and put Him on and know for sure who you are. You are His child, and that scares the heck out of Satan – especially when you know it!
PUT JESUS ON
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
