TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

  

Over the last several weeks I have been strongly impressed to read and reread Ephesians 6:10-20—Paul’s famous teaching about putting on the whole armor of God. There are several key points to which I want to direct your attention.

Three times in this passage we are exhorted to “stand” (verses 11, 13 and 14). Also in verse 13 we are told to “take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.” Paul uses military terminology throughout this passage. The context of his writing is that he is living in a world dominated by the Roman army, so the terminology is very familiar to the Ephesian church and to all the other churches that Paul was connected to. In the original language, the word stand (histemi) speaks of being steadfast, immovable.

In verse 15 Paul tells us to pay attention to the shoes we wear. He is referring to the Roman soldier who wore into battle shoes that had spikes on the bottom. The spikes allowed the soldier to find firm footing when in hand-to-hand combat and this was especially important when the ground became slippery with blood or water. We are living in dangerously slippery times and I trust that your feet are properly shod and firmly set!

In verse 13 the Greek word that is used for withstand is from the same root as stand and in this verse it is the word from which we derive “antihistamine.” This word suggests a vigorous opposing, to put a block on something, standing face to face with your adversary and not giving any ground. Or as the crazy TV newsman in the movie “Network” yelled out the window, “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” Some of you need to get in a window of your life and yell at the devil, “I’m mad and in the Name of Jesus I’m not going to take this anymore.”

We are told to take up the whole armor of God, and that takes conscious action on our part. We need to be in clear relationship with the Lord through our communication with Him in prayer, study, worship and fellowship. When we are in open communication with Him and living our lives in a manner that is pleasing Him, we are putting on His armor and it is protecting us. By the way, putting on the armor is a one-time act and from then on we should regularly make sure that it is properly in place. Some folks feel the need to daily put on the armor and if that’s you, it’s okay, but it really is not necessary. Why is it that you have to put it on daily? Does it fall off when you sleep? Is the armor of God, the grace of God, so fragile that it falls off when you least expect it? I think not!

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith” (verse 16). Again, we do this by our faith in Him and our declaration of that faith in prayer, in worship and in speaking forth His Word. Carol and I often pray this way, “Lord, we raise up the shield of faith over and around our family—the shield of faith that quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” 

Now let me help you understand what Paul was saying when he uttered these words about the shield of faith.

What Paul had in mind was much like the shield that a Roman soldier carried. It was about four and half feet long and two feet wide. The Romans introduced a strategy into warfare that, at its time, revolutionized the way they fought. A Roman company of about 150 men, each carrying a sword or spear and shield, would go into battle in a tight rectangular formation. When they came under attack they would each put his shield into place: some to the side, some to the front, some to the back and some over the top. The company then became a solid block covered on all sides and over the top and then they would move forward or backward in unison. This maneuver had never been seen before, and by using it the Roman legions devastated enemy armies everywhere they went.

The shields were wooden but were covered in leather. Before the Romans went into battle, they would soak their shields in water so that when the enemy shot fiery arrows at them the wet leather would not burn. When the Romans introduced these tactics to their armies, it revolutionized warfare.

In times of stress, when we feel like we are being attacked, we are to take up the shield of faith and know that the fiery darts of the enemy are being extinguished. It may not always look like it but the victory is ours!

More about the shield and how we are to use it in the next two blogs.