The Armor of God

I come now to the end of all I have written you, and I gather it into a single charge: "be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might" (Ephesians 6:10). Notice where the strength lies. Not in you. In him, and in his might. All the armor I am about to name is God's own — I call it "the whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11) — for it is his gifts you put on, not virtues you manufacture. The Christian life is not you summoning courage; it is you clothing yourself in what Christ has already won.

And you will need it, for the fight is real and it is not the fight you think. "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12). The person who wounds you is not your enemy. Behind the visible stands the invisible — "the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12), an enemy of cunning schemes. So the great verb of this passage is not attack; it is stand. "That you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13). Your calling is not to conquer ground Christ has not already taken, but to hold the ground he has given — to still be standing when the smoke clears.

See then what you wear. Truth belted tight, so you are not undone by the father of lies. Righteousness as a breastplate over the heart — not your own, but Christ's given to you. On your feet "the readiness given by the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15), for a soul at peace with God is a soul that cannot be stampeded. Over it all "the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one" (Ephesians 6:16) — when accusation and fear come burning at you, faith holds up the promises of God and they go out. The helmet of salvation guards the mind that knows it is saved. And one weapon only for striking: "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) — the same Scriptures our Lord wielded in the wilderness. Notice: no armor for the back. There is no provision here for retreat.

Then, having armed you, I set you on your knees: "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication" (Ephesians 6:18). The armor is worn in the posture of prayer, watchful and persevering, for all the saints — for this is one battle and you do not fight it alone. And do not miss how I ended it. I, who taught you to be strong, ask you to pray for me, "that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly" (Ephesians 6:19) — "an ambassador in chains" (Ephesians 6:20), needing your prayers to be bold. I write this with a guard at the door. The chains are real; so is the standing. Put on Christ, take up his Word, fall to prayer — and stand. Grace be with you.