I think we all need a little retail therapy from time to time! As a bargain shopper, there is nothing better than finding the perfect outfit at an amazing price. The thrill of the hunt—how exciting! I am not encouraging us all to become shopaholics. When I bring something new home, I do try to remove an old item from my closet. However, there are always things in the closet that are too big, too small, outdated, or a trendy impulse buy that never quite worked out.
But there is something we should be wearing every day that is much more important than the clothes in our closets. Ephesians 6:13 states, “Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
We should be fully clothed in the whole armor of God so we can stand “in the evil day.” The evil day seems like it could very well be today! We can’t possibly fight the good fight of faith daily without the attire we need to stop Satan in his tracks. Let’s look at each one of these battle garments and how we should wear them:
Ephesians 6:14-17 describes the armor for us: “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
BELT OF TRUTH:
When we need to pull our outfits together, we choose a belt. God’s Word—the belt of truth, brings our entire walk with God and our lives together. Remember, Satan is the father of lies and confusion. We can discern his lies by reading, studying, and memorizing the Word.
Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right. -Charles Spurgeon.
BLOUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:
God’s righteousness will safeguard our hearts from Satan’s attacks. The heart is vital to the body and must be protected. Proverbs 4:23 states, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Sin can cause an opening in our lives for Satan to do his evil work. But if we pursue righteousness by walking in the Spirit, our hearts are protected from sin.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV).
SHOES OF PEACE:
Nothing sets off an ensemble like a great pair of shoes! When we have our feet covered in the gospel of peace, we can walk in and share the gospel of Christ—the Good News, with those who are tormented and broken. We can stand firm without fear and walk in peace while sharing this wonderful promise of salvation in love.
CLOAK OF FAITH:
Faith is our blanket of protection, our first barrier against the enemy’s attack. Those attacks can cause us to doubt and fear, but faith gives us confidence that we will overcome. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4). When we don the cloak of faith, we apply God’s promises as an answer to everything Satan will try to throw our way.
HAT OF SALVATION:
More than anything else, the battle is waged in our minds. Romans 12:2 states, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Protecting the vulnerable area of the mind is an essential piece of our armor. Being born again and experiencing the promise of salvation is more than just a future benefit. It impacts us in the here and now and gives us the power to be a witness to others.
WEAPON OF THE SPIRIT:
The Word of God is our offensive weapon. All other pieces of our battle clothing are defensive. In combat, we don’t simply bring along a weapon to complete our outfit. We must have every intention of using it against our enemy. Hebrews 4:12 informs us, “The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.” We use this weapon by reading and studying scripture and living it out. When faced with the Word of God, Satan has no choice but to turn and run.
We have the whole armor of God available to us. Don’t leave it hanging in your closet! We are warriors for Christ. Each morning, get dressed for battle because you, my dear sister, are in a war! But you will overcome! Revelation 12:11 states, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
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