As you may recall, last week I mentioned Lydia was reading through her Bible chapter by chapter. Last week, she read the Apostle Paul’s letter to Christian believers in the city of Ephesus during the Roman Empire. And, together we discussed it to make sure she really connected with God’s truth.
Ephesians Chapter 6 is all about spiritual warfare. Paul writes about putting on God’s armor daily; for me, a Roman soldier comes to mind. I’m sure there are many books, sermons, and articles discussing them in depth!
But, for our purposes, I wanted to do something hands-on. That way, Lydia would remember the lesson, be able to apply it, and “stand firm” in her faith!
As we reviewed Ephesians 6:10-18, I told Lydia to stand up and put on God’s armor. Yes, she had fun acting it out! The belt of truth is first (v. 14), and perhaps it is first because it went over a tunic before the heavy armor was added. But, we decided to save it for last… keep reading!
Next up… the breastplate of righteousness. Lydia acted like she was putting on a shirt, and then crossed her heart with her arms. I asked her what a breastplate would be used for. “Protection” was her response, and that is true. But, I also think of Proverbs 4:23, which says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” We talked about our emotions, distractions, and holding offense. Also, I mentioned how Lysa TerKeurst says, “Emotions are indicators, not dictators.” Emotions give us clues, but don’t run the show.
Then, Lydia put on shoes representing the “readiness given by the gospel of peace” (v. 15). What does that mean, we wondered? I had some ideas, but Lydia started walking about with her imaginary shoes. She focused on bringing peace to those she sees every day; I also was thinking about the gospel which means “good news.” So, we are holy ambassadors, spreading the Good News of peace (see Isaiah 52:7 and 2 Corinthians 5:20). Ultimately, Jesus brings us peace with God, peace with others, and peace with ourselves.
“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (v. 16). This verse was a lot of fun. Lydia held up her arm imagining a shield attached. She thought about it for a moment and then relaxed her arm. As soon as I saw my opportunity, I threw a small toy at her. She jumped and defensively raised her arm in shock. “Why did you do that?!” she asked. I explained that I was trying to prove a point and catch her off guard. We then discussed what a flaming dart (or arrow) might mean. She quickly realized that the fire comes from the pit of Hell, and we must always be prepared for Satan’s attacks.
We moved on to the helmet of salvation next (v. 17). This seems easier to understand than others, as a soldier would have a warrior mentality. Romans 12:2 came to mind, which says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” We must be alert to Satan’s lies and constantly remind ourselves of God’s love, grace, truth, peace, joy, etc. We cannot afford to forget all He has done for us!
The Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (v. 17), is the only weapon listed that is both our defense and offense. Lydia and I have previously discussed noticing lies or myths that would discredit Jesus or make us doubt Him. We then can attack the lies and replace them with Scripture verses. This book is particularly helpful because it matches God’s word with our emotions.
Now, let’s go back to the belt of truth. I asked Lydia why we saved this for last. She got it right away. “Because God’s truth holds everything else together!” John 14:6 mentions that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and Colossians 1:17 records how all things are held together in Him. We cannot be spiritually strong without Jesus!
Finally, Paul writes to keep alert and keep praying. We can’t be lazy or sleepy. We must do all we can to stand strong and stand firm in Christ. On guard!
**********
Heavenly Father, thanks for giving us all the tools we need for a successful life, including spiritual armor. Help us use it effectively as we live for You and obey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Questions: Have you ever thought much about our spiritual armor? What components are familiar or easy to use, and which ones do you need to dust off?
Tasks: To read more, click here for the search results related to Ephesians 6 on my blog. 🙂
