Use The Whole Armor Of God All Of The Time

by Kevin Burton

   A policeman, a hockey goalie, a beekeeper, all of them use protective equipment to do their jobs. And they don’t leave part of that protection in their locker.

   Even more so, a believer can’t afford to go into battle without taking all the weapons God has prepared for us. The Apostle Paul exhorts us to do so.

   “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

  “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

   “ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

   “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Eph. 6:10-18, KJV).

   God’s protective armor is not for special occasions, or for the really tough cases. It is essential equipment for all situations.

   I was reminded of this by a recent post of the Know Your Flocks and Herds blog by Wayne L. Winquist.

   “There are many times in life where “some” is similar to nothing,” Winquist writes.  For example, if you take some medicine for malaria, but not all of it, you might regret it. If you obey some of the laws for driving a vehicle some of the time, you might wind up in the morgue or in ICU. If you eat a healthy meal someday, you might find yourself with weight problems, heart disease and other serious illnesses.”

   “Some people don’t believe in the devil because they don’t believe in what they cannot see. They also have room for somereligion, but not too much that might cramp their style. For the believer, a good point of reference regarding the devil or Satan, are the words of Jesus.”

   “Jesus said the following to Peter: ‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satandemanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,…” Luke 22:31

   “Paul says we should use the whole armor and it needs to be in all circumstances at all times covered always with prayer to God,” Winquist writes.

   “The interesting thing about each piece of armor is that they each address some aspect of Satan’s attacks. In Warren Wiersbe’s book, What To Wear to the War, he describes Satan’s attacks. They include division, denouncing, divided loyalties, doubt, discouragement, and denial. Each piece of armor protects the believer from each of Satan’s main weapons of choice,” Winquist writes.

   You can spot a Christian by her reliance upon the armor of God, as Winquist writes in a section that appears on all his posts:

How to Identify a Follower of Jesus

   “They don’t fight any battles based on their own strength. They understand their strength is from a higher, stronger, and more faithful Savior who is greater than the foe. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might, (Eph. 6:10)” Winquist writes.

   “The full armor of God—truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer—are the tools God has given us, through which we can be spiritually victorious,” reads a passage on www.gotquestions.org.

   “Satan is a defeated foe.”