Bible Study
From the introductory part, The Whole Armor of God (I), we can summarise Ephesians 6:11 as;… be totally, completely, fully dressed (and protected) with God’s spiritual covering. The covering of salvation, righteousness, truth, peace, faith, the Word and relentlessly praying in the Spirit. Every part of this armor has to be worn at all times.
You know, the mere mention and thought of an ‘armor’ immediately suggests a combat. And truly, from our study in The Weapons of Our Warfare, we found that there is a spiritual warfare every Christian is involved in. A war against principalities, powers, strongholds, rulers of darkness and wickedness in high places.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
One of the fundamental learning from our study on The Weapons of Our Warfare is that the mentioned spiritual forces may sometimes manifest through people we encounter on a daily basis. This underscores the importance of always operating in wisdom in our relationships, save the baby, discard the bathwater.
The sacrifice that bought our salvation was paid several thousands of years ago. Jesus paid the eternal price for sin and death.
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.“
Romans 8:2 NKJV
“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.“
Hebrews 9:12 NKJV
Also encapsulated in that sacrifice, is victory over every spiritual force that can possibly come against us. So yes, principalities, powers, strongholds and every spiritual wickedness were decisively dealt with. Jesus triumphed over them all in victory, not that He needed it for Himself, no, He did it for us.
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
Colossians 2:15 NKJV
Jesus won the victory for us and He carefully handed over the reins to everyone who’d ever believe in Him.
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Luke 10:19 NKJV
From the moment anyone becomes born of the Word and Spirit, a blood line is drawn. The enemy and His cohorts lose control over such a life. What a privilege! What an inheritance! But alas! so many have no full knowledge of this great inheritance.
Question: If Christ already won the victory for us, why do we need to wear the while armor of God?
Brilliant question!
An armor is seldom a combative tool, an armor is a protective gear. The enemy didn’t go to sleep following Jesus’s victory on the cross. No, the devil is still the god of this evil age and he is committed to ensuring that not so many people come to know about their freedom, liberation, newness of life through Christ Jesus.
“whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
II Corinthians 4:4 NKJV
The sacrifice of Jesus makes provision for anyone to cross from darkness to light, to move from evil to good.
“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”
John 12:46 NKJV
The simple decision of making Jesus Lord and Saviour of one’s life, instantaneously transfers such a one from a reign in darkness into the reign in light.
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV
So while a Believer lives in an evil world, he is not a part of that evil world and darkness.
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.“
John 17:14-15 NKJV
Jesus brought us into a new Kingdom; of God and His dear Son. He brought us out from darkness into His marvellous light. For those who know, the devil and his agents have no true power over them, but those still ignorant, continue to pay a costly price for ignorance.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
I Peter 2:9 NKJV
We are of the Kingdom of God! Our experiences are not to be the same as the world’s.
The armor of God equips us to withstand the wiles of the enemy. To stand firmly and unwavering in the victory Jesus Christ already got for us.
“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord , who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
II Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
Put on the whole armor of God. Put on salvation and righteousness, hold firmly to the truth, be covered with the peace that Jesus gives, avert every fiery dart of the enemy through faith and have the Word ready in your mouth.
My favourite portion of scripture still remains 1 John 5:4….
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.“
I John 5:4 NKJV
Join me next time as we begin to explore the different parts of The Whole Armor of God.
Stay safe in the Word & in the Covenant.
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Image courtesy freebiblestudyguides.org
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