Ephesians 6 is the last chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and in verses 10 through 18 he encourages them to stand firm in the Lord.
He knew that as Christians, we face intense spiritual warfare and must be prepared. Paul talks about God’s armor, and the tools he gives his children so that we can overcome the devil’s attacks.
By dressing and wearing our armor effectively we can face all the traps of the evil one and we will be victorious.
That said, let’s look at what Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us about God’s armor, what it is for, and how we should wear it.
But first, here’s the armor of God prayer for protection:
The Armor of God Prayer for Protection
“Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I ask you to help me wear the full armor of the Christian life, as described in Ephesians 6:10-17.
My waist is tight with the Truth because I have decided to imitate Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
I grow in my understanding of the Truth by studying your Word and the teachings of the Church.
Holy Spirit, help me to continually improve my ability to recognize the Truth and live in the Truth.
I dress in the breastplate of Righteousness, because Jesus died for my sins and, in doing so, He gave me His Righteousness.
Holy Spirit, help me to identify my sins so that I may repent and be fully restored in the Righteousness that Jesus has given us.
I pray for your help to follow Jesus’ example of holy living so that my Righteousness will be evident to all the people around me.
I put on the sandals of evangelization; help me to be available at all times to spread the Gospel of Peace by the way I lead my life.
Let others see you, O Lord, in me, as I serve them in their needs and give them your unconditional love.
I carry faith as my shield to protect myself from temptation. Holy Spirit, You have given me the Faith as a gift, and that is why I have the same Faith that You have.
Help me to use this Faith to remain on the path of righteousness and evangelization. Let Your Faith Keep Me Strong in Times of Tribulation
My mind is protected by the helmet of Salvation because by my baptism I have received the mind of Christ who died for me and saved me from being destroyed because of my sins.
Always make your thoughts clearer and clearer to me.
I carry and wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Holy Spirit, help me to know the Word so deeply that I can use it correctly to defeat the enemy and his plans and carry forward the project of the Kingdom of God.
Thank you, Lord, for all this armor you have given me.”
What’s the Meaning of the Armor of God
The armor of God is a tool that believers must use in our spiritual battles, which is presented by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-20 and is necessary to win the war in which we live, a spiritual war.
The expression “armor of God” translates to a Greek word that refers to the complete equipment of an infantryman.
Moreover, the word for armor in the text is the Greek panoply, which comes from bread, meaning “all,” and hopla, meaning “weapons.”
That is why the apostle Paul stresses that believers must take “the whole armor of God.” This spiritual armor is made up of different elements, but it is also a perfect unit.
This means that in biblical teaching it makes no sense to carry only one or the other spiritual weapon and despise the others.
Either one dresses in the full armor of God or is completely vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.
Preparing for battle
(…) Strengthen yourselves with the great power of the Lord. Put on the full armor of God so that you can face the wiles of the devil.
(Ephesians 6:10-11)
The first thing is to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. From him comes our strength! It comes when we recognize that we depend on God, seek Him in prayer, read His Word, and listen to His voice.
Then we must dress, take the armor, and put it on. This requires initiative, action on our part, and a decision: I do not face my own strength but use the weapons that God gives me.
It is an act of humility and total confidence in his power and wisdom.
Jesus has already defeated the devil on the cross, the final battle is won.
However, we face spiritual battles every day and we must do so with the weapons God gives us, not with our intellect or with our physical strength.
This is a spiritual struggle and our adversary, the devil, is cunning and will try to discourage us in our walk with Christ.
Using the weapons God gives us well, we will overcome.
Spiritual warfare
Because our struggle is not against human beings, but against powers, against authorities, against powers that dominate this world of darkness, against evil spiritual forces in the heavenly regions.
Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, so that when the evil day comes you can resist to the end firmly. (Ephesians 6:12-13)
The reality is that we are in a constant spiritual struggle whether we like it or not. In 1 Peter 5:8-9 it says:
“Practice self-control and stay alert. His enemy the devil roams like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, knowing that his brothers and sisters all over the world are enduring the same kind of suffering.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
We are called to resist, to be prepared for attacks, and to be firm in the faith. It is an intense struggle, but God does not leave us helpless.
He provides the armor we need to overcome. We just have to put it on and use it!
We must bear in mind that it is an “armor”, not several, and we must wear it in its entirety since it equips us to face all the attacks of the devil.
We do not put on the helmet today and tomorrow the shield.
No! Soldiers prepare with full armor when they go out into battle and we, as good soldiers of Jesus must do the same.
By using all the weapons God has provided for us, we will be protected and ready for battle. That is the way we will stand firm until the end until we are with Jesus for eternity
The Armor of God
Let’s look at a short description of each of the parts of the armor that God has made available to us.
The Belt of Truth
Stand firm, girded with the belt of truth…
(Ephesians 6:14)
The belt worn by the soldiers was wide and served to hold the inner robe in place while protecting and supporting the body.
In the same way, the Christian must know the truth about who he is in Jesus and live an integral life that honors his position in Christ.
The devil will try to deceive us with his lies so that we fail, doubt, or compromise our identity.
We must stand firm in the truth that we are children of God, transformed by him and saved from eternal death. Nothing and no one will snatch us from His hand (John 10:28).
How to use the belt: Fill your mind and heart with the truth of God’s word. Cultivate a deep friendship with God through prayer.
Strengthen your spirit every day by praising God and spending time with Him. Live an integral life and be truthful in all your actions and words.
The breastplate of justice
… protected by the breastplate of justice…
(Ephesians 6:14 b)
The breastplate was hooked to the belt and protected vital organs. A wound on the chest can be fatal and that is why the soldier must cover it well.
We must also clothe ourselves with the righteousness of God that we have through Jesus.
We are justified by our faith in Christ (Romans 5:1-3). We do not win the battle against temptations and sin by our own righteousness.
We earn it by remembering who we are in Jesus and standing firm in that reality.
When God looks at us he sees Jesus in us. We too must focus on God’s work in our lives, keeping our eyes on Jesus, not on our past without him, on our emotions, or on the mistakes we make.
How to use the breastplate: remember your identity in Christ, who thanks to him you have been justified and belong to God for eternity.
Do not believe the accusations of the enemy when he brings to mind the sins of the past as if they define your present.
Don’t believe when he tells you that you can’t overcome a temptation. Ask God to help you see yourself as he sees you, remember the power he gives you to overcome, and always act as he wants you to do.
Footwear to proclaim the gospel of peace
… shoes with the disposition to proclaim the gospel of peace.
(Ephesians 6:15)
The feet need to be well protected to advance in battle. The enemy can place sharp objects or traps to make us fall and prevent us from advancing.
Their goal is to prevent us from going out and proclaiming the gospel of peace.
It can attack with temptations, complexes, a sense of inferiority, anxiety, and people who mock … the list is long.
But in Christ, our feet are firm and ready to carry the gospel of peace. We take steps and gain ground (lives) for the kingdom of God because he enables us and because we ourselves have experienced his peace.
The kingdom of God is one of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). That is the message we must proclaim.
Yes, it is true that it is a war, but the weapons that God gives us are not of this world and may seem illogical.
We don’t win by imposing or altering ourselves; we gain by living full of his peace and bringing it to everyone around us.
How to wear shoes: Allow God’s peace to fill your heart every day. Spend time with Jesus and strengthen your spirit.
Don’t let the enemy’s traps impede your advancement and effectiveness. Affirm your feet, ask God to give you courage, and share his gospel of peace with everyone around you.
The Shield of Faith
In addition to all this, take the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the burning arrows of the evil one.
(Ephesians 6:16)
Here Paul not only mentions the part of the armor but also tells us what we will use it for.
The shield he refers to was a large one that covered and protected the entire front of the soldier.
It was sturdy and covered in leather because sometimes the enemy would attack with lit arrows and the leather would act as a protective insulator.
With the shield of faith, we can extinguish all the arrows that the evil one shoots at us.
The devil’s attack can come from anywhere, so it is important to be alert to be able to place the shield in the right place and protect ourselves.
One of the weapons the devil frequently uses is doubt. It prompts us to doubt the power, love, or goodness of God.
By exercising our faith and affirming ourselves in what we know about God and His work in us, those attacks lose their effectiveness and we advance in our walk with Jesus.
How to use the shield: Feed your faith by reading and memorizing God’s word, and spend time with God.
Fill your mind with the truth about it and who you are in it so that you can use that truth when doubts come.
Learn a little more about what faith is.
The Helmet of Salvation
Take up the helmet of salvation…
(Ephesians 6:17a)
The helmet protects the head. Our minds must be filled with the certainty of our salvation.
We are to live every day the life that God wants us to live as His children, anchored in that certainty and with our hearts full of gratitude.
We are “a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who belong to God, to proclaim the marvelous works of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
That is our reality and that is our purpose. Let us not allow the devil to put doubts in our minds about our salvation.
We are saved by faith in Christ (Galatians 3) and no one can take that salvation from us.
How to wear a helmet: Remember that you are saved by faith in Jesus and no one can change that. Live in trust and obedience to the life that Jesus desires for you.
Fight with God’s word doubts about your salvation or temptations to feel that you do not deserve His love or forgiveness. He loves you, saved you, and you are his for eternity.
The Sword of the Spirit
… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(Ephesians 6:17 )
This is the only weapon of attack, the others are rather defensive. The sword serves both for defense and to attack the enemy.
God’s word illuminates our way (Psalm 119:105) and enlightens our minds with the teaching of the gospel.
With the sword of the Spirit, we defend ourselves and face the attacks of the enemy (lies, deception) while attacking him with the truth.
Let us remember the example of Jesus when he was tempted, and how he used the word effectively to overcome the temptations of the devil (Matthew 4).
“Certainly, the word of God is alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
It penetrates to the depths of the soul and spirit, to the marrow of the bones, and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4:12)
We combat evil thoughts, doubts, and false teachings by filling our minds with the message of the Bible.
The devil will try to deceive us, but if we know God’s word well we can affirm ourselves in the truth and continue to be active in battle without fear.
How to use the sword: Study the Bible, memorize it, and learn to use the word of truth effectively.
Fight lies with your truth. Keep the word of God and live a life according to what he asks.
The Importance of Prayer
Pray in the Spirit at all times, with petitions and supplications. Stay alert and persevere in prayer for all the saints.
(Ephesians 6:18)
The Christian soldier prepares for battle, strengthens himself, and receives his orders through prayer.
Communication with God, our Commander, must be constant to strengthen us and receive his orders with the strategy we must follow.
Not only should we pray for our struggles, challenges, or difficulties, but we should support our brothers and sisters in prayer.
If we see a sibling struggling with sin or doubt, or if they are going through suffering or persecution, we should support them with our prayers and encourage them.
Do you want to win in this spiritual war? Dress each day in the armor of God, spend time in prayer before him, study his word, and be alert to attacks from the enemy.
