Armor of God

[Blessed-one]

looking from the other angle, JC-216. You can't become strong if you don't wear them, like a person would be vulnerable forever without them.

 

[JC-216]

You aren't physically strong because you are wearing armor. You are wearing armor because you are strong.

You aren't spiritually strong because you are wearing spiritual armor. You are wearing spiritual armor because you are spiritually strong.

If someone just became a Christian you can't expect them to be able to put on the armor over-night. They have to be allowed to grow before they are expected to wear the armor.

An unarmed man isn't defenseless.

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Very good point JC-216. And, not only can one not wear armor they aren't ready for, but in some cases, their set of armor may not even be ready. Some sheilds of faith are much stronger than others', some swords of the spirit are longer, heavier, and sharper than others'.

 

[JC-216]

I thought this needed a bump because of the new additions to the site.

 

[joyful-lion]

I don't have my study notebooks with me right now, but I did a study on this years ago....maybe 12 or 15 years? (Yikes! Am I getting that old already? LOL)

Anyway, I remember doing some research on Roman armor. Quite often their shoes had spikes (picture cleats/spikes on the shoes of football players) on the bottom to keep them from slipping on muddy ground ..... or even bloody ground. It also helped them keep their footing as they advanced, especially when their shields were hooked together in a line, as they marched forward over the bodies of their enemies.

So the shoes of the gospel of peace can make some serious progress, huh?

 

[joyful-lion]

I also think I remember hearing once that the belt of the soldier is what helped to secure all the other pieces into place. I mean, it wasn't just a belt to hold one piece, like we think of now ... or just to tighten the fit. It was much more integral to the whole outfit of armor to secure it.

This was something I remember hearing in a sermon, not something I came across on my own, so I don't know if it was a particular style or period of armor? The pastor was relating it to the point that the gospel of truth, obviously, is what brings all things together, too.

I also heard a visiting preacher one time mention that another weapon that a Roman soldier would often have was a spear for long distance fighting, rather than hand-to-hand combat. He likened this to prayer ..... fighting we do "ahead of time", before the situation is "in our face" and severe.

Just some thoughts.

 

[Godisgood]

I've been studying the Armour of God/The Believer's Armor too. Here is a link to a sermon on the Believer's armor: http://mdg.dynip.com/studio.htm It is at the bottom of the page. Eph. 6:10-20

One thing that i've noticed is that we are told to "put on" the armor.

 

[Godisgood]

I don't know if you guys had thought of this but, armor is really heavy. You have to be strong in order to wear it. If you are not strong enough to wield it then the armor will only encumber you. You would be better off wearing no amor than to wear the armor without being prepared for it. When King Saul gave David his armor to wear when he was confronting Goliath, David refused the armor because it was too heavy and he was not used to it.

I don't know, I guess it kind of seems that you have to be strong in the Lord before you can wear the armor of God. Only after you have the strength, can you have the will to confront darkness. Without the strength of the Lord anything you do against darkness will eat you up. It will break your will to serve and ultimately slow you down.

I felt I needed to add a situational example. Say you are talking an athiest. He is insulting your beliefs for being a Christian. If you are not strong in the Lord your shield of Faith won't help you very much. You will be easily discouraged, angered, and distraught.

Does this make any sense? This is the first time I've read this passage.

I disagree with what you've posted. I think in the opening verse it says something about being strong in the Lord and the power of His might. It's His might & His power, not our own. Eph. 6:10.
With regard to the example of the athiest, one should share what the Lord has done in them. A Christian should never feel defeated if there is a question they aren't able to answer at the time or in most cases the one listening doesn't have ears to hear what is being said. Believer's are to tell. It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict.

 

[JC-216]

I am sorry for being unclear, that first paragraph was a literal analogy. To wear physical armor you must be physically strong (self). To wear spiritual armor you must be spiritually strong (strong in the Lord).

Sorry about the confusingness.

 

[Macca]

Well, guys, thanks for everything you've given me. I wonder if anyone out there has spent a long time studying this passage. You guys have helped bring things up to my attention that were not there before, thank you. Any more pearls of wisdom gained on the battlefield would be helpful....

A good way, I find to look at the armour of God is this:
Who is your Truth?
Where does your righteousness come from?
Who is the Gospel of Peace?
Where is your faith?
Where does your salvation come from?
Who is the Spirit of the sword?
If the answer to every question is not Jesus, then you need to go back and start again, until you see He is.
Macca.

 

[Lady Di-USA]

I've been studying Ephesians 6:10-18 for months now. This is the passage pertaining to the Armor of God. Now, I've looked at each individual piece of Armor, and have come away with an amazing amount of wisdom granted to me by God. However, I would love to hear of any personal views on the Armor, and if anyone has any tidbits of wisdom they've been granted with, I'd love to hear those too. Please share.

Eph6:11-17 PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD:

Truth=Jesus Joh14:6;
Righteousness=Jesus 1Cor1:30;
Gospel of Peace=Jesus Act10:36;
Faith=(object)Jesus Act20:21;
Salvation=Jesus 1Thes5:9;
Spirit=Jesus(Holy Spirit) Rom8:2;
Word of God=Jesus Joh1:14

Jesus is the Armour of God! Amen

 

[Yebo]

Greetings from a sunny South Africa

Eph6:11-17 PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD:
Truth=Jesus Joh14:6;
Righteousness=Jesus 1Cor1:30;
Gospel of Peace=Jesus Act10:36;
Faith=(object)Jesus Act20:21;
Salvation=Jesus 1Thes5:9;
Spirit=Jesus(Holy Spirit) Rom8:2;
Word of God=Jesus Joh1:14

I can merely say AMEN to that. Hence the armour of God is not something we put on and take off. The armour of God is a LIFESTYLE.

Be BLESSED by the "Armour of God" and stay within the confinements of PEACE

 

[Lady Di-USA]

There was no implication of taking it off...merely putting it on. I agree it is a life living force; or life style as you said.


God bless

 

[Macca]

There was no implication of taking it off...merely putting it on. I agree it is a life living force; or life style as you said.


God bless

There is even a further area of understanding of the armour.
In the O.T., when Johnathon and David made a covenant, Johnathon took off his armour and belt and gave it to David.
The belt had the sword and shield attached to it. It is a covenant thing.
Take up the full armour of God. How can anyone/thing defeat you if you are wearing the very armour of God that He has given you as part of His covenant promises.
Macca.

 

[queenm04]

A good way, I find to look at the armour of God is this:
Who is your Truth?
Where does your righteousness come from?
Who is the Gospel of Peace?
Where is your faith?
Where does your salvation come from?
Who is the Spirit of the sword?
If the answer to every question is not Jesus, then you need to go back and start again, until you see He is.
Macca.

I got this a week or two ago, In the battlefield, for soldiers to win, they need not only to be in harmony with one another and focus. They also need to wear the same uniform. This is to be able to identify one another, and to identify the enemy And if you are not wearing the same uniform in a battlefield, you will definitely fight and injure, if not kill each other. So in the church at times you find that we are not wearing the same uniform, in stead of fighting the enemy we fight one another. If one in the church is not wearing a breastplate of righteousness (of right standing with God) what are they wearing?