If you grew up in church, you heard the big three over and over: Jonah and the big fish, David and Goliath, and the armor of God with the little felt pieces. Because we've heard it so many times, I suspect we come into it with a lot of preconceived ideas. We've been thinking about the literal pieces and losing the point of what actually keeps us safe in a battle.
So what were these things really named, and what's the theological principle behind each one? That's where I'm starting. I'm reading from the Amplified today, because it kind of does all the translations at once.
God supplies every piece of the armor, and its purpose is to help you stand your ground, not to go on the attack.
Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. (Ephesians 6:11-13, AMPC)
Which God supplies. Just that piece will preach, won't it?
A soldier doesn't serve on his own dime. He's given everything he needs to be a soldier (1 Corinthians 9:7). And my favorite part in the Amplified is this: having done everything the crisis demands, you stand firm.
The armor is mostly defensive because the battle is already won, and we wear it for everyone else as an occupying army.
You'll notice there's not a whole lot of offense here. There's a whole lot of resisting, because we're called an occupying army. Jesus already took all the authority, paraded the devil around, and came back out with the keys to death and hell (Colossians 2:15; Revelation 1:18).
Then He said, "Hold it, occupy it until I come" (Luke 19:13). So we put the armor on, but who is it really for? It's for everyone else.
We're the ones with the power, the authority, and the knowledge to stand in the gap for our family members. That's what we're designed to do.
The belt of truth means your life is built on what God's Word actually says, and without it you can't help anybody.
Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins... (Ephesians 6:14, AMPC)
Darla and I decided a long time ago that in an argument, whichever one of us has an opinion opposite of the Word is wrong. That would be me. I'm just kidding, not really.
What are belts especially good for? Keeping your britches up and holding the scabbard for your sword. Without truth, you can't help anybody.
If a teaching starts with what someone already believes and pulls one verse out to support it, it's twisted, because scripture has to agree with the rest of scripture.
In the times we're in, people decide what's true and then reverse engineer the Bible to match it. That pulls truth the wrong direction and bends it. If you look into the origins of the word wicked, it means twisted. It means bent.
I recently ran into a discussion about God being called El Shaddai, which translates to "the breasted one," because a mother's supply is provision enough for any number of kids. They took that to mean God has no gender, and therefore anyone can be that. But you interpret scripture with scripture.
God is not bipolar. He's the same today, the same tomorrow, and always (Hebrews 13:8), so all of His Word agrees. If one verse pulled out disagrees with the rest of the Bible, you're automatically wrong, and Jesus Himself called God Father.
It means preparing yourself in the Word so the Holy Spirit can show you how things ought to be.
And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15, AMPC)
You can't take my word for it. Get into your own scripture and prepare yourself. And if you find out I'm wrong, come tell me, because I only want the truth.
The Holy Spirit will say, "Sandy, this is the way it ought to be." And frequently He says, "I ain't mad at you, but we need to correct this. Here's the solution."
If something only makes you feel awful and offers no solution, that is condemnation, not the Holy Spirit.
Condemnation says you're worthless. It says you can't do nothing right and there's no retrieving you, and that's Satan.
The Holy Spirit says, "I ain't mad at you, but I need you to start doing this or stop doing this." That's how He teaches you, and that's how you prepare your feet with the gospel of peace.
God may not give you the whole plan, but He will give you the next step, so don't start something He didn't tell you to do and ask Him to bless it later.
I'm getting ready to retire, and that's a little intimidating. He hasn't given me everything, but He's given me the next step. When I ask what's after that, He says, "Have you done that step yet? When you take care of that, you let me know."
Take that step, then the next, and before you know it you're trucking right down the line. I've met people who start a business the Holy Spirit didn't tell them to start and then want Him to retroactively bless it. Don't do that.
It means studying scripture for yourself and relying on the Holy Spirit to correct you, because twisted teaching spreads like gangrene.
My dad actually handwrote First Timothy to me, so Timothy was always good for me.
Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. But avoid all empty (vain, useless, idle) talk, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness. And their teaching [will devour; it will] eat its way like cancer or spread like gangrene. (2 Timothy 2:15-17, AMPC)
Somebody who's read the Bible for a grand total of 15 minutes asks ChatGPT what to say in a Facebook argument. Sure, it's scripture, but it's twisted beyond all recognition. That's the gangrene, and we've seen it infect people.
The breastplate of righteousness is your right standing with God, and picking up an idol outside His plan takes it off and leaves your heart exposed.
Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God. (Ephesians 6:14, AMPC)
Righteousness just means right standing with God, and that's a heck of a deal. One time I didn't feel like God was moving fast enough, so I did it my way, a lot like Sarah did with Abraham and Hagar (Genesis 16). Anything outside of God's requirements that's shiny and looks nice is really just an idol.
When I picked up that idol, I was no longer wearing my righteousness, and I took a fiery dart right in the heart. God, because He's so merciful, did the surgery and took that out. Now I'm duct taping this sucker on.
Anytime you fiddle with stuff outside God's plan for you, lots of times you're fiddling with things outside His protection.
Ask God to make you willing to be willing, because no idol, whether music, a person, or money, is bigger than He is.
Music kind of was my idol in my early 20s. A husband or wife can become one if you put them over God, and money is a very common one. But not a single one is bigger than God.
When I didn't truly want to give something up, I'd pray, "Father, just make me willing to be willing for You to take it from me." He's always gracious and gentle, because Jesus went through all the temptations we go through (Hebrews 4:15).
The shield of faith quenches the enemy's flaming missiles, and like every piece of the armor, it's tied to the others.
Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. (Ephesians 6:16, AMPC)
That one's pretty self-explanatory. If you haven't been working in the Word, do you see how all of these are tied together? You can't have one without the other.
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God spoken with faith out of a believer's mouth, and nothing in this world can stand against it.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17, AMPC)
This is literally your weapon, and it's speaking the Word of God. That's the sword coming out of His mouth in Revelation (Revelation 19:15).
But do you really believe that? When something's going on in your life, how often do you start speaking the Word? If you run up against some demons, they're going to hit the road.
It means praying all the time with every kind of prayer, because everyone has something God put in their heart to do.
Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people). (Ephesians 6:18, AMPC)
You are God's consecrated people, whatever your age, even if you look like Sean Connery in The Hunt for Red October. What matters is right standing with God, using your faith, wielding your sword, and praying on all occasions.
This church is designed like an airport terminal. People come in, train, get full, and go out to do what God's called them to do. Everybody here has something burning in their heart, so you pray, and then you pray, and then you pray.
Ask the Father for a fresh anointing and a fresh interpretation of how these truths apply right where He has you.
Father, we thank You that Your Holy Spirit reminds us of these things, even ones we've heard since grade school. Give us a fresh anointing and a fresh interpretation of how it applies to us where You have us right now. Remind us of it as we go forward, in Jesus' name.
Is the armor of God offensive or defensive?
Mostly defensive. There's not a whole lot of offense in Ephesians 6, just a whole lot of resisting and standing firm. That's because Jesus already won the battle, and believers are an occupying army holding ground until He comes back.
Who is the armor of God actually for?
Believers put it on, but it's really for everyone else. We're the occupying force with the power, the authority, and the knowledge to stand in the gap for others, including our own family members.
What does the word wicked mean in the Bible?
If you look into the origins of the word, wicked means twisted or bent. When Paul talks about wicked things, he's talking about something that's been bent and influenced to be something different. That's what happens when people decide what's true first and reverse engineer the Bible to match it.
Does the name El Shaddai mean God has no gender?
No. Pulling one name out and making it disagree with the rest of the Bible means you're automatically wrong, and Jesus Himself called God Father. That's a twisted interpretation, and you correct it by interpreting scripture with scripture.
How do I know if it's the Holy Spirit or condemnation?
If it only makes you feel awful and there's no solution, that's condemnation, and condemnation is Satan. The Holy Spirit says, "I ain't mad at you," and then tells you what to start doing, stop doing, or say instead.
Should I ask God to bless something He didn't tell me to do?
No. Don't start a business or anything else the Holy Spirit didn't tell you to do and then ask Him to retroactively bless it. Let the Holy Spirit define where you're going and let Him run it.
What happens when I pick up an idol?
You're no longer wearing your righteousness, which means right standing with God. That gives the enemy's fiery darts a free shot at your heart. Anytime you fiddle with things outside God's plan for you, lots of times you're fiddling with things outside of His protection.
What is the sword of the Spirit?
It's speaking the Word of God. It's the truth and the anointing, the things of God spoken with faith out of a believer's mouth, and nothing in this world can stand against it. If you run up against demons, they're going to hit the road.
