Written by:
Sister Myrtice Robinson
Happy New Year everyone and thank you for returning to our website. This year (2024) we will be sharing how to put on the full Armor of God and how to use it daily.
The Armor of God
In a time as this time upon the earth, Christians need to know how to fight spiritual battles God’s way. “Therefore, we must put on the full Armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:13-18.
This is the armor we can trust and use without any fear. Christians cannot fight spiritual battles in their own strength because satan is an intimidating, cunning enemy but when we are properly armored in spiritual warfare, our body, mind, and spirit can stand against the schemes of the devil. No weapon formed by satan’s kingdom will prosper in our lives. This is demonstrated in 1 Samuel 17, the war between the Philistines and Israel (David and Goliath).
The Philistines’ full armor: “A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.” (1 Samuel 17: 4-7)
Goliath, lending to His own understanding and with a spirit of intimidation said, “Why do you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us. Then the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; Give me a man that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17- 8-11)
Walking by sight and not by faith brought them a spirit of fear.
But God had “a ram in the bush” a shepherd boy who had encountered the power of God and believed in God’s power. This shepherd boy was David and he said to King Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Then King Saul dressed him in his armor. David was given a tunic from King Saul also He put a coat of armor on David and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. The armor did not feel safe to David, and he said, “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So, he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.”
“Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
“As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So, David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand, he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.”
David performed with great faith and not by physical sight. God’s armor never loses a battle. The Armor of God reigned in victory in this battle. David was the chosen vessel used to demonstrate the power within one when one put on the full armor of God. He was not afraid because he trusted God and felt comfortable in the “Belt of Truth.” The Belt of truth secures the mind, body, and spirit. One’s mind is guided by the Holy Spirit and David believed that God was supreme in power, existence, and knowledge. Therefore, we should, “Fear not, for I {God} am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV) David also felt that his action and words spoken were within the righteousness of God and he was not afraid to speak it. David spoke, “You come against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.” The scripture did not state that David was trembling, stuttering, nor running away therefore the peace of God was upon him. Philippians 4:7 says, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” David walked in the peace of God with extraordinary faith in God. The Full Armor of God kept David victorious in every battle.
How did David use the Full Armor of God in battle:
1. The Belt of Truth: A belt is worn around your waist, the center of the body therefore, the Belt of Truth is a central reminder holding the mind, body, and spirit together in the Word of God. It creates holy, wholeness of God’s truth. “The truth will set us free.” (John 8:31) Therefore, let the “Belt of Truth” surround you daily. It will help you speak boldly on the difference between what is true and what is untrue. In 1 Samuel 17: 45-47, David spoke boldly of God’s truth, and it was working through him to achieve the victory. “Without trust in God, you will fear your enemies.” (Reference 1 Samuel 17: 1-11)
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness is God’s armor piece that protects your heart against sin and the enemy’s attacks. The Breastplate of Righteousness protected David’s heart when his brother openly embarrassed and degraded him for wanting to protect God’s people from the enemies. David accepted God’s gift of righteousness, remained calm and he persevered in victory. (Reference: 1 Samuel 17: 28-30)
3. The Shoes of Peace: “David went into battle with his faith and his experience with a sling shot. David was the youngest son in his family and was given the task of protecting his father’s flocks. David used his time in the fields wisely and developed his skills with a sling shot. He also developed courage by tracking down and killing the animals (e.g., a lion, and a bear) who preyed on his sheep.” This to me, demonstrated the peace of Lord upon him; he knew what that sling shot would do, he had experienced God’s power in it. Therefore, he was not afraid to use it and rested in that assurance.
4. The Shield of Faith: “The shield of faith is a unique weapon in the armor of God because it is designed to protect, yet it also helps you stand your ground.” David spent time with God when he was in the fields with the sheep. His faith was developed by learning about God. His faith open doors to supernatural experiences and enabled him to defeat Goliath (Reference: 1 Samuel 17: 45-47) God is a faithful, and without faith it is impossible to please Him. (Reference: Hebrews 11:6)
5. The Helmet of Salvation: The helmet of salvation marks your identity. The battlefield of your mind is the primary place where spiritual battles are fought. You are a follower of Christ and belong to Him. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1Corinthians 6:20 KJV) Therefore, you are protected by Jesus who sits at the Right hand of the Father interceding for us. Furthermore, “No weapon formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17) The Helmet of Salvation marks your belief in the One who sent Jesus. David believed that the Lord was with him.
6. The Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit. When you have the Word in your heart, then the action in the sword is believing, living it, and speaking it. The Word is alive, powerful, and sharper than any double-edged sword that will cause the enemy to lose his power to intimidate or confuse you. If you do not desire to live the Word of God, you have no armor.
“Spiritual armor requires a spiritual transformation that come through rebirth or being born again.” The Apostle Paul wrote the Armor of God passage to encourage believers to not be vulnerable to the enemy, but to strong, courageous, and equipped to contend with the adversary. Spiritual warfare is upon us all so we must learn how to use the armor God to defeat the strategies of Satan. “David showed that victory is not achieved with swords and skill; rather, God makes his people victorious.” The Armor of God is the Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Psalms 46:1 state, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” In Jesus’ name, I say Amen.
Researched and Written by Sister Myrtice Robinson
- The Billy Graham Training Center Bible (NKJV)
- The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer
- “Knowing God’s Will by Rose Publishing