The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Whole Armor of God
¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² 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. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 

What is the armor of God and how can we use it?

The Bible often describes our battles with sin and Satan, as illustrated in this verse from Ephesians. We Christians wage a constant spiritual war against Satan and his demonic forces, many of which are physically invisible but constantly around us.

Like a soldier gearing for war, a Christian must have the proper equipment.

The belt of truth held your integrity and beliefs together. In ancient times, a soldier’s girdle or belt protected his waist and carried his sword. It also gave his tunic a better fit so that it wouldn’t loosen and snag.

The breastplate of righteousness protects your heart and guards it against temptations. Satan wants you to give in to lust, greed, and all the seven deadly sins.

The boots of the gospel of peace gives you solid ground to stand on so you don’t slip. I interpret this as boots, but “shod your feet” comes from ancient Roman military boots that had hobnails hammered to the soles. Satan will attempt to trip you with doubt, fear, and anger but remind yourself of peace and goodwill unto others.

The shield of faith is your first line of defense and faith in God is the foundation of every Christian principle.

The sword of the spirit is the most effective weapon and it’s the Word of God. Memorize scriptures and prayers to guard and defeat Satan’s lies.