Why Do We Need Spiritual Armor?

Why Do We Need Spiritual Armor?

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Eph. 6:10-13) 

What is the purpose of spiritual armor? Actually the answer to that important question is found in Ephesians 6:11 and 13. You see, God’s spiritual armor enables us Believers to become strong in the Lord for the purpose of standing firmly while resisting the “wiles of the devil.” Such armor is for engaging in supernatural combat with demonic agents, and continuing to “withstand in the evil day” of temptation. Thus armor is protective gear—a defensive measure that preserves the warrior in combat. As such the Christian warrior can persevere in the battles while facing a formidable foe. Our spiritual armor affords us supernatural and divine protection in a war that is intensely spiritual in nature. In fact based on our passage in Ephesians, the following four observations spell out the incredible benefits of our God-provided armor.

God’s Special Armor Equipment is for Divine Protection (Eph. 6:11).

Since we are fighting against enemies in the spirit world, we need special equipment both for offense and defense. While God’s armor provides the protection we need, the weapons provide effective means of assault. Do not miss the point…complete protection is given to God’s warriors as we engage the enemy under God’s power and authority.

God has provided the “whole armour” for us, and we dare not omit any part. All forms and every form of defense required to engage the enemy effectively has been furnished to us. We must be certain to don the entire armor set. Satan looks for that unguarded area where he can get an advantage. He desires a strategic position that will afford him opportunities for launching life-crippling attacks (Eph. 4:27). God assures each of us of the need to put on the “whole armour”! We must take up the prescribed weapons of this warfare, and by the power of our Lord Jesus withstand Satan. Beloved, any and all of this must be undertaken by real faith. In the middle of battle is not the place to doubt our body armor or our weapons!

The armor is our God-given resource for our protection, power, and effectiveness in the spiritual warfare against the forces of darkness. These supernatural resources are truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. None of these implements are carnal; all are powerful through Almighty God for surviving the spiritual assaults of the wicked one. These are the spiritual resources for God’s embattled people.

God’s Armor is For Resisting the Enemy’s Strategies and Tricks (Eph. 6:11).

Our supreme Commander-in-Chief has issued divine and complete “war gear” to provide all we need “to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Our armor provisions are the result of His careful plan and strategy to help us thrive in the theater of war. It is certain the devil rules the world of darkness, and postures his armies to engage God’s people. Satan leads the evil kingdom in opposition to God and our Lord Jesus. He uses an array of methods to achieve his wicked goals.  

Our objective is to “stand against” his tricks. This ancient military term means to resist the enemy, hold our position, and offer no surrender. Our Lord would have us “stand fast in the faith” (1 Cor. 16:13), with the determination to “stand perfect and complete in the will of God” (Col 4:12). Standing against Satan and his armies is the imperative: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Once more Peter challenges us concerning Satan’s aggression to “resist stead fast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). God’s plan for each Believer is to stand our ground refusing any advances of the enemy. All of this means that God has equipped us for victory through His armor.

Also it is important to understand that Satan will not fight fair; his “wiles” will often include subtle tricks, schemes, and devices of non-material conflict. For instance the word “wiles” means strategies or methods of deception. It implies craftiness, cunning, and scheming—this accurately describes Satan’s tactics. It has been well observed that he often uses “discouragement, frustration, confusion, moral failure, and doctrinal error” (MacDonald).  We must also be aware of the fact that Satan has been using these strategies for thousands of years and so have his armies. We may be new to such battles, but our enemy has vast experience and is highly skilled! He is well aware of the multiplicity of weaknesses and vulnerabilities of humanity—fallen mankind. His armies have been manipulating peoples and nations since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Often without our knowing it the enemy takes aim at our greatest susceptibilities to defeat us. If we are not careful we will think the failures, complications, and troubles we find ourselves in are purely the result of our botched efforts. While we may have some responsibility, we must also wisely recognize that a clever enemy is working to deceive us. If he cannot disable us with one method, he will try again with another. Beware of the “wiles” of the wicked one! Always remember that our “ability to stand” in spiritual battles depend ultimately on our use of “the whole armor of God.”

God’s Spiritual Armor is for Complete Victory (Eph. 6:13).

The phrase “having done all, to stand” probably summarize the believers’ victory after the battle. It is well reported that in ancient times, those still standing after the battle were the victors. The whole context of Ephesians six implies that we have the victory. That is correct; without any exception each Christian can experience Christ’s triumph in their individual battles! While it is true we must call every faculty into submission and obedience to Jesus Christ, we can be winners! The passage does not say, ‘having done nothing to stand!’ No, God requires that we give our best energies to this conflict. We are to participate in Christ’s victory over Satan.

It is true that we know the ultimate outcome of this war. Still individual battles can be lost if any Believer has not done all in order to stand (see also James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). The victory comes from the Lord, but we will undoubtedly know we are at war with a terrible enemy. This is not a matter of doing nothing while the Lord fights the battles! It is a matter of our participating in these battles by faith and consecration to the Lord. God will work harmoniously in us and with us to defeat the foe. We must be in concert with Him to secure victory.

Knowing that Christ has already conquered Satan, and that the spiritual armor and weapons are available, by faith we accept what God gives us and go out to meet the foe. Yes, the day is evil, and the enemy is wicked, but “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).

God’s Armor Assure us of Ultimate Victory!

When we engage in warfare at Christ’s command and under His authority, we are assured of full triumph and victory. Whenever we feel as though we are losing the relentless battles, there are two key points to keep in mind.

First, the loss of a battle is not the loss of the war. In some cases, you may feel as if you have lost a round in your fight against the devil and his cohorts. You may experience what you perceive to be a setback. It is helpful to remember our setbacks do not surprise our Lord, nor change His designs for us.

When the Lord Jesus sent out His disciples to preach the gospel and heal the sick, He said that if the people in a city did not receive them, they were to wipe the dust of that place from their feet, give a warning to the people, and move on. Jesus anticipated that His disciples might not be successful 100 percent of the time.

Nevertheless, our Lord fully expected His disciples to continue to move forward! They were charged to do the maximum amount of good. They were to continue preaching and praying with the greatest amount of effectiveness possible in any given town, village, or rural area. Christ Jesus expects the same of us. We may not win every battle or realize the results we anticipated every time, but God’s designs for His warriors have not changed. We still have our orders to stand! There is no incentive for quitting because of personal frustrations when we realize this truth. It may surprise us to not realize, but our Lord does not call us to be successful by our reckoning, but rather, faithful to His purposes. We are to do what He calls us to do; the consequences and results are His responsibility.

Secondly, the final victory will be revealed fully in eternity. You and I cannot presently know the 360 degree impact of our lives and ministries on the lives of others. Some of what we accomplish for Christ on earth will be revealed to us only in eternity. And when it comes to eternity, the devil has absolutely no hold on us once we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Nothing the devil can do to us will change our eternal destiny. Think about when the Lord Jesus sent out seventy of His disciples, two by two. He gave them specific instructions to preach the gospel and heal the sick, which included anything that might keep a person from being whole. This was their concentrated focus for this entire tour of service. The disciples returned to Jesus with great joy, saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in thy name” (Luke 10:17). Satan’s hindrances and oppositions were no match for our Lord’s power and authority! Jesus responded, “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. [19] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:18–19).

Understand that sometimes in the Scriptures, serpents and scorpions are other terms for demons. Jesus told His disciples then, and He tells us today, that His followers have authority over the devil, and the devil can do nothing to cause eternal harm to those who rest in the authority of Christ. We may have moments of timidity and fear…we certainly will feel real pain from time to time. Still…be assured we will NOT experience any eternal damage at the hand of Satan. Beloved, vested with the power and authority of our exalted Lord Jesus Christ, we can face our enemies with assurance the victory is ours! So, now that we understand better why we need spiritual war gear…suit up!