1
SPIRITUAL WARFARE Part III
THE ARMOR OF GOD
“We Protestants are an undisciplined people. Therein lies the reason for much
of the dearth of spiritual insights and serious lack of moral power.”1
--Albert Edward Day
“And though this world with devils filled
May threaten to undo us,
We will not fear for God has willed
His truth to triumph through us.”2
--Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
“We cannot stand the wiles of the devil by our wits. The devil only comes along
the lines that God understands, not along the lines we understand, and the only
way we can be prepared for him is to do what God tells us, stand complete in
His armor, indwelt by His Spirit, in complete obedience to Him.”3
--Oswald Chambers
THE SOLDIER
2
It should not be surprising that Paul used military illustrations in his letters since he lived
in a military state and often was in prison himself. Seneca said, “To live is to be a soldier.”4 Paul
calls Archippus, in whose house a church met, “our fellow soldier” (Philem. 2) and he calls
Epaphroditus, the messenger of the Philippian church, “my fellow soldier” (Phil. 2:25). He saw
in the life of the soldier a picture of the life of the Christian. His use of the military imagery of a
soldier then has great bearing on what it means to be a Christian. He uses the same imagery later
in II Timothy 2:3:
“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as
a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding
officer. Similarly, if any one competes as an athlete, he does not receive the
victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking
farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops” (II Tim. 2:3-6).
Here we see that Paul gives three examples for Timothy to follow: (1) a soldier who
wants to please his commander; (2) an athlete who follows the rules of the game; and (3) a
farmer who works hard.
Characteristics
Since it is the imagery of the soldier that Paul uses in spiritual warfare, what are some
characteristics of the soldier?
1. He Endures Hardship (II Tim. 2:3)--To be a Christian is to be a soldier since we are
in a battle that requires spiritual endurance (Eph. 6:10ff.). Part of the hardship is the
call to sacrifice. Early church father Tertullian said, “The man who is afraid to suffer
cannot belong to Him who suffered.”5 The Christian must be ready to sacrifice
himself, his wishes and his fortune, for God and for his fellow-men.
2. He Avoids Worldly Entanglements (II Tim. 2:4)--Once a man has enlisted in the
army he can no longer involve himself in the ordinary daily businesses of life for he
must concentrate on his service as a soldier. The Roman code of Theodosius stated,
“We forbid men engaged in military service to engage in civilian occupations.”6
A soldier is a soldier and nothing else.
A Christian soldier is totally committed to his commanding officer, the one who
enlisted him. In our case, this is Jesus Christ. Loyalty to Him means that we are faithful to
death, if need be.
Unquestioned obedience or is part of what it means to be committed and loyal to the
commanding officer. Complete trust is vital because there may come a time when
such instinctive obedience will save his life and the lives of others. It is not always
necessary to know the reason why his commanding officer gives certain commands.
Since he is involved in the midst of the battle, he cannot see the over-all picture. The
3
decisions he must leave to the commander who sees the whole field. The first duty
of the believer is obedience to the voice of God and acceptance even of that which he
cannot understand.
3. He Magnifies Jesus Christ (II Tim. 2:8--9)—”Remember Jesus Christ!” is Paul’s
point to Timothy. He put it:
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.
This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being
chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained” (II Tim. 2:8-9).
The great missionary, J. Hudson Taylor, often said, “It is not by trying to be faithful,
but in looking to the Faithful One, that we win the victory.”7
4. He Thinks of the Whole Army (II Tim. 2:10)—Paul not only suffered for the Lord’s
sake, but he also suffered for the sake of “the elect,” the church:
“Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may
obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (II Tim. 2:10).
There were yet many people to reach with the gospel, and Paul wanted to help reach
them. A soldier who thinks only of himself is disloyal and undependable.
All three metaphors chosen by Paul also convey the importance of discipline. No soldier,
athlete, or farmer could ever be successful in their vocations apart from discipline. The same is
true of the Christian life. A. W. Tozer lamented over 40 years ago:
“We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living.
This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money,
we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline practically has disappeared.
What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician’s instrument
were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not ‘disciplined’?”8
If this were true 40 years ago, how much more true it is today!
We are told throughout Scripture to be disciplined in our life.
“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom
and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined
and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair . . . The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
(Prov. 3:1-3,7)
4
“For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of
discipline are the way to life” (6:23).
“Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.”
(23:23)
“Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is
self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined” (Titus 1:8).
Discipline leads to freedom. Elton Trueblood demonstrates the relationship between
discipline and freedom by his statement:
“We have not advanced very far in our spiritual lives if we have not encountered
the basic paradox of freedom. . . . that we are most free when we are bound.
But not just any way of being bound will suffice; what matters is the character
of our binding. The one who would be an athlete, but who is unwilling to
discipline his body by regular exercise and abstinence, is not free to excel on the
field or the track. His failure to train rigorously denies him the freedom to run
the desired speed and endurance. With one concerted voice, the giants of the
devotional life apply the same principle to the whole of life: discipline is the
price of freedom.”9
Although it is true that discipline is “the price” of freedom, it is also true that freedom is
the reward of discipline.
Jesus is the Captain of our salvation and our purpose is to bring honor and glory to Him.
Jesus died and rose again, proving that suffering leads to glory, and that seeming defeat leads to
victory. Jesus was treated as an evildoer, and His soldiers will be treated the same way.
Discipline is essential if we are to endure to the end.
Reward
Paul’s statement, “The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the
crops” (II Tim. 2:6) shows that dedicated effort will be rewarded—not necessarily monetarily,
but in enjoyment of seeing the gospel produce changed lives.
5
OUR ARMOR
Eph. 6:11-13
Why do we need armor? Paul gives two reasons for putting on the whole armor of God?
1. That we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (v. 11). The word
“schemes” (methodia) from which we get “method” in English has to do with strategy,
craftiness, cunning, and deception. The term was often used of a wild animal who
cunningly stalked and then unexpectedly pounced on its prey. Stealth and deception
are used by the enemy of our souls to enslave and destroy us.
2. That we may be able to stand our ground (withstand) and to stand in the evil day
(v. 13). This has the idea of holding a critical position while under attack.
It is our responsibility to resist and stand firm!
We need the armor of God for just as the strength which we need is not from ourselves
(“be made powerful in the Lord”—v.10), so neither are the means of defense or offense.
The armor of God is to be lifelong companions for the Christian as it provides divine
power from “Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious
presence without fault and with great joy” (Jude 24).
The following are six pieces of armor God provides and expects us to wear
(Eph.6:14-17):
THE BELT OF TRUTH
6
The Belt of Truth—The belt was used by the Roman soldier to tuck up his tunic, and it
was the first piece of armor he put on. It ensured him that he could fight unimpeded by a flowing
garment. Another use for the belt was to hold his weapons, both his large and small swords.
Paul says that the Christians belt is truth. “The belt of truth” is a reference to the truth of
God. This means the content of that which is true. Without knowledge of biblical teaching, the
Christian is subject to being “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by
every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming”
(Eph. 4:14). Paul warned in his first letter to young Timothy that “The Spirit clearly says that in
later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a
hot iron” (I Tim. 4:1). There are almost 5,000 cults in our country that teach “the doctrines of
demons.” Such false teachings can only be encountered successfully with the truth of God’s
Word.
Since Jesus claimed to be “the truth” (Jn. 14:6), He is the very basis for life. Everything
we do must be anchored in Him if we are to fight this battle with success.
Truth also refers to our knowledge of, and belief in, the truth. A body of truth is
irrelevant unless it is understood and believed. It is our faith in the truthfulness of God and His
Word that makes truth become real in our lives.
This is also a reference to truth in the sense of integrity “truth in the inward parts”
(Ps. 51:6), that is, Christian character in which a person lives a life-style that conforms to
Scripture. Character, not brute force, is the first step in winning battles against Satan. The girdle
gives ease and freedom of movement so that we can move freely and quickly.
Truth is foundational because it is only truth that can dispel the devil’s lies (Eph. 4:21;
5:6,9). We can’t win against the Liar of liars by lying. Even “white lies” are a lie by definition.
All lying therefore is of the realm of Satan and we are called to reject it.
Satan’s first attack in the Garden of Eden was in the realm of truth as he questioned what
God said by asking, “Did God really say . . .” (Gen. 3:1)? This was also Satan’s strategy in
tempting Jesus. As William Shakespeare put it, “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”31
It is therefore crucial that we use Scripture properly, in a truthful way. When we do Satan has to
give in. This is why Jesus used Scripture when He was tempted in the wilderness. His defense
each time was truth: “it is written” (Deut. 8:3; 6:13,16). As Jesus Himself put it, “You shall
know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (Jn. 8:32).
7
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Breastplate of Righteousness—The breastplate covered both the front and back of the
soldier. It was a major piece of equipment that protected the soldier’s heart. In Proverbs 4:23
Solomon says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well-spring of life.”
Since the breastplate protects the heart it seems first of all to refer to the condition of the
heart as it is the heart that determines the course of our lives. Good character, not words, is the
best defense against accusations.
Peter warned, “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain
from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (I Pet. 2:11). Sinful desires are part of
Satan’s arsenal in fighting God’s people. As believers we must have our minds “set on things
above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:2) so we can “take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ” (II Cor. 10:5). Similarly Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome:
“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds
of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the
daytime . . . Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not
think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Rom. 13:12,14).
To neglect what we know to be right action is to leave a big hole in our armor. When evil
presses against our hearts the breastplate of “right action”—simply doing right when we know
we should—is crucial to our victory. This means living by faith since our emotions will likely
tell us to do something different.
Not only did Jesus say that He is the truth, but He also claimed to be “our righteousness”
(I Cor. 1:30). In our battle against the enemy of our souls we dare not come in our own
righteousness, which is “filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6), but we must come in dependence on the
righteousness of God in Christ. We need to get our eyes off of ourselves and back on the
8
provision of the cross. And God has made His grace available so we can live a holy life in which
we live in daily, moment-by-moment obedience to our heavenly Father. Such a life “makes the
teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10).
SHOES OF PEACE
Shoes (sandals or boots) with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace--Roman soldiers
wore protective and supportive footgear. Tied to their ankles and shins with ornamental straps,
their boots equipped them for long marches and gave them a solid stance.
A soldier’s footgear are more important even than an athlete’s shoes, because his very
life could depend on them. A soldier must be ready for any kind of terrain! And when it comes to
terrain, his shoes are the most critical part of his armor. Why? Because he will not be able to
handle his sword or shield effectively if he cannot retreat or advance rapidly. Good boots allows
the soldier to be ready to march, run, or climb--essential to successful combat.
When Paul refers to “the preparation of the Gospel of Peace” he is probably making two
points. “Preparedness” means first that we are ready for action in the conflict with evil by
sharing the alternative to that evil which is “the gospel of peace.” This means knowing how to
tell others about Christ and being open to the Holy Spirit’s leading in specific situations.
9
Second, “preparation” may mean a “prepared foundation” in the sense of being prepared
to share the gospel because we are at peace with God. Such peace gives us a firm foothold in
conflict as it allows us to fight with confidence, boldness and perseverance. Better not attempt to
fight an external enemy if we are already defeated within. But if we have peace with God we’re
ready to move forward.
Their authority was not based on their intrinsic or spiritual power. Rather it was based on
their salvation--the gospel of peace--the fact that their names were written in God’s Book of Life
in heaven (Rev. 3:5; 20:12,15; 21:27).
THE SHIELD OF FAITH
Shield of Faith—The Roman army used small round shields and large rectangular ones.
The large curved shield was a heavy shield about 4 ft. long by 2 ½ ft. broad and was made of two
wooden layers covered with canvas, with an outer hide covering which covered the body of the
warrior. The soldier would plant the shield and squat behind it.
The soldiers who carried these shields were in the front lines of battle, and normally
stood side by side with their shields together, forming a huge phalanx extending as long as a mile
or more. The archers stood behind this protective wall of shields and shot their arrows as they
advanced against the enemy. Anyone who stood or crouched behind such shields was protected
from the barrage of enemy arrows and spears. The “flaming arrows” were arrows dipped in
pitch, lit, and fired at the enemy. Frequently the soldiers would dip their shields in water before
battle so they would extinguish the flaming arrows.
10
Since faith is only as reliable and helpful as the trustworthiness of its object, the Christian
faith is powerful and effective since its object of faith is Jesus Christ who is infinitely powerful
and absolutely dependable. Christian faith never fails simply because the One in whom that faith
is placed never fails.
John Paton was a missionary in the South Seas. When he was translating the Bible for a
particular tribe, he discovered that they did not have a word for faith or trust. One day a native
who had been running hard came into Paton’s house, flopped himself in a large chair and said,
“It’s good to rest my whole weight on this chair.” Immediately Paton said to himself, “That’s it,
I’ll translate faith as ‘resting one’s whole weight on God.’”10
Doubting God is to disbelieve God, which, as John tells us, makes a liar of Him “who
cannot lie” (I Jn. 5:10; Titus 1:2). All sin results from failure to act in faith in who God is and in
what He is. Solomon put it:
“Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar” (Prov. 30:5-6).
John put it:
“This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that
overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
(I Jn. 5:4-5)
Our protection lies not in introspection, but in the Godward look which is the essence
of faith:
“My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only He will release my feet from the snare” (Ps. 25:15).
By faith the Christian is justified (Rom. 3:26,30; 4:5; Eph. 2:8,9), by faith he lives (Hab.
2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb. 10:38), and by faith he fights (I Cor. 9:26; II Cor. 10:4; I Tim.
1:18; 6:12; II Tim. 4:7). Jesus alone can be trusted to empower us to move ahead even in difficult
and confusing situations.
11
THE HELMET OF SALVATION
Helmet of Salvation—The typical helmet was made of iron, brass or bronze, although
some were constructed of leather. They had attachments on the side for protecting the face and a
“shelf” on the back to cover the neck and shoulders. Such a helmet was essential for the survival
of a soldier in battle. No soldier in his right mind would enter battle without the helmet.
The helmet obviously protected the head from injury, especially from the dangerous
broadsword commonly used in the battles of that day. This was the large two-handed, doubleedged sword that measured three to four feet in length and would be used by cavalrymen who
would swing at the heads of enemy soldiers to split their skulls or decapitate them.
Since the helmet is mentioned in reference to salvation we see that Satan’s blows are
directed at the believer’s assurance and security in Christ. Since the head is the seat of our
thought life, many Christians are incapacitated because they do not know how to protect their
thought life.
Probably the two most effective and dangerous and therefore common edges of Satan’s
broadsword are doubt and discouragement. To cause doubt the devil points to situations in life
that don’t make much sense and reminds us of our lack of answers to prayer. To cause
discouragement he points to our failures, sins, unresolved problems, irreconcilable differences
with people, poor health, or whatever else seems negative in our lives to make us lose confidence
in the love, wisdom and power of our heavenly Father.
“The helmet of salvation” is the knowledge of salvation which removes from the Christian all
sense of condemnation, all doubt, all uncertainty concerning his possession of eternal life
12
God’s armor will always be needed as long as we live on this earth since the adversary
will never lay down his sword against us. Only when our work is finished on earth can we say
with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (II
Tim. 4:7). May we follow the example of the Ephesian church in the book of Revelation in that
they had “persevered and endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary” (Rev. 2:3).
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
Sword of the Spirit—The Roman soldier carried a small dagger and a large doubleedged sword used for thrusting. The sword was usually about 18 inches long and was attached to
the belt. It was used in close, personal fighting. The Roman soldier would look for chinks in his
opponent’s armor and then attack them with his little sword. This sword was the primary piece of
equipment used to attack and thus advance.
“The sword of the Spirit” is a reference to Scripture. It is both our weapon of defense
against sin and of offense against demonic invasion. The writer to the Hebrew Christians stated
concerning Scripture:
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it
judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
13
God’s Word is dynamic as it is active in accomplishing God’s purposes. It is a living
power that judges as with an all-seeing eye, penetrating a person’s innermost being.
Similarly Solomon says:
“Every word of God is flawless;
He is a shield to those who take their refuge in Him” (Prov. 30:5).
Since it is divine it is effective:
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it
without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields
seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from
My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I
desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11).
When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, His defense was not, “I believe,”
but “it is written” (Mt. 4:1-10). His defense for each temptation was a passage of Scripture that
precisely contradicted the devil’s word (Deut. 8:3; 6:16; 6:13 as quoted by Jesus in Mt. 4:4,7,10).
We have no excuse for not knowing and understanding God’s Word. As believers we
have the Holy Spirit who has promised to illumine the Word He inspired so that it reveals its
riches to us. This means we must be teachable. And to be teachable we must submit to His
instruction by studying the Bible with sincerity and commitment. It is then not a question of
ignorance and inability, but disinterest and neglect.
If we misquote Scripture and are confused about its teachings we will not be successful in
using the sword of the Spirit. The more we study, understand, love, and apply Scripture, the
more we will be able to deflect Satan’s blows, conquer his strongholds, and lead people from his
kingdom to God’s.
14
NOTES
1
Edythe Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 150.
2
Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” The Hymnal for Worship &
Celebration (Waco, TX: Word Music, 1986), No. 26.
3
Oswald Chambers, The Best from All His Books, edited by Harry Verploegh, Vol. I
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987), 82.
4
William Barclay, The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon, The Daily Study Bible
Series, Revised Edition (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), 159.
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
8
A. W. Tozer, That Incredible Christian (Harrisburg: Christians Publications, Inc.,
1964(), 87-88.
9
Elton Trueblood, Leadership, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Summer 1989), 60 cited in Whitney,
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 21.
10
Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Faithful (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1984), 141.