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Faith is powerful and protects us not only from those physical dangers, but from the spiritual temptations and dangers. The shield of faith is not just for personal protection.
The Roman soldiers had a strategy of joining their shields together. If we join our shields—that is, strengthen each other with our faith, building up and serving as we are able—we will be able to take on any challenge. We can receive tremendous hope and comfort by focusing on the incredible sacrifice Jesus Christ gave to save us and the wonderful Kingdom that is the goal of our salvation. This hope protects our minds from the discouragement and despair in this world. The sword of the Spirit, like the Roman gladius , can also help us to conquer all our enemies, including that most difficult one, our entrenched human weaknesses.
The Armor of God - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the. What does each piece of the armor of God mean, and how do we use them? An interesting Bible study/commentary on Ephesians 6.
Christ used scripture quotes three times. He brought to mind the scriptures that dealt with the situation, that showed what He should do and that strengthened His resolve. And so should we. We must continually sharpen it with regular and focused Bible study. Paul ends this section encouraging us to pray fervently for ourselves, for each other and for the work of the Church.
The Church , and each of us individually, moves forward on our knees. Praying reminds us of the battle, reminds us of the source of our strength and defense, and reminds God that we are fully committed to following Him as obedient and faithful soldiers. There is so much more we can learn from this powerful list of defenses God makes available to us. Hopefully, this article has whetted your appetite to study this important subject in more detail.
The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
With the helmet securely fastened, we can have the same confidence that Paul did that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" Romans 8: We understand that it doesn't matter what happens to us now. No matter what trials we face, we know that at the end of it all waits God's Kingdom and an eternity of His perfect reign—and what could be better than that?
Remember that salvation comes from God, and that God is on our side. If we commit to fully follow and obey Him, it is impossible for us to lose our battle or our salvation. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.
God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. This is the salvation we are fighting for—to enter this glorious Kingdom! Never lose sight of this. This coming Kingdom, with its worldwide peace and prosperity, makes every price in this life worth paying.
No matter what comes, no matter how vicious the attacks our enemy lands on us, we know that as long as we remain with God, we are moving slowly but unstoppably toward an eternal victory. What wouldn't we give for that? I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Paul had the vision. He valued his salvation highly and diligently fought the good fight. As the end of his life drew near, he was able to say with complete confidence that he would receive the crown. When Paul awakes in the first resurrection, he will trade in his soldier's helmet for a far more glorious, imperishable and eternal crown of righteousness—the crown of a victorious soldier of Christ.
We, too, can be assured of victory so long as we—like Paul—faithfully follow our God and His commandments from our heart and mind. A good checklist for progress is Paul's description of the fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5: How well am I expressing godly love? See 1 Corinthians Is my outlook on life characterized by joy or pessimism? Am I a peacemaker or a troublemaker? Am I patient—even in stressful situations? Do I express kindness to others through willing acts of service? What kind of media do I allow into my life?
Does the entertainment I enjoy live up to God's standards? Do I stick with my commitments, even when they become difficult to keep? Is my approach to settling disagreements to verbally assault the other person, or do I handle things gently and with respect? Am I able to put what needs to be done before what I want to do? What areas did you find yourself strongest in? In what areas are you weakest?
How can you improve? Take time to research your weakest trait and design a plan for self-improvement in that area. Don't overlook prayer as the most important step! Questions about this lesson? Feedback about this lesson? The Gospel of Jesus Christ: Not Helpful 14 Helpful You basically keep truth, righteousness, peace, your salvation, your faith, and your Bible close to you. All this protects you from the devil, "like armor.
Not Helpful 0 Helpful We make Him and His ways our dwelling place Psalm We delight in His commands and desire for His ways to become our ways Psalm When God reveals an area of change to us, we obey and allow Him to work in us. Not Helpful 18 Helpful Yes, but it doesn't mean He wasn't listening. He is fully aware of what is happening around Him, He just chose not to speak this time.
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Already answered Not a question Bad question Other. Tips Put on your Armor of God daily. Don't beg others or God to put it on you Glorify God with all your being and "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: Warnings Without the armor of God, we're unprotected. Be alert to stand against evil. Christianity In other languages: Did this article help you?
Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Red Cherub Oct 2, This is very beautifully presented to understand it. This teaching is in simple language, and without pictures it would be difficult to understand. Thank you once again for excellently presenting the armor of God, a great help in Bible study.
HP Hamish Pilbrow Nov 8.
This wikiHow article and Ephesians 6; have encouraged me. Depression, self-hatred, and pride are just some of the things I struggle with. Thank you very much, wikiHow! RN Rosemarie Narvaez Sep 4. It brings me closer to God! A Anonymous Aug SS Sandra Spencer Jun 7, He has always been there for me through it all, when it seemed like I couldn't make it, God has always been there. There was a time when I couldn't walk because Satan had me down. I'd cry every night, my legs would hurt, the neighbors would hear me and wonder what was going on.
My mom and sister would pray and say these words to me. I began to pray to God and He healed me. Now I can walk. SG Susi Grant Dec 8, I liked 8, the prayer. This will be our theme for our ladies retreat this spring. Thank you so much. Biblical and thorough in it's description. Good graphics to support and compliment this teaching. Provides a clear and easy understanding to allow practical application for ppl of all stages, ages, and comprehension. Thank you - Well done!
FT Franky Toa Sep 26, This explanation of the Armor of God has been clearly illustrated so that even simple minded understand. JR Judith Rothell Sep 21, I have a hunger and thirst for the Word that is greater than at any other time. There is so much distraction in our world today.
This article reminds me that without the armor, we are helpless.