Last week, we were reminded we who follow Christ as Lord are Saints in the Kingdom of God. We are not saints because we are perfect. We are saints because the HS of God lives in us. We are His holy Temple and we represent God to the world. Yet, we live as saints in a troubled world. And so today, I want to share God’s Word about suiting up in the whole armor of God so we can have courage in the face of evil.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 A final word: Be strong
in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of
God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of
the devil. 12 For we[a] are not fighting
against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the
unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil
spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able
to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still
be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the
belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For
shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully
prepared.[b] 16 In
addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows
of the devil.[c] 17 Put
on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert
and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.[d]
The Apostle Paul wrote to Christians living in Ephesus on the western coast of modern-day Turkey, a wealthy city famous for being the site of the great Temple of Artemis. These Christians were on the frontline of a spiritual war between God’s Kingdom and the forces of darkness.
Paul reminded them, and us, in verse 12: “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies…” Don’t ever forget we are at war. But also, don’t ever forget, we are not at war against our neighbors. We're not at war with Democrats. We're not at war against Republicans. We're not at war against immigrants or criminals. We're not at war against people who practice other religions or those who think differently from us.
Then who are we at war with? Paul tells us in verse 12:
· “Evil
rulers and authorities of the unseen world” – This described
demonic forces that have influence beyond what we can see. These are spiritual
beings that oppose God’s purposes.
· “Mighty
powers in this dark world” – This points to the pervasive
influence of evil in human society—systems, ideologies, and forces that promote
darkness, sin, and oppression.
· “Evil spirits in the heavenly places” – This highlights the reality of spiritual warfare in the unseen, spiritual realm. The “heavenly places” doesn’t mean heaven itself, but the spiritual dimension where both God’s angels and demonic powers operate.
And so Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God. Thankfully, most today are not very familiar with the use of armor in hand-to-hand combat. I can't imagine how awful it was in ancient times to fight face to face with someone using a sword--to strike them so closely you could hear them cry out be sprayed with their blood. Aren't you thankful we don't have to face that kind of trauma?
Let's take a look at the each piece of armor Paul mentions.
The Belt of Truth
First, Paul speaks of the belt of truth. At first glance, that might seem like an odd piece of armor. I mean, when we think of a belt, we think of something that just keeps our pants up. But for a Roman soldier, the belt was much more than that. It was a sturdy piece of leather that hung down from the waist to protected the lower body—an area vital to survival—and it allowed freedom of movement while also offering some defense against glancing blows.
So what does it mean for us to put on the belt of truth? For Christians, truth represents personal integrity, sincerity, and the genuineness of our faith. It means we are not pretending to be something we’re not. We live honestly, authentically, and with transparency. Pretending only leaves us vulnerable, because eventually the false image will crumble.
When we put on the belt of truth, we commit to walking in honesty—with one another, and with the world around us. We interact with integrity and present ourselves genuinely, not hiding behind masks. Truth holds everything together and gives us the strength to stand firm.
Next, Paul says to put on the body armor of God’s righteousness. Some translations call it the breastplate of righteousness, the piece of armor that covers and protects the vital organs of the body’s core.
Now, we know that none of us are righteous on our own. Romans 3:23 reminds us, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But because of Christ, we can put on His righteousness. Our sins are washed away, and we are covered and protected by what He has done for us.
At the same time, as Christians we don’t stop there. We also seek to grow in righteousness—to live with good behavior, godly attitudes, and the virtues the Holy Spirit shapes in us. Living a righteous life brings great protection. When you carry yourself with integrity and walk in righteousness day by day, people notice. Even those who disagree with your beliefs may still say, “I don’t agree with what you believe, but I know you’re a good person who means well.”
That kind of respect and witness is like armor—it shields your witness, deflects unnecessary attacks, and demonstrates the reality of Christ’s work in you. That’s why we must put on the breastplate of righteousness.
And then Paul tells us to put on the shoes of the Good News so that we are ready to go quickly and share the gospel. When we picture an army, we often think of soldiers standing in formation, locked in battle. But most of the time, soldiers aren’t fighting—they’re moving. They’re marching.
One of the reasons the Roman army was so effective is that they could march long distances quickly and arrive at the battlefield organized and ready. They had strong shoes that protected their feet, so they could cover hundreds of miles and meet the enemy wherever the threat arose.
In the same way, Christians are not called to stay in one place. We’re not called to simply sit in pews week after week. We’re called to go—to move where God sends us, to answer His call whenever and wherever it comes. And when we go, we carry with us the Good News of Jesus Christ—what He has done for us, what He is doing now, and the offer of salvation, peace, and love that He freely gives.
So we lace up the gospel shoes of peace, ready to bring Christ’s hope into the world. Wherever God leads, we go—and when we arrive, we share the Good News.
As we live as saints in a troubled world, the Devil will shoot flaming arrows to try and destroy us. Some of those fiery darts may come as doubts, temptations, fear, reminding us of our past failures, trying to convince us that our efforts for God are useless, stirring up conflict and disunity within the church, and tempting us to rely on our own strength rather than God’s. But we can defeat these by lifting up the shield of faith to deflect the Devil’s attacks. Faith shields us when we trust God and believe in Him more than our doubts, fears, failures, the things that discourage us, or even ourselves. We believe in God because we’ve seen the evidence of His love and truth and we choose to trust Him more than anything else. It is a powerful shield.
I've been reading a book describing Roman battle tactics. One of their most famous strategies was called the tortoise formation—the testudo in Latin. In this formation, soldiers stood tightly together, shields locked in every direction. The front line held their shields forward, the sides locked theirs along the flanks, and others raised shields overhead until the entire unit was covered, like a giant shell.
From a distance, it resembled a tortoise—protected on every side. And it was nearly impenetrable. When enemies launched thousands of arrows from hundreds of yards away, the soldiers could advance safely in this formation. Imagine the sound as they marched across the battlefield—clink, clink, clink—as arrow after arrow bounced harmlessly off their shields. Protected and united, they moved forward until they were close enough to overcome their enemy.
That’s a powerful picture for us as believers. We are not called to be lone warriors for Christ. We are part of a body, a formation, a family. We stand side by side, shields of faith joined together. We protect and encourage one another. When one falters, others lift them up. Together, we advance as a powerful force for God’s Kingdom.
Not alone. Never alone. We fight together.
In battle, a blow to the head is often a death blow. And so, we protect our head with the sure and certain knowledge that Christ is our salvation. He died on the cross for our sins. They have been washed away. It is not by our own good deeds that we are saved, but by the blood of Christ. And nothing in this world or even in heaven or hell can take that away. And even if this dark, troubled world destroys our body, we will live forever in the Kingdom of God, so we have nothing to lose. Put on that helmet of salvation and you can boldly face anything this world throws at you.
Paul tells us to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is our only offensive weapon. But notice—it’s not a physical sword. It is the Word of God, a spiritual weapon.
We must be careful here: as Christians, we are not called to conquer the world by force. We are not here to coerce people into following Christ. Jesus Himself never did that. He could have summoned thousands of angels to subdue His enemies, but He didn’t—because hearts can’t be won at the point of a sword.
The sword we carry is God’s Word. We engage not with violence, but with the gospel, with truth, and with love. We speak God’s Word into people’s lives, sharing the hope of salvation and the peace of Christ. We extend the invitation—but we do not force it. Faith must be freely chosen.
Power can control people for a time, but only God’s Word can transform a heart forever. That is why we take up the sword of the Spirit.
Paul ends his illustration with a call to prayer: “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.[d]”
Prayer is the power source that strengthens every piece of our armor. When we pray, our faith grows stronger, our helmet of salvation is secured, our feet move with greater readiness, our belt of truth holds firm, and our breastplate of righteousness becomes a shielded defense.
But here’s the remarkable thing: prayer not only strengthens our own armor—it strengthens the armor of others. Your prayers can cover and protect your brothers and sisters in Christ. That’s why Paul tells us to pray for all believers everywhere.
I was reminded of this truth when I discovered dozens of failed attempts from around the world to hack into my email account. Page after page of people trying to impersonate me, break in, and cause harm. Yet, every attempt failed. I truly believe that was not just because of security settings—it was because of the prayers lifted on my behalf. Prayer is a shield that stops attacks we can see and even more we cannot.
That’s why we must never forget: though this sanctuary feels safe, comfortable, and quiet, we are in the middle of a spiritual battlefield. Prayer keeps us and one another strong, alert, and able to stand together against the enemy.
We are not helpless in the face of evil. God has given us His armor—the truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and His Word—so that we can stand firm and unshaken in a world full of darkness. Remember, our battle is not against people, but against spiritual forces, and with Christ on our side, victory is already assured. As saints in a troubled world, let us walk with courage, strength, and determination, knowing that the Holy Spirit within us makes us more than conquerors.
Praying for Strength and Courage
Almighty
God,
We come before You as Your saints in a troubled world, not in our own strength, but clothed in Your armor. I pray now for each person
in this room. Strengthen their hearts with courage.
Protect their minds with
the helmet of salvation.
Guard their lives with the shield of faith. Surround them with Your
righteousness and truth.
May their steps carry the peace of the gospel wherever they go,
and may the sword of Your Spirit—the living Word—be ever ready on their lips.
Lord, when the enemy attacks with fear, doubt, or temptation,
let Your light shine brighter than the darkness.
Unite us together in love and in power, that we may stand firm,
shoulder to shoulder, as Your holy people.
Send us out now with boldness to live as saints,
carrying the hope of Christ into a world that desperately needs it.
In
the mighty name of Jesus Christ we pray,
Amen.
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