The Armour of God in 3-d

We are soldiers for God

2 Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

The Armour is needed

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10-11 KJV)

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans 13:12, 14 KJV)

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (Zechariah 3:3-4)

Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: (Isaiah 52:1)

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. (Colossians 3:12-14)

And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name [character] of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin (Exodus 34:5-7)

Here we recognize that the armour of God actually represents the character of Christ

What kind of warfare are we involved in?

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. 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. (Ephesians 6:12-13 KJV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. (James 4:7-8)

What is the Spiritual armour that God has provided for us?

Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; Putting on the breastplate of faith and love; (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, (Isaiah 59:17)

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; (Ephesians 5:9)

Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. (Psalms 119:142, 151)

And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us. (Deuteronomy 6:25)

My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. (Psalms 119:172)

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

Jesus saith unto him, I am … the truth (John 14:6)

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins. (Isaiah 11:5)

In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 23:6)In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this [is the name] wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. (Jeremiah 33:16)

And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. (Exodus 28:29)

The incredible link between Righteousness and truth is simple on the basis that there can be no righteous without truth

Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7)

I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14:6-7)

Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The feet are the parts of the body that cause movement of the person from place to place. The Gospel message is all about going out and lightening the earth with the glory that God reveals in the gospel. See Revelation 18:1. It is of great interest that the preaching of the gospel is linked to the armour of God as well. The shoes of the soldier offer protection from common snares that the enemy will place in the path of the unwary. God provides that the preaching of the gospel should be a means of keeping us safe in the path of life.

The Roman shoulders carried shields that were reputed to be tall enough to hid the entire man underneath; this allowed them to produce what has come to be known as the “tortoise formation”. It was their greatest means of protection.

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Whatever the other armour that we take on Paul here shows us clearly that there is nothing more important than the shield notice the first two words of the passage

Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrews 11:1, 3)

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalms 91:4)

The question that arises is of course what type of faith are we supposed to have?

The just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) (Of course the question arises; whose faith?)

Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:10)

“The faith of God's elect” (Titus 1:1) Who is God’s elect? Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. (Isaiah 42:1) (Further reading of Isaiah 42 reveals that the elect spoken of here could be no other than Christ)

“the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12

Remember Romans 10:17; the quote in Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4 is taken from Deuteronomy 8:3. The source says:And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. (Deuteronomy 8:3)

What does such a faith produce?I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) This does remind us of John 15:13 (Love)Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16) (Justification)But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: (Romans 3:21-22) (Righteousness)

Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help. (Deuteronomy 33:29)

Psalms 115:9 O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. (Trust=faith) 11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

The LORD is my strength and my shield (Psalms 28:7)

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

An helmet of salvation upon his head (Isaiah 59:17)

For an helmet, the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? (Psalms 27:1)

The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. (Psalms 21:1-3)

And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, (Zechariah 3:5)

“And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.” “And they made the plate of the holy crown [of] pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, [like to] the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” (Exodus 29:6; 39:30)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,” “the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth” (Revelation 19:13, 15, 21)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1, 14

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:16)

“These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;” “the sword of my mouth.” (Revelation 2:12, 16)

Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD … who is the sword of thy excellency! (Deuteronomy 33:29)

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. (Isaiah 49:1-3)