LOINS GIRDED ABOUT WITH TRUTH

knights wore under the armor so the armor would not chafe their skin. I thought,

that must be what Paul was thinking about when he talked of girding our loins

with truth. If we clothe ourselves in truth, then nothing can chafe us or make us

uncomfortable. We are comfortable and protected regardless of conditions or

circumstances. Sometimes we need to be protected even from the armor,

because the weapons of our warfare make us uncomfortable if we are not living in

truth. If we wrap ourselves in the truth, nothing can irritate us.

BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

The breastplate of righteousness, which is our right standing with God,

protects our vital organs. As long as we know that we are in a right relationship

with God, we will live free from guilt and condemnation. Paul says,

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?

It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again,

who is even at the right hand of God, who also make-

th intercession for us

(Rom. 8:33-34).

If God has justified us, we are righteous. Again Paul wrote,

There is therefore now no condemnation to them

which are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:l).

The righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to us. Our breastplate protects our

hearts from guilt and condemnation as we stand in the righteousness of Jesus

Christ.

PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

Our feet are shod (hupodeo--to bind underneath) with the preparation

(hetoimasia--firm footing) of the gospel of peace. Our Christian walk is on the firm

footing of the gospel of peace. We walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4); we walk in

the Spirit (Gal. 5:16); we walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7); we walk in love (Eph. 5:2);

we walk in honesty (Rom. 13:13); we walk circumspectly (Eph. 5:15); we walk in

Him (Col. 2:6); we walk in wisdom (Col. 4:5); we walk in truth (3 John 3); and we

walk after the commandments of the Lord (2 John 6). This is our walk if our feet

are bound by the gospel of peace. Also, we are ready to bear witness to the

saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ:

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the

gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good

things (Rom. 10:15).

We bear the glad tidings of peace.

THE SHIELD OF FAITH

Paul emphasizes the fact that we must take the shield of faith, whereby we

can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. The fiery darts of the wicked are the

imaginations, the high things that exalt themselves against our knowledge of God,

the doubts, the fears, and the impulses to temptation that Satan brings against us

to destroy us. Using the shield of faith, we can quench all the fiery darts of the

wicked one. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; therefore,

our best defense, our shield of faith, is our knowledge of the Word of God.

THE HELMET OF SALVATION

The helmet of salvation is a covering for our heads, a protection for our

minds. This helmet is the knowledge of our present relationship with Jesus Christ,

knowing that we are delivered from our enemies in the present moment.

The remission of our sins gives the knowledge of salvation--this knowledge

is the helmet, the covering for our heads. Our salvation is past--we have been

saved; present--we are being saved; and future--we shall be saved. Paul echoes

the same concepts in his letter to the Thessalonians,

But let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on

the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet,

the hope of salvation (I Thess. 5:8).

In this scripture, Paul says that our helmet is our hope of salvation: the

knowledge and assurance of the Lord's return. The knowledge of the present

state of our salvation and the knowledge of our complete salvation at the Lord's

return serve as a covering around our heads to keep doubts, fears, and anxieties

from entering our minds.

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

The shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,

are the parts of the armor that are the weapons of our warfare. Paul writes that

the

Weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty

through God to the pulling down of strongholds;

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that

exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and

bringing into captivity every thought to the obedi-

ence of Christ (II Cor. 10:4-5).

We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Our battle is not with people. Our

battle is with the spiritual forces that influence people: principalities, powers,

rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness. If our loved ones are not Christian,

our battle is not with them. Our battle is with the spiritual forces that control or

influence them. We must challenge the forces that influence them and rebuke the

powers of the enemy that would cause them to resist the will of God. We have to

fight the battle in the spirit realm; therefore, we must not only have the proper

weapons but must learn how to use each of them: the shield of faith and the

sword of the Spirit.

After Jesus was baptized of John in Jordan, the Spirit drove Him into the

wilderness to be tempted of Satan, to fight the initial battle against His enemy.

Satan tempted Jesus with the three temptations common to man as set forth by

John:

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and

the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of

the Father, but is of the world (I John 2:16).

The temptations of Jesus were the lust of the flesh--"command that these

stones be made bread," the lust of the eyes-- "sheweth him all the kingdoms of

the world...all these things will I give thee," and the pride of life--"Cast thyself

down... angels shall bear thee up." To quench the fiery darts in each trial and to

put the enemy to flight, Jesus used the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit;

He used the Word of God--"It is written" (Matt. 4:1-11). We sometimes make

excuses when we compare ourselves with Jesus; however, Jesus never used any

power to achieve any purpose but the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of

the Word of God, which are available to every Child of God. Not only do we have

the same weapons that Jesus had, not only does Jesus give us the Holy Spirit to

indwell us as He indwelt Him, but also we have Jesus Christ abiding within us to

strengthen us. It is imperative that we remember that the shield and the sword

are our knowledge of and ability to use the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing

and hearing by the Word of God. A knowledge of that Word builds for us a shield

of faith, and the ability to use that Word is our sword.

The writer to the Hebrews describes the word of God:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and

sharper than any two-edged 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 (Heb. 4:12).

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

Usually, we do not include prayer in the armor. However, Oral Roberts calls

praying in the Spirit the "seventh piece of the whole armor of God," and he says

that the "only way you can pray ALWAYS . . . is not with your mind but with your

spirit. Tongues is praying IN and WITH your spirit by the utterance of the Holy

Spirit" (The Holy Bible with Personal Commentary, comment on Ephesians 6:10-1-

8). We pray with the Spirit but we must also pray with the understanding. On the

Spirituals chart, I have connected these pieces of the armor with the gifts of

tongues and interpretation of tongues.

The sword and shield are our weapons, and when we add them to the rest

of the armor provided for us by the Spirit, we shall be equipped for a ministry and

ready to edify the body of Christ in love.