Lesson 46: How to Put On the Whole Armour of God
The Christian life includes spiritual conflict.
Lesson 44 addressed the flesh within.
Lesson 45 addressed the devil as an adversary.
Now Scripture explains how the believer is equipped to stand.
Paul writes:
“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
God does not command believers to face spiritual conflict unprotected.
He provides armour.
But the believer must put it on.
Be Strong in the Lord
The passage does not begin:
“Become strong enough in yourself.”
It says:
“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”
Spiritual strength is received through dependence upon God.
Knowledge, discipline, experience, and preparation are useful, but none makes the believer independent of the Lord.
A person may know many Scriptures and still become proud.
He may have resisted one temptation successfully and begin trusting himself.
He may have served God for years and assume he is beyond danger.
But the command remains:
Be strong in the Lord.
The armour of God cannot be worn properly while depending upon self.
It Is the Armour of God
This armour belongs to God and is supplied by Him.
Isaiah describes the Lord:
“For he put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and an helmet of salvation upon his head…”
— Isaiah 59:17, KJV
God does not ask believers to invent their own protection.
The armour reflects His own truth, righteousness, salvation, faithfulness, and Word.
Human philosophy cannot replace it.
Religious excitement cannot replace it.
Self-confidence cannot replace it.
The believer stands with what God has provided.
Put On the Whole Armour
Paul repeatedly says:
“the whole armour of God.”
The armour is not a collection from which believers choose only the pieces they prefer.
A person may value Scripture while living dishonestly.
Another may claim strong faith while neglecting righteousness.
Someone may speak continually about salvation while refusing to prepare himself with the gospel of peace.
Another may study doctrine but rarely pray.
Neglecting one part weakens the believer’s readiness.
Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, Scripture, and prayer belong together.
The Armour Is Not a Magical Ritual
Some believers repeat the names of the armour each morning as though merely saying the words creates automatic protection.
A morning reminder can be useful.
But the armour is not put on through a verbal formula alone.
You do not put on truth while planning to deceive.
You do not put on righteousness while protecting sin.
You do not lift the shield of faith while deliberately refusing to trust God.
You do not take the sword of the Spirit while ignoring Scripture.
Putting on the armour means believing and practicing the spiritual realities each piece represents.
The words should lead to obedience.
The Enemy Uses Wiles
The armour enables believers:
“…to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Wiles are strategies, schemes, and deceptive methods.
The devil does not always attack openly.
He may work through:
falsehood that sounds reasonable;
compromise that appears small;
fear that exaggerates danger;
pride that rejects correction;
bitterness that feels justified;
or discouragement that makes obedience appear pointless.
Lesson 45 addressed these strategies broadly.
Lesson 46 answers:
God has provided everything necessary for the believer to stand.
The Real Conflict Is Spiritual
Paul continues:
“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.”
— Ephesians 6:12, KJV
Human beings may oppose, mistreat, deceive, or persecute believers.
But people themselves are not the ultimate enemy.
This truth should restrain hatred.
A person may need to be confronted.
An evil action may need to be stopped.
A crime may need to be reported.
False teaching may need to be exposed.
Yet the believer must not begin treating human beings as though their destruction were the goal.
The conflict is spiritual.
Truth and righteousness must not be abandoned while fighting someone who has acted wrongly.
The Command Is to Stand
Paul says:
“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.
Stand therefore…”
— Ephesians 6:13–14, KJV
The word stand appears repeatedly.
The believer is not told to chase every demon, investigate every mystery, or become fascinated with darkness.
He is told to remain faithful.
Do not surrender truth.
Do not abandon righteousness.
Do not throw away confidence in salvation.
Do not stop believing God.
Do not drop the Word.
Do not cease praying.
Stand.
There Are Evil Days
Paul speaks of:
“the evil day.”
Some seasons involve unusual pressure.
Several difficulties may arrive together.
Temptation may become stronger.
Opposition may intensify.
Confusion may increase.
The believer may feel as though everything stable is being tested.
The armour should not be sought only after the attack begins.
A soldier does not wait for the battle to start before discovering whether his equipment is usable.
Learn truth now.
Practice righteousness now.
Strengthen faith now.
Know the gospel now.
Store Scripture now.
Pray now.
Preparation during ordinary days helps believers stand during evil ones.
Paul begins:
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth…”
— Ephesians 6:14, KJV
A soldier’s belt gathered his clothing and helped secure his equipment.
Loose clothing could hinder movement.
Truth gives spiritual readiness and stability.
God’s Word Is Truth
Scripture says:
“Thy word is true from the beginning:
and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”
— Psalm 119:160, KJV
The believer must know what God has said.
The enemy gains advantage when people live according to assumptions, feelings, cultural pressure, or false doctrine.
Truth answers:
What is God like?
What is sin?
Who is Jesus Christ?
What is salvation?
What does God command?
What has He promised?
The believer cannot stand firmly while remaining careless about truth.
Truth Must Also Govern the Believer’s Conduct
The belt of truth is not merely possessing correct information.
It also includes truthfulness and integrity.
A person who lies creates weakness within his own life.
He must remember false stories.
Fear exposure.
Hide evidence.
And protect appearances.
Dishonesty leaves spiritual life disordered.
Lesson 39 taught honesty fully.
The application here is simple:
Do not attempt to fight the father of lies while keeping lies as your protection.
Put on truth by:
believing what God has said;
rejecting falsehood;
speaking honestly;
and bringing hidden matters into the light.
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness
Paul continues:
“…and having on the breastplate of righteousness;”
— Ephesians 6:14, KJV
A breastplate protected vital organs.
Spiritually, righteousness protects the inner life from the damage of cherished sin and a corrupted conscience.
This Is Not Self-Righteousness
The believer’s acceptance with God is not earned through his own goodness.
Scripture says of Jesus Christ:
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV
Jesus Christ is the foundation of the believer’s righteous standing before God.
The Christian does not stand against the enemy by boasting:
“I am good enough.”
He stands in Christ.
But the righteousness received through Christ must not be used to excuse unrighteous living.
Practice What Is Right
The breastplate also points toward practical righteous conduct.
Sin wounds the conscience.
Protected compromise creates fear.
A person who knows he is living dishonestly may become spiritually unstable when accusation arrives.
The answer is not to pretend perfection.
It is to walk sincerely, confess failure, and turn from known sin.
Proverbs says:
“Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.”
— Proverbs 4:23, KJV
Put on the breastplate by choosing what is right before God.
Make the honest correction.
Remove the sinful provision.
Keep the promise.
Reject revenge.
Flee impurity.
A clean conscience does not make a person sinless, but it helps him stand without protecting rebellion.
3. Feet Prepared With the Gospel of Peace
Paul writes:
“And your feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace;”
— Ephesians 6:15, KJV
A soldier needed stable footwear.
Without it, he could lose his footing and become unable to stand or move.
The gospel gives the believer peace with God and readiness to serve Him.
The Gospel Establishes Peace With God
Scripture says:
“Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
— Romans 5:1, KJV
The Christian is not trying to fight his way into peace with God.
Peace has been made through Jesus Christ.
The believer stands upon the gospel:
Christ died for our sins.
He was buried.
He rose again.
Salvation is received through faith in Him.
The enemy may seek to make believers live as though they must purchase God’s acceptance through panic, religious performance, or fear.
The gospel provides solid ground.
Be Prepared to Live and Carry the Gospel
The word preparation includes readiness.
The gospel does not merely give inward comfort.
It prepares believers to move faithfully where Christ sends them.
A Christian should be ready to represent Jesus Christ.
Ready to explain the hope he possesses.
Ready to pursue peace without compromising truth.
Ready to serve.
Ready to obey.
Lessons 61–70 will teach evangelism in detail.
The responsibility here is readiness.
Do not wear spiritual footwear while refusing to move when obedience is required.
4. The Shield of Faith
Paul continues:
“Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
— Ephesians 6:16, KJV
The shield provided movable protection.
It could be raised toward the direction from which the attack came.
Faith actively places confidence in God, His character, His Word, and His promises.
Faith Is Not Positive Thinking
Biblical faith is not confidence that everything will happen according to personal desire.
It is confidence in God.
A believer may not know how a circumstance will end.
He can still know that God remains true.
Psalm 18 says:
“As for God, his way is perfect:
the word of the LORD is tried:
he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”
— Psalm 18:30, KJV
God Himself is the shield of those who trust Him.
Faith says:
“God has not changed.”
“His Word remains true.”
“Sin will not become safe because it appears attractive.”
“Obedience will not become worthless because it is costly.”
“Christ will not abandon His people.”
Raise the Shield
A shield must be taken up.
The believer may know correct doctrine while failing to trust God in the moment of pressure.
When fear arrives, raise the shield.
When doubt questions God’s character, raise the shield.
When compromise promises relief, raise the shield.
When obedience appears fruitless, raise the shield.
This means deliberately bringing God’s truth between the heart and the fiery dart.
Lesson 47 will examine these mental attacks more deeply.
Here, learn the essential response:
Trust God rather than the message carried by the dart.
Faith Extinguishes Rather Than Entertains
The purpose of the shield is to quench fiery darts.
Do not hold a burning dart and study how attractive it looks.
Do not preserve the enemy’s suggestion because part of you enjoys it.
Raise faith quickly.
The longer a lie, fear, lust, or accusation remains unchallenged, the more opportunity it has to ignite other thoughts and actions.
Faith does not negotiate with what contradicts God.
It answers:
“I believe God.”
5. The Helmet of Salvation
Paul says:
“And take the helmet of salvation…”
— Ephesians 6:17, KJV
A helmet protected the head.
Salvation gives the believer a guarded identity, settled hope, and confidence concerning the final outcome of God’s work.
Paul elsewhere writes:
“…and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:8, KJV
Remember Whose You Are
The enemy may attack identity.
He may encourage believers to define themselves by:
past sin;
present weakness;
human rejection;
failure;
or fear.
The helmet of salvation reminds the believer:
“I belong to Jesus Christ.”
“I have been bought with a price.”
“My hope rests in Him.”
“I am not fighting to create salvation through my own strength.”
Lesson 5 taught assurance fully.
The application here is to protect the mind with the truth of salvation rather than allowing every feeling to redefine your relationship with God.
Salvation Gives Future Hope
The helmet points not only backward to what Christ has done, but forward to the completion of salvation.
The Christian’s future is not ultimately determined by the present conflict.
The battle will end.
Jesus Christ will return.
Sin will not rule forever.
The body will be redeemed.
God’s people will be with Him.
Hope protects against the thought:
“This struggle is all that will ever exist.”
The conflict is temporary.
Salvation will be completed.
6. The Sword of the Spirit
Paul continues:
“…and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God:”
— Ephesians 6:17, KJV
The sword is identified directly.
It is:
“the word of God.”
The Holy Ghost uses the truth He inspired.
Spiritual warfare cannot be separated from Scripture.
God’s Word Is Living and Powerful
Hebrews says:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword…”
— Hebrews 4:12, KJV
Scripture exposes.
Corrects.
Judges motives.
Reveals lies.
Shows the right path.
The sword is not human opinion dressed in religious language.
It is not a verse removed from context to support what a person already wants.
It is the Word understood accurately and applied faithfully.
A Sword Must Be Known
A believer cannot use Scripture he never learns.
When pressure arrives, the mind often returns to what has already been stored.
The psalmist said:
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.”
— Psalm 119:11, KJV
Read Scripture before the battle.
Meditate upon it.
Understand its meaning.
Remember key passages.
Do not wait until temptation becomes overwhelming before beginning to search vaguely for something biblical.
Store the sword where it can be reached.
Use the Right Truth
A sword is used purposefully.
Apply the Scripture that answers the particular attack.
When tempted to lie, remember what God says about truth.
When drawn toward impurity, remember that your body belongs to Christ.
When overwhelmed by fear, remember God’s presence and sovereignty.
When bitterness rises, remember the command to put away malice and vengeance.
Lesson 23 taught this practice during temptation, and Lesson 47 will address the detailed mind battle.
The central truth here is:
Do not merely own a Bible.
Use what God has said.
7. Praying Always
Paul does not end the passage after naming the sword.
He continues:
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto with all perseverance
and supplication for all saints;”
— Ephesians 6:18, KJV
Prayer is not presented as an optional addition to the armour.
The fully armed believer is still dependent upon God.
Truth without prayer may become cold knowledge.
Righteous conduct without prayer may become self-confidence.
Scripture without prayer may become intellectual pride.
Prayer keeps the believer consciously dependent.
Pray With All Prayer
There are different kinds of prayer:
worship;
confession;
thanksgiving;
requests;
intercession;
and urgent supplication.
The believer should bring the whole conflict before God.
Pray before pressure.
During pressure.
After victory.
After failure.
For yourself.
For other believers.
The armour is not designed to produce isolated self-sufficiency.
It should lead to deeper dependence upon God.
Pray in the Spirit
Praying in the Spirit means praying under the Holy Ghost’s help and in agreement with God’s truth and will.
It does not mean attempting to force emotion.
It means remaining yielded to God.
Let Scripture guide the request.
Let the Spirit expose selfish motives.
Ask for what advances holiness, faithfulness, truth, and Christ’s glory.
The believer does not command God to support his own will.
He brings his will beneath God.
Watch With Perseverance
Paul joins prayer with watchfulness:
“…watching thereunto with all perseverance…”
Prayer should not become careless repetition disconnected from life.
Watch for the answer.
Watch for temptation.
Watch for changes in your own heart.
Watch for opportunities to obey.
Watch for other believers who need prayer.
Colossians says:
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
— Colossians 4:2, KJV
Continue.
Watch.
Give thanks.
Do not pray once and then abandon the matter because nothing changed immediately.
Pray for All Saints
Paul says:
“…supplication for all saints.”
Spiritual warfare is not merely individual.
Other believers are standing in difficult places.
Some face persecution.
Some face temptation.
Some are discouraged.
Some carry heavy responsibilities.
Some are serving where opposition is intense.
Pray beyond your own crisis.
Lesson 51 will teach the local church fully.
Here, remember that the armour is worn within the larger family of God.
The Armour Must Be Worn Together
Each part supports the others.
Truth explains righteousness.
Righteousness keeps the conscience clear.
The gospel provides peace and readiness.
Faith trusts what God has revealed.
Salvation gives identity and hope.
The Word answers falsehood.
Prayer expresses dependence upon God.
A believer who neglects truth will struggle to use the shield of faith properly because faith must rest upon truth.
A believer protecting unrighteousness may find his conscience weakened under accusation.
A believer who neglects Scripture will have difficulty identifying the lies he is expected to resist.
A believer who neglects prayer may attempt to use all the other pieces through self-reliance.
Put on the whole armour.
Do Not Fight People With the Armour
The armour of God is not given so believers can become harsh, argumentative, suspicious, or proud.
Truth is not a weapon for humiliating people.
Righteousness is not permission for self-righteousness.
The gospel of peace is not carried through needless hostility.
Faith does not despise weaker believers.
Scripture must not be twisted to win personal arguments.
Prayer must not become a way to announce another person’s faults before God and others.
Remember:
“We wrestle not against flesh and blood.”
Use God’s armour while treating people as souls who need truth, mercy, correction, protection, or salvation.
Putting On the Armour Each Day
Putting on the armour is not pretending that a Roman suit appears invisibly around your body.
It is consciously living within what God has supplied.
Put On Truth
Ask:
“What has God said?”
Reject falsehood.
Speak honestly.
Put On Righteousness
Stand in Christ rather than self-righteousness.
Turn from conduct that wounds the conscience.
Prepare Your Feet With the Gospel
Remember that you have peace with God through Jesus Christ.
Remain ready to serve and represent Him.
Take the Shield of Faith
Bring God’s character and promises between your heart and the attack.
Take the Helmet of Salvation
Remember that you belong to Christ and that your final hope is secure in Him.
Take the Sword of the Spirit
Read, understand, remember, and apply God’s Word.
Pray Always
Depend upon God through every part of the conflict.
An Armour Examination
1. Truth
Am I believing Scripture and living honestly?
2. Righteousness
Is there protected sin weakening my conscience?
3. Gospel Readiness
Am I standing in peace with God and prepared to obey?
4. Faith
What fiery dart am I entertaining instead of answering with trust?
5. Salvation
Am I allowing failure, emotion, or human opinion to redefine whose I am?
6. The Word
Do I know the truth needed for my present battle?
7. Prayer
Am I consciously depending upon God or merely trying harder?
A Practical Armour Pattern
1. Identify the Present Conflict
What pressure, lie, fear, sin, or opposition is before you?
2. Return to Truth
What has God actually said?
3. Examine Your Conduct
Is compromise creating an opening?
4. Remember the Gospel
Stand in what Jesus Christ has done.
5. Raise Faith
Trust God rather than the message of the attack.
6. Guard Your Hope
Remember that the present conflict is not the final outcome.
7. Apply Scripture
Use the truth that directly answers the issue.
8. Pray and Watch
Ask for God’s help and remain alert.
9. Continue Standing
Do not remove the armour because the pressure did not end immediately.
Discipleship Questions
- Why does Paul command believers to be strong in the Lord rather than in themselves?
- Why must believers put on the whole armour rather than choosing only the pieces they prefer?
- How do truth and practical righteousness work together to protect the believer?
- What is the difference between owning a Bible and actively using the sword of the Spirit?
- Which piece of the armour are you presently neglecting most seriously?
Closing Exhortation
Be strong in the Lord.
Not in your experience.
Not in your intelligence.
Not in your reputation.
Not in your willpower.
Put on the whole armour of God.
Gather your life with truth.
Guard your heart with righteousness.
Stand firmly in the gospel of peace.
Raise the shield of faith.
Protect your hope with salvation.
Take the Word of God.
Pray always.
The evil day may come.
The enemy may use wiles.
Fiery darts may fly.
Do not abandon your position.
Do not fight flesh and blood as though people were the ultimate enemy.
Do not wear one piece while neglecting another.
Do not repeat the armour merely as words while refusing its realities.
Believe truth.
Practice righteousness.
Stand in the gospel.
Trust God.
Remember salvation.
Use Scripture.
Pray.
And having done all, stand.
A Prayer to Put On the Whole Armour of God
Father,
Thank You that You have not left me unprotected in spiritual conflict.
Teach me to be strong in You and in the power of Your might rather than trusting myself.
Help me put on the whole armour of God.
Gird me with truth.
Correct every false belief and every dishonest practice in my life.
Help me stand in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and turn from conduct that wounds my conscience.
Establish my feet in the gospel of peace.
Remind me that I have peace with You through Jesus Christ, and make me ready to obey and represent Him.
Help me take the shield of faith.
When fiery darts come, teach me to trust Your character, Your Word, and Your promises.
Protect my mind with the hope of salvation.
Do not let failure, emotion, fear, or human rejection redefine who I am in Christ.
Place the sword of the Spirit in my heart.
Help me read, understand, remember, and apply Your Word accurately.
Teach me to pray always.
Keep me watchful, thankful, and persevering.
Help me pray not only for myself but for other believers who are standing in spiritual conflict.
Forgive me for every piece of the armour I have neglected.
Expose any compromise that is weakening my stand.
Keep me from fighting people with pride, cruelty, or self-righteousness.
Remind me that the true conflict is spiritual.
Having done all, help me stand faithfully until Jesus Christ is glorified.
In His name, amen.
Next Step
Complete this armour examination honestly:
The present spiritual pressure I am facing is:
The lie that truth must answer is:
The unrighteous practice or compromise that must be removed is:
The gospel truth upon which I need to stand is:
The fiery dart I must answer through faith is:
The salvation truth I need to remember is:
The Scripture I will learn and apply is:
The person or situation for which I will pray perseveringly is:
Do not merely say:
“I need the armour of God.”
Identify the neglected piece.
Put its truth into practice.
Then continue standing.
Previous Lesson: Lesson 45 — How to Resist the Devil
Next Lesson: Lesson 47 — How to Win the Battle in Your Mind