Day 100: What Are the Pieces of God’s Armor, PT2?
Today we continue our discussion of the Armor that God has given to us to stand firm against the attack of our external enemy,—Satan who is at work in the World. As we heard yesterday, the last three items—the shield of faith, the helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit and are all things that we are to take up in all circumstances. These last three are critical pieces of our armor.
The Helmet of Salvation
The first of our last two items is the “Helmet of Salvation.” In Romans times, such a helmet would have been made of bronze fitted with an iron inner cap lined with leather or cloth. Just as a helmet protects that head of the solider and thus brings a sense of protection in battle, as we take up our “Helmet of Salvation” spiritually speaking, we are taking up the protection and security of knowing that we have been saved by God (past), we are being saved by God (present), and we will be completely saved by God (future). Our complete and final salvation is in our Father’s care.
As we engage the battle, we must know that we are secure in God’s care. The Helmet of Salvation protects our “mind” as we remain firmly convinced that we possess the reality of God’s salvation. We belong to Him and He has full possession of us. The Enemy cannot defeat us; Christ has already won the victory for us. This is why we think on, meditate on, dwell on these truths day in and day out.
The Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God
The last thing that we are to take up is our sword which is the Word of God. In a Roman’s armor, the gladius was a short double edged sword about 2 feet long and was used for close, man to man fighting. This sword is the only offensive weapon mentioned in the context.
Although this is an offensive weapon, we must remember that it is a weapon that we use to defend our territory when the Enemy pulls in close. Notice that this sword is the weapon that the Spirit uses, namely the Word of God. Thus, when the Enemy draws close, the greatest power that we have available to us to defeat his schemes, temptations and distraction is the spoken Word of God. Just as Jesus Himself used the Word to confound the Devil during His temptation, so also we should do the same (see Matthew 4:1-11). We believe that the Written Word of God is tied to the Living Word of God—Jesus Christ. We are convinced this is what the writer of Hebrews is talking about:
Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow—judging the desires and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from Him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must render an account.
Jesus is the Living Word. He is the One before whom nothing is hidden. He is the Judge of all as we have already heard. The Written Word points us to Him. So in both the Living and Written Word of God we make our stand.
The Power of Effective Prayer
In these final verse, Paul gives us the attitude with which we are to take up our helmet and our sword (along with the other pieces)—constant, alert, persevering prayer. Although the prayer is not part of the Armor, it is nevertheless critically important in the context of our Spirit Warfare. We are convinced that there is nothing we do is important than prayer. As we pray, we take our requests to the One who has the power to do all that is necessary. Also as we pray, we shape our hearts and minds by the desires and the counsel of the Head of the Church, our Savior and King—Jesus. Consider these other passages on prayer:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Romans 12:12
Rejoice in hope, endure in persecution, persist in prayer.
Colossians 4:2
Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.
Ephesians 6:18
With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.
James 5:16
So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
In the verses listed above, the focus is placed on praying, entering into dialogue with God. So we pray constantly, at all times, soberly, alertly, realizing that our prayers have great effectiveness. Paul tells us in Romans 8:26-27 that we do not know how to pray as we should but the Holy Spirit within us translates our words and intercedes for us according to God’s will. Maybe it is not primarily important how we pray, but that we simply pray and then we pray and then we pray some more.
We discussed the spiritual excercise of prayer in our last workbook, “Realizing Your New Identity in Christ.” Prayer is the natural response to our hearing the word of God. Father God initiates towards us in His word, we respond in prayer. Father speaks, we respond. And as we pray, we may be surprised that Father God reveals His presence to us there as well.
As we pray, we are bringing our day-to-day world into the vast scope of God’s sovereign Kingship and Kingdom. We express to Him that we exist by His will and desire and that we desperately need His grace in order to survive the forces of chaos and despair and distraction that surround us. As we pray, we gain an eternal perspective as our words are mingled with God’s words in the outworking of His Divine will. Prayer is our means of discussing with the Father what He is doing in us and in our world through the work of His Spirit within us.
Take some time to reflect on all that you have heard this week in these sessions. Rehearse each of the pieces in your thoughts again and what they mean. Use this as an opportunity to pray, give thanks to Father God for all that He has done to us and for in Christ by means of the Holy Spirit.
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
