Putting On The Full Armor of God: Battle Ready

Putting On The Full Armor Of God: Battle Ready

Hey friends! I’m sure you have heard of putting on the full armor of God or being “battle ready” but may not fully understand what all of that means.

I want to unpack this powerful concept of putting on the Full Armor Of God and show how through your devotional life and daily walk with God. 

Let’s dive into Ephesians 6, where the Apostle Paul gives us this life-changing instruction. After teaching the Ephesians how to live godly lives, he concludes his letter with an urgent call: put on the full armor of God.

Let’s walk through this Scripture together, piece by piece to see how we can get battle ready.

10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 

Paul starts by reminding us that our strength comes only from the Lord. In our own power, we’re no match for the enemy.

But when we tap into God’s strength, we can move mountains. Imagine having the full resources of heaven at your fingertips. The key is tapping into that power through faith, prayer, and obedience.

11. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The wiles of the devil refer to his cunning schemes and deceptive tactics. He is constantly plotting against us, relentlessly seeking to disrupt and destroy lives.

The Bible vividly portrays him as a roaring lion, prowling around, searching for someone to devour. Like a lion stalking its prey, the enemy hides in the shadows, patiently observing, studying our vulnerabilities, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike when we are distracted or weak.

This is precisely how the devil operates. He, along with his demonic forces, closely monitors our habits, struggles, and patterns, identifying areas where we are most likely to stumble.

His ultimate goal is to exploit these weaknesses, derail us, and pull us away from God’s plan for our lives.

By putting on the full armor of God, we equip ourselves to stand firm against these relentless schemes. It enables us to stay spiritually vigilant and prepared for the battle we face daily.

12. 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. 

Simply put, we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies but against unseen forces of the spiritual realm.

Not to alarm you, but if we could see the spiritual world around us, we would be amazed. With “spiritual night vision,” we would witness both the forces of evil and the angels God sends to protect us.

Psalm 91:11 reminds us, “He gives His angels charge over you,” assuring us of heavenly protection.

Yes, there are powers of darkness, but there are also divine forces fighting for us. This ongoing conflict is called spiritual warfare, and it’s happening even as we speak.

A spiritual battle is being waged for our souls, our churches, and even our nation every day. The enemy’s goal is to discourage us, steal our joy, derail our purpose, and ultimately separate us from God.

When it feels like people, finances, or physical problems are the root of our problems, we must remember that the real enemy is unseen. The devil is working behind the scenes, scheming to tempt and mislead us.

His strategy includes sowing division between people, encouraging gossip, lying, cheating, avoiding church, and fostering bad attitudes. He aims to entangle us in harmful relationships, distract us with busyness, and cause us to neglect prayer and our relationship with God.

But we can expose him for who he is and what he’s doing. By recognizing his schemes, we can refuse to fall prey to them. Let’s stop blaming visible circumstances and instead focus on defeating the real enemy of our soul through God’s strength and truth.

13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

When the day of evil comes—whether it’s hardships, conflicts, or tough times—we need to be fully suited up for battle. Being prepared empowers us to stand our ground and keep pressing forward.

When you’re not battle-ready, it’s easy to be knocked off your feet. Let’s take a closer look at the pieces of God’s armor and learn how to put them on.

14. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, 

Loins Girt About With Truth

The first piece of armor Paul mentions is the belt of truth, secured tightly around your waist. Why is this so important?

Satan, the master deceiver and father of lies, constantly works to bring spiritual deception into your life. He twists God’s Word, sowing doubt and confusion. He whispers lies like, “Did God really say that? Maybe this is what He meant,” distorting the truth to lead you astray.

If you’re not grounded in the Word of God—reading it daily, studying it, and hiding it in your heart—it’s easy to become confused, misled, and spiritually lost.

Knowing God’s Word equips you to stand firm. When the devil attacks with lies about your worth or dredges up your past, you can fight back with scripture. You can declare, “I am a child of God, forgiven, redeemed, and a vessel for His honor and glory!” because God’s Word says so.

When you’ve been filling your heart with the truth of the Bible, those truths become like a belt, tightly secured around you. Therefore, no matter what the enemy throws your way, you will not be deceived. Align every confusing thought with God’s Word, and the truth will keep you steady.

Side Note:
In Roman armor, the belt also held the soldier’s sword. Fittingly, the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Keeping your belt secure ensures that your weapon is always ready.

The bottom line: Read God’s Word daily then you are equipped to stand against the enemy’s deception.

Breastplate Of Righteousness

A Roman soldier’s breastplate protected vital organs essential for life, especially the heart. Similarly, our spiritual heart—composed of our mind, will, emotions, and conscience—is vital to our spiritual well-being. Without proper protection, the enemy can strike swiftly and cause significant harm.

Righteousness, by definition, means being free from guilt or sin; morally right and justifiable. Words like irreproachable, guiltless, and blameless describe this quality.

Living righteously in all areas of life embodies holiness. To put on the breastplate of righteousness is to live a sanctified, pure, and holy life that reflects God’s glory, not the world’s standards.

Holiness means living in a way that honors God. Our attitudes, habits, actions, reactions, words, clothing, motives, relationships, and even the music we listen to will reflect it. Anything that doesn’t align with God’s character pulls us away from holiness. Without holiness, the breastplate of righteousness is absent.

Living an unholy life leaves you spiritually vulnerable, exposing your passions, emotions, will, and conscience to the enemy’s attacks. This is exactly what he targets most—your spiritual heart.

Holiness is the key to protecting your heart. Seek it relentlessly and don’t stop until you attain it. Holy living is your safeguard against spiritual instability and will anchor your spiritual walk. Protect your heart by putting on the breastplate of righteousness!

15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

I’ve always understood the shoes of the Gospel of Peace to mean being prepared to share the Gospel anytime and anywhere. While this is true, Adam Clarke’s commentary (off studylight.org) adds a broader perspective.

He emphasizes being ready to obey the Gospel and its doctrine in every aspect of life—standing firm in its teachings and walking in its ways. Clarke also highlights the idea of establishing peace between God and man, then, proclaiming that peace to others.

This will eliminate strife, quarrels, and contention, creating harmony within our group of friends, family members, and church body.

A Personal Revelation:

Recently, a friend texted me asking for prayer. They were dealing with misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Without knowing any details, I simply prayed and encouraged them to put on the full armor of God.

The next morning, I woke up with the thought that my friend specifically needed to put on the shoes of peace. I shared this with them, but the idea stayed with me.

Like many, I’d always thought the Gospel of Peace meant spreading the good news. However, the idea of promoting peace in situations of conflict and misunderstanding felt new to me.

After reading Clarke’s commentary, it made perfect sense. When we’re ready to live according to the Gospel and its doctrine, peace naturally follows.

Strife and division fade, and unity grows within our churches, families, and friendships. So let’s protect our feet with peace.

If you are unprotected, you will get hit and knocked down. Therefore, you will be unable to stand against the enemy.  

Have you ever been knocked off your feet with no peace? Yeah, I have too, and it’s not fun! So let’s make sure our feet are covered with peace.

How do we do that again? By walking in the light, doing the things we know are right, and then quickly obeying the things God asks us to do and not delaying, we not only maintain peace within ourselves but also foster peace with others.

16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

The shield of faith protects and covers our entire body. It is the faith that Christ has forgiven us and the faith that He is capable of doing anything.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God.

When we pray, we must believe that God has the power to do anything we ask of Him. Without that faith, our prayers lose their power. Don’t limit God with unbelief—trust that He can answer your prayers.

​Fiery Darts or Flamming Arrows

Satan constantly flings flaming arrows at us—arrows of discouragement, doubt, gossip, financial struggles, and relationship hurts, as well as the tempting lights and glitter of the world. Other arrows include lust, deception, comparisons, jealousy, envy, misunderstandings, and countless others.

In these moments, we must raise our shield of faith, mentally hiding behind it and trusting in Jesus to help us overcome each challenge.

17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 

Helmet Of Salvation

The first piece of armor you put on is the helmet of salvation. When you are saved, you become a soldier in Christ’s army. Let’s be clear: we are either soldiers of Christ or aligned with the spiritual forces of wickedness.

It may sound harsh, but it’s the truth: you’re either saved and headed for heaven, or you’re not.

Once you wear the helmet of salvation, you have the hope of heaven. Without salvation, this armor doesn’t apply to you—you’re already under the enemy’s control.

The helmet also protects our understanding from being clouded and our judgment from being confused. When we are saved, God enlightens our hearts and minds, allowing us to see things in a new light.

Sword Of The Spirit

The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, through which the Holy Spirit leads you and cuts through the lies of Satan. This is the only offensive weapon in our armor that we have mentioned so far.

The enemy doesn’t want you to read and understand God’s Word. Not only does the Word reveal your deepest thoughts and hidden tendencies, but it also convicts you, drawing you closer to God in areas that need growth.

Satan also doesn’t want you using the Word as a sword against him. If you don’t read it often or know what it says, he has the upper hand. You might say, “I read a verse a day to keep the devil away,” but that’s exactly what he wants you to believe—it’s not enough.

To stand strong, you need to know God’s Word inside and out. Yes, this takes time and dedication. Knowledge of the Bible doesn’t come overnight, nor does it come from just a single verse a day. The enemy targets those who lack a strong knowledge of Scripture.

Satan will come along and challenge everything you believe, causing confusion and doubt. He’ll sit back, knowing he can easily derail you because you don’t have the knowledge to counter his false doctrines.

So, keep your sword close and sharp. The Word will reveal deep truths, such as your true motives and intentions, and it will also show you the right path when the enemy tries to lead you astray.

As you read it, God’s Word will illuminate your way, helping you defeat the enemy and stay on the right path.

18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

The NLT says :

We need to understand that prayer should be a constant part of our Christian life. It’s not just about saying a prayer in the morning or at night before bed, and then moving on with our day.

We should always be in a spirit of prayer, meaning we can talk to Jesus anytime, anywhere. Don’t leave Him only in your quiet time or in your secret place of prayer—He’s with you all the time.

When temptation arises, pray. When hurts, doubts, or confusion come your way, pray.

Prayer is our most powerful weapon. We draw our spiritual strength from prayer. Through prayer, we can stand firm in the strength of His might.

Our prayer life strengthens our relationship with God and enables us to face whatever comes our way.

Final thoughts:

To be battle ready against the spiritual forces of evil, we have to put on the full armor of God. Here is a review of how we do that.

1. Helmet of salvation– Get saved! That is the most important place to start.

2. Sword of the Spirit– Read God’s Word to use as your sword to fight the enemy off. 

3. Belt of Truth– Read God’s Word where you will get promises and truths to tuck in your belt.

4. Shoes Of Peace– Put on the shoes of peace! They will protect you from disunity. Therefore, you will be prepared to share the gospel with others around you.

5. Breast plate of righteousness– walking in holiness, being sanctified, which is walking in every ray of light you have.

6. Sheild of Faith– Having faith that God can save you, keep you, and work all things out for your good. When hard times come you hide behind it.

7. PRAY– You must talk to Jesus and stay close to him through prayer. It’s the most powerful weapon you have.

I hope I have encouraged you to be battle ready against the enemy of your soul by putting on the full armor of God. My deepest desire is to see all of us walking in the light and for all of us to make it to heaven.

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