Suit Up!

12.27.22 Devo Image

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”—Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

Shortly after graduating college, my mom gifted me with new business attire—blazers and trousers—for my venture into my new season as a working professional and graduate student. My attire was essential for the occasion. 

Likewise, the full armor of God is crucial for the scenario we believers find ourselves in daily—spiritual warfare. In the verses prior to Ephesians 6:12, Paul describes that our fight on this side of eternity is not against flesh and blood, meaning not against one another, but against spiritual forces, rulers, and authorities. As Christians, our proper attire for daily living is the full armor of God for it enables us to withstand the enemy’s attacks in his attempt to deviate us from our walk of faith.

Often, we don’t think about putting on the armor of God in our day-to-day lives because we don’t recognize that we’re in battle. Yet our emotional mismanagement, relational conflicts, and wandering hearts reveal how legitimate this spiritual battle is. Scripture repeatedly alerts us to this battle by calling us to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23), take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2), and numerous other exhortations which point to this spiritual battle taking place in our minds.

The truth is we have an enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy our faith, so we do not finish our race. Jesus has already won the war against Satan, but we must still fight for our spiritual maturity while we are on the earth. Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we don’t choose whether or not to fight, but rather how prepared we will be for the battle. That’s why we need to be dressed for the occasion. 

So, what is the whole armor of God we fight with? We’re called to stand firm clothed in the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. In other words, we fight our battles against the enemy with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and God’s Word, praying at all times. 

Therefore, in order to withstand the schemes of the enemy we are to: 

  • fight lies with God’s truth
  • combat sin and temptation with Christ’s righteousness
  • demolish worry, anxiety, and conflict with the gospel of peace
  • defeat doubt, discouragement, and unbelief with faith
  • take down insecurity and condemnation with assurance of our salvation
  • Use the Word of God as our offensive weapon for every attack 

The armor of God is at our disposal, but we must be diligent to wear it fully. 

Pause: In what areas of your life might you be unaware of this spiritual battle? (e.g., finances, relationships, devotional time, prayer life, etc.) How does being unaware of such spiritual warfare impact you and others? 

Practice: Write down the weapons listed in Ephesians 6:13–18. Then, take inventory of your thought life, your relationships, and your walk with God. Next, challenge any areas under attack with the armor of God. 

Pray: God, thank You for not leaving me defenseless against the enemy. What comfort to know that in Christ my victory is secure. Make me aware of the areas in my life being threatened by my adversary so I can use the resources You’ve given me to defeat him. Holy Spirit, help me to apply this truth to my life daily as I seek to grow in Christ. Amen. 

About the Author

Gabriella Bemis

Gabriella Bemis serves as a volunteer for Calvary’s communications and worship teams. She holds an M.A. in psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary and is passionate about integrating her knowledge of human behavior with the truth of God’s word. When she is not writing resources or singing at church, Gabi loves to paint, cook, and enjoy time outdoors with her family and friends.