Putting on the Full Armor of God

By: Rev. Robert Vergeson D.D.

Putting on the whole Armor of God

I believe like most people, we get up in the morning and get dressed. For some this is a daily routine instilled in us since we were old enough to dress ourselves. From the very first we are taught how to dress ourselves. First comes this, then that, then our shoes are last. The then that and this may vary among many as to what they start with first, pants, or shirts. But in the end we to get dressed, day in and day out for the rest of our lives.
Did you know that Christ has also taught us to dress ourselves as well. Christ explains that just as we dress ourselves daily, so shall we put on the “Whole Armor of God” as well.

And just as we do daily upon waking, we take various steps in dressing ourselves with the style of clothing we have chosen to represent us. So is it with our Christian lifestyle, we take very much the same steps in dressing our life with Christ, so we too represent that which we have chosen to wear in Christ’s name.

Ephesians 6:10-18

10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
13 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.
14. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15. and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

We are asked to put on the whole Armor of God, to do this, we must do this by knowing the Word of God, and having a strong prayer life in Christ. The following is a prayer key to putting on this Armor of God. Adapt and add to it your own personal needs in life, take each step in prayer opening your heart to God, while finding peace as each element of the Armor is placed over you.

(Open prayer)

Father,

It’s so pleasant to be alone with you safely away from all the bustle and turmoil of the day and the problems that will so soon fall on my shoulders. Here in your presence we are safe from all harm and danger. Your peace and comfort surround us and your love supports us: No effort is required except to open my heart to you, no decisions need I hesitate to make, for we are in one accord with you, no running about unsure and weary of your Love, for we are still in our prayers, our eyes focused above. Prepare us in this time of prayer, to meet this day, to greet it, so covered by you that Satan doesn’t have a chance to penetrate our spirit with any of his nefarious weapons. Father – We clothe ourselves with the whole armor of thyself; our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost so that we be protected throughout our days and nights.

Step one:

Just as we put on a belt to hold our pants up so shall we also put on our Christian belt as well. Stand firm my brothers and sisters in the Lord, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.

As your loins are covered with the belt of Truth, no hint of falsehood can dwell there. In the word of God, we are told that Jesus is the embodiment of truth, therefore, we are to put on Jesus, to wear Him as a covering garment; His life, His crucifixion, His burial, His resurrection, His position – right next to Gods heavenly throne. This may all be too much to ask of us, to grasp and understand. Therefore, we should pray and ask the Lord to teach us today more perfectly what these things mean. Show us how to walk in them habitually rather then merely giving intellectual assent to them.

Prayer:

When we meet our neighbor, may our words be your truth, on the telephone may our words be your truth, at our job may our words be your truth; spoken out of love rather then malice, bitterness, or anger. Keep the desires of the flesh true to your word. Guard us from all wicked influences of the world and the flesh that surround us and creep into our thoughts challenging us to forsake your love for us. Keep us from double-mindedness in our relationships, having one face in the House of God, and another face in the outside world. Protect us from doing “Right things for Wrong reasons”. Satisfy us with the good things out of your word, for your word is truth.

Step two:

Like the shirt we wear, we are asked to put on a protective breastplate over our body.
With the breastplate of righteousness in place, let your righteousness pour down upon us dissolving in the soothing oils of your Holy Spirit, as they harden into a protective breastplate over our body.

Prayer:

This is your task alone, oh Lord, all righteousness comes from you; purchased at a great cost with the shedding of your blood. There is nothing we can add to this for we were once an impoverished beggar at your feet. Our hearts were so prone to unfaithfulness, having other lovers beside you. For we have been idol worshipers, seeking after worldly gains, following back and forth the images of worldly things, putting first our lust in such trivial matters. Now we are reborn again, knowing the Word of God is everlasting, his truth immortal, his Love will never fade. Lord protect us from ourselves, for our flesh is constantly at war against the evil. We invite you to be our Conqueror, our Master, our Lord, and our savior.

Emblazon your emblem in large print over our hearts. Make your ownership evident for all to see. Let thy love shine in us, as a warning to Satan who has his own “Hidden agenda” for our affections and desires. Serve him notice Lord, that we are your property, which is under new ownership, and “No trespassing is allowed”. Protect us from accusations of past sins, from the enemy, who will always suggest that those sins will always beset us, that there are things in our past that are beyond forgiveness, that your love is conditional on us meeting some unattainable standard of behavior. For, is not the enemy, a master of lies, while you my Lord are the light, the truth that shall guide us throughout our daily lives.

Beneath this armor create in us a clean heart, a heart quick to feel the pain of others, a heart that forgives just as we have been forgiven—fully—freely—forever. We give you permission to burn my lists of wrongs done against us, because your love for us keeps not these records of our sins. We ask you to surgically excise the hard scar tissue that steals our joy in life. Soften my heart with the conditioning oil of your spirit. We submit ourselves to this frightening process because we know we can trust you to deal with our inmost feelings in a careful loving manner. Satisfy our heart with you.

Step Three:

Of course shoes are very important in any wardrobe we wear, for shoes protect our tendar soles, so shall it be with our soul. With your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Prayer:

As we put on your peace, we give up our rights to hold grudges, to be angry when wronged. No longer shall we be defend ourselves with bitter words, and malicious acts, rather, we shall spend ourselves and our energies in preparing ourselves in the Word. We shall spread the gospel, that good news that there is a remedy for the sinful condition into which all men are born. For truly you gospel is peace. The Word of God is the only answer in the battle of good against evil; the definitive solutions to the tensions and prejudices that war in the world. We can rest in you Oh Lord and not struggle in the world. For you purchased our peace on Mount Calvary. You make us eager to share that peace everywhere we go. Bind us Lord to our Christian brothers and sisters in the unity of your spirit through the bonds of your peace. Take us together down that road beyond the place of our jockeying for power and unearthly gain. Let us go into your Holy place where like in heaven, there is no will but yours, leading us to that precious place having been prepared by you, were we will have everlasting peace.

Step Four:

Of course we take great strides to present a clean and healthy look in that which we wear for school, work or play. The proper clothing for the proper event to which we will attend. Protective wear for the athletic in us, our work site, and our projects around the home. Take up the Shield of faith with which you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Prayer:

Hold up your Shield of Faith Oh Lord, before us, as we take one step at a time into the deep darkness of the unknown. For it will give us confidence, not in ourselves that we can do anything in our own strength, but that we can act in your promises, your faithfulness, and your unfailing love for us. For you have said that if we apply even the smallest amount of faith we have, that you will supply all that is needed for any task we set for ourselves in thy name. For Satan’s darts are unable to penetrate this shield of Faith, because of the toughness of the surface. This toughness coupled with it’s flexibility and resilience shall cause all missiles launched against to be deflected back toward the sender. You have promised that no weapon formed against us will prosper. For we know that it is a dependable promise because it was made by our Lord God, he who cannot lie.

Your shield is fire-proof, equally adequate against evil darts and the flames of hell. We shall not allow ourselves to be discouraged by the size of our enemy nor by the intensity of his bonfire. We will follow in the steps of Joshua and Caleb who were ready to take the promised land, to march right in your might and power, rather than the ten who declared it’s wonders, but shrank back at what their eyes had seen of the foe. Your word is mighty to the breaking down of strongholds. You are the faithful one, the conqueror, mighty in battle, king of creation, the victorious. There is no other in heaven that can shield us from our enemies. We need no other but our Lord Jesus Christ.

Step Five:

Equally important to protective clothing for our body, is the protective gear we wear upon our heads. Take the helmet of Salvation

Prayer:

Save us Lord from fooling ourselves about our motives and desires. Keep us from leaning on our own understanding in preference to putting on the mind of Jesus Christ.
Save us from thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think and of considering others of less value to us because of outward appearance. Lord, we want your vision for all the circumstances and situations of our lives. Let us wear side blinders in respect to the failings of those around us living in the flesh, not so that we shall ignore them, or feel no obligations to help them. But to guard us against such sinful behavior that surrounds us in the world. Keep us from being two-faced, so that we wear a true face, having your stability as evidence in our daily walk. Cover our heads with your authority, for salvation comes from you alone, no earthly authority shall take this away from us.

Step Six:

And the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Of course it is not an usual thing for us to carry a physical sword around us in our battles with evil, yet we are given a Sword to which we can use against all manner of temptations, weaknesses, and evil. As long as we carry with us in our hearts, mind and soul the Word of God, we are equipped with a very mighty Sword indeed.

Final Prayer:

Your word Oh Lord is truth. Let every man know thy mighty weapon, a swift and terrible sword to defend us from evil. When we take up your sword, your hand is always over ours guiding us daily in battle. We cover our fears and insecurities with your power, for your strong right arm is our weapon of defense against the strongholds of Satan and we can fearlessly walk among the world as long as this mighty weapon is in our hands. Your word is mighty to the tearing down of strongholds. You Lord are our boast, mighty in battle, faithful, courageous, triumphant in all things. We can count on you when all else fails. Only in our weakness can we experience your strength, your strong under lining power. Do what is right in our lives so that we may rely on the power of your spirit. No other word, powers, or institution of men shall fool us into thinking that they have power over us, for we know that the true power comes from above.

There is no purpose for us to have a mighty sword, if we are unwilling to advance against the enemy. Teach us to use your word pro-actively as a defensive weapon, not to prove a point and be haughty over others. But to advance the kingdom of Gods army in a mighty way against the battlements of the enemy, the present principalities and powers of this world that seek to destroy your truth. Your sword is alive, active, and sharp on both edges, sharp enough to lay bare the purposes, intents, and deceits of Satan, also to cut away evil thoughts and intents of our own hearts when we stray from your love.

Oh Lord you have brought me to your banqueting table and you have placed your banner over me with your love and hospitality. We set as equals among our brothers and sisters, one in Body with Christ. For you have forgiven not only us you offer your promises to those who are still in the world. Our prayers are like beacons, lights that shine bright in the long night. Our requests are honored, for have you not given us your armor, your strength, your love. Make our life an expression of this love so that we will never be ashamed of our past sins, or living in the past, struggling to live forward toward the promise of your love. Keep us transparent so that all may see your love in us, a love that shines, the Holy Spirit working in us. Let us in prayer use this light to ward off the works of darkness, for Satan cannot stand before this light and cast his will over us. For the light is truth were Satan has only darkness full of lies. In the light we are saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Spirit. In our prayers, give thanks for the Saints who have gone before us, and the Saints who walk among us, those who’s light are beacons for us all. And when we have put on the full Armor of Christ, then so shall we become Saints, worthy warriors for Christ.

Ahmen

Article Source: http://www.religionarticlelibrary.com

For further Bio information visit http:\\www.geocities.com/revdocrobert, or visit the author's blog at http:\\www.todayschurch.blogspot.com. Rev. Vergeson is the founder of the God's Temple of Grace Ministries, currently a website ministry and hopes to be able to physically have a body of believers in the near future. Rev. Vergeson is an associate member of the Universal Life Church since 1979. He enjoys sculpturing, painting, writing, and is a published poet.

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