Defensive & Offensive Weapons

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 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." Ephesians 6:14-18 (NIV)

If you read the previous passages of scripture (vs. 10-13) you see that we have a battle to face and that we are to put on armor to fight that battle with. We are not battling against flesh and blood (although sometimes it may seem that way) but we are fighting a realm that is beyond most people's imagination. If you are a "born again Christian" you have a wrestling match that is never ending. This shouldn't be scary, disheartening, frustrating, or whatever the emotional feeling that a person has, because we have the armor for the battle laid out in the scriptures.

We have before us five (5) defensive tools (armor) that are used in this battle and two (2) offensive tools (armor) that is also used.

Defensive armor:
TRUTH - Isaiah chapter 11 tells us of the "root of Jesse" a "Branch", "the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him", "Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins and Faithfulness the belt of His waist". Jesus is the "Truth and the Life" (John 14:6)
RIGHTEOUSNESS - Isaiah chapter 59 tells us that the Lord put on righteousness as a breastplate. We have to put on the righteousness of Jesus Christ as a breastplate and let it be a protector to us (it protects the vital organs, heart, lungs, etc...).
PEACE - "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7. We must walk in the peace of God and let Him cover our steps and protect us with peace that passes all understanding.
FAITH - I John 5:4 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith." We have to have the shield of Faith to "use" to fight off the schemes and shots that the enemy is firing at us.
SALVATION - We are to put on the helmet of Salvation and receive the mind of Christ. First Thessalonians 5:9 says; "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ, who died for us...".

Offensive armor:
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD - "God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it - no matter what." (Hebrews 4:12,13) (MSG)
The Word of God is to be our guide and roadmap. We are to use it's words as a weapon on this warefare with the enemy.
PRAYER - First Thessalonians 5:17 says; "Pray without ceasing". Eugene Peterson put it this way: "Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." (MSG)

Join with me today and let's fight this battle with the right tools!