It’s clear that we can’t fight demonic powers, let alone Satan himself, in our own strength. The devil is incredibly crafty, devious, cunning, enticing, murderous, destructive, heartless, and ruthless—just to name a few of his negative attributes. As human beings, we cannot fathom how evil he is, and he has a massive army of mayhem at his disposal. You do not want to take him on lightly, and I see no reason to call him out or challenge his forces, as in, “Devil, let’s see what you’ve got!” or, “Jezebel, bring it on!” But that doesn’t mean we don’t take our stand. That doesn’t mean we don’t go on the attack. We just do it clothed with the armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6:10-18.
There are some really good studies on this subject, and you might want to look into them. Here, I only want to make one simple point, but it’s a point that can change your perspective and even your life. The armor we put on is God’s own armor. That’s right. It’s the same armor He wears, spiritually and metaphorically speaking. We are truly clothed with His power. We really do fight with His weapons. That’s why it’s called “the armor of God,” and that’s why “the sword of the Spirit” is “the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). So it’s not just the armor He gives us. It’s the armor He Himself wears, again, spiritually speaking, and the weapons with which He fights. Let me prove it to you from the Bible.
In Ephesians 6:14, Paul tells us to put on the “breastplate of righteousness,” but what does he mean by that? Does he mean we cover our hearts with the knowledge that we are righteous? Perhaps there’s some truth to that, but is that everything Paul is saying?
In Ephesians 6:17, he urges us to put on the “helmet of salvation,” but what, exactly, does that mean? Does it mean, “Put a helmet over your mind, reminding yourself that you are saved”? Certainly, that’s not a bad idea, and we must renew our minds with the Word of God. And Paul urges us in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 to put on “as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”
But these terms mean something even more specific in Ephesians 6, and we find both of them used earlier in the Scriptures in Isaiah 59:17. The surprise, though, is that God Himself puts these on. As the text states, “For He put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as a cloak.”
Now, do you think the Lord puts on a breastplate to remind Himself He is righteous? Obviously not. Do you think He wears a helmet to remind Himself that He is saved? Hardly! What, then, do the images convey? And is there another way the Hebrew could be translated? I love this rendering from the Jewish Publication Society version: “He donned victory like a coat of mail, with a helmet of triumph on His head; He clothed Himself with garments of retribution, wrapped himself in zeal as in a robe.” Now we’re talking!
Even if we retain the word “righteousness” rather than “victory,” the overall message is clear: “According to Ephesians 6 believers need to be armed with God’s own righteousness if they are to be protected against the blows and arrows of their spiritual enemies.” You stand in the victory of God, wearing His very righteousness as a breastplate. Now you’re ready for battle!
What about the helmet? The Hebrew word for “salvation” does not simply emphasize being saved; it speaks also of triumph. The Savior is the victor! The Deliverer is the triumphant One! Here, as one commentator notes, “he gives his helmet to believers for their protection.” You can feel pretty safe wearing a helmet like this! It is the helmet of God’s victory, the helmet of spiritual triumph, the helmet of the overcomer. Put that helmet on!
It’s as if you’re in a movie and you have discovered the superhero’s special suit or secret weapon. When you put on that suit or use that weapon, you have superpowers too. But this is not a movie, nor is it some silly suit or mythical weapon. This is reality. We put on God’s own armor. We fight with His strength. Forward, in Jesus’ name!
Dr. Michael Brown appears this Monday and Tuesday on LIFE TODAY. This is an excerpt from Jezebel’s War with America by Michael Brown, PhD. Copyright ©2019 by Michael L. Brown, PhD. Published by
FrontLine (Charisma House). Used by permission.
