The God of the Armor

Fellowship As Armor

This blog is the last in a series on the armor of God given to our Rhetoric school students at their retreat at the beginning of the school year. 

Ephesians 6:11-17 teaches that the armor of God is a sound defense against the schemes of the Evil One. But, if donning the whole armor of God protects us so effectively and completely from Satan's attacks, why then must we also pray (vv. 18-20)?   The answer is that the armor of God is not a collection of inanimate objects that protect us apart from God; rather, each piece of the armor is designed by God as a means to give us more of himself. 

Each piece of armor is like a straw through which we gain greater fellowship with God, and the fuller we become of God, the more God's weighty presence in our lives enables us to stand firm against the blows of the Evil One.  Our greatest need is, therefore, not for the armor of God but for the God of the armor.

Delighting in God

Since the purpose of the armor is to enable us to draw near to God, to know God, and to delight in God, Paul’s mention of prayer—of intimate conversation with God—as the final piece of armor that Christians should don makes perfect sense.  Paul commands our prayers to be constant (v. 18a) because our need for God is constant and because our Enemy prowls constantly, seeking to devour us. 

Paul commands our prayers to be Spirit-aligned (v. 18b) so that we might receive more of the fullness of God that he desires to give us by his Spirit.  Paul commands our prayers to be other-oriented (v. 18c) because God desires our individual prayers to form a web of mutual support and encouragement with those of other Christians.  And Paul commands our prayers to be kingdom-advancing (v. 19) because the ultimate overthrow of the schemes of the Evil One will come only when God’s kingdom covers the face of the earth as waters cover the sea. 

Amen!  Come Lord Jesus!