"Obstacles are put in your way..."

"...to see if what you want is worth fighting for."

Hello children!

It is indeed another glorious day, mainly because I'm off work again tomorrow... Woo to the HOO!

I finished Captivating and, yes, I do recommend it to any one of the female persuasion 21 and up. In one of the chapters they talk about putting on the armor of God and also mention a friend who, every morning, prays on her armor when she is getting ready for her day. That struck me as odd. I'd never heard it put like that before. Thought it was cool because it was a part of her routine in getting ready, like she was putting her clothes on, brushing her teeth, etc.. Then I also got to thinking, "How exactly do you do that? How do you put on the armor of God?"

Well, I got to asking God how you do that and I decided that I would start with reading the passage and go from there. So, the other day I read the passage (Eph. 6:10-18) and then broke it down piece by piece. This is what I came up with:

Armor:

1. Belt of truth (v.14)
2. Breastplate of righteousness (v.14)
3. Feet fitted with readiness [shoes?] (v.15)
4. Shield of faith (v.16)
5. Helmet of salvation (v.17)
6. Sword of the Spirit [Word of God] (v.17)

What do each of these do?

1. Belts: (In war) hold extra ammunition and other supplies that you need to survive out on the battlefront. (In everyday) they keep your pants in place so you have less difficulty walking and less distraction from having to keep pulling them up.
2. Breastplates: protect your chest area (heart, lungs, ribs, stomach) from getting injured.
3. Shoes: protect your feet while walking; make it easier to endure walking/running.
4. Shields: protect you against things thrown at you; they block things.
5. Helmets: protect your head; your brain.
6. Swords: a weapon. If properly wielded it can be very powerful to the user and dangerous to anyone on the other end.

How are these specific pieces to protect me?

1. Belt of truth: It is what holds all the promises of God that are for my life; truths He has spoken to me, for me. These are promises I can hold on to and not doubt.
2. Breastplate of righteousness: It protects my heart from evil, human, desires; attacks against my heart that [should] desire the Spirit of God and His desires.
3. Feet fitted with readiness [shoes?]: A willingness to go when and where God leads/directs. A readiness to say, "Yes, Lord," when He tells me to follow and to trust Him.
4. Shield of faith: Faith that is strong can/will defend you from evil attacks. A strong faith cannot/will not waver. A strong faith is essential in battle!
5. Helmet of Salvation: [I had trouble with this one and I still do. I don't understand how a helmet and salvation go hand-in-hand.] Salvation is what drives you to keep going? Knowing is half the battle? Knowing, not just in your heart, but also in your mind?
6. Sword of the Spirit: It is useless if you don't familiarize yourself with it. Constant practice, make it another extension of your body.

Then, you come to v.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."

Soldiers have to stay alert to all their surroundings, if they do not they are more likely to fall into a trap. Not only are they to watch their own back, but also the backs of their fellow soldiers so that they too can stay out of the enemies snares.
Like soldiers, we have to be constantly aware of the dangers around us, the traps that lie waiting for us. We have to constantly pray in the Spirit so that we are in communication with God and so that our focus is on Him. We also need to pray for fellow believers so that they too will have an awareness of their surroundings, and also that they have another intercessor praying on their behalf; outside eyes see more.


After breaking this passage down I have finally been able to gain a better grasp on the whole putting on your armor. I can now actually appreciate this passage a lot more too!

The End.