Wearing our Spiritual Armor...

Chapter One:

I start this blog with two assumptions in mind.  First, I assume that if you are reading this, then you are already a follower, a disciple of Christ, and want to learn more about implementing your spiritual armor and what it entails.  If you have any doubt about whether you are a true disciple, a believer in Christ, then please go to my other blog called "Growing as a Disciple of Christ", which can be found here and explains how we become true followers of Christ and what it entails:  http://growingasadiscipleofchrist-fionab.blogspot.com/2012/06/welcome-to-my-second-blog-today-i-start.html

For a refresher on what has inspired me to write this new blog, you can go to the blog post explaining Mr. Gurnall's book.  You can find that blog post here: http://growingasadiscipleofchrist-fionab.blogspot.com/2016/ 

 I make the second assumption that you have either heard about a Christian needing to wear one's spiritual armor or have had some degree of teaching about what it is and what it entails.  For myself, I was taught many years ago,  by my old Pastor reading from the New Testament Book of Ephesians, Chapter 6: 11- 17. 

 It reads, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  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. 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."

I was taught that my troubles didn't really originate from my family, friends or co-workers as I had thought, but from these rulers, authorities, and powers of darkness in this world and the evil spiritual forces that are around us on a daily basis. I was told to look beyond what is seen by the natural eye and to be aware that there is a whole spiritual realm that we do not see that affects us.  With this in mind, I was taught that when I got out of bed in the morning, as part of my getting ready for the day ahead,  I was to act as if I was putting on each piece of the armor, as if I were putting on a second layer of clothing. And I did. Of course, while putting on this imaginary armor,  I prayed to the Lord for His protection, guidance and discernment.  

I was also taught to memorize certain Scriptures and to use them to stand up against the attacks of the enemy, especially within my own thought life.  I knew that he likes to attack us in our thought life and that we need to have Scripture truths or verses that we can use (the Sword of the Spirit) to defend ourselves.  I knew that when hard times came, after doing all I knew to do,  I was to stand and trust that God was protecting me.  This is about all I knew about using the actual weapons as listed above in the Book of Ephesians. 

This is the perspective I have had for years regarding one's spiritual armor and its purpose.  However, after reading Mr. Gurnall, I was rather surprised to find that he wrote about the armor of God from a different perspective, one which over time, I have come to realize is much more Scriptural and more in line with how we are to  grow in our walk with God. And, above all, is much more effective.  I  had to change my attitude and the misconceptions I had accepted about what it means to "put on and wear one's armor".  What I have learned is what I hope, with the Lord's help, I will be able to pass on to you.