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Read: Ephesians 6:10-20
Listen: Ephesians 6

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. Ephesians 6:13

Followers of Jesus have a real enemy. Paul reminds the Ephesian believers to stand firm when spiritual battles come. God doesn’t leave his people defenseless. He gives the full armor—belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet and sword. This picture reminds the early church of a Roman soldier ready for battle. The armor has one purpose: to enable believers to stand their ground. They are not told to run or hide, but to stand. Long before them, God himself is pictured as wearing armor (Isaiah 59:16-17). The strength they fight with is his strength, not their own.

The Bible tells us our enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus comes so we can have life, full and abundant (John 10:10). On our own, we’re not able to stand against spiritual forces, but in the Lord’s power, we can. Every piece of armor points back to Jesus. Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation and the Word of God all come from him. These are not human tools. They are spiritual gifts given to us because we belong to Christ. We fight from victory, not for victory. Because Jesus died and rose again, sin no longer has the final word. The enemy is real, but he is not greater than our Savior.

TODAY: Celebrate the victory we have in Jesus. Sing “In Christ Alone” with our worship team. Focus on these words: “And as he stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me, for I am his and he is mine—bought with the precious blood of Christ.”