Well, firstly, answer the basic question. What is armor for?For war.Well, who are we warring with?QUOTE
Ephesians 6:12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
So how do we put on this armor that is for a war not fought with the physical?One of things I always remind myself is this isn't talking about the large and heavy armor of the medieval age, this is about the earlier armor from the proper time period. It was much more mobile, yet still effective.QUOTE
Ephesians 6:14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Loins are a point of power. Think about a warrior, when you take out his loins (upper legs) you take out a very powerful part of the body in more ways than one. Without hopefully getting too off topic here, your progeny metaphorically springs from your loins, does it not? Raise up your child and he/she will not go astray! (Proverbs 22:6) Paul mentions elsewhere that we deal with the fiery darts of Satan. Remember that he is the proverbial accuser?QUOTE
Revelation 12:10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
If, then, following that train of though, the darts are his accusation and where are projects generally aimed? At the heart, at the trunk of the body where the greatest chance of hitting is done. If you put on that breastplate, you do away with as much unrighteousness as you are able, and suddenly old Lucifer doesn't have so many accusations. This is the strongest point of any armor because its where the most damage can be done; it's the easiest place to hit.QUOTE
Ephesians 6:15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Gospel is the Anglo-Saxon Good Spel[/b] literally being translated as the Good Word from Greek. So how do you put words on your feet? Well, what do feet and words have in common? They are how you move, if you will. Your feet move you, your words move your conversation. Armor for the feet/lower legs would need to be mobile and a little lighter. Wounds can still be made, but you equip yourself from a battle perspective to be able to move. I would say think of it like knowing when to make peace, when to interject that seed of truth. Knowing to move from one statement to another, if that makes sense.QUOTE
Ephesians 6:16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Shield goes in front, and going back to the breastplate of righteousness, a shield doesn't even allow the darts(arrows) to make it to the breastplate, as it can be moved to protect other vulnerable areas. Faith protects us from a variety of harm whether it be faith to get through a tough event or faith to help someone else in their hour of need. Like the shield, faith always responds where needed.QUOTE
Ephesians 6:17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Your head contains your brain, this is where you knowledge exists. You have the knowledge of salvation through our Lord Jesus the Christ. That knowledge protects you because it covers your brain no matter what you do, or what happens to you.Similarly, the sword is my favorite. Who is the Sword of our Father?The prophecy of Ezekiel and Isaiah repeatedly refer to this in the OT:QUOTE
Isaiah 34:5For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
And in the New Testament, we know who this sword is:QUOTE
Revelation 1:13-16And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
The sword is our Lord! But we too have our own sword, derived from the very same!QUOTE
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
So that's the armor of God, but it all goes back to one very important thing. All of these are made with various components of knowing our Father. Each of the pieces of armor is made from God through his word. The way to forge this armor is with the Bible and the faith and study it takes to acquire the knowledge.