This Sunday we consider the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” You’ll recognize that the language of “take” or “receive” grammatically applies to the sword. The sword is something God provides and that we receive. The sword Paul references is the short sword the soldier carried for close combat as opposed to the longer broad sword.

This piece of the armor is the Spirit’s sword because He is the great revealer of God. It’s the Spirit that built the church through divine revelation given to the “apostles and prophets.” (Eph. 2:20) He is the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” so that our eyes are opened to the truth, so that we can know God and stand firm in truth.

Paul says this sword is God’s word, wielded against error (distortion of truth), used to minister to one another, and used to cleanse God’s people. So, come Sunday and consider the function of the word of God in spiritual warfare.

The next piece of God’s armor we’ll consider is the helmet of salvation. Picture a cross between the plumage of a hat at the Kentucky Derby and a football helmet. It was a mix of ornamental and protective. It was made of metal, usually iron, and lined with a sponge or linen. It is another critical piece for a soldier and critical for spiritual warfare. Again, notice that Paul links the shield, helmet, and sword with the phrase “in all circumstances.”

We see another link in these three pieces when Paul says, “take up.” The English translation doesn’t do justice to the language and paints the picture of a soldier walking through an armory and choosing his shield, armor, and sword (picture Russell Crowe in Gladiator). Instead the better word choice is “receive,” which pictures a soldier receiving his armor from the hand of his commander. 

We receive God’s salvation by faith through grace, and it is his salvation that protects us in battle. So, come Sunday and consider God’s work of saving grace

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” (Eph. 6:16) This Sunday we consider the function of faith in spiritual warfare. The last three pieces of the armor (shield, helmet, and sword) are linked by the phrase, “in all circumstances.” The emphasis of the shield is not your faith but “the faith” or the teaching of the Scripture that we believe. Our faith in “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3) is a defense against Satan’s attacks. When Paul writes Timothy, pastoring in Ephesus, he challenges him to hold to the faith expressed in the doctrine of Scripture.

Paul adds the comment about Satan’s flaming darts, which is interesting because it helps us understand that he doesn’t always do full assaults but often lobs arrows our way. The large shield used for phalanx fighting was covered with leather often soaked in water so that the flaming arrows would be extinguished upon striking. Our faith in the teaching of Scripture absorbs the blow and extinguishes the attack.

So join us Sunday as we consider the shield of faith!

Are you ready for the spiritual battle that you’re engaged in? The next piece of the armor speaks to our preparedness. Picture yourself on the battlefield, sword drawn, shield up, waiting for the commander to yell, “charge.” Are you ready? Can you charge? Can you push forward against the enemy?

If you’re rooted in the gospel of peace, the answer is, “yes.” The gospel, functions like a soldier's shoes. Picture Chacos with cleat style spikes that hold you firm in the ground and give you the added advantage of stability. As the battle is joined, your line stands firm against the enemy’s charge and together push the enemy back.

As you live in the gospel, secure in the peace Christ has provided, you can advance the gospel into enemy territory. So come Sunday and consider the power of the gospel in your life!

Sunday we’ll consider the next piece of God’s armor, the breastplate of righteousness. This piece of armor protected the soldier's vital organs and was secured to the belt. It was fastened down so that it wouldn’t move during battle. The piece could refer to the righteousness of Christ that we stand in through God’s justification, but the context seems to indicate something else.

Paul says that our “new self” is created after the “likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (4:24) From there Paul describes what righteousness and holiness look like for the people of God. Remember that often when the word righteousness is used in Scripture it refers to how we treat others. It refers to our social responsibility as members of a community. When God puts on the breastplate of righteousness in Isaiah 59:17, it’s to restore Israel as a place of righteousness by pursuing justice against oppression.

So come Sunday and consider how the breastplate of righteousness functions in the church!

Sunday we’ll continue our study, as we learn to use the armor of God to stand firm against the schemes of the evil one. The first thing that Paul urges us to put on is the belt of truth. He begins here because the belt is a critical piece of a soldier’s armor. When the soldier needed to prepare for battle, he would tuck his tunic into the belt. In addition, the belt would hold his sword. 

Paul sees “truth” as the central and critical piece for the believer and the church. While truth includes the word of God, he has something broader in mind: integrity, sincerity, and truthfulness. Truth specifically addresses Satan’s deceitful schemes. If deceit is central to evil’s influence, truth is central to the church’s resistance and advance. 

So come Sunday and let’s consider the belt of truth!

Paul teaches us that God is renewing and reconciling the world through Christ. The church is the “administration” that he uses to advance his renewing grace in the world. Satan, though defeated, is scheming through deceit to undermine this work through distortion, doubt, division, and distraction. 
 
But Paul tells us that God has provided armor, forged in the fires of his glory, for us to wear in our battle against Satan’s deceitful schemes. It is armor the prophets tell us that God has worn in his war against unrighteousness. The armor he provides is bound up in his character and grace, which is why Paul urges the believers to be strong “in the Lord.”
 
So come Sunday and consider God’s armor for the church.

Sunday, in our summer series, we’ll consider the apostle’s meaning of “schemes of the devil.” Paul is clear that our conflict is with spiritual forces whose leader is Lucifer, God’s created angelic servant who rebelled, taking a third of the heavenly host with him. Here he is called the “devil” or the “slanderer.” While this title gives us a clue into his schemes, it doesn’t help us understand how the armor of God helps us resist him.

Two scriptural texts help us understand the attacks of our slanderous adversary: Ephesians and 1 Timothy. The issues that Paul addresses in the Ephesian letter (faith, hope, unity, morality, etc.) give us an idea into Satan’s schemes, but so does Paul’s letter to Timothy whom Paul left in Ephesus. We’ll consider both texts to help us understand the enemy we are preparing to stand against.

 So come Sunday and let’s know our enemy!

Sunday we begin a new series on the spiritual warfare we experience as believers. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul explains that God sent Christ to unite all of his creation under one Lord, 1:10. This is God’s response to the corruption of his creation, especially his image-bearers. His purpose in Christ is to create “one new man,” the church, under one head, Jesus. Through the church, God is administrating his renewal and reconciliation program for the creation.

Though Jesus won the decisive victory over Satan and his forces, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, evil forces continue to oppose his plan for renewal. They fight God’s plan to unite all creation under Christ’s redemptive work. These forces are active today, opposing the church and her work in the world.

In this context, Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand strong in opposition to the forces of evil scheming for our demise. Before we consider the armor, we must understand the ground we are defending! So come Sunday, and let’s worship our Lord and prepare for battle.

Sunday will be our last study in Galatians until September. Our study this summer will be in Ephesians 6, considering the “Armor of God.” Our text this week in Galatians 5:1 sets us up well for our summer study. Here Paul urges us to stand firm in the freedom that Christ has won for us and granted us through his grace. As is typical with Paul, he begins with a declaration, “For freedom Christ has set us free.” This forms the foundation for his directive to stand firm.

“Stand firm” is an imperative. It’s a directive! He’s telling us to fight, not to earn our freedom, but to live in it, because it is constantly being challenged. What challenges our freedom? Our own fear that God doesn’t treat us according to grace. The legalism of others who live in their fear. The narcissism of those who want to abuse freedom. 

So come Sunday and let’s consider this admonition to stand in the freedom of Christ. Then next week we’ll consider the armor we need to engage in this battle!