13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:13–14

In verse 13, Paul says, “Take up the whole armor of God.” He doesn’t say, Take up your armor. He says, Take up God’s armor. How many times have you tried to fight evil using your own plans, only to fail in the end?

Busyness is a big one—staying busy to keep out of trouble or believing that if you’re busy, Satan can’t get a foothold. Or staying busy with “church things” because it’s all good stuff, right? But those very schemes you’re using to fight the Enemy are the same ones the Enemy uses to keep you distant from your relationship with the Lord.

There is no amount of armor, tactics or clever schemes of our own worldly value that can withstand the evil that dwells in the spiritual realm. We need spiritual armor—the same armor God used in the Old Testament. That is why Paul says to “Take up the whole armor of God.” The same type of armor God used to strike down the Canaanites, the Egyptians, the Amalekites and the Midianites—that is what we need to fight our enemy, Satan.

When Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians, he was in prison in Rome. And can we stop there for a minute? Paul was in prison, probably beaten, malnourished and living in miserable conditions. Yet he poured his blood, sweat and tears onto these pages. Not thinking of himself or his suffering. Likely knowing that he would never be freed and would one day be executed. Still, he never stopped leading his people. He cared more about the Great Commission his own circumstances.

I could stop right there, because there is no better example of what it means to “stand against the schemes of the devil” and to “withstand in the evil day.” That’s exactly what Paul was doing. It wasn’t about his circumstances—it was about loving God and loving people.

Paul was very familiar with Roman soldiers and their armor. He had a lot of time to study it. But he also knew the Old Testament. In Isaiah 11:5, Isaiah speaks of God: “Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” And in Isaiah 59:17: “He put on righteousness as a breastplate…” Paul is recalling the Old Testament and telling the Ephesians they had to fight evil using God’s strength, not their own.

The belt of a Roman soldier was a thick, sturdy leather belt that had many uses. The most basic use was to tuck in the loincloth when the soldier was running, sitting or using the bathroom. It also supported the breastplate. Most importantly, the belt was used to sheath the sword and hold other weapons such as whips, knives and daggers.

Why did Paul associate the belt with truth? And what is truth? Knowing truth is not the same as knowing facts. You can have all the facts, but unless you believe them to be true, those facts don’t matter.

I believe that the Earth is round. It is a scientific fact that the Earth is round. But I have never witnessed it with my own eyes. I’ve seen pictures and videos. The truth is, I’ve never been to space and looked down on this big, beautiful, perfectly round planet. But I accept it as truth. Some believe the Earth is flat. I remember driving through Scotland back in 2018 with (Pastor) Joby and seeing so many Flat Earth Society signs. It’s a real thing. Despite all the scientific evidence and facts, they do not accept them as truth.

The same is true with Scripture. Many biblical scholars and false teachers believe the Bible contains facts, but they do not accept it as truth.

Truth is believing God’s Word. Truth is God Himself. God’s Word is always truthful, always trustworthy, always right. The belt holds everything else in place. When we lose the belt, we lose the breastplate that protects our most vital organs, and we lose our weapons, which we need to combat the Enemy. Without the belt, we are helpless. Without knowing and trusting God’s truth, we are helpless against the Enemy.
The second piece of armor Paul writes about is the “breastplate of righteousness.” The breastplate was essential because it protected the soldiers vital organs. Without it, the soldier was left vulnerable and an easy target.

Righteousness means being in a right relationship with God. It makes sense that Paul would associate the breastplate with righteousness. The breastplate protected the soldier’s heart—the most vital organ of all. Being in right standing with God is what protects our hearts as followers of Christ.

Righteousness is right living. Righteousness is purity of heart. Righteousness is perfection. God alone is righteous. We continue to strive for righteousness, day after day.

As Christians, we know our humanity will never allow us to reach righteousness here on earth. So we use God’s breastplate—God’s righteousness—to protect our hearts. David knew this best after he had an affair with Bathsheba and then sent her husband to the front lines to be killed. In Psalm 51 he pleads, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

David says, “Take not your Holy Spirit from me.” The Holy Spirit lives in the very organ we protect with God’s breastplate—our heart. The breastplate of righteousness guards our hearts, where the Holy Spirit resides. The Spirit was sent to help us live rightly and stand in right relationship with God.

No Roman soldier could put on his armor alone. It was cumbersome and heavy. He required assistance from others. In the same way, putting on the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness requires help from brothers and sisters in Christ. And let’s be honest—we drop our armor often. It takes continual work to put truth and righteousness back on after many failures and slip-ups. That is why we cannot do it alone.

God has given us the greatest gift—His word. The Bible is the truth, and we cannot go to battle without it. Arming ourselves with Scripture and knowledge of who God is and what He has done for us is a treasure no one can take away.

Your testimony is yours alone. It cannot be misinterpreted or debunked.

Know God’s Word. Study it. Read it. Believe it. It is the truth that holds everything else in place.

Be ready to share your testimony. No one can argue with your personal story of how God has changed your life. Write it down and be prepared to share it at any moment.

Practice righteousness. Protect your heart from the things you know are unrighteous. Write down the areas you need to actively pray about and flee from in order to practice righteousness.

Surround yourself with mat carriers—friends who will call you out when you’ve willfully fallen, who will help pick up your belt and breastplate and place them firmly back on, who will stand and fight beside you through the valleys.

Lord, I pray for every sister in Christ today. May they proudly wear Your armor and use it to battle Satan and boldly proclaim the gospel. Lord, make us vessels for your kingdom. Give us courage to help a friend who needs to pick up her belt and breastplate after falling, and let us encourage her through both the highs and the lows. Thank You for giving us Your armor. We know You will never leave us and will never forsake it, and that the battle belongs to You. Amen.