Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18)

I have always heard prayer linked to the sword of the Spirit as part of the soldier’s offensive arsenal.  E.M. Bounds famously wrote about the Weapon of Prayer, and I think most Christians would consider prayer a weapon.  No doubt we could make a solid case for this view, and I won’t quibble with it.

However, I don’t believe Paul means to treat prayer as a weapon in his catalog of the panoply of God.  Notice what Paul says between the 17^th and 18^th verses.  He begins with a command – the only imperative in the register of armor: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.”  He follows this command with “praying always” – clearly descriptive of the way we take the helmet and sword.  The grammar supports this understanding.  The Greek uses a genitive prepositional phrase, literally “through all prayer.”  Prayer is the way we take the helmet and sword. 

The message is simple.  You strap on the armor because you are going to war, so be ready.  And nothing prepares us for battle like watchful prayer.  So when you strap on the armor, you better be praying and watching.  Be alert in prayer; be praying watchfully.

Prayer, then, is the soldier’s readiness.  We want soldiers who not only arm themselves but who are poised to strike.  What good is a soldier who sluffs around in his armor?  For that matter, when a soldier straps on his armor, he better not sit down.  Armor can be heavy: he might not get back up if he sits.  Once the armor is in place (and we put it on when we receive Christ), it is time to go to war. 

So then, prayer and watchfulness aren’t additional pieces of armor, nor are they weapons.  Instead, they refer to the soldier’s attitude when He is armed – He is ready to fight.  He prepares for battle by praying and watching.  Let’s expand this into four elements of “readiness.”

When we think of sanctification, we tend to think of things like resisting the devil, living godly in Christ Jesus, studying to show ourselves approved to God, not being conformed to this world, being transformed by the renewing of our mind.  We give attention to our walk with God, our time in the Word, our time of prayer.  We focus on overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

But we pay little attention to the armor of God.  At least, I haven’t given it much thought.  Yet, God has armed us and equipped us for the battle so Satan cannot ultimately overthrow us.  Of course, he can trip us up and stumble us.  He can catch us in his snares.  He can tempt us and cause us to fall.  But he cannot pluck us out of the Father’s hand.  And this is in part thanks to our armor.

Our Heavenly Father is no helicopter Dad, hovering above us to ensure we never have trouble.  He is no Celestial Snowplow, clearing our lane so we can travel smoothly without disrupting our pilgrim way.  Instead, God gives us legs and teaches us to walk.  He infuses us with the strength of His grace so we might walk upright.  God raises us into maturity so we have the strength to confront principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places.  He declares us “more than conquerors.” 

So, God holds us in His hand but doesn’t hold our hand.  He sets us out to join the battle and confront the enemy while protecting us by His grace.  The panoply of God is His grace surrounding us, protecting us, defending us. 

And this armor is of practical value.  It doesn’t exist merely in doctrinal platitudes.  We should give careful attention to the whole armor of God because of the spiritual protection for the spiritual war it provides. 

We gird on the armor when we maintain our relationship with God in vital spiritual arenas related to the armor itself.  The sincere way we pursue the truth, our growing righteousness, our ever-deepening grasp of the gospel, our vibrant witness, and our taking hold of God’s promises and resting in them.  By looking to Christ in the Word and growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, we keep the armor fitted properly and in good repair.

This might not be all that sexy to a generation accustomed to quick fixes, Jiffy Lubes, and row upon row of self-help books.  But this is what God has provided for His saints so that we are armed for battle and ready to join the fray.  So, we must be attentive to our relationship with God to be armed for war. 

I wish I could write “10 hot tips for spiritual warfare.”  I wish I could tell you practical things, like “Tell yourself NO!  LOUD!” or “Spend 30 minutes in prayer before you read your Bible.”  “Stay off sugar.”  “Don’t watch YouTube after 10:00 at night.”  No doubt, these things could be helpful.  But God wants you to be attentive to His gifts of grace.  Ensure your armor fits right, is all in place, and is in good repair.  Be attentive to your salvation, sanctification, sincerity, and soul-winning.  Not fun, not fluff, but fundamental.

The final two pieces of armor will complete the panoply.  May God teach us to utilize His gifts of grace aimed at protecting us in this conflict.

The Helmet of Salvation

Before we consider the helmet, notice how the grammar changes at Ephesians 6:17.  With the first four pieces of armor, Paul used participles to describe how we stand.  “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness…” “taking the shield of faith.”    But now, Paul uses an imperative: “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.”  He no longer describes the soldier standing, but calls the soldier to action.  Grab your helmet, grab your sword, and let’s go! 

God provides us with spiritual armor for a spiritual battle with a spiritual foe.  Dressed in the armor of God, we can enter the fray confidently, knowing that God has provided us with the protection we need against a dangerous enemy. 

And yet, we approach the armor casually, as if these are mere doctrinal theories to be discussed and (perhaps) debated among God’s people.  I don’t deny the need to understand the armor of God on a doctrinal level, nor do I deny that spiritual armor comes from our theology.  But of course, the Christian wants to know how this works, the practical value, “What do I do?” 

A young man in our church joined our local sheriff’s department, and when he started on patrol, he would often come to church straight off his shift – wearing his police uniform and gear.  The kids were most fascinated by his belt, which is like a small armory.  He definitely enjoyed showing them everything he carried and explaining their use.  But before this, he spent time training, learning the use of the things he carried in his belt. 

Think of this little series of articles as training.  We need to know our armor – not because learning about the armor gives us any kind of protection, but because we are soldiers, and a soldier should know his armor.  Knowing how the armor protects us will make us confident as we face our enemy in battle.  The armor does its work whether or not you are aware.  But knowing the armor gives us the courage to stand and fight.

God, by His grace, has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness.  But the most practical gifts of grace are the armor of God.  As we tour the pieces, we are reminded that our protection in battle comes from our relationship with the Lord.  By strengthening that relationship and keeping it in good repair, we ensure that the armor God has provided will do its job in the heat of battle.  Though the armor is spiritual, it consists of concrete spiritual truths – grace in exercise – that provide the protection we need.  Therefore, we must wear the armor and keep it in good repair so that in the day of battle, we will be armed and equipped and not be taken by the enemy or give up ground to him.

Consider then the shoes for the feet and the shield of faith.

Shoes for the Feet

I never feel more unprepared for battle than when I have my shoes off.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get into a fight when I’m barefoot.  Maybe that’s why I haven’t done martial arts.  I want my feet protected.

Leading up to the description of the armor of God, Paul stresses the importance of standing.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For 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.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (11-14)

You get the idea from Paul that a soldier’s great duty on the battlefield is to “stand.”  There will be times when he must advance and times when he must charge.  But for much of the time, he must stand.  He must not give up ground.  He must hold the ground he has gained, and he must gain ground on the enemy.

A soldier’s footwear must have two qualities: It must allow for mobility – in other words, it must not be cumbersome or clunky and difficult to move; and it must give him sure footing, keeping his feet from sliding.  God has provided the Christian soldier with shoes for his feet – “the preparation of the gospel of peace.”