Be strong in the Lord
Suit Up
Why We Need to Suit Up
As Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesians, he instructs them to
“be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power,” and to
“put on the full armor of God.”
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:10-12).
He describes the armor as having several components, saying:
“Stand firm then,
with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints” (Eph 6:14-18).
He concludes this section by urging them to “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should” (Eph 6:19-20).
This was good advice for the Ephesians, and it’s good advice for us, too. Before we go out to engage the culture with the gospel, before we make any earnest effort to strengthen ourselves, our families, our churches, and our communities, we need to put on the full armor of God. In other words, before we speak up, we need to suit up. After all, we don’t want to end up like the sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-15).
How We Suit Up
Belt of Truth
We must know the truth and never compromise it, whether to avoid conflict or in an attempt to make the message more appealing.
Breastplate of Righteousness
As believers, we have the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and we continue to gain confidence as we are increasingly conformed into His image.
Gospel of Peace
Knowing the peace the gospel brings gives us the confidence and determination to stand firm against the forces of wickedness that will come against it.
Shield of faith
Our faith grows each time we obey God, trust Him, and experience His faithfulness.
Helmet of Salvation
Being confident in our salvation makes us less susceptible to Satan-inspired doubt. While obedience doesn’t save us, it can contribute to increased faith and assurance of salvation.
Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he tried to tempt Jesus by quoting Scripture. Jesus rebuked him by quoting Scripture back to him. As our command of Scripture increases, we become more resistant to false teaching and demonic deception.
Prayer
The power of prayer and the need for prayer cannot be overstated. Before we engage in any task, we should bathe it in prayer, trusting God for both the goal and the outcome, and everything needed in between.
Resources
Daily Bible Reading
The 2026 Daily Bible Reading Schedule will be posted in December 2025.
The Walking Talking Bible Project
This course consists of 208 weekly modules and can be started at any time. Each module contains a memory verse, connecting passages, and a study guide, along with several questions and a cartoon to serve as discussion starters. The online modules are available for free here.