By Greg Laurie

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”
—Ephesians 6:13

When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, he was under house arrest, which meant that he was chained to a Roman guard. So, when we come to Paul’s description of the armor of God in chapter 6, it’s worth noting that Paul had a lot of time to observe Roman armor. There they were, twenty-four hours a day: belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword. This description of armor wasn’t given in a haphazard manner off the top of Paul’s head to pass the time. Rather, these words were inspired by God. There is significance behind every word Paul attached to each piece of armor.

Paul identifies six pieces of armor in total. The first three—the belt, the breastplate, and the shoes—were for long-range protection. They were never removed on the battlefield. The second three—the shield, the helmet, and the sword—were kept ready for use when close-range fighting began. Each piece was important, but only as part of the whole armor.

Read More