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Put on The Armor

Ephesians 5

When people ask Jesus to come into their heart, there are two different type of purposes. One type want Jesus to be their ruler and king. They will do anything, like pick up their own cross daily, and even die to the self, in order to live for Christ. As it is written: (II Corinthians 5:15) And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to Him Who died for them and was raised again. Others are not ready yet to take up the cross, they may prefer Jesus to be their friend and helper, they may still like to have both “good things here” and eternal life after death.

After reading the book of Ephesians, the first type will want to live according to the Word, but others maybe not, it depends on how much it will cost them. Jesus had warned us about this, (Luke 6:46-49) And why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but you do not practice what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and practices them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock; and a flood came, and the torrent beat against that house, but could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. But the one who has heard My words and has not practiced them is like a man who built a house on top of the ground, without a foundation; and when the torrent beat against it, it fell at once, and the ruin of that house was great.”

It is not that difficult to understand what are Paul’s instructions on how to live a life as a follower of Christ. But we rarely see people practice them in real life. Below are just few key points;

How to live

  • (Ephesians 4:17 NIV) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
  • (Ephesians 5:1-2) Be imitators of God, Therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
  • (Ephesians 5:17) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
  • (Ephesians 5:18) Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, instead, be filled with the Spirit,
  • (Ephesians 5:19 AKJV) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
  • (Ephesians 6:12-13 NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God.

Those who set their heart on obeying the Word will searching for how to practice it. They will see verse 18 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms” is the easiest to obey, everybody can do it. After practicing for some time, their understanding become deeper, as they can feel “be filled with the Spirit”. Then they gradually “understand what the Lord’s will is”. This is how to “be imitators of God”. Actually, Speaking to yourselves in psalms is one of the very important ways to “put on the full armor of God”.

Something happen to the heart and soul

We live in a world full of many kind of deadly poisons, lies and disinformation designed to brainwash every human being into a slave of sin. Every ungodly gentiles constantly feeding these materials to their hearts and souls to their own demise. It is impossible for men to discern without knowing the truth. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us God’s truth, righteousness and faith by the Word of God, especially from Psalms, for example;

  • Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly … But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. 
  • Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? … Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
  • How long will you love delusions and seek after lies? … Let the light of Your face shine upon us, O Lord.
  • The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.
  •  I will praise you, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all your marvelous works. 
  • The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. … He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
  • Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.
  • You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
  •  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. 

As we can see even from the above few verses, The word of God is the truth and righteousness that can build up our faith. To put on the armor of God means to read, meditate and pray the word of God, then something will happen in our inner being, we will have more power to fight this spiritual war on our souls.

Teaching and edification

It is written: (Colossians 3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Not only it is the armor of God, it is also the main source to teach and build up each other in meeting and gatherings. As it is written: (I Corinthians 14:26) What is it then, brethren? When you assemble together, each of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a language, has a revelation, or has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

Unfortunately these scriptures have been neglected by most people. Maybe due to the lack of understanding and lack of trust in God. The word of man or opinions of man do not build up anybody’s faith, God’s people need to re-read the Bible to understand the whole counsel/plan of God, fail to do so may lead to destruction as the scripture said: (Acts 20:26-27 ISV) “I therefore declare to you today that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God“. God’s people desperately need to know the whole (counsel) plane of God right now, for the time is running out quickly.

Beware of those who deliberately skip certain scriptures, such as: (Hebrews 6:4-6 NIV) It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

(Hebrews 10:26-29 NIV) If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no longer sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treats as unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insults the Spirit of grace?

I am sure no one in his right mind would want to “trampled the Son of God under foot” or “insults the Spirit of grace”, but many brothers still have no definite idea of what really is “deliberately keep on sinning”. To make things worse, they don’t know or have no intention to inquire of the Lord, nor do they know how to listen to the Holy Spirit. Lots of people may somehow settle for just “don’t care”. One of the main reason is they are not very familiar with the Word of God. But when they find out the truth in the end may be too late.

Therefore, we have to pay a lot more attention for the scriptures those evil ones trying so hard to hide, for there are many critical warnings on their hiding list. Such as (Luke 13:1-3); Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. If anyone believed Jesus’ word, he would have asked him for instruction on how to repent.

In the same chapter verse 24-27 (NIV) Jesus explained further about the importance of real repentance; Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
“But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

Again, If anyone believed Jesus’ word, he would have to pray or seek clarification of what is this narrow door and why Jesus will call them evildoer, because it’s so vital to enter the kingdom of God. Do they forget to ask Jesus coming into their heart? Certainly NOT! If it were so simple, Jesus would not have said “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door“.

It is written (Romans 2:6-10 NIV): God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” a To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

If anyone read this scripture and have no intention to ask Jesus how to “by persistence in doing good seek glory”, do you think this person believed this word of God? Of course not. And this person is me, I have no fear of the Lord, so I don’t take the Word seriously. I did this to Jesus’ other words. For example, (Matthew 23:8,10) But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers.,… Nor are you to be called ‘Teachers,’ for you have only one teacher, the Christ!. I noticed this in the first year of reading the Bible, but I don’t care too much. After almost 30 years, when I start to get serious about the Word, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes.

Now I can see the instruction is given in (I Peter 4:11) If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. This means he has to imitate Jesus who said, “I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me“. He has to seek God until he can see clearly what God showed to him. I have sinned, I have not taken my calling seriously, damage may have already been done. May the Lord have mercy on me.

Therefore, today we need more than ever before, to follow the Psalms and pray and learn to seek the Lord directly, so that we may not be deceived any more. Below are just few guidelines to teach us how to seek the Lord:

  • (26:2) Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
  • (139:23-24) Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, And see if any wicked way is in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
  • (25:4) Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
  • (86:11) Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.
  • (143:7,10) Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails; do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit. … Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground of uprightness.
  • (38:4,18 NET) For my sins overwhelm me; like a heavy load, they are too much for me to bear. … Yes, I confess my wrongdoing, and I am concerned about my sins.
  • (66:18) If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
  • (32:5-6) I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
  • (19:13-14) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be clear from great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.
  • (28:1) I will cry to You, O LORD; my Rock, do not be silent to me, lest, if You be silent to me, I become like those who go down into the pit.
  • (37:7) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
  • (63:1-5) O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.

When we pray after these psalms, it is only a repetition, allowing the Holy Spirit speaking to our inner being, to build up our faith. This process will take time. Once these words from Psalms become our own heart’s cry to God, then it is regenerated. Now let’s pray Psalm 80:

Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power And come to save us!
O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.
O LORD God of hosts, How long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears, And You have made them to drink tears in large measure.
You make us an object of contention to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh among themselves.
O God of hosts, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.
You removed a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground before it, And it took deep root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with its shadow, And the cedars of God with its boughs.
It was sending out its branches to the sea And its shoots to the River.
Why have You broken down its hedges, So that all who pass that way pick its fruit?
A boar from the forest eats it away And whatever moves in the field feeds on it.
O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine,
Even the shoot which Your right hand has planted, And on the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
O LORD God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.

Amen.