The Full Armor of God

Introduction

Open in prayer

Explain what I do and the importance of armor in my career

Read the passage - Ephesians 6:10-17

Ephesians 6:10–17 NLT

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Grasp the Text for the Original Audience - What did this passage mean to the Original Reader?

This passage was written by the Apostle Paul to the church of Ephesus

Ephesus was one of the most corrupt cities in the area at the time of this passage.

A majority of the people of Ephesus engaged in idol worship and immorality and did not follow God.

The Christian’s in the small church of Ephesus faced pressure from the citizens who persecuted them, and even attacked them physically just for being Christians.

Paul uses imagery of a soldier preparing for battle to emphasize to the church of Ephesus that for them, standing for Christ in such an evil place was a hard task that would be met with challenges.

Measure the Width Between the Original Audience and Us - How different are we from the Original Audience?

While Christians aren’t necessarily being physically attacked and hurt where we live, just for being Christians, we still face persecution today.

Being a Christian is often not the “cool thing to do.” We could be teased or made fun of for being a Christian.

Because of this persecution we face today, it is just as important for us to “prepare for battle” by putting on our spiritual armor and banding together with other Christians so we can be prepared to fight the battles the Devil throws at us.

Identifying the Theological Principle of this Passage

As Christians, we must rely on God’s strength and provision to fight the Spiritual battles that we encounter.

We are stronger as a group than we are alone, and our group is stronger together when we put Christ at the front of our group as the leader.

Consulting the Biblical Map - Does This Principle Fit with the Rest of Scripture?

The Bible tells us that Spiritual Warfare is real, and Satan is the Prince of this World. Therefore, he will do everything in his power to separate us from God.

The Bible is full of passages that remind Christians to remain strong in their faith, rely on God in difficult situations, and remain in the presence of other believers so we can be encouraged and strengthened.

How does this Passage Apply to Us?

Each piece of armor represents a tool we can use to fight of the Devil

Each tool is great by itself, but when we put our tools into a community of others that are also equipped with the same tools, we make ourselves that much stronger.

Discuss SWAT tactics and how we use our tools to protect others and work as a team to defeat the enemy - compare it to the church and body of Christ working together to defeat the enemy.

Demonstration

Ask for volunteer for the demonstration.

Belt of Truth - Police Belt

Being grounded in biblical truth and resisting lies or compromises with worldly values.

Breastplate of Righteousness - SWAT Vest

Living in alignment with God’s standards, protected by His righteousness rather than relying on personal virtue.

Gospel of Peace - Penal Code Book

Living out and sharing the peace that comes from the gospel, enabling one to stand firm against unrest and conflict.

Shield of Faith - Ballistic Shield

Trusting God’s promises and character to resist doubt and fear.

Helmet of Salvation - SWAT Helmet

Keeping an eternal perspective, secured by the hope of salvation.

Sword of the Spirit - Sledgehammer (Instead of a rifle because I cant let a middle schooler hold a rifle in church)

Engaging with God’s Word as an active tool for discernment and truth in everyday situations.

Discuss how heavy all the equipment is when we carry it alone. Compare it to the burden of carrying ourselves as Christians like Jesus modeled for us, in a world that is ruled by Satan and an environment that looks down on us for being Christians.

Add on additional burdens (weighted blanket, dumbbells, etc.) to simulate pressures of the world like schoolwork, drama with classmates, sports, family etc.

Have other kids come up and start taking some of the simulated burdens off to show how living in community with other Christians makes carrying our burdens easier.

Ask how much more the student feels prepared with the help of additional people helping them carry their burdens than they did when they were trying to hold them all by themselves.

Closing

Close in prayer. Focus on asking God for strength and courage to arm ourselves for battle and remind us to live in community with other Christians so we can be prepared to fight our battles for God’s Kingdom.

Group Questions

Have you ever been made fun of for being a Christian?

How can we make sure we are prepared to deal with a situation where we might experience someone challenging our faith?