The Weapons for Battle

INTRODUCTION

I want to invite you to take your Bibles this morning and turn with me to Ephesians chapter 6

Today we’re looking at verses 13-20 as we continue our series Semper Reformanda — Always Being Reformed According to the Word of God

The Reformers were not simply scholars or theologians—they were soldiers

They were men at war

Not at war with other men, not at war with systems of government, but at war with Satan himself and with the deception that he spread through false doctrine

And beloved, that battle hasn't ended

John MacArthur once said, “God gives no deferments or exemptions. His people are at war and will continue to be at war until He returns and takes charge of earth.”

That’s true

Jesus said in John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”

So every believer is enlisted in this conflict

The Reformation, when we look back at it, was far more than a human protest against corruption

It was a spiritual battle

Behind indulgences and papal proclamations, behind false doctrine and religious control, was the devil, the father of lies — as Jesus calls him in John 8:44

R.C. Sproul used to say, “The devil’s chief weapon is deception; his most lethal attack is to obscure the truth of God’s Word.”

He did that in Genesis 3 with Eve

That’s why Paul, writing to the church at Ephesus, commands believers to “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

And so this morning, we’re going to walk through that armor piece by piece — both literally and spiritually — to understand not only how it was used in battle, but how God has equipped us to stand firm in our war for the truth

Paul begins verse 10 by telling the Ephesian believers to…

Be Prepared for the Battle (vv.10–12)

Paul begins this section by reminding us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood

We’re not fighting people

We’re not wrestling against earthly powers

He says it’s against “the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places”

The Greek word Paul uses for “struggle” is pale (πάλη) — it’s an athletic term that means hand-to-hand combat, a personal, up-close struggle

This isn’t distant warfare; this is eye-to-eye confrontation with the enemy

And notice what Paul says next — “Be strong in the Lord.”

The word endunamō (ἐνδυναμόω) means “to be continually strengthened.”

It’s not a call to pump ourselves up, but to be strengthened continually by His might

The phrase means “draw your strength from Him, from His mighty power.”

The psalmist knew this all too well when he said in Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.”

That’s exactly what Martin Luther experienced when he stood before the emperor at Worms

His famous words — “Here I stand; I can do no other” — were not words of human defiance; they were words of divine dependence

He stood clothed in God’s strength, not his own

So not only are you to be prepared for battle but you’re to…

Use the Armor God Has Given You (vv.13–18)

Paul divides this section into two main parts: The purpose of the armor, and the pieces of the armor

First…

The purpose of the armor (vv.13–14a)

Paul says in verse 13, “Take up the full armor of God.”

The word analambanō (ἀναλαμβάνω) means “to pick up decisively.” It describes a soldier who takes up his weapon, ready for engagement

This isn’t a casual “put on your shoes and go.” This is a call to arms — a decisive act of readiness

James says something similar in James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

In other words, dependence on God and resistance to evil go hand in hand

Then Paul says, “Having done everything, to stand firm.”

The word histēmi means to hold your ground without retreat

This isn’t an advancing army Paul describes — it’s a holding line

We don’t conquer new territory; we defend the truth God has already given us

That’s exactly what Luther did. When he said, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God,” he was standing his ground

That’s the essence of reformation — not moving when truth is under siege

The problem today is the church is not standing her ground

She is moving with whatever comes at her instead of resisting sin

Churches today have given up ground to the enemy on issues like marriage and divorce, homosexuality, gender and feminism, and abortion

It’s no wonder that the church has lost it’s influence in the world

Instead of being salt and light, it has blended in rather than stood out for the truth

The church has become silent on these issues

It’s become comfortable rather than courageous

It has compromised instead of being convicting

The church is drawn to worldliness rather than holiness

The church has taken it’s armor off

In verses 14-18, Paul identifies…

The Pieces of the Armor (vv.14–18)

Now let’s look at each piece of the armor — both literally, how a Roman soldier wore it, and spiritually, how you and I must wear it today

The Girdle of Truth (v.14a)

Paul begins: “Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth.”

Now in the first century, every soldier wore a long tunic — a lightweight robe that fell below the knees

When it came time for battle, that tunic could get tangled around the legs, so they would “gird up” — meaning they would take the bottom of the tunic, pull it up, and tuck it into their belt, freeing their legs for movement

The belt held everything in place — the scabbard or sheath, the breastplate, even the sword

Spiritually, that belt represents truth

It’s both the objective truth of God’s Word and the subjective truthfulness of character — integrity, sincerity, consistency

To gird your loins with truth means to gather up every loose end of your mind, your body, your heart — and bring it under the authority of God’s Word

Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 1:13, “Gird up the loins of your mind.”

That means to prepare for action

The belt of truth holds everything else together

Without truth, every other piece of the armor falls apart

That’s why, in the Reformation, the Word of God — Sola Scriptura — became the belt that bound everything

John Calvin said, “The Word of God is the sword by which the Spirit lays open the deceits of Satan.”

Beloved, to gird yourself with truth is to commit yourself completely to the Word of God — to live in it and by it, daily

The second piece is…

The Breastplate of Righteousness (v.14b)

Next, Paul says, “Put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

A Roman soldier’s breastplate, called the thorax, covered the chest and abdomen — protecting the most vital organs

Some were made of overlapping metal plates or hardened leather

It covered the front and back, fastened with straps at the shoulders

If a soldier entered battle without his breastplate, one strike to the chest could end his life

Spiritually, this represents righteousness — holy living, empowered by the Spirit

This isn’t the imputed righteousness that saves us — it’s the practical righteousness that guards us

Daily obedience, integrity, and holiness are what protect us from the fatal blows of sin

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “This is the will of God, your sanctification.”

And in Titus 2:12, he says we are to live “righteously and godly in this present age.”

R.C. Sproul put it this way, “Holiness is not optional; it is the armor that protects the heart from the fatal wound of hypocrisy.”

Just as the physical breastplate guards the heart from deadly attack, so righteous living guards your heart from Satan’s accusations and temptations

The third piece is…

The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace (v.15)

Paul continues, “And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

Roman soldiers wore thick leather sandals called caligae

The soles were studded with metal nails for traction — like military cleats

These shoes kept soldiers from slipping, even on rocky ground, and let them dig in their heels when the enemy pushed forward

Their entire stability depended on their footing

Spiritually, Paul says, “Our footwear is the gospel of peace.”

The word for “preparation” — hetoimasia — means readiness or firm foundation

Because we have peace with God through Christ — as Romans 5:1 declares, we can stand strong in the face of conflict

The world may shift beneath our feet, but the peace of God gives us stability

John Calvin said, “The message of reconciliation gives peace to the conscience; nothing else does.”

When your conscience is settled, when you know your standing with God is firm — you can endure any storm, any trial, any attack

That is what these shoes represent: confidence and calm assurance in the gospel of peace

The fourth piece is…

The Shield of Faith (v.16)

Paul says, “Above all, taking up the shield of faith.”

The Roman thureos was not a small, round shield — it was a large, door-shaped shield almost four feet tall

It was made of layers of wood wrapped in leather and soaked in water before battle so that flaming arrows would extinguish on contact

Soldiers could even link their shields together in a formation called a testudo — Latin for “tortoise” — creating a wall of protection

Faith functions that same way for believers

It shields us from Satan’s flaming arrows — his temptations, his doubts, his despair, his lies

Faith says, “I trust God’s promises more than I trust what I see or feel.”

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, and 1 John 5:4 says that faith is what overcomes the world.

John Owen once wrote, “Satan’s fiery darts are quenched by the wet shield of faith dipped in the water of the Word.”

When the enemy whispers lies, faith raises the shield: “No — my God is faithful.” “No — His Word is true.”

And like the soldiers’ formation, our faith together as the Church forms a wall — protecting one another through unified belief

The fifth piece is…

The Helmet of Salvation (v.17a)

Paul then says, “Take the helmet of salvation.”

The Roman helmet, or galeē, was made of bronze or iron, lined with leather, often with cheek guards and a neck plate

No soldier would fight without it

A single head injury could end the battle — or a life

Spiritually, Paul says this helmet represents the hope of salvation — our confidence, our assurance in what Christ has done

1 Thessalonians 5:8 calls it “the helmet, the hope of salvation.”

The word “hope” (elpis) doesn’t mean “wishful thinking.” It means confident assurance

Believer, when you know that your salvation is secure in Christ, your mind is guarded against discouragement and doubt

When the world mocks, when the enemy accuses, we can say, “No, my salvation is sure — not because of me, but because of Christ.”

Martin Luther said it beautifully: “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.”

Put that helmet on — and let assurance guard your thoughts, your peace, your resolve

The sixth and last piece is…

The Sword of the Spirit (v.17b)

Paul continues, “And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

Roman soldiers carried a short sword, called the machaira — roughly 18 inches long

It was double-edged and designed for close combat — for thrusting, not swinging

It required practice, precision, and discipline to wield effectively

Paul uses that image to describe Scripture — the Word of God

The Greek word for “word” here is rhema, meaning the spoken or applied word — the specific statement of Scripture used at the right time

It’s not just owning the Bible; it’s using it accurately, just as Jesus did when He said to Satan in the wilderness, “It is written.”

Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.

John MacArthur says, “The Word is the believer’s only offensive weapon, yet it is powerful enough to demolish every argument raised against the truth.”

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”

So you need to learn how to wield the Word

Be like a soldier trained with his weapon — skilled, confident, and intentional

Paul says a final thing in verse 18…

Prayer (v.18)

And finally, Paul closes this section with prayer

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”

Prayer is not another piece of the armor — it’s what makes every piece live

Without prayer, the armor is lifeless metal

With prayer, it becomes divine power in motion

It’s through prayer that the soldier stays connected to his Commander

Through prayer we receive guidance, strength, and perseverance

Application - The battle then and now

The Reformers knew this battle

From Luther’s Germany to Calvin’s Geneva, the armor of God wasn’t theory — it was reality

The devil schemed through indulgences, superstition, and a works-based gospel that blinded souls for generations

But the Word of God broke through that darkness

“The Word of God is not bound,” Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:9

And beloved, that same enemy wages war today

He fights through relativism

Through false religion

Through spiritual apathy and distraction

But our armor hasn’t changed — and neither has our Commander

CONCLUSION

The armor of God is not optional

It’s essential

Every believer is called to wear it daily

You need to wear:

Truth — that means to know the Word

Righteousness — that means to obey the Word

Peace — that means to rest in God’s assurance

Faith — that means to trust in His promises

Salvation — that means to be confident in Christ’s finished work

The Word — that means to use it skillfully

Prayer — that means to keep the armor alive

So I ask you, are you standing firm, or have you laid down your shield?

Have you let the enemy push you back?

And if you’ve never trusted Christ, you stand unarmed — defenseless — under the rule of the god of this world

But there is good news: Jesus Christ has crushed the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15)

Turn to Him

Trust Him

Be clothed in His righteousness and stand firm in His victory

Because the battle is already won

And so we say, in the spirit of the Reformers:

“Semper Reformanda — The church reformed, and always being reformed, by the Word of God.”

Let’s pray