Most Christians are familiar with Paul's call to put on the "armor of God" to stand against evil:
Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, with the belt of truth around your waist, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Anyone who is preparing for battle is preparing for the expected attacks. Each preparation shows what type of attacks Paul expected in our spiritual battle. So the things we need prepare us for certain attacks:
- Truth: because we expect attacks in the form of lies and half-truths, omissions and distortions
- Righteousness: not just because we expect wickedness from our enemy, but because we expect a temptation to resort to evil things for a good cause, or expect temptation because of our own weakness
- Good news of peace: because spiritual attacks will disturb our peace and confidence, and can take the form of opening our spirits to look somewhere besides Christ. This leads to Paul's next point
- Faith: because spiritual attacks will sow doubt, especially doubt in the Lord or his compassion or his goodness
- Salvation: because the confidence that God has us in his hands will make many spiritual attacks fail against us
- The Word of God: Jesus showed the Word was sufficient for turning back the attacks of evil.
Except for the last item, everything Paul lists is general preparation or defensive: belts and shoes, helmets and shields and armor. Only the last, the "Word of God", is the "weapon", the thing that touches our foes. May it change our human foes into allies. Because, as Paul said, "we do not fight against flesh and blood" that is, humans; the real battle is a spiritual one.
