Putting on the Armor: Don’t Just Own It—Wear It
Hey there,
We were in a study this week with the good people at the Griffithville Church of Christ in Arkansas. They were finishing a study on Ephesians, and it hit me during this Wednesday night study how easy it is to know the right things without actually living them out. We read our Bibles, we nod along in church, we even memorize bible verses… and then we walk out the door and leave all that good stuff sitting by the nightstand like a pair of unworn shoes. This week I want to zero in on one little phrase in Ephesians 6 that we sometimes breeze right past. Right before Paul tells us about the Armor of God, he doesn’t say, “Admire the armor” or “Appreciate the armor” or even “Understand the armor.” He says, “Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11).
Just two simple words—put on—and they change everything.
Let me take you back to my time in the military for a minute. When we deployed, they issued us the full battle kit: flak jacket, plates, helmet, ammo pouches... the works. Modern day armor. I can’t remember the exact weight anymore (70+ lbs I believe), but I do remember what it felt like. It was heavy. Really heavy. The first time I put the whole thing on and started walking around base, I thought, there is no way I can do this all day. But you know what? Once things got serious, that gear wasn’t optional. Leaving it in the barracks or in our vehicles wasn’t an option either. When inbound munitions struck around the base, the only thing that mattered was whether you were wearing it. And here’s the part that still surprises me: after a deployment, when it was time to turn everything in, we’d pack that same gear into the big IPE bags. I’d sling one over my shoulder or try to carry it with one hand… and man, it felt twice as heavy! Dragging it around was way harder than wearing it ever was. Once it was on my body, distributed across my shoulders and hips the way it was designed, it actually became part of me. I could move in it. I could fight in it. I could trust it.
That’s exactly what the Lord is inviting us to today.
Paul writes in Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV):
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
He goes on to list the pieces—belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. We love studying what each piece means (and we should!). But if we stop there, we’ve missed the whole point. The armor doesn’t do us any good hanging in the spiritual closet.
The truth doesn’t protect us if we only believe it on Sundays.
The peace of the gospel doesn’t steady our steps if we leave it on the nightstand with our Bibles. Friends, the enemy doesn’t wait until we feel “ready” or “equipped enough.” He shows up in the middle of ordinary Mondays—when we’re tired, discouraged, tempted, or just distracted. That’s when we need the armor on. Not just understood. Not just appreciated. On.
And here’s the beautiful part I learned in the desert: wearing it actually makes the load lighter. When I tried to carry my battle gear separately, it wore me out. When I put it on the way it was designed, it held me up. The same is true spiritually. Trying to “drag around” our faith—knowing what’s right but not living it out—gets exhausting. But when we daily choose to put on truth, righteousness, faith, and the rest, the Holy Spirit distributes the weight. The armor becomes part of who we are in Christ. We don’t just survive the battle; we stand firm in it.
You don’t have to feel strong to put it on either. You just have to be willing. The strength comes from the One who gives us the armor in the first place.
So what do you say? Let’s stop admiring the armor and start wearing it. The battle is real, but so is our God—and He’s already given us everything we need to stand.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Drop a comment or shoot me a message and tell me one piece of the armor you’re committing to “put on” this week. We’re in this together.
Grateful to stand with you,
~ Charlie
If you’re new here or this is the first time you’ve really thought about the Armor of God, go read the whole passage (Ephesians 6:10-18). It’s powerful stuff—and even better when you actually wear it.
