Borrowed Armor

Can I see a show of hands for how many of you have heard, read or seen the scriptures on your spiritual armor?

Quite a few. That's what I thought.

And for those of you who haven't here you go-

Ephesians 6:11-16

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

I hope I haven't lost you. This is good.

The armor that some of us put on along with our clothes every morning is really not bought(not by us, but purchased by Christ with His life and blood), 

It is all borrowed except for one piece, faith, and I believe even that has been gifted to us.

"So, what's the fuss Mike about it being borrowed?"

I'm glad you asked.

I believe that if we believe that we are wearing Christ's armor rather than our own, we can/will be ever stronger. If we wear our own we are limited, but if Christ's then the lid is off and there is no limit to the battles fought and won.

In order of mention-

1. The belt of truth.

We still must put it on and make it a part of us TRUTH.

Firstly that Christ is and is for us. Not some subjective knowledge but truth. There can only be one. It comes down, not to what I believe but what IS. If you are unsure, then it is not truth, at least not to you, and without it you will be caught half naked with your pants/dress around your ankles.

2. Breastplate of righteousness. His not ours. His is everlasting all powerful and ours alone is a filthy weak thing.

The breast plate protects our most vital organ, the heart. Without it we cannot go very far. Unfortunately these days too many live from their day-to-day circumstance rather than our heart.

Make your plans but let God order your steps.

3. Shoes- the gospel- the good news- are you prepared with it and are you at PEACE with it.

The good news that Christ lived and died and lived again for us so that we can rise in new life too.

This brings me more peace than a full bank account.

4. The shield of faith. This is a gift not a loan as the others are. This one we must hold on to and use, we cannot leave home without it, but in the end we will leave it at the door. We will need it no longer when we are in heaven with Christ.

5. Helmet of salvation that guards the mind. Are you secure in your salvation? A sure cure for a troubled mind. Not a salvation by how good or accomplished I am, but by what Christ accomplished for me on His cross. The death for our sins but His rising again for our acquittal.

6. The only weapon we are given is His word and it is a sword, not a rapier but a dirk. A small straight sword used for cutting and killing. It has A point to it and cuts both ways.

Again it is borrowed since it is His word.

And the only sure hold-in-your-hand kind of evidence is the bible. If you have your doubts about its veracity, you are missing some other parts of the armor if you have any at all. If you doubt it, you probably have not prayerfully read much or any of it.

Doubters and complainers usually doubt what they are ignorant of and complain about the very things that they do or don't do. ie people that complain about the churches money and teaching on it are the very ones that never give more than a buck or two.

Let's use our borrowed armor well, use it till it is dented, bent and tarnished. I think its original owner is most happy in the end to get it back well used.