The Armor of God described in Ephesians 6 is awesome. When I read about it and consider having it on in my life, it sounds so great. I know I want to wear it. I want to stand against the devil’s schemes. I think I’m putting the armor on everyday, so how do I know if I’m wearing it? What’s the evidence of having the armor on?
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:14-17 NIV
Is your life changing?
The mission statement at Crestview is all about life change because of and through Jesus. So some fruit to look for as evidence of wearing the armor of God is life change itself. Have you made progress in beating a bad habit? Do you recognize that your desires have shifted to align more with Christ? Has the way you speak shifted away from foul language towards uplifting speech?
It isn’t an overnight experience, so be intentional and honest with yourself. You’re not glorifying yourself by recognizing life change, you’re glorifying Jesus. If you have a hard time seeing the change in your own life, ask someone who loves you. This is another reason that community is so important for a follower of Jesus. You could more easily see change in a brother or sister than you can sometimes see in your own life, and the inverse is also true. They’ll see the ways God is changing you.
Do you have peace?
Armor is security. Security, in the right form, brings peace. God is always right, so His armor in your life will bring you peace. Do you find yourself dwelling less on anxious thoughts? I don’t mean that you’ll never experience anxiety again, but is its hold on you weakened? This is fruit of a heart and mind that are guarded in Christ. Fruit of having the armor of God on.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 NIV
Peace isn’t found in a lack of all anxiety, but in an increase of trust in God. The more you rely on God and His armor to defend you, the more peace you will possess and experience.
Do you see God working?
A question that gets asked in a lot of meeting at Crestview is this: What are your God sightings for the week? I think strong evidence that you are armored up is that you see God moving throughout the week. This doesn’t mean that God is now rewarding you by doing more obvious things around you, but instead that you are seeking God intentionally throughout each day and are seeing Him where He is already working. You’ll recognize His presence in the world around you: the melody of birds in the trees will sound more like worship of the Father; conversations aren’t mundane, they are opportunities for the Gospel; there aren’t “normal” days, but rather abundant blessings. Part of putting on the armor of God is surrounding yourself with its pieces. Truth, righteousness, faith, and the rest. As you put the armor on, you will simply recognize what you are surrounded with already.
