Do You Know How to Use the Armor of God? (part 2)

The Seven-fold Armor of God—Part Two

Ephesians 6:10-18 (read it.)

Introduction: The Primacy of the Word

Last time we discussed the first five parts of the Christian’s Armor, as laid out in Ephesians 6:10-18. We saw that the first five items are all primarily defensive in nature. We saw that all of the armor is ultimately dependent on the truth of God’s Word. No part of our experience with God can stand, apart from that central concept.

Indeed, Jesus is identified in John 1:1, 14 as being the Word. And again, in Revelation 19:13, it says that “His name is called ‘The Word of God’….” The centrality of Christ throughout the Scripture is no accident. He is the embodiment of God, and the Scripture is the embodiment of Christ.

A Black and White Picture of Jesus

If it helps to think of it that way, the Scripture is a “black and white portrait of the King.” God assures us of its importance all through the Bible. Psalm 119:9 tells us that it is the only way God can change our lives. Hebrews 4:12 states that it is “alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

2^nd Timothy 3:16, 17 assures us that the scripture is all inspired by God. It is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. It is sufficient to thoroughly furnish us for all good works, and,, to make us mature and complete in Him.

But one thing the Word tells us to do is to Pray. Philosophers argue whether prayer can change anything. They reason that, “if God is all-wise and all-knowing, and predetermines the future from the beginning, then why should He listen to humans?” Why indeed? All we can say is: God commands us to pray without ceasing. He says “the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” You will have to decide whom to believe: Man (no matter how highly educated, or persuasive) or God.

In light of this, let us consider the rest of the weaponry offered to the believer.

Offensive Weapons: The Sword and Prayer

The Sword of the Spirit

This is frequently billed as the “only offensive weapon” in the Christian Armor.” And, from a hasty reading, it might seem so, as it is the only offensive weapon that directly correlates to a part of the Roman armor. God’s Word is frequently compared to a sword. Unlike a firearm, it does not need to be “loaded”…the Word itself is the weapon, just like a physical Sword.

We are to use the Word both defensively and offensively, just as did the Roman soldiers. It can be used to parry a thrust by an enemy, or to pierce the defenses of a human agent of the enemy. We are to bear in mind at all times that humans are not our enemies in spite of the fact that they act the part, and may actively serve our enemies.

Every single one of them is a precious soul for whom our Savior shed His blood. So, when we use the Sword of the Spirit, we do not use it to damage them, but to demolish their defense against God. Another way to see this is: Jesus said “upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” Gates don’t attack anyone…but besieging soldiers can storm the gates of a city. We are to be the army of God, rescuing the prisoners of Hell.

How do we do it? By the Sword of the Spirit and by Prayer. Bear in mind that the Gospel itself is the central theme of the Word of God. When we share the Gospel of God’s Grace; the Good News of the Blood of Christ and his Resurrection, then we are using the Sword of the Spirit to attack the gates of Hell, and to offer rescue to the lost.

How Does One Use a Sword?

Please take seriously the term “sword:” like any weapon, it is made to be used, not argued about. If a mugger stops you on the street, pointing a gun, and you say, “Well, I don’t believe that’s a gun!” The robber will not argue the merits of his gun, nor enter into apologetics to “prove” it is a gun…he will simply pull the trigger! Likewise, when using God’s Word, you do not have to waste time defending its pedigree (though its pedigree is matchless:) just cite the passage, quote the verse, and allow the Spirit to convict the hearer.

The nice thing is that His Word always will have some effect; just not necessarily the one you intended. On the other hand, if you use it unwisely, and cause an unnecessary offense, then you will have damaged another believer, or turned away a person who, momentarily, at least, was willing to hear. So, use the Word wisely, but use it!

It Can Be Used Defensively

Use it to defend against attacks of Satan, the World, or the Flesh. Think back: what was Jesus’ response to the temptations in the wilderness? He responded with God’s Word! He defended against Satan’s attacks with God’s Word. I can defend against verbal attacks by the World in the same way.

A man I worked for once asked me whether Jesus believed in reincarnation. I was a new believer, and taken somewhat off-guard, but I immediately answered “No!” He triumphantly demanded, “Then why did Jesus say that John the Baptist was Elijah?” As a new believer, I knew very little of God’s Word, and didn’t even know Hebrews 9:27, which says we die once, and then we are judged. So, I prayed for wisdom, and thought for a moment.

Then I asked, “Reincarnation requires that one dies and comes back in another body, doesn’t it?” He agreed that it did. I cited the only thing I knew of God’s Word that seemed applicable: “Well, the Bible says Elijah never died!” His face went blank, and without another word, he went back to whatever he was doing. I don’t think he changed his mind, but God’s Word did defend me.

Another Example of Defense

The same man on another occasion, claimed that Edgar Cayce was a prophet. I had never heard of the man, but I had read just enough to know that God demanded 100% accuracy of his prophets, so I cautioned the man that this was the case. He stated with certainty, “Edgar Cayce never missed!” I thought for a bit, and really had no answers, but as I prayed for wisdom, God brought to my mind another idea: I asked, “Did Edgar Cayce ever have a vision of Christ?” He said “Yes!” I asked, “Did he happen to notice his hair color?”

He grinned and said, “Yes! It was red!” I said, “Well, that’s funny, because the only two visions of Christ given in the Bible, before his birth or after his death, he had snow-white hair!” Again, the man was silenced. That was not really my intent, and I was actively praying for the man’s salvation, but he saw me as a nineteen-year-old “pup,” and he deliberately tried to confuse me and disturb my newfound faith. He was not looking for answers at all.

I don’t know what became of that man: After I left his employment, I never saw him again. But it was a very valuable training experience: I learned to use the two “offensive weapons” of the Armor of God, though in defensive mode: I prayed for wisdom, and I used the written Word.

And of Offense

So, what about an offensive use? I recall hearing about a man who, when confronted by a fairly aggressive and argumentative unbeliever, kept saying, “Well; all I know is that ‘…it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment!’ ” He made no attempt to “out-maneuver, out-argue, out-think, or out-fight” his opponent. He made no attacks on him, nor did he try to “shut him up” He simply kept reiterating the fact that death was the inevitable end of every man’s life, and that judgment, just as inevitably, would follow.

The quiet repetition of that fact eventually got the unbeliever’s attention, and he quit attacking and began asking for answers. The result was that he was further convicted by God’s Word, and was eventually saved. I don’t know what happened after that; I hope he ultimately became just as aggressive for God, but I don’t know.

Evangelism is an Offensive Move Against The Enemy of OUr Souls!

There was another time when I thought I was using God’s Word as food, and a healing balm, but the person I was talking to was not a new believer (as I had mistakenly thought) but an unbeliever coming to grips with the claim of God on her life, and her need for a Savior.

While I thought I was offering scripture as assurance of salvation, the Holy Spirit was leading her to Christ with the same verses I was offering as assurance. She finally prayed with me, thanking God for that assurance, and went home. It was two weeks later she told me that that was when she was born again.

I was “too blind to know what was really happening” (spiritual things are largely invisible), but I was faithful to share the Word, and God used it to His own purpose. She kept coming to church, and we had Bible Study with her and her husband at their apartment for many months. They were actively involved in their church since then. I can take no credit at all—I didn’t even know what was going on. All I could do was to hold out the light. God used it to draw her to himself.

God says, “My Word …shall not return unto me void, but will accomplish the purpose to which I have sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) We don’t always even know that purpose…but we can offer His Word, and allow His Spirit to use it.

God Says It Takes Practice!

So: how can you use a weapon you have never learned to handle? God says, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth” (2^nd Timothy 2:15.) If you haven’t deliberately engaged in “sword-training, and sword-drills” just as modern soldiers spend countless hours in weapons-training, exercise, and drills, then how can you realistically hope to use that “sword” effectively when the time comes, and “the moment is now?”

We offer several opportunities for Bible training every week, here at True Hope. There are numerous training books available, as well as online Bible schools—good ones—that you can attend, if you so desire.

Training is Available

Richard Banham and I (and others) were blessed at an early age to have the opportunity to get some formal training. That is fine, but the honest truth is, every single thing we got in those schools is available to every other believer in this country as well, if they are willing to seek it. Proverbs 2:3-6 states that if you make God’s wisdom your treasure—the thing you earnestly seek, as if it were hidden treasure—then He will see to it that you find it. But he clearly states that it comes “from His mouth—His Word.” (What a surprise!)

So, if I want God’s wisdom I first ask for it (James 1:5), and then search His Word daily (Acts 17:11), to find it. And He will be found (Jeremiah 29:13, 14.)

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would “bring to your remembrance all things whatsoever He has taught you.” If that is so, then we need to be in the Word, if for no other reason, so that the Holy Spirit has something to work with. Had I not “just happened” to have read those passages about Elijah, and the passages with visions of the glorified Christ, I would have had no answers for the verbal attack made by a servant of the Enemy.

If I am not in the Word on a regular basis, then I will be weak when the day of the battle arrives. And, most times, we get no warning at all…it is suddenly upon us, and we are either prepared or we are not. The Holy Spirit can’t “bring to your remembrance” something you have never learned. You will either be prepared or you won’t.

So, What About Prayer?

If we do not read carefully enough, it may seem that Paul includes prayer almost as an afterthought. But the fact is, he has already brought up his own dependence on prayer a number of times earlier in this book, as he prayed for the Ephesian believers: giving thanks for them, praying that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened, that they would know what is the exceeding greatness of the Power of God toward the believers, that God would grant that they would be strengthened with might, by the Spirit, that Christ would dwell in their hearts by faith, and many other things.

Now he continues the sentence about the “…Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God,” with the command to pray at all times with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. That is not an afterthought—it is a continuation of the command that we clothe ourselves in the armor of God. This is both a defensive and an offensive weapon just as is the Word of God.

Prayer is one of the Weapons, Too!

God says prayer matters. He cites many examples throughout the Old and New Testaments where people brought their daily lives to God in prayer, and, as a result, when a crisis came, they were already at home in His presence…they prayed confidently, knowing His power and His goodness, and they received what they asked for because, daily, they had been conscious of His working in their lives, and were asking in accordance with his observed will and direction.

We can pray for intervention; we can pray for relief; we can pray for provision. We can offer confession of Sin, so as to clear the way for real intercessory prayer, as priests in the Body of Christ. We can offer Worship and adoration as the joyful recipients of His Grace. We can offer supplication, praying for other people’s needs as well as our own.

Giving of Thanks is Part of Prayer

We can offer Thanksgiving, as we recognize the reality of answered prayer and constant provision. We can offer thanksgiving for prayers that were denied, as they probably protected us from an unseen hazard, or provided for some better thing, later on. We can thank God for hard times, knowing that they strengthen us for the battles yet to come.

We can use God’s Word in prayer, recalling His promises. This is not “trying to twist God’s arm.” so to speak …(don’t bother trying…it can’t be done.) He is God…we are His creation. We do not command God. He commands us, and we either obey or fail to obey.

Conclusion: USE IT!

Our Armor, then—all of it—depends on the Truth of God’s Word, and demands that we very deliberately and specifically place our faith on His provision for our safety and strength.

We gird our loins with Truth as we continually place our dependence on His Word.
We prepare ourselves in the Gospel, especially the Gospel of Peace, as a continuing training, so that we will always be ready for sure-footed service.
We protect our hearts with the Breastplate of Righteousness, as we rest in His righteousness, not our own.
We constantly are on guard with the Shield of Faith, actively believing God for his presence and guidance.
We protect our minds with the Helmet of Salvation; knowingwe have eternal Life, and knowing we are kept by His power, not our own.
We daily take up the Sword of the Spirit, as we actively seek to master the use of God’s Word for every need in our lives. Finally,
We earnestly seek God’s face as our Commander in Chief, in daily, moment by moment Prayer, for ourselves and for others; in Confession, Adoration, Supplication and Thanksgiving.

How is your armor “fitting?” Does it feel heavy? (It really shouldn’t.) That is a great thing about the armor of God…it is uplifting. If you are wearing it, and wearing it faithfully, all your other burdens become lighter.

Make the armor of God a daily priority in your life, by feeding daily on His Word, and consciously clothing yourself in His protection every day.

Lord Jesus, draw us deeper into your Written Word, so that we may be drawn deeper into a living relationship with yourself, the Living Word. Arm us against our enemies, for the sake of your Name. Amen.

April 5, 2025April 5, 2025

Do You Know How To Apply The Armor Of God?

The Seven-fold Armor of God—Part One

Ephesians 6: 10-18 (read it.)

Introduction:

We recently studied Ephesians 6:10-13. There, we saw that we were to find our strength in the Person of Christ, his indwelling Holy Spirit, and that He has sent us to live in this World as lights in a dark place. God tells us “stand against the enemies of our souls, and do not be dismayed by the evil in the world.” We are to announce the judgment and the salvation of God, as His Ambassadors.

As we move on, and learn about the Armor of God, we see “seven” pieces of armor listed. We often associate the number seven, in scripture, with “completeness” or “completion.” The final Judgments in the Revelation come in three waves of seven, nested within one another.

We talk about the “Last Trumpet” ending the reign of Man on Earth. It is the seventh trumpet of Judgment on the Earth, during the great Tribulation. There are many examples of such “things”sevens,” Old and New Testament. I don’t want to overemphasize it, though, because, as they say, “sometimes seven just means one more than six.”

However, in this particular case God has offered us something, and it is a perfect gift, as mentioned in James 1:17 “Every Good gift and every perfect Gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” So, while I do not want to “overemphasize the number seven;” in this case, it seems to bear out what Paul says about the armor—it is the “whole” armor of God…it is complete in every way.

Five Primarily Defensive Weapons:

First things first: (v. 14) “Having your loins girt about with truth”

As a small child learns to dress himself, he learns very quickly that we put on our various garments on, in a specific order. You can’t put your shoes on before your socks, for example. Well, the first thing God says is that we are to “stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth….”

Consider the Truth of God’s Word to be a belt. If you watch a carpenter’s crew gearing up for work, you will see that one of the final things they put on is their tool belt. It holds all their hand tools, and frequently a few pounds of nails, screws, or other fasteners. But it goes on last.

The Truth of God’s Word is similar: It upholds everything else. Without the truth of God’s Word, nothing else in the Christian Life is valid or helpful. This belt, unlike the carpenter’s tool-belt, however, comes first. God says to “gird up our loins” with the truth of God’s written Word. It is the foundation for all the rest of the armor, and it must be put on first.

Everything Depends upon the Truth of God’s Word

All of our existence as believers depends on this one thing: God’s Word is True! It either is, or it isn’t. We are not looking at a smorgasbord, from which we are to choose what to believe. There are certainly many parts we understand poorly, and probably some we don’t understand at all. (Daniel complained about this, in Daniel chapter 12. The speaker told him that that portion was not for him, but that it would be understood by the people of the end times.) But it is all “God-breathed”—”God-inspired.” It is all true!

Bear in mind that the door to the truth is the will, not the intellect. It is very seldom possible to “argue” someone into believing. Ultimately, we recognize that we have a choice to make, and we choose, either to receive the voice of God, or to reject it.

After I chose to believe God’s Word, I had to depend on Him to give me more information to confirm that choice. I discovered that, once you begin looking for the “fingerprints of God” in your life, believing that His hand is at work, you will begin to see His hand everywhere. God has big hands, and He leaves big fingerprints.

What if I don’t Believe the Whole Bible?

But if you decide to deny him, there will always be a plausible doubt—a reason not to believe. Ultimately, it requires more faith to disbelieve God’s Word than to believe it, as there is such an super-abundance of evidence in His favor. If I choose to doubt, then I must believe in my own wisdom, for which I have a lifetime of evidence that it is not worthy of faith.

Or, I may believe other humans: “wise men” who continually give me reason (via news stories, and governmental decisions, and scientific community shenanigans) to know that their wisdom is no better than mine…maybe worse. So, the choice is clear: I either believe the Word of One whose track-record is perfect, though sometimes mysterious, or that of humans who continually make bad decisions.

If my confidence is in God’s Word, then the rest of the Armor is at my disposal. If not, then I have nothing. In similar fashion, the Ancient Roman soldiers attached much of their armor to, or suspended it from the belt. They secured the belt, first: If the belt failed, the breastplate fell away, and the sword sheath would be gone. Choose to put your daily, living Faith in the truth of God’s Word. He is worthy of your faith.

How to Protect the Heart: The Breastplate of Righteousness

The Breastplate, of course, is just what it sounds like—a plate, or shell, to cover the chest and abdomen from a frontal attack. The Roman soldier was primarily a foot-soldier, and when facing enemy soldiers, his vital organs needed protection from swords, spears, etc. …and primarily from the front. He wasn’t supposed to retreat.

God says that the Breastplate in the Christian’s armor is Righteousness…but not the righteousness of the believer, primarily—the believer is too fallible for that to hold up for very long. Where can we get a righteousness that will hold up under the attack of Satan? And how will it protect the heart of the believer?

Where Do We Get the Breastplate of Righteousness?

Turn in your Bible to 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He hath made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who (Christ) knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him.” That is the only righteousness on which we can depend…the Righteousness of God, imputed to us through the Blood of Jesus. Genesis 15:6 says “Abraham believed God and He (God) counted it to him (Abraham) as righteousness.” That is our only source of Righteousness. Paul says, in Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

When our conscience accuses us, and Satan chimes in, condemning us for the sins of the flesh and of the mind, we can rest on the righteousness of Christ. “Yes I am a sinner! That is why Jesus went to the Cross! His blood paid the price: The full price for my sin. I have become the Righteousness of God in Him.” Do I consciously “feel” that way? No!

Feelings are not Reliable

My “feelings” are bound up in my experience, and my daily experience tells me that I am a sinner. The fact, however, is that I am now in Christ, not in the flesh, and His righteousness has become mine. God no longer sees me in my old sin nature. It is vitally important to grasp this truth, because without it you will constantly be under attack from the enemies of your soul: They will tell you that you are “not good enough” to be a child of God, much less His Ambassador.

Our defense against this sort of attack, whether from our own flawed conscience, or the world, or Satan himself. is to freely confess that on our own we have NO righteousness, but that in Christ we are completely Holy and Righteous, just as He is. That is hard for me to imagine!

Fortunately, I do not have to imagine it: turn to Ephesians 4:24. “…and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true Holiness.” Notice that it says that this New Man is “created.” The person in focus, here, is not the indwelling Holy Spirit, but the new nature of the believer. The Holy Spirit is God…He is not a created being. But the person who has been born again is a new Creation in Christ (2^nd Corinthians 5:17.)

And that new Man, the new nature of the Born-again believer, is created in Righteousness (Christ’s Righteousness!) and true Holiness. Wow! What a powerful statement about our position in Christ. That is why we can say with confidence, that in Him we are secure forever! That is why we can use the Breastplate of Righteousness—Christ’s Righteousness, to protect our hearts from the attack of the Evil One.

What About Shoes?

A soldier can only fight so long as he has firm footing. God calls us to prepare our feet with the “preparation of the Gospel of peace.”

The Roman army issued its soldiers a pair of hobnail sandals. He strapped them on before battle, or whenever he was on duty. They were sturdy, and solid. The sandals were made to be of maximum durability, strength and secure footing: Not necessarily for comfort. Armies today issue similar footgear to their soldiers: durable, with good all-terrain traction, and (in jungle climates) breathable fabric, to avoid excess moisture and possible fungus infections.

We are to constantly be preparing for service by reading and reviewing the scriptures, and specifically the “Gospel of Peace.” How does that differ from the Gospel of Grace? Effectively they are one and the same. Nearly every Epistle in the New Testament begins with the phrase, “Grace be unto you, and Peace…” or something very similar, within the first verse or two. And it always comes in that order: Grace, resulting in Peace.

At Peace WITH God!

When we believed the Gospel of Grace, we were made new creatures in Christ, and, whether we are aware of it or not, we are permanently at Peace with God…He is no longer at odds with us, as He no longer sees us in our sins. Romans 5:1 says, “Being justified (declared righteous) by faith we have peace with God. We don’t have to seek it. Peace with God is eternally ours!

Having the Peace of God is another matter. We confess our sins and cast our cares on Him to have the peace of God. We have the peace of God when we are walking in the Spirit, and casting our cares upon Him because He cares for us. Philippians 4:6, 7 says that we are to be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, we are to make our requests known to Him, so that the Peace of God can be our daily experience. If we don’t, it won’t!

The firm footing from which we can offer eternal life to the lost, and upon which we stand against the enemy, is the fact that we are permanently at peace with God. We are no longer his enemies, and never will be so again.

And The Shield?

We are told that, above all, we are to take the Shield of Faith, with which we shall be able to quench all the flaming darts of the wicked. All who are Born Again have experienced saving faith. We are saved by Grace, through Faith in His Blood. (Romans 3:25) There is no other way offered, though many false teachers propose “alternate routes.”

But the living faith, mentioned here, is our daily dependence on God for wisdom, protection, guidance, and strength. This concept has been taught from earliest times, in both the Old and the New Testament. Gideon was told, “Go, in this thy strength: have I not sent thee?” Solomon taught, (Proverbs 3:5, 6) “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.”

Omni-directional Defense!

Doubts can be thrown at us from any of our enemies. The World constantly heaps doubt on the Christian, either flatly denying the truth of God’s Word, or calling into question the character of God and His followers. Our own flesh, the most devious of our enemies, does the same thing, saying, “Well, that doesn’t feel right…I’m not comfortable with that…” But (again) our feelings are not reliable indicators of truth. God’s Word is!

Our comfort or discomfort are also not reliable as indicators of truth. Our old sin nature will never be comfortable with God’s Word—it cannot be, according to Romans 8:7. So why should I even consider its claims? Satan will use any means available, to cast doubt on God’s Word. Remember how he used the serpent against Eve: “Yea, hath God surely said…?” and “Ye shall not surely die…” Satan begins by casting doubt on the Word, and then calls God’s character into question. He first suggests that perhaps the Word is not reliable, and then flatly calls God a liar.

All of these sources of doubt stem from the Evil One. Our defense against all of these attacks is Faith. It does not matter how I feel about something: What God says is what matters.

It does not matter what the World says about God—they have already rejected Christ and His Word: They are an incredibly unreliable measure of truth. And, ultimately, if our confidence is in His Word, then we need not fear Satan’s “flaming Darts of doubt,” however he delivers them: We will meet them with the Shield of Faith!

The Helmet—Protecting the Mind

The pieces of armor are all tied together by a common theme: The truth of God’s Word, and the secure position of the believer in Christ are the reason they all work. What can we do to protect our minds? The heaviest doubt or fear, particularly for a young believer, is that somehow we can lose our salvation…that somehow we have not done enough, and that God will abandon us.

Little children, toddlers especially, frequently fear separation from their mothers. Even older children sometimes fear abandonment, especially if they come from a broken home, or have gone through foster homes and adoption at a later age. The Christian is under attack from Satan in that same vein. He whispers, “Well, that was too much for God, brother! You have sinned your way out of Grace, now, sister!”

Sadly, this idea is even taught in some churches. How can I possibly put on the Helmet of Salvation if I am not sure I am saved, and/or I am not sure that I cannot lose my salvation? How can my mind be free to serve Christ, if I am constantly focused on “working to keep” something that I cannot lose?

There are two things to bear in mind here:

God the Son (Jesus) says you can have eternal life today: You do no have to “wait ‘til you die” to find out if you have it. (John 5:24)
God wants you to know that you have it. (1^st John 5:11-13)

Rest in the promise of God, believing His promise regarding your salvation. Then you will no longer be subject to Satan’s attacks on your mind. You are wearing the Helmet of Salvation!

Next time we will talk about the offensive weapons in the Christian’s armor.

In the meantime, please meditate on the five defensive weapons God has given you, to defend against your enemies, and be at peace. If you want to read ahead, consider how the Word of God and Prayer can be used as offensive weapons.

May the Lord richly bless you as you walk with Him and firmly stand against your enemies.