#1499. To Stand, Put On The Armour Of God (21/4/26)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.

To be strong in the Lord and stand, we must put on the ‘full armour of God’. 

To watch this devotional, please select the link below:

How can we “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power”?

Perhaps you’ve had the experience of boarding an aeroplane to travel abroad. It’s amazing—you purchase a ticket, show your passport, step on board, take your seat, and without any effort of your own, you are carried through the sky to another country!

But to benefit from this “power,” you must get on the plane.

In the same way, to be strong in God and in His mighty power requires action. We must put on His armour and pray in the Spirit.

1. Put on

To “put on” speaks of intentional effort. We must understand what the armour is and consciously clothe ourselves with it. Like a knight of old, we are responsible to put on the armour God provides - no one else can do it for us. 

2. Stand against the devil’s schemes

There is a clear reason we need God’s armour: we are in a real spiritual battle against a powerful enemy:

Our struggle is not ultimately against people, but against spiritual forces. The enemy works through deception, temptation, division, and discouragement. Without God’s armour, we are vulnerable.

Alongside the ongoing battle, there are particular moments—“days of evil”—times of intense testing, temptation, or pressure.

We cannot prepare in the battle; we must prepare before it.

In the life of Christ, His temptation in the wilderness can be seen as such a day (Matthew 4:1–11).

• He is tempted to turn stones into bread, but He trusts God’s word over physical need (vv.3–4).

• He is tempted to throw Himself from the temple, but He refuses to test God (vv.5–7).

• He is offered the kingdoms of the world, but He chooses to worship God alone (vv.8–10).

• Each time, Jesus responds with Scripture, standing firm in obedience. In the end, the devil leaves Him, and angels come to attend Him (v.11).

This is a great example of Jesus using the armour of God - the belt of truth and sword of the Spirit for example. 

4. So we can stand

The call to “stand” is repeated three times in this short passage:

• ‘Take your stand…’ (v.11)

• ‘…that you may be able to stand…’ (v.13)

• ‘Stand firm then…’ (v.14)

Importantly, these commands are plural. Paul is addressing the church, not just individuals.

So this means:

• Stand together – Commit to church community.

• Keep standing together – Only together can we stand.

• Stand firm together – Support those who are wavering.

A lone soldier is vulnerable, but a united line that stands firm is powerful.

Response

• What is the devil seeking to do to the church—and to you personally?

• What “schemes” does he use to destabilise your faith?

• How can you intentionally put on the armour of God so that you can stand?

Every day brings trials that seek to undermine our joy and faith. Today we are reminded that to be strong in the Lord and to stand firm, we must put on the full armour of God.

Days of evil will come - but if we are prepared, we will stand.

Community Group Study

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

Something that builds relationships and confidence to share; it’s good to regularly use this moment to ask the group: How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we resumed our series: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

We reflected on the vital truth that we are to seek to be strong in God by using the resources that He provides - The armour of God. 

Please read Ephesians 6:10-17 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection - From Sunday’s message and this passage, what stood out to you? Was there anything the Spirit particularly impressed on your heart?

• Why be strong in the Lord? - What does this passage say about the reasons we have to be strong in the Lord? 

• The armour  - The armour of God can be summarised: 

  • i. The belt of truth – Believing the truth of Scripture and living truthfully with others.

  • ii. The breastplate of righteousness – Trusting that we are made righteous by grace, and living righteously.

  • iii. The gospel shoes – Being ready to share the gospel of peace, standing firm in it when accused, and applying it in our relationships.

  • iv. The shield of faith – Holding firmly to the truths of the faith and actively trusting God in times of attack.

  • v. The helmet of salvation - Assurance of salvation - our hope.

  • vi. The sword of the Spirit - The ’Spirit-led' (prophetic) use of scripture to attack lies

What particular pieces of the armour resonate with you at this time in your life and why? 

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• Armour for mission -  What aspects of the armour ensure that, if put on, keep us effective in reaching our community for Jesus? 

• Sharing Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing stories of how we’ve seen God at work through simple faithfulness.

• Practical Next Steps – Who might God be placing on your heart at this time? Are there any “people of peace” (see note) in your life—those who seem open, welcoming, or receptive to spiritual conversation?

Let’s Pray Together

Let’s pray for one another in light of what we’ve studied and bring any other needs before God.

• Pray for courage, wisdom, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our Serve, Invest, and Invite opportunities.

• Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - that God would open hearts and deepen relationships.

• General prayer: From our study, or from personal needs, how do people want prayer?