SIMPLICITY IN CHRIST: the Armor of God
/But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:3 NKJV
The simplicity that is in Christ, my word for the year, has grabbed hold of me deeply.
As I was preparing a lesson on Spiritual Warfare in our ladies’ Bible class, I was arrested by my word and verse again.
Of course, HE is the key to spiritual warfare, and setting my mind simply on HIM is the answer to every battle I face in this life. After all, HE is the One who has already won the war (Hebrews 2:14-15)!
And HE Himself is not complicated. (We seem to make Him that). Take for instance, the scriptural exhortation to put on the full armor of God. Have you realized that He Himself is every “piece of armor”? When we put on our armor, we are actually chosing to put on Christ in His different aspects in the situation we face.
Here is our passage from Ephesians 6:10-18 NASB. I’ll share some verses (cross references) to amplify the fact that our Jesus is everything we need in the struggle we are facing right now.
STAND FIRM IN HIM & focus your attention on HIM, dear friend!
Ephesians 6:10-18 NASB
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
PUT ON the LORD Jesus Christ
Galatians 3:27 -- For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
[this is already true of us IN CHRIST}
Romans 13:14 -- But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. {In our daily life, we chose to make this true in our present experience by surrendering to Him]
14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth,
HE Himself IS TRUTH
John 14:6 -- Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
14b and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
HE Himself IS RIGHTEOUSNESS
1 Cor 1:30 -- But it is due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace;
HE Himself IS PEACE
Colossians 1:20 -- and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Ephesians 214 – For He Himself is our Peace…
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
HE Himself IS FAITH
Hebrews 12:2 -- looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Galatians 2:20 KJV -- I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
17 And take the helmet of salvation
HE Himself IS SALVATION
Acts 4:10-12 -- let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
Matthew 1:21 -- She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He Himself will save His people from their sins.”
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
He Himself is the Living WORD
John 1:1 —In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Hebrews 4:12-13 — For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer.
18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,
He Himself is our INTERCESSOR
Hebrews 7:24-25 — Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 4:14-16 — Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
Romans 8:26-27 — Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for uswith groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the ]saints according to the will of God.
Why not meditate, visualize, and then stand firm in WHO HE IS in you and through you in the situation you face today. HE is the VICTOR. Trust in HIM!
For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world;
and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
1 John 5:4 NASB
