Armour of God – Bible Study

ARMOUR OF GOD

You are already in a battle. The only question is whether you are dressed for it.

Paul wrote Ephesians 6 surrounded by Roman soldiers, fully acquainted with their armour and the discipline required to wear it well. Every piece he describes served a real purpose in real combat. When we understand what those pieces meant to a first-century soldier, the spiritual application becomes far more than poetic language. It becomes a practical call to readiness.

Ephesians 6:10–20
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ 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 firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

BE STRONG

Verse 10

Roman soldiers did not rely on their own strength alone. They trained relentlessly and fought as part of a larger unit, drawing on the power of the legion behind them. Paul’s opening call to “be strong in the Lord” mirrors this. The believer’s strength is not self-generated. It flows from belonging to something far greater than oneself.

Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

2 Timothy 1:7
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Where in your life right now are you trying to stand in your own strength rather than drawing from God’s?

WHOLE ARMOUR

Verses 11-13

A Roman soldier’s armour was designed to work as a complete system. Each piece protected a specific vulnerability, and leaving any one piece off could prove fatal. Paul’s use of the phrase “whole armour” is deliberate. Partial obedience or selective spiritual preparation leaves real gaps. The enemy knows exactly where to strike.

Romans 13:12
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

1 Peter 5:8-9
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Is your approach to spiritual readiness more reactive by putting on armour after you are already under pressure or is it proactive?

STAND

Verses 13-14

In Roman military tactics, holding ground was often more decisive than advancing. Legions were trained to form a defensive line and stand firm against repeated assaults, knowing that breaking rank meant breaking everything. Paul uses the same language, “stand,” “stand firm,” “withstand.” The goal is not retreat and not reckless charge. It is disciplined, rooted resistance.

1 Corinthians 16:13
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

What is the difference between stubborn resistance and Spirit-empowered standing? How do you know which one you are doing?

BELT OF TRUTH

Verse 14

The Roman soldier’s belt, called the cingulum, was the first piece of equipment put on and the piece everything else depended on. It gathered the tunic, anchored the armour, and held the sword in place. Without it, nothing else functioned properly. Truth works the same way spiritually, it is the foundation that holds every other piece of the armour together. A life built on distorted truth will eventually unravel.

John 8:31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’

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.’

John 17:17
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

In what areas of your life have you allowed compromise, half-truths, or self-deception to quietly loosen the foundation everything else rests on?

BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Verse 14

The Roman breastplate, or lorica, was engineered to protect the chest cavity of the heart, lungs, and vital organs. A soldier struck there without protection rarely survived. Paul’s choice of this metaphor is pointed. Righteousness is both the righteousness received through Christ and the righteous living that flows from it. Guilt, shame, and moral compromise are among the enemy’s most effective weapons against the heart.

Isaiah 59:17
He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Philippians 3:8-9
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

Are there areas of unconfessed sin, guilt, or shame that have left your heart exposed and vulnerable?

SHOES OF THE GOSPEL

Verse 15

Roman soldiers wore heavy-duty hobnailed sandals called caligae, designed to grip any terrain and allow rapid, stable movement over long distances. These were not comfort shoes, they were built for endurance and traction. The gospel of peace functions the same way spiritually. It does not make the ground easier. It gives the believer sure footing on whatever ground they find themselves on, and the readiness to keep moving forward.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 10:14-15
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’

How prepared are you to share the gospel or speak peace into someone’s life when the opportunity comes?

SHIELD OF FAITH

Verse 16

The Roman legionary carried a large, curved rectangular shield called the scutum, it is roughly four feet tall and built to absorb significant impact. Before battle, soldiers would often soak their shields in water specifically to extinguish flaming arrows. In tight formation, soldiers would interlock their shields, creating a nearly impenetrable barrier. Paul’s reference to “flaming darts” is not poetic decoration, it is precise military imagery. Faith, actively held, quenches what is designed to wound and set fire.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

1 John 5:4
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.

What doubts, fears, or accusations are you allowing to land and smoulder rather than standing in faith?

HELMET OF SALVATION

Verse 17

The Roman helmet, the galea, was designed to protect the head from sword blows that could disorient or kill instantly. It featured cheek guards and a neck guard, shielding not just the skull but the areas most vulnerable to a soldier’s thinking and perception. The mind is the primary battlefield of spiritual warfare. Doubt, despair, and condemnation are all aimed at the head. The assurance of salvation is what protects the believer’s thinking from being destabilized.

1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Titus 3:5
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

What would change in how you think, speak, and live if you wore the helmet of salvation more deliberately, one fully settled in the assurance of who you are in Christ?

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

Verse 17

The Roman gladius was a short, double-edged sword designed for close, brutal combat. Unlike the other pieces of armour, which are entirely defensive, the sword is the one offensive weapon in the list. It required training, discipline, and proximity to the enemy to use effectively. The Word of God functions the same way, it is not passive decoration. Jesus himself used Scripture directly against the enemy’s attacks in the wilderness. The sword has to be picked up and used.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Matthew 4:3-4
And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’

Is the Word of God an active weapon in your daily life, or more of a symbol you carry without drawing?

PRAYING AT ALL TIMES

Verse 18

Roman soldiers did not fight as isolated individuals. They communicated constantly within their unit, maintained signals with commanders, and depended on coordination to survive. Prayer is the communication line that holds the whole armour together and keeps the believer connected to the Commander. Paul places it at the end not as an afterthought, but as the animating force behind everything else. Armour worn in silence and isolation is armour worn without its full power.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Philippians 4:6-7
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

What does your current prayer life say about how seriously you take the battle you are in?

Paul wrote these words while literally chained in prison. What battles in your life have you been fighting without putting on the armour of God and standing firm?

For further reading on Roman military armour and tactics:

Roman Armor and Weapons — World History Encyclopedia: worldhistory.org/article/1692/roman-armor–weapons/

Military Tactics of the Roman Army — Spartacus Educational: spartacus-educational.com/ROMmilitary.htm

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.