Armor Bible Quotes

Finaly, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. -Ephesians 6:10-11

Yes, I pray and go to church and read my Bible. But sometimes I shake my fist at God. It's not the picture of peace I realize, and I certainly make no claims of wearing the armor of God. I'm lucky if I can get the underwear of decency on, all right?

There’s a reason the Bible tells us to guard our heart and put on the armor of God daily.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.

The Bible would not have told us to take up the whole armor of God in order to withstand evil if evil could have been withstood without doing that.

Restricting yourself in the truth of God's word actually releases you into a freedom you would not otherwise have.

Ministry is when you point out Jesus - nothing more and nothing less.

Finally, be strong in the Lord† and in his mighty power.† 11Put on the full armor of God,† so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 ‡ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,† but against the rulers, against the authorities,† against the powers† of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.†

The Bible would not have told us to take up the whole armor of God in order to withstand evil if evil could have been withstood without doing that. To “stand against” literally means to stand in front of and in opposition to the forces and plans of evil.

This Bible of Mine? It is the breath of God spoken into my weary bones. It is the armor I need to walk the roads He has chosen for me, and it's the confirmation of promises that withstand the test of hours and adversity. It's a love letter, and it has my name on it. It has your name on it.

Be broken, [3] you peoples, and  k be shattered; [4]         give ear, all you far countries;     strap on your armor and be shattered;         strap on your armor and be shattered.     10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;         speak a word,  l but it will not stand,         for God  m is with us. [5]

As long as I am inside the gospel, I experience all the protection I need from the powers of evil that rage against me. It is for this reason that the Bible tells me to “take up”10 and “put on”11 the whole armor of God; and the pieces of armor it tells me to put on are all merely synonyms for the gospel. Translated literally from the Greek, they are: “. . . the salvation . . . the

c For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 d The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us  e cast off  f the works of darkness and  g put on the armor of light. 13 h Let us walk properly as in the daytime,  i not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality,  j not in quarreling and jealousy. 14But  k put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh,  l to gratify its desires.

13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

It is hard to overestimate the importance of the Catholic church’s value for European culture and for the whole world. It Christianized and civilized barbaric peoples and for a long time was the only guardian of science and art. Here the church’s cloisters were preeminent. The Catholic church developed a spiritual power unequaled anywhere, and today we still admire the way it combined the principle of catholicism with the principle of one sanctifying church, as well as tolerance with intolerance. It is a world in itself. Infinite diversity flows together, and this colorful picture gives it its irresistible charm (Complexio oppositorum). A country has seldom produced so many different kinds of people as has the Catholic church. With admirable power, it has understood how to maintain unity in diversity, to gain the love and respect of the masses, and to foster a strong sense of community. . . . But it is exactly because of this greatness that we have serious reservations. Has this world [of the Catholic church] really remained the church of Christ? Has it not perhaps become an obstruction blocking the path to God instead of a road sign on the path to God? Has it not blocked the only path to salvation? Yet no one can ever obstruct the way to God. The church still has the Bible, and as long as she has it we can still believe in the holy Christian church. God’s word will never be denied (Isa. 55:11), whether it be preached by us or by our sister church. We adhere to the same confession of faith, we pray the same Lord’s Prayer, and we share some of the same ancient rites. This binds us together, and as far as we are concerned we would like to live in peace with our disparate sister. We do not, however, want to deny anything that we have recognized as God’s word. The designation Catholic or Protestant is unimportant. The important thing is God’s word. Conversely, we will never violate anyone else’s faith. God does not desire reluctant service, and God has given everyone a conscience. We can and should desire that our sister church search its soul and concentrate on nothing but the word [1 Cor. 2:12– 13]. Until that time, we must have patience. We will have to endure it when, in false darkness, the “only holy church” pronounces upon our church the “anathema” (condemnation). She doesn’t know any better, and she doesn’t hate the heretic, only the heresy. As long as we let the word be our only armor we can look confidently into the future.

Put on  h the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against  i the schemes of the devil. 12For  j we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against  k the rulers, against the authorities, against  l the cosmic powers over  m this present darkness, against  n the spiritual forces of evil  o in the heavenly places. 13Therefore  p take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in  q the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore,  r having fastened on the belt of truth, and  s having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and,  t as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up  u the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all  v the flaming darts of  w the evil one; 17and take  s the helmet of salvation, and  x the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying  y at all times  z in the Spirit,  a with all prayer and supplication. To that end  b keep alert with all perseverance, making  c supplication for all the saints, 19and  d also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth  e boldly to proclaim  f the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I  g am an ambassador  h in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

The Whole Armor of God 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For 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. 13Therefore 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. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying 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, 19and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Stand firm in the faith The next charge is to stand firm. A common theme of leadership is the need to be steadfast and stable. Be resolute, especially in your convictions. Plant your feet shoulder length apart so that you can’t be easily blown off course. But stand firm in the faith. Stand on what is solid (Matthew 7:24- 27). Take a stand on the rock of absolute truth in a sandy world without absolutes. To stand firm in the faith you have to know the faith. You have to be grounded in the scriptures. You have to be truth-driven, scripture- soaked and washed. You have to know and articulate the Gospel. You’re only able to stand firm and put off the fear of man when you are informed by the fear of God. You need a dogged tenacity, a voraciousness for the truth of the word of God marked by a red-hot devotional life. Ransack your Bible, tear through it with urgency and let it work your soul out and work into the DNA of who you are. You need that spiritual stability. Remember how Jesus responded when he was tempted by Satan — He went to scripture. Again and again He said, “It is written...” To stand firm in the faith, you have be able to call on scripture when you’re under attack. Think of it in the context of hand to hand combat in the military. When you’re standing firm, you’re able to take a punch. You’ve got your dukes up. You’re alert and watching. You’re dodging and weaving. You’re steady and able to fight. That’s the picture Paul’s giving. In his letter to the Ephesians, he adds the context of doing this in the “whole armor of God”: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God,” he writes, “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Eph. 6:13).

In the Bible, the term “apocalyptic” (apokalypsis) encompasses a worldview in which the truly significant battle is the ongoing one between the Lord God of Sabaoth2 (Hebrew, meaning armies) and the Enemy, who deploys the principalities and Powers (Eph. 2: 2). This contest on the heavenly level is enacted on the earthly level by struggles large and small in the realm of human affairs —battles waged not with worldly weapons but with the spiritual armor of God (Eph. 6: 11-17). 3

Most Christians do not understand the true meaning of submission to authority. The Bible teaches that all authority has been instituted by God Himself, so to refuse to submit to God's delegated authority is to refuse to submit to God.

The Bible would not have told us to take up the whole armor of God in order to withstand evil if evil could have been withstood without doing that. To

The Whole Armor of God God’s Armor for Us 10A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12For we* are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Our battered armor and scarred countenances will render more glorious our victory above, when we are welcomed to the seats of those who have overcome the world. We

The Armor of God 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

A country has seldom produced so many different kinds of people as has the Catholic church. With admirable power, it has understood how to maintain unity in diversity, to gain the love and respect of the masses, and to foster a strong sense of community. . . . But it is exactly because of this greatness that we have serious reservations. Has this world [of the Catholic church] really remained the church of Christ? Has it not perhaps become an obstruction blocking the path to God instead of a road sign on the path to God? Has it not blocked the only path to salvation? Yet no one can ever obstruct the way to God. The church still has the Bible, and as long as she has it we can still believe in the holy Christian church. God’s word will never be denied (Isa. 55:11), whether it be preached by us or by our sister church. We adhere to the same confession of faith, we pray the same Lord’s Prayer, and we share some of the same ancient rites. This binds us together, and as far as we are concerned we would like to live in peace with our disparate sister. We do not, however, want to deny anything that we have recognized as God’s word. The designation Catholic or Protestant is unimportant. The important thing is God’s word. Conversely, we will never violate anyone else’s faith. God does not desire reluctant service, and God has given everyone a conscience. We can and should desire that our sister church search its soul and concentrate on nothing but the word [1 Cor. 2:12– 13]. Until that time, we must have patience. We will have to endure it when, in false darkness, the “only holy church” pronounces upon our church the “anathema” (condemnation). She doesn’t know any better, and she doesn’t hate the heretic, only the heresy. As long as we let the word be our only armor we can look confidently into the future.

has echoes of the armor of God, where the Word of God is our sword (Ephesians 6:17). His Word is His weapon; He brings justice through His Word and is victorious over His enemies. As for the armies of heaven behind Him, it appears we do nothing. He

Armor of God 10Finally, abe strong in the Lord and in bthe strength of His might.†‡ 11aPut on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the bschemes of the devil.† 12For our astruggle is not against b1flesh and blood, but cagainst the rulers, against the powers, against the dworld forces of this edarkness, against the fspiritual forces of wickedness in gthe heavenly places.† 13Therefore, take up athe full armor of God, so that you will be able to bresist in cthe evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.† 14Stand firm therefore, aHAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING bPUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,† 15and having ashod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;† 161in addition to all, taking up the ashield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the bflaming arrows of cthe evil one.† 17And take aTHE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the bsword of the Spirit, which is cthe word of God.† 181With all aprayer and petition b2pray at all times cin the Spirit, and with this in view, d3be on the alert with all eperseverance and fpetition for all the saints,†

Do you spend 90% of your prayer time binding and rebuking the devil and 10% communicating with God? It sounds to me as though you’re being distracted by the enemy. Do you bind the “prevailing spirit” over your unsaved friends’ lives instead of actually sharing the gospel with them? It sounds to me as though the devil has done a great job distracting you from your mission.

If you are living only for this life and material blessings are the main focus of your existence, you are waging a bad warfare. You could confess and declare all you want, you are firing blanks. The devil is laughing at you. Surrender to God’s will is fundamental to waging a good warfare.

So if people who are being persecuted and killed are considered overcomers, where did we get the idea that overcoming means to eradicate sickness and poverty?

devil. 12For we* are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.* 16In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.* 17Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.* 19And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.* 20I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

The Bible promises trials for followers of Christ, so we’re wise to prepare for battle now. A soldier doesn’t begin his training after he’s called into battle; he’s been sacrificing and preparing for months and years before his boots hit the battlefield. So, how do we put on our armor for a spiritual battle? By studying and memorizing God’s Word. It forms a protective shield over our souls, warding off enemy attacks. Many times this past year, I’ve had to cling to the Bible. From sad incidences like pit bulls killing our favorite family dog; to therapies not quite working to allow my youngest son to eat solid foods; to my oldest heading to Iraq again; to dangerous stalkers disrupting our lives; to parents’ health issues; to getting canned from one job and not knowing what was next; to a daughter’s long-awaited happy wedding that didn’t happen; to biopsy results positive for cancer; to all the messed-up political and national security issues I cover in my work; to . . . well, a whole lot more. It’s been a heck of a year, and I couldn’t get through it without God’s promises for a brighter day. SWEET FREEDOM IN Action Memorizing Scripture is a tool to get us through to the other side. Write verses on Post-It Notes and stick them on mirrors, the fridge, the TV. Commit to memorizing new Scripture every month so that when trials come your way, you’ll be locked and loaded and ready for spiritual battle!

The two things that will hold us in deception are ignorance and pride. First, we must realize that God does not desire that we be ignorant. Our primary source of truth is the Word of God. You may be believing something about God, yourself or others that is contrary to the Bible. That is one reason we as Christians must know the Bible. The more we know what it really says, the less of an opening Satan has to lie to us. The belt of truth and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (see Eph. 6:14,17) are, therefore, two very important elements of our spiritual armor as Christians. Pride also works to hold us in deception. This happens when we refuse to acknowledge that we have been deceived because, after all, we know better. Pride is an especially vulnerable area for those who may have grown up in church or have pursued higher Christian education. Satan can be holding us in bondage to sin that we refuse to see. But as my good friend Cindy Jacobs often says, “If you don’t think you can be deceived, you already are!

6:10–18 Spiritual Warfare, FAITH’S WARFARE. Paul admonishes us to put on the whole armor of God in order to stand against the forces of hell. It is clear that our warfare is not against physical forces, but against invisible powers who have clearly defined levels of authority in a real, though invisible, sphere of activity. Paul, however, not only warns us of a clearly defined structure in the invisible realm; he instructs us to take up the whole armor of God in order to maintain a “battle-stance” against this unseen satanic structure. All of this armor is not just a passive protection in facing the enemy; it is to be used offensively against these satanic forces. Note Paul’s final directive: we are to “pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion” (v. 18). Thus, prayer is not so much a weapon, or even a part of the armor, as it is the means by which we engage in the battle itself and the purpose for which we are armed. To put on the armor of God is to prepare for battle. Prayer is the battle itself, with God’s Word being our chief weapon employed against Satan during our struggle. (*/2 Kgs 6:8–17) D.E.

them! Stand forth with helmets! Sharpen the lances! Clothe yourselves in armor!

It’s wonderful to think of the fact that God can turn around a whole nation, a whole world, by using us. God uses simple things, you know that. He uses simple, mundane, everyday, routine, common things for the most amazing purposes. When He made man in the Garden, He didn’t use gold, silver, or even iron; He used dirt. That ought to give you an idea of how He works right from the start. When He called David to deliver Israel from the Philistines, He didn’t want Saul, the great king, and He didn’t want Saul’s massive armor. He used a shepherd and a couple of stones, that’s all. When He came into the world, He didn’t enter the family of the wealthy and noble, He didn’t find Himself born in a castle; He simply chose a peasant girl and a stable. When He chose the Twelve, He didn’t choose the elite, educated, and affluent. He just chose a group of ignorant Galileans. The Bible says, ‘Not many mighty, and not many noble.’ That’s the way it always has been, because God gets the greater glory in the humbleness of the one that He uses. So He uses us, grains of sand, to influence a corrupting world. (Pastor John MacArthur)   When did I start expecting to outgrow child-like reliance? At what age did I think I’d lose the desperation? When did I expect to be mighty and noble? Prestigious? Competent?   God uses the weak, the base, the foolish.   And praise God, I still qualify.

God 10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we* are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we[*] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

The Whole Armor of God 10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

Halloo down there,” the voice said. Ziba saw a burly soldier in armor standing at the edge of the cliff. “Are you Israelites?” “We are,” Jonathan said. “We thought all of the Israelites were still hiding in the caves.” Ziba heard others laughing and could tell that they had been drinking. “We have plenty of wine here if you want to come join us. We even have some of your countrymen who are now in our army.” “If we come up there, it will be only to fight and kill you,” Jonathan said. The Philistine laughed. “Well, then, come on up. It’s plenty boring up here. Maybe you can liven things up, small as you are.” Jonathan looked at Ziba, who then nodded. “We’ll be right up,” Jonathan shouted back.

That’s why I’m waiting on my Boaz.” I nodded and smiled. “He’s the epitome of my Mr. Right. I figure, if God can make a Boaz for Ruth, He can make another one for me.” “Who’s Boaz?” Deniessa asked. “Boaz was a man in the Bible—the Book of Ruth, to be exact,” I explained. “The original knight in shining armor. Boaz was an honorable, compassionate, rich man.

God’s Word says, “Take up the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13). This is not suggested; it is commanded. The Bible would not have told us to take up the whole armor of God in order to withstand evil if evil could have been withstood without doing that.

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

The king of Israel answered, “Say this: ‘Don't let the one who puts on his armor boast h like the one who takes it off.

The people around us seem to be dressed in every kind of clothing from every nation and era in human history. I see people dressed in modern military uniforms, animal skins, togas, tribal regalia, European and Japanese armor, robes, breeches, long dresses, short dresses, and suits. Some people wear not much clothing at all. It's as though we're on the back lot of a movie studio and actors from a hundred different exotic movies mingle together. But these people are real, not costumed performers.

While Jesus does not directly charge his followers with fighting human foes (though there have been those who have found an implicit justification for such in the name of a righteous cause), many of the faith’s adherents have seen the gospel as a call to continue Christ’s cause by engaging in another kind of warfare — one waged on the spiritual plane. The Bible is full of references both to contest — what the ancient Greeks called agon — and to war. Individuals wrestle with God (both metaphorically and literally), and the apostle Paul refers to believers as “athletes” who must “train” their souls and run the race set before them. Believers are to gird themselves about with spiritual “armor,” and wield the “sword of the spirit” in battling unseen forces and directly confronting the conflict between good and evil.

This republic is at war not with men, but with devils, and those incorporeal powers. Wherefore also their captain is no one of men, nor of angels, but God Himself. And the armor too of these warriors suits the nature of the warfare, for it is not formed of hides and steel, but of truth and of righteousness, and faith, and all true love of wisdom.

Make no mistake, you are in a war. From the constant battle between flesh and the spirit to the wickedness in high places, you are in a fight for your abundant life.

When your adversary turns up the heat, consider it a compliment and the proof that you not only belong to God, but are moving in the direction He has called you to. The enemy isn’t chasing anyone he already has.

Don’t you think reading the Bible would help laboring people to resist false prophets?

Are you one of those Christians who believe everything you hear from the pulpit without checking it in the Word? Then the devil’s eyes probably light up when he sees you as well. You are the weakest link as far as he is concerned. You are open prey. That is exactly the kind of people the devil is looking to beguile.

Whatever gifts God has given you, use them to serve Him and build His kingdom on earth.

The devil’s primary goal is to distract us from our mission to win the unsaved to Christ. He will use whatever means he can – sickness, job loss, unsaved family, horrible bosses. Those are just things he uses to distract you.

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you … Luke 10:

The greater one is in me that the one who is in the world, and nothing shall by any means harm me. I command you demons to not come anywhere near my dwelling place in the night while I am sleeping or at any other time.

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. … 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4

Sometimes the battles can get so intense, that it is very tempting to lose heart. But God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He is fighting with us and for us.

Sure the devil has more power than us, but we have been given authority over all his power (Luke 10:19).

the devil is going to attack you where you are weak.

The devil caused Job to get sick, but his real objective was to get Job to renounce God (Job 1:11).

Spiritual warfare is simple. Our ultimate goal is to win the lost to Christ. The devil’s endgame is to frustrate that mission.

whatever you go through, whatever struggles you face, do not withhold your service to God. Always serve God in spite of what you are going through.

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.

Can you recall victories in your life or do you feel pretty bloodied and bruised lately? I have good news-you have dynamic resources available. Remember, we put our foot on the neck of the enemy because Christ's foot is already there. The battlefield is the human mind, and Satan knows he has already been defeated. The Bible, in Ephesians 6, defines the full armor of God that believers can employ both defensively and offensively. "However," Rev. Campos writes, "having authority legally and using it experientially can be two very different things." Warriors offers a comprehensive study of the nature of spiritual warfare, the weapons provided for victory, and the simple yet profound truth believers must embrace in faith: Jesus totally conquered Satan and all demonic forces at Calvary. The victory has been won! Satan's authority over us has been removed, but we have to enforce that defeat.

We live in a society in which mediocrity is the norm. Many people do as little as they can to get by. They don’t take pride in their work or in who they are. If somebody is watching, they may perform one way, but when nobody is watching they’ll cut corners and take the easy way out. If you are not careful, you can be pulled into this same mentality where you think it’s okay to show up late to work, to look less than your best, or to give less than your best. But God doesn’t bless mediocrity. God blesses excellence. I have observed that the fifth undeniable quality of a winner is a commitment to excellence. When you have a spirit of excellence, you do your best whether anyone is watching or not. You go the extra mile. You do more than you have to. Other people may complain about their jobs. They may go around looking sloppy and cutting corners. Don’t sink to that level. Everyone else may be slacking off at work, compromising in school, letting their lawns go, but here’s the key: You are not everyone else. You are a cut above. You are called to excellence. God wants you to set the highest standard. You should be the model employee for your company. Your boss and your supervisors should be able to say to the new hires, “Watch him. Learn from her. Pick up the same habits. Develop the same skills. This person is the cream of the crop, always on time, great attitude, doing more than what is required.” When you have an excellent spirit like that, you will not only see promotion and increase, but you are honoring God. Some people think, “Let me go to church to honor God. Let me read my Bible to honor God.” And yes, that’s true, but it honors God just as much to get to work on time. It honors God to be productive. It honors God to look good each day. When you are excellent, your life gives praise to God. That’s one of the best witnesses you can have. Some people will never go to church. They never listen to a sermon. They’re not reading the Bible. Instead, they’re reading your life. They’re watching how you live. Now, don’t be sloppy. When you leave the house, whether you’re wearing shorts or a three-piece suit, make sure you look the best you possibly can. You’re representing the almighty God. When you go to work, don’t slack off, and don’t give a halfhearted effort. Give it your all. Do your job to the best of your ability. You should be so full of excellence that other people want what you have. When you’re a person of excellence, you do more than necessary. You don’t just meet the minimum requirements; you go the extra mile. That phrase comes from the Bible. Jesus said it in Matthew 5:41--“If a soldier demands you carry his gear one mile, carry it two miles.” In those days Roman soldiers were permitted by law to require someone else to carry their armor.

There is one place you can go for the absolute standard of truth and reality. That’s why God has given us the Bible. It’s the gold standard measuring rod of reality for what is true. Truth is not determined by your vote, my vote, the majority vote, or public opinion. It is not the opinions of your friends or a TV talk show host or a celebrity or whoever else you are listening to. God alone is the majority, and He defines truth. His truth is irreversible and completely unshakable. You may hate the truth, you may make fun of the truth, you may choose not to believe the truth and choose to ignore it, but in the end, truth is still the truth.

(Ephesians 6:13). This is not suggested; it is commanded. The Bible would not have told us to take up the whole armor of God in order to withstand evil if evil could have been withstood without doing that.

Body armor Use: Righteousness Application: The devil often attacks our heart—the seat of our emotions, self-worth, and trust. God’s righteousness is the body armor that protects our heart and ensures his approval. He approves of us because he loves us and sent his Son to die for us.

Sword Use: Word of God Application: The sword is the only weapon of offense in this list of armor. There are times when we need to take the offensive against the devil. When we are tempted, we need to trust in the truth of God’s Word.