I’m not a fan of the big, bloody battle scenes in movies. The scenes where the grizzly looking men don their armor and swords and run into the field of battle meeting their foes with blood flying and bodies falling. And I’m not really into the out for justice type of movies where the hero is wronged and then proceeds to kill everyone in his path to exact justice/revenge (these seem to be some of my husband’s favorite movies though. A guy thing, maybe? ;)).

But I am a bit of a superhero movie nerd. The idea of an average person with extraordinary capabilities that can save the world is really appealing to me. So in studying on the Armor of God I couldn’t really relate to the idea of putting on actual armor- the helmet and boots and shield and carrying a sword but when I found this clip, I thought, “Bingo!” so I had to share! If you’re not a fan, feel free to skip but if you’re into that sort of thing here you go:

Iron Man Full Armor of God Illustration from pastoreja on GodTube.

Suddenly it makes sense to think of the Armor of God as our suit. As the items that change us from average people into extraordinary ones. It’s not our abilities. Not at all. It’s all about the suit that God gives us. Just like a superhero transforms when he comes out of that phone booth with the red tights and cape, so are we transformed when we put on the whole armor of God.

The armor is our self-defense against the enemy’s schemes. It is what God gives us to protect ourselves and to defend ourselves. How awesome is that?!

Let’s look a little more closely at the armor in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Belt of truth v. 14: The belt holds the whole suit together. It holds our tools (think of a utility belt holding a hammer, etc. or all those cool gadgets like Batman ;). Satan is a liar and he throws lies at us constantly. Remember that our victory starts with truth which we as believers have.

Breastplate of righteousness v. 14: Righteousness does not come from ourselves but from Christ (Phil 3:9). He protects our spiritual life through His righteousness. The breastplate covers the chest and heart. The heart is where our self worth, and emotions lie. How many times does Satan attack these areas?! We can rest assured that we are worthy because of Christ’s love for us and know that we are approved in His sight. It makes me think of each of us being “branded” by our family crest, our superhero logo so to speak. We belong to God, we carry His name and we can rest in that fact.

Feet protected by the gospel of peace v. 15: Shoes keep our feet protected; they allow us to walk on paths that are thorny or rocky. They help us have traction in slippery areas and allow us to run if needed. When we are protected by the spiritual peace we receive through Christ allows us to walk through any difficulty without injury and to run from the things that threaten our peace.

Shield of faith v. 16: Think Captain America here. A shield deflects. It covers. It can put out a fiery arrow. It can come between you and whatever is thrown against you. When the Enemy is telling you lies (“God doesn’t really care about you.” “He is withholding these good things from you”) you can hold up that shield of faith directly between you and the lies.

Helmet of salvation v. 17: The helmet protects our head and, therefore, our mind. This is where Satan plants doubt: doubt of our salvation, if God is who He says He is. The helmet protects against these doubts and fears.

Sword of the Spirit v. 17: This is the Word of God and the only weapon that is not defensive but offensive. This definitely correlates to our study from Monday on being in the Word: memorizing Scripture, understanding it, and obeying it. We need to utilize our sword!

Years ago, I was told that a good way to remember to put on my armor everyday was to put on each piece in the shower as I washed my body. As I was shampooing my hair to put on the helmet of salvation, as I washed my feet to put on the shoes. You get the idea! Find what works for you to be able to remember to not leave the house without your superhero suit on!

And let’s not forget that the battle we are in is not against other people. Oh it may really seem like it is, but it’s not. It is against Satan. In verse 12 Paul tells us, “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.” We fight against them and not against people. Dr. David Jeremiah’s commentary in his study Bible gives this word picture: “The word against appears six times in these two verses (11-12). Think of a Christian rowing a boat against the current, trying to make spiritual progress in one direction while Satan turns the current of the world in the opposite direction.” Wow. Obviously, it’s not easy to row our boats against the current. It takes a lot of work, a lot of strength, and a constant reminder that we can’t give up and just let our boat drift towards the places we want to go.

Friends, let’s suit up and remember that “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!” Romans 8:37