The Armor of God

Have your parents ever told you that it’s important to wear a seatbelt in the car? Have you noticed people using special safety equipment when doing their jobs, such as a scientist wearing safety goggles or a firefighter wearing protective clothing? If you ride a bus to school, maybe you have noticed special lights and a stop sign on your bus that are used to keep you safe. We use safety equipment just about every day to help protect us. What would happen if we forgot to use safety equipment? Probably many accidents would occur that could have easily been prevented.

Illustration by Paul Agner

If you are a Christian, the Lord has given you special safety equipment to use—the armor of God! Just as physical armor and equipment is important to soldiers in the military, spiritual armor is very important to followers of Jesus Christ.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10–11, ESV)

Why do we need armor? Because we are fighting in a spiritual battle! There is an ongoing battle against good and evil—against God’s kingdom and the kingdom of the devil.

We can avoid many accidents and injuries if we remember to wear our spiritual armor. You might be wondering how to put it on. Read the articles listed below to learn about spiritual armor and how to use it.

The Armor of God

• The Belt of Truth
• The Breastplate of Righteousness
• The Shoes of Peace
• The Shield of Faith
• The Helmet of Salvation
• The Sword of the Spirit
• Prayer

If you have questions about what it means to be a Christian, please read the Good News. In making a decision to follow Jesus Christ, you will become a member of His kingdom—don't forget to wear your armor!

Illustration by Paul Agner