By Stephen Wolemonwu

Introduction
Every generation faces battles. Some are physical, some are ideological, but the greatest battles are spiritual. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places.” To survive and overcome, believers must be equipped with the Armour of God — divine protection and empowerment for spiritual war.

This is not a distant war. The Greek word ‘pale’ means hand-to-hand combat. It is close, intense and unavoidable. The devil has not gone on retirement, we are still at war; from Genesis 3, when enmity was declared between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, until Revelation 19 when Christ returns in triumph, Scripture tells us there is no peace treaty between light and darkness, or between good and evil; or will there ever be; hence, the need for: “readiness, raiment and rank.”

What is Armour?
Literal meaning: Armour is protective gear worn by soldiers to shield them from assault weapons in battle.

Symbolic meaning: In scripture, armour represents spiritual protection — the equipment God provides to withstand attacks from evil forces.

What Is The Armour Of God?
The “Armour of God” is described in Ephesians 6:10–18. It is a spiritual metaphor for the tools believers need to stand firm against the devil’s schemes. The pieces include:

• Belt of Truth — integrity and honesty that holds everything together.

• Breastplate of Righteousness — a pure heart and right living that guards against corruption.

• Shoes of the Gospel of Peace — readiness to move forward with God’s message.

• Shield of Faith — trust in God that extinguishes the enemy’s attacks.

• Helmet of Salvation — assurance of salvation that protects the mind.

• Sword of the Spirit — the Word of God, our offensive weapon in spiritual battle.

Their Importance In Spiritual War
• Protection: Just as soldiers cannot survive without armour; believers cannot withstand spiritual attacks and it is being without God’s protection.

• Preparedness: Readiness, proper raiment (spiritual clothing), and growth in rank all point to being equipped for battle.

• Victory: The armour ensures believers can resist temptation, falsehood, and demonic influence.

• Spiritual reality: As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:4: “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” This means our fight is not against human enemies, but against spiritual hosts and celestial entities.

The Armour of God (Ephesians 6:10–18)
Paul outlines six essential pieces:
1. Belt of Truth (v.14)

• Holds everything together.

•Truth combats lies and deception.

• Application: Live with integrity and anchor yourself in God’s Word.

2. Breastplate of Righteousness (v.14)

• Protects the heart.

• Christ’s righteousness covers us; holy living guards us against corruption.

• Application: Guard your heart with purity and obedience.

3. Shoes of the Gospel of Peace (v.15)

• Provides stability and readiness.

• Peace with God enables us to move forward confidently.

• Application: Be ready to share the gospel and walk in peace.

4. Shield of Faith (v.16)

• Deflects fiery darts (temptations, doubts, accusations).

• Faith is trust in God’s promises.

• Application: Strengthen faith through prayer, Scripture, and obedience.

5. Helmet of Salvation (v.17)

• Protects the mind.

• Assurance of salvation guards against despair and false teaching.

• Application: Renew your mind daily with the hope of salvation.

6. Sword of the Spirit (v.17)

• The Word of God — our offensive weapon.

• Jesus used Scripture to defeat Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4).

• Application: Memorize and declare Scripture in times of battle.

Note: Paul adds prayer (v.18) as the atmosphere in which the armour is activated. Prayer keeps the armour effective and the spiritual soldier at alert. The art of readiness (being prepared), the skill of proper raiment (wearing the right spiritual clothing), and the growth in rank (maturity in faith) all converge in the armour of God. It is not optional — it is essential for surviving the onslaught of the wicked and advancing in the spiritual war.

• By The Ven. Stephen Wolemonwu, Rector, The Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel., 08035413812.