Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Fully Equipped For Service

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.

In addition to all of the armory pieces listed in the next few verses in this passage (Ephesians 6:14-19), we have a couple more available to us.

Resistance Is Not Futile

James 4:17

Submit yourselves, then, to God. RESIST THE DEVIL and he will flee from you.

How do we resist the devil? By saying, "No!". By reminding him we belong to Jesus now and that the devil has no hold on us. By reminding him of his future. By keeping near the Word of God, getting more and more of it into our hearts, where the Holy Spirit can draw it out when necessary. 

It is impossible to draw water up from an empty well. We are the well. The Word of God is the water. Our faith is the bucket. The Holy Spirit reaches into the well to bring up the water of life and gives it to whomever needs it that we come in contact with. 

Moral Understanding & Intentional Thoughts

1 Peter 4:1

Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same RESOLVE, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 

Resolve to never back down, to never return to the sinful life from which Christ has delivered us. Resolve, determine, to maintain our walk with Christ, staying near Him: where we can clearly hear His voice and know He is present with us. 

Resolve to know Christ more and more on a day by day basis. Determine to bring as many people with us as we can reach with the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

Resolve to think only those thoughts (and this is probably the hardest thing to do) which glorify God and uplift ourselves and others (because we tend to speak without thinking, therefore we should think only good thoughts of each other and ourselves).

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Stand My Ground

 

STAND MY GROUND
Ephesians 6:13

I take up the full armor of God, 

so that when the day of evil comes,

I am able to stand my ground, 

and having done everything,

to stand.

And just so we know what that full armor looks like, Paul compares it to the armor of the Roman soldier of his time. 

Verse 14 Belt of Truth buckled around the waist

Verse 14 Breastplate of Righteousness arrayed ( put on )

Verse 15 Shoes/Sandals of Peace: Feet bound (wrapped) and ready (firm foundation/prepared) to go out and preach the gospel of Peace

Verse 16 Shield of Faith, which extinguishes all the flaming arrows of the evil one

Verse 17 Helmet of Salvation

Verse 17 Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Zechariah 4:6; John 1:1-14)

Verse 18 Praying in the Spirit at all times, for everything and everyone 

Verse 19 Pray for the delivered persecutors, for wisdom to preach the gospel boldly

Verse 20 Pray for the delivered to speak freely and fearlessly

James 4:7-8

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of the faith [in the conflict with evil]; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and [for which] you made the good confession [of faith] in the presence of many witnesses.

While Ephesians 6 outlines most of the armor we put on as Christ's elect, there are others which are woven into the Breastplate of Righteousness: 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the Breastplate of Faith and Love, and the Helmet of our Hope of Salvation.