Stand Firm: Wear the Whole Armor of God

I opened with a story about paddling a patched-up inflatable raft into the Pacific and being thankful, at the moment of bubbling disaster, for the one thing that felt inconvenient: a life jacket. That’s the picture Paul gives in Ephesians 6:10-13. God’s armor may not always feel comfortable, but it is necessary. It’s not a buffet. It’s irreducibly complex. Miss one piece and you’re vulnerable—like my old VW bus with 12,000 parts and no brake fluid. One small omission can become a big disaster.

We tend to trust our strengths too much. Halo Effect. Dunning-Kruger. Blind spots are real. David, Peter, Abraham, Moses—giants with gaps. So I urged us to adopt a simple daily prayer from Psalm 139: “Search me… try me… see if there be any wicked way in me… lead me.” The armor is “of God.” That means the source and the standard are God, not me. I traced the cultural shift in authority: ancient (Scripture), modern (science), postmodern (self). We live in the age of “I feel,” where feelings often sit in the driver’s seat. But Ephesians assumes an ancient posture: God speaks; Scripture is authority; I submit my emotions, not the other way around.

With God’s armor, we can withstand. Not easily, but truly (1 Corinthians 10:13; Romans 6). We celebrate forgiveness—and we should—but we should also celebrate that we are no longer slaves to sin. New covenant hearts want God. We get deceived when we trade deep joy for cheap thrills. Cheap is available. Deep takes patience and wisdom. Porn promises intensity and leaves people empty, ashamed, and alone. Shallow “community” at the bar gives the feeling of companionship without the truth that transforms us. Buying kids off with stuff substitutes for the hard and beautiful work of forming souls. When tempted, pause and ask, “What do I most want in ten years?” Pray. Phone a friend. Choose the long game.

Then there’s “the evil day.” Not Revelation horses. The personal season when the waves don’t stop. I shared mine: grief, doubt, and two years of darkness. I didn’t sprint. I stood. Kept teaching. Kept praying. Kept loving my family. And one day the barrage ended. The shalom that followed changed me. Some in Scripture fell on their evil day; others stood—Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach/Meshach/Abednego, Paul, and Jesus. We come to the Table to be strengthened, so when that day comes, we can stand.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Every piece of armor matters. We prefer the parts that fit our temperament and neglect the rest. But the enemy doesn’t attack only where we feel strong; he probes the seam we left open. Integrity requires wholeness, not flair. Ask God where a missing buckle or strap is leaving you exposed.
• 2. Submit feelings to Scripture’s authority. Feelings are real, but they are not final. When Scripture corrects my emotions, it is not dismissing me; it is rescuing me. Let the Word name reality, then bring your heart into that reality with honesty and prayer. Over time, desire learns to love what is true.
• 3. Trade cheap thrills for deep joy. Temptation always offers speed and intensity while hiding the bill. Deep joy often starts small and slow, but it is solid and lasting. Name what you most want to become, then choose practices that grow that kind of person. Wisdom is the art of long-term joy.
• 4. Stand firm in your evil day. You may not be able to advance, but you can refuse to run. Faithfulness in place is still victory. Keep doing the next ordinary, obedient thing; God often ends the storm while your feet are still planted.
• 5. Ask God to expose blind spots. We can’t fix what we won’t see. Psalm 139 invites God to search us because self-inspection alone is biased. Correction is not condemnation; it is a gift of love. The earlier we see, the sooner we heal.

1. Read Ephesians 6:10–13 aloud. What action words (verbs) does Paul use in these verses, and in what order? What does that sequence suggest about how a Christian is to live?
2. Paul says the armor is “of God.” Which phrases in these verses point to dependence on God rather than self-reliance?
3. What does Paul mean by the “evil day” and by the command to “stand” (rather than to run or to advance)? Which details in the passage highlight that idea?
4. The preacher said the armor is “irreducibly complex” — that missing one piece leaves you exposed. What in the passage supports that concern?

1. How should one understand “put on the whole armor of God” in practical terms: is this primarily about habits, attitudes, prayer, doctrine, or all of these? What balance does the passage suggest?
2. How should one interpret the phrase “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” when personal feelings and confidence are low? What does the passage require the believer to do with emotions?
3. What does Paul’s emphasis on “standing” imply about faithful response during long seasons of struggle (the “evil day”)? How should a believer read “stand” as a form of victory?
4. If the armor is “of God,” how should a person relate Scripture’s commands to contemporary claims of authority like “I feel” or “my experience”? What does Ephesians 6 imply about where final authority belongs?

1. Which single piece of the armor do you most naturally prefer and which piece do you most often neglect (e.g., belt/basics, breastplate/heart, shoes/gospel readiness, shield/faith, helmet/salvation, sword/Word)? Name one concrete practice you will adopt this week to “put on” the piece you neglect.
2. The sermon recommended praying Psalm 139:23–24 daily: “Search me, try me…” Will you commit to that prayer for the next seven days? Who will you tell about this commitment so you have accountability?
3. When temptation comes, the preacher urged a pause and a ten‑year question: “What will I most want in ten years?” Think of a current temptation (social media, pornography, buying to substitute parenting, shallow community, etc.). How would answering that ten‑year question change your immediate choice? Write one specific step you will take the next time that temptation appears (prayer, call a friend, step outside, delete an app, etc.).
4. The sermon described “standing” through an evil day by continuing ordinary faithfulness (teach, pray, love family). Name two ordinary, obedient things you can commit to do this month that will help you stand if a hard season comes.
5. Identify one “cheap thrill” in your life that crowds out deeper joy (a habit, entertainment, relationship pattern, or purchase habit). What is one small, specific long‑game practice you will replace it with over the next month (e.g., weekly date night, daily scripture and silence, mentoring a younger person, removing access to temptation)?
6. Who is one trusted person you will give permission to point out your blind spots (a spouse, friend, mentor, elder)? Set a plan: when will you meet or check in, and what one area will you ask them to watch for?
7. The sermon emphasized submitting feelings to Scripture’s authority. What is one recent belief or feeling you hold that might need to be tested by Scripture? Commit to a short plan this week: read a relevant Bible passage, pray, and discuss it with a trusted Christian.