(This devotional was inspired by a message by Paul Hardin on November 16, 2025.)
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…” Ephesians 6:14-17
Christmas on the battlefields of World War II offered a stark picture of what the Christian life is really like—celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace while standing in the middle of a war zone. In places like the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge, soldiers crouched in bitter cold with shells exploding around them while quietly reciting the Christmas story from memory, clinging to the promise of “peace on earth” even as war raged on every side. And in rare, fragile moments, opposing sides even paused their fire long enough to acknowledge the day, a brief reminder that beyond uniforms and orders stood human beings longing for home, hope, and the Savior whose birth they honored in the dark.
Jesus was born into our battlefield; He lived and died to give us the gift of His armor so we do not have to live defenseless in this violent, spiritual battlefield. When we are born again in Christ, we receive God’s full armor. The armor God gives us is not a set of self-powered virtues we try to maintain; rather, every piece is fulfilled in Jesus Himself. When He is our center, we stand secure. When we replace Him with other gods, we become more and more defenseless against the enemy.
The armor is not a burden—it is the powerful gift of a relationship with the King of Kings who defeated our enemy!
Let’s examine this gift from the book of Ephesians more closely.
The Belt of Truth: Jesus is truth.
Truth is not simply an idea or a concept in our mind; it is what masters us, controls us, forms our hope, and determines our level of peace. It’s the well from which we form every thought, word, and action. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). When He is our center, His truth holds us together—our identity, integrity, and purpose stay aligned. His truth anchors our entire life in a world built on shifting lies. But when Christ is not our center, our “belt” loosens, and we give the enemy easy access, and our entire life becomes unstable, vulnerable to confusion and compromise.
The Breastplate of Righteousness: Jesus is our righteousness.
The breastplate protects the heart—all we desire most—and Scripture makes it unmistakably clear that only Jesus can guard us at that depth. Our heart is secure because, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Our righteousness is not something we achieve—it is something we receive at salvation. Paul longed to “be found in Him, not having my own righteousness… but that which is through faith in Christ.” (Philippians 3:9) Jesus Himself offers to cover our heart with His perfect righteousness—shielding us from condemnation, accusation, and shame. But when Christ is not our center, we become self-righteous, leaving our heart exposed to guilt, pride, and the enemy’s lies.
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: Jesus is our peace.
Peace is not a mood or a mindset; it is freedom from deep anxiety because Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is our center. Scripture says, “He Himself is our peace.” (Ephesians 2:14) Jesus promised, “My peace I give to you… not as the world gives.” (John 14:27) When Christ is our center, He IS our peace. He lights our path in the darkness and makes us unshakeable even in the chaos of war. But when Christ is not our center, even the smallest trouble makes us stumble into the chaos of anxiety because we are trying to stand on our own instead of in His peace.
The Shield of Faith: Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Our Faith.
Supernatural faith is not something we manufacture; it is a gift from God that we use (belief). Jesus perfects it. Hebrews 12:2 calls Him “the author and finisher of our faith.” Our shield of faith is strong because it rests on His character, His promises, and His proven faithfulness. His presence extinguishes the fiery darts of the enemy—including fear and doubt. The enemy’s arrows lose their power. But when Christ is not our center, we lay our shield aside—leaving us vulnerable to trust in something less to protect us—our faith in things or people less than God.
The Helmet of Salvation: Jesus is our Salvation.
The helmet protects the mind, and nothing secures our thoughts like knowing in whom our salvation rests. Psalm 27:1 declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” When Jesus guards our mind, fear cannot dominate, lies cannot shape us, and despair cannot take root. His finished work gives us certainty, identity, and hope. But when Christ is not our center, we forget we have a helmet, and we are left to founder with only our carnal mind, and our thoughts spiral into fear, anxiety, confusion, and insecurity.
The Sword of the Spirit; which is the Word: Jesus, the Living Word.
The sword is the weapon of victory, and Scripture reveals that Jesus Himself is the Word. “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) Revelation 19:13 says, “His name is called The Word of God.” When Christ is our center, His Word becomes alive in us—cutting through lies, exposing darkness, defeating temptation, and bringing clarity to both us and to the world around us where confusion rules. But when Christ is not our center, our sword becomes dull, and Scripture feels distant and powerless—leaving us unprepared and undefended against the enemy’s attacks.
My friend, in EVERY respect, Jesus is our Armor!
Christmas is God’s declaration that He has already given us everything we need for every battle—not in ourselves, but in His Son. What a gift! When Christ is our center, every piece of the armor is fully engaged.
We’re engaging the enemy with God’s sharp sword, not flimsy cardboard replicas.
The enemy’s darts are hitting God’s shield, not our cobbled-together and altogether defenseless personal résumé.
Our armor is tightly secured by His truth, not ever-shifting lies generated by the enemy.
We are treading in shoes that carry the truth, not a false gospel that leads others astray.
We have the helmet which enables us to engage the mind of Christ instead of a mind that wavers like the sea.
Jesus is our protection; and HE has won our victory.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for being my armor. Thank You that You cover every part of my life with Yourself. Keep me centered in You—Your truth, Your righteousness, Your peace, Your faithfulness, Your salvation, and Your Word. Let my life be protected not by my strength, but by Your presence. Amen.
