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In Ephesians 6, James tells us to take up the full armor of God to stand firm against the schemes of the devil so we will be able to resist. Standing firm means to firmly plant your feet to prepare for what is to come. I find the order in which God’s armor appears telling and purposeful. Notice how they build upon one another. First, we should gird ourselves with the belt of truth. A natural belt sits over the body’s core muscle group, the abdominal muscles, which support and stabilize the muscles of the spine while lifting and keeping others in place. The truth of God and His word are the core of your Christian being because it stabilizes you, keeping you in place. You must be secure in the truth of God and His word. Next, is the breast plate of righteousness, which is only found in Christ’s atoning work on the cross. It is through Christ’s righteousness that we are seen by God (2 Cor. 5:21); it protects and guards our hearts. Saran doesn’t want you to have a heart of flesh renewed and filled by God with His ways and purposes (Ezekiel 36:26). He wants it hard as a rock! The third thing we must do is strap our feet with the gospel of peace because it enables us to walk in peace with God and all men. Your walk will be challenged by the enemy and people, always be prepared for the attack. Fourth, raise up the shield of faith to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Satan will come at opportune times to put holes in your faith. He’s been doing that since the Garden, i.e. “Did God really say?” He wants you to doubt God. If he can steal your faith, then it is impossible for you to please God. (Hebrews 11:6). The fifth action is to put on the helmet of salvation to guard our minds. The greatest battle rages in the battlefield that lays in the six inches between the ears. This is why we must continue to renew our minds with the word of God to reform it. Lastly, we must wield the sword of the Spirit, God’s word, to cut through and pierce the lies and deceptions of the enemy. (Hebrews 4:12). Use it to judge your thoughts and the intentions of your heart. It will cut away everything that exalts itself above or sets itself against God.