The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 6:14-20, “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

The Aposltle Paul doesn’t miss much. At all times, he was chained by the wrist to a Roman soldier. Night and day a soldier was there to ensure that he would not escape. Paul was literally a witness bound by a chain. Now he was the kind of man who could get alongside anyone; and beyond doubt, he had talked often to the soldiers who guarded him daily. As he writes, the soldier’s armor suggests a picture to him. The Christian, too, has his armor; and part-by-part Paul takes the armor of the Roman soldier and describes it in Christian terms.

We have every reason to believe that many of those who guarded him trusted his witness and became themselves followers of our LORD Jesus Christ. Undoubtedly, they were “outfitted” with such armor that Paul was prompted to compare it as an Armor of God.

The Belt of Truth takes its meaning from the belt the Roman soldiers wore. It held his clothing together and kept his sword in position, giving him freedom of movement. Truth keeps the Christian on the proper path and holds together the validity of his witness of Christ.

The Breastplate of Righteousness refutes all negative accusations that are levied against Christian believers. The way to meet such accusations is to demonstrate the purity of a sincere Christian life.

Sandals suggest movement, as believers journey onward with the Gospel of peace. They are always seeking the lost and telling them of the saving grace of Jesus.

The Shield of Faith took its likeness from the long shield the Roman soldiers carried. Fiery darts were one of the most dangerous weapons in ancient warfare, and that shield was their protection, just as faith protects us Christians.

The Helmet of Salvation is what Christ gives us when He forgives our sins of the past. It also helps us to conquer the sin we face in the days to come.

The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It serves as both a defensive and offensive weapon. It works
against sin that attacks our lives and as a weapon against the sins of the world.

Finally, Paul comes to one of the greatest weapon available to all believers: Prayer! It must be constant,
intense, and totally selfless. We must learn to pray for others and with others as well as for ourselves.
The Scriptures say, “The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Pro. 15:29).

All of these spiritual weapons are yours when you belong to Christ. It might be wise to start with prayer.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom