This is part of a series of blogs on the Application of the Armor of God.
In previous blogs I spoke about the importance of experiencing God’s Word and listening to what God wants to share with us as we grow in the community of believers. The Apostle Paul also shared these points with those he witnessed to in the many cities he visited on his missionary journeys. In the letters Paul wrote after his visits he complimented them on their spiritual growth, and he encouraged them to grow in their faith as believers.
So, I was startled when I read Romans 5:11-14 where the Apostle Paul chastised some believers for being babies in their faith. Even though these believers had been taught the “basic things about God’s word”, they were “spiritually dull” and didn’t “seem to listen”. They were “like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food”, and like infants they didn’t “know how to do what is right.” Then in verse 14 the Apostle Paul said, “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”
How can believers not know the “difference between right and wrong”? The Apostle Paul provides some guidance in Hebrews 6:1-12 to help us understand this dilemma. In particular, in Hebrews 6:7-8 he states, “When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.” The crop in a field without thorns and thistles soaks up all the water from the rain and grows strong. When there are thorns and thistles present the crop is starved from the water and is weakened; or killed.
Believers need to weed out the old sin nature in us with its bad attitudes and behaviors. They cause us to resist soaking up the truths from God’s Word and dull our hearing the Spirit when He speaks to us. It takes commitment and effort for farmers to clear the land of thorns and thistles. Similarly, we must be committed to recognize our sinful attitudes and behaviors, then to repent and let God create within us a new nature. Then we will soak up His Word and hear the Spirit speak to us. Because we pay attention to the truth, we will not become stagnant.
The Apostle Paul also stated in Hebrews 6:3, “And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.” Staying focused on God’s Word helps us keep growing in truth. And God intended us to use the armor He provides as we grow spiritually stronger. The belt of truth helps us set our mind on Jesus Christ. The body armor of God’s righteousness fills us with His wisdom and good judgement. Our shoes are the Good News reassuring us that He has a plan for us, and He guides us with good examples to follow. The shield of faith protects us from the fiery arrows of doubt and deception. The helmet of salvation assures us of God’s forgiveness and grace. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit that we can use to slice through the world’s lies and deception. And prayer gives us access to God’s communications network.
As we continually use the pieces of armor God provides, the more comfortable and natural they should become to us. And our use of the armor of God also gives us a means to continually assess and measure our spiritual growth. The following suggested checklist is a start, but you can expand it in your own spiritual growth journey.
1) Is our knowledge and understanding of God's Word increasing?
2) Is our faith in Jesus Christ and His will for us growing?
3) Are our choices and decisions becoming more Christ-like? Another way to ask this is are we recognizing our sin and temptations, and resisting these to honor the Lord?
4) Does the armor of God feel more comfortable to us as we use it?
As believers we should continually pursue the knowledge of God, building on the truths we learn through application. This in turn will lead us to more epiphanies about God from His Spirit; shaken not stirred.
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All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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