Devotion 28 July 2026

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6: 13

READING: Ephesians 6: 10-18

Like so many generations before us, we are often faced with bad times – personal encounters with violence, or crime, but also more subtle words or actions that are designed to hurt or take advantage of us. Worldwide, conflict, deception and corruption seem to be on the winning side.

Paul reminds us here that we are called to take a stand for right against wrong, to do what we can, and “having done everything, to stand”. But God does not expect us to take that stand unprotected. He offers us ways to think and resources to consult, and illustrates these by describing them as the armour of God. He tells us to take on this amour in the face of trouble, in a proactive way:

The belt of truth – compare the world’s messages with Jesus messages of truth, and stand firm for that truth.

The breastplate of righteousness – being right with God is what matters; not what others think of us.

Feet shod with the gospel of peace - the peace which we receive from being reconciled with God is the foundation of our lives – the feet on which we stand firm, and which enable us to go forward with courage but also in peace, regardless of who or what surrounds us.

The shield of faith – no matter how strong we try to be, sometimes we are weakened by the people and circumstances that surround us. God’s gift is His shield of faith, a barrier that no one and no thing can break through. We are safe. 

The helmet of salvation – our joy is in the Lord Jesus Christ who loves us so much that He died for our salvation. As we accept that salvation, and focus our attention on it, the helmet of salvation protects our thoughts, emotions, and actions, all the essentials of our life that originate in the most vulnerable part of our body – the head.

The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, the Bible, cutting, like a sharp sword, through any disinformation and harmful words that we might encounter, to reach the truth; through any pain and hurt that might be dealt to us, to reveal God’s love and joy. The Bible is God’s gift to us – the revelation of His love and care through the ages and into eternity.

Paul reminds us also to remember to pray at all times, occasions and circumstances (v18). That is the way in which we can tap into the almighty power of the Lord God of all creation, (v10) who has conquered evil.

Prayer

Thank You, Lord God, for the gifts and resources that You have given me to enable me to stand firm against words and actions that are wrong or evil, and for the assurance that You are with me in all circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen