The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the only “weapon” issued as part of the armor set up. Learning to use that weapon is essential to winning the war. This sermon teaches us not only what the sword is, but how to use it.

Salvation here is not the idea that we are not going to hell, but instead, going to heaven. Having the Helmet of Salvation is the idea of the soldier fighting to bring and establish God’s salvation were the war is being waged. We are warriors bringing God’s salvation into the earth. This is the mindset of the believer. Conquering and establishing heaven’s rule. Basically we fight to bring God’s salvation to our families, our cities, our arena’s of influence.

Only faith is promised to extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy shot our way. This is not revolutionary, or hard to understand, it’s just difficult to put into practice. When the accusations and temptations of the enemy come against us, we fend them off by believing in God. Believing what He has said, and that HIs way is the right way.

This message from Pastor Andrew Runnels challenges the listener not to do business as usual. With two key points:

1) DON’T GIVE UP

2) DON’T LOOK BACK

The soldier must guard his heart with righteousness. Faith and Righteousness are the two defenses against the arrows of the enemy that would pierce our hearts. It’s also Paul’s message of salvation, righteousness by faith. Is your heart protected from the arrows of the enemy by God’s righteousness?

The belt of truth is not so much a piece of the “armor”, as it is what you have to do, “gird your loins”, before you can put the armor on. None of God’s armor fits if truth is not first applied. What good is righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of the Spirit if it’s not built upon truth?

This is the start of a series of messages on the Armor of God. In this introduction we answer the question as to why we need the Armor. We have a real spiritual adversary and spiritual battle to fight. We need God’s armor, and we need to stand our ground.

As people of the Spirit we all love to have, and desire to have, the church service where the Holy Spirit comes in such a way that is shakes the building. (Acts 4) But that shaking visitation had a purpose. The service itself was not the point. The being filled with boldness to speak His word was. We need to get back to the fundamental idea that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is to make us a witness!