The whole armour of God beginning with the girdle of truth and the breastplate of righteousness progress onto feet shod with the preparation of the gospel and the shield of faith. Faith has victory in progress protecting from the fiery darts of the wicked one fired from above! Faith turns to prayer, the word of God, our experience of God's faithfulness and ultimately to the triumph of Divine purpose for His own in fulfilling His purpose for every believer, bringing us ver more deeply and fully into an appreciation of His Son Jesus Christ, in whom we have been chosen, to be set apart in holiness to Christ forever. Life begins with nothing but God. Life concludes with nothing but God. In the depths of Jobs suffering he found he had nothing but God and there he worshipped. Dr J Stewart Gillespie New Cumnock

The whole power of God is available to the Christian in Ephesians chapter 6! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! Mighty power and Divine strength is there for us, but how do we tap into these vast resources? They are not as far away as we might think! The key to making use of this power lies in the whole armour of God. The inner strengh of God, His ischus power forms the inner protection for the Christian, the first layer of defence in the girdle of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. Herein lies the secret to standing; not to fall! "There is an art to flying, or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss" (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)! The secret to standing is not to fall!

In Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10 to 20 Paul instructs the Christian to put on the whole armour of God. This panoply of God is not only so that I might stand in testimony in the world but so too that I might stand in the presence of God, enjoying fellowship with Him through Christ! It has always been the strategy of Satan to disrupt fellowship between the Christian and God! Adam fell and Job felt blow upon blow! Putting on the whole armour of Ephesians 6 permits the Christian to tap into those deep resources of God's all sufficient power that with the girdle of truth and breast plate of righteousness we might might know His intrinsic power, the power that He is, His ischus power, with feet shod with the preparation of the gospel and shield of faith we may move forward with His dynamic power, the power that He does and weilding the sword of the Spirit, the word of God with the helmet of salvation I may achieve victory, His acheiving power, His 'kratos'. Christian put on the whole armour of God and get into His presence. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Ephesians chapter 6 describes God's provision for the Christian in the daily spiritual battle and warfare with the forces of Satan; the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Each of these items of armour exquisitely crafted for the task of defeating Satanic attack and defending the Christian from the wiles of the Devil. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Ephesians chapter 6 introduces the subject of spiritual warfare. God has made provision with the panoply, the whole armour of God. In Ephesians 6 we see the contrast between the Divine and the Demonic, between the way in which Satan operates and the way in which Christ operates. The Christian has access to the 3 fold power of God; dynamic doing power, intrinsic power and achieving power of God. When we face Satan we face primarily a foe who exploits weakness and usurps the power of the believer against himself. Let us put on the whole armour of God. Dr J Stewart Gillespie Bridgend Gospel Hall Church New Cumnock

Pauls letter to the Ephesians concludes with this chapter on the subject of Spiritual Warfare. Here is a call to put on the whole armour of God! Why conclude this letter to the Ephesians in such a way? Spiritual warfare is: important, we are up against Satan! Spiritual warfare is decisive with victory the end and outcome. Ephesians is not a letter of consolation but of inspiration, inspiring the Christian to fight to victory! This chapter on the panoply of God provides a fitting summary and conclusion to the Ephesian letter as a whole, with each of the parts of the armour; girdle, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword related to truths and teachings we find elsewhere in the letter. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

New Cumnock