Daniel R. Hyde |

Reformed Catholic Theology

The Armor of God: Being Strong Against Satan

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

“Why are you called a Christian?” (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 32) Because we bear the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16). Not only does this name mark us out positively as followers of Jesus Christ, it marks us out negatively—as targets for Satan’s flaming arrows. Do you realize you’re at war, Christian? There’s age-old strife of the seed of the serpent versus the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15). Because he couldn’t destroy the seed Jesus, he turns his attention to you, God’s offspring and children (Rev. 12). Wake up! Your enemy is at the gate! Arise; prepare for battle! Paul’s description of “the armor of God” in Ephesians 6 is your manual for battle. Let’s focus here on verse 10 and the necessity of being strong against Satan.[1]

Our Calling

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” What kind of verbs are “be strong” (v. 10) here and later “put on” (v. 11) “take up” (v. 13), and “stand?” (vv. 11, 13, 14) These are imperatives. That means that they call us to do something. You’re called to “be strong” and “fight against sin and the devil in this life” (HC 32).

Church history wonderfully illustrates this calling. A person being baptized or parents who brought their children for baptism pronounced faith with what we call the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in God the Father Almighty…I believe in Jesus Christ…I believe in the Holy Spirit.” They also renounced the devil: “Do you renounce the devil and his works?” They replied, “I renounce.” In 1561 Zürich’s main pastor, Heinrich Bullinger, prepared to die by writing his last will and testament in the form of what came to be known as the Second Helvetic Confession. In it he said by baptism we have become “soldiers enlisted for the holy warfare of Christ, that all our life long we should fight against the world, Satan, and our own flesh” (art. 20.4).

This call is impressed upon us in a post-baptismal prayer from the Reformation. In it we pray the baptized “manfully to fight under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his (or her) life’s end.”[2] Be strong against Satan by putting on the armor of God.

Our Courage

To “be strong” takes spiritual courage in the face of a formidable foe. You are called to stand opposite on the field of battle against Satan. He is the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2)—a vast army of fallen, selfish, and wicked demons. He is like a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8)—strong, powerful, and fierce. He is “a great red dragon” (Rev. 12:3) whose desire is to devour you, his enemy. And although he disguises himself as an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14), you know before whom you stand. Do not be deceived or lulled to sleep.

Be strong against Satan by putting on the armor of God! Have the courage of Abraham and his 318 trained men, who sought and fought four great kings to rescue Lot (Gen. 14). Have the courage of Joshua, who took up arms against the armies of the nations. Be courageous like David, who, though being young and ill equipped, stood against Goliath in the name of the Lord and defeated him. Have courage against your knowing “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).

Our Confidence

How dare we stand up to Satan and his minions? He’s the one who deceived sinless Eve and Adam? How dare we stand up to the one who has deceived the nations and led them astray for generations? John Calvin said of this passage, “There is always much to enfeeble us, and we are ill fitted to resist.” Yet we resist not in our own names or strength. Our confidence is in the name of the Lord and in the strength of his might.

In Christ

First, putting on the armor of God means being confident in the Lord Jesus Christ. How can we not be confident, courageous, and willing to heed the Spirit’s call to courage when we follow our victorious captain into battle?

It’s this Lord who greets us in grace and peace (1:2).

In him we were chosen from the foundation of the earth (1:4).

Through him we were adopted into God the Father’s heavenly family (1:5).

He’s the one in whom we’ve been blessed (1:6).

The Lord’s redeemed us through his own blood (1:7).

Shall I continue? Are you confident yet?

It’s in this Lord that we have an eternal inheritance (1:11).

With this Lord we’ve been made alive (2:5).

We’ve been raised to sit in heavenly places with him (2:6).

In this Lord we’re recreated for good works (2:10).

By his blood’s those once far off are brought near (2:13).

He’s our peace (2:14).

The Lord abolished the law of commandments against us (2:15).

He reconciled us to God (2:16).

Through him we have access to God (2:18).

Upon his foundation we’ve been built as the household of God (2:20).

It’s this Lord whose unsearchable riches have been preached to us (3:8).

Our confidence is in Christ, beloved. Can you see why? This is why Paul elsewhere says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

His Might

Second, we’re to be confident in the strength of the Lord’s might. What’s this strength? It’s the power and might of God in raising Christ. Listen to Paul’s prayers in Ephesians.

In chapter 1 he prays that we’d know “what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might” (1:19). What power is that? The power “that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places” (1:20). How high is that? “Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (1:21). That power is toward us who believe!

In chapter 3 he prays we’d be “strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being” and that we “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” of God’s love in Christ (3:16, 18, 19). How can that power cause us to be confident? “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (3:20).

Beloved, there is a spiritual war raging in this world. Engage your calling! Be courageous and confident in the strength of the Lord and his might. Put on the armor of God.


[1] Originally published in The Outlook 68:1 (January/February 2018): 3–4.

[2] “The Ministration of Public Baptism of Infants,” in The Book of Common Prayer (1662).

Support the ongoing cost of this site, the Spanish site in-development, and mailing theology books to pastors-in-need outside of the U.S by visiting our merchandise store or with a donation.