Ephesians 6:12-18 KJV
(note: underline, bold, and numbers were added to text for easy reference)
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having (1)your loins girt about with truth, and having on (2)the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And (3)your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, (4)taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And (5)the helmet of salvation, and (6)the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 (7)Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and (8)watching thereunto (9)with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
Armor of God
1 Loins (hips) wrapped in truth
2 Wearing the breastplate of righteousness (over the heart)
3 Feet wearing like shoes (preparation of) the gospel of peace
4 Holding the shield of faith*
5 Wearing the helmet of salvation
6 Holding the sword of the Spirit
7 Praying always in the Spirit
8 Stay aware and observant (watching)
9 Persevere
~ my opinion ~
Numbers 7-9 are not technically armaments but very good advice nonetheless. These verses are instructing us in the art of preserving that which is valuable and loved by us, and doing it in a way that is spiritually safe and effective. The scriptures tell us how to be in the world but not of it.
In our confrontation with the adversary, we need to keep in mind that we’re all in this together. When we go along with the ‘rulers of the darkness of this world’ and passively comply with their dark (anti-life) agenda, we are essentially supporting it, even if we feel forced into doing so. And therefore, we are sharing in the responsibility of perpetuating the awful poverty and enslavement that many people on earth must endure. We should strive to stay aware and remember the trials and tribulations of our fellow humans and other lifeforms - as opposed to being in denial or refusing to think about it.
Eph 6:18 says we should persevere and not give up, especially in regards to praying for the saints (presumably genuine Christians). Remaining continually in prayer, or always thinking of God, is the best way of staying close to and connected with Him. Also praying in the Spirit means calling upon the Holy Spirit to intercede in regards to our prayer requests.
Obviously moving in the truth is vitally important and it is the first armament mentioned… we will come back to that. There are two places on the body with their attendant armors that have been emphasized. The word stand is repeatedly used in these verses. Placement of the feet is extremely important, along with maintaining the strength to stay erect, as opposed to taking a position of bowing or obeisance (as a slave would do).
Either we serve God or we serve the adversary. The scripture is telling us not to serve false gods - even if we would excuse such an act with the rationalization of being forced into compliance. If we feel that we must comply, then the scriptures state that we should remain aware of that fact … as opposed to not realizing what we are doing. The other part being emphasized, and given the greatest significance of all, is the shield of faith. No matter what else we do, we must hold fast to the faith (shield) and keep our feet firmly planted on the ground. We will perhaps return to the subject of faith later as it is supremely important. Although I believe its relevance to a successful k awakening has already been discussed in this thread.
Feet anchor the body. The scripture is telling us we need to stay anchored in the gospel of peace. That may mean the teachings, lessons and statements of our lord as recorded in the four gospels. Or it could refer to the New Testament in general. It’s unclear what the word preparation means in Eph 6:15 … unless the gospels need to be the foundation or preparation for everything we do, and everywhere we go (where our feet take us). It could be that shoes (and the gospel of peace on our feet) relate to the meaning of life. Where our feet lead us - is what matters to us … and in that view symbolically shoes, and the gospel, offer protection for the personal meaning we ascribe to life.
The bible encourages us to consider the meaning that life has for those people who are subjugated in poverty, distress and slavery. As Jesus has shown us utmost compassion, we should also show our brothers and sisters in slavery the utmost compassion. And thus do whatever we can to ease their pain, including constant prayer that they be given relief.
The breastplate of righteousness. This armament is referring to the state of our hearts - in partnership with God. When we resonate with God’s righteousness, we are attuned to His divine will.
The helmet of salvation refers to Christ Consciousness. It isn’t just the belief that Jesus has rescued or delivered us from sin… It is having this mind in you which is in Christ Jesus, as Paul admonished. It is to be led by the Lord in all we do, think, feel, and believe. In effect, to allow the divine to take control of our lives. (Not the counterfeit divine)
And now the sword. All the other armaments are defense oriented. Only the sword is offense oriented. And what constitutes the sword is the word of God, say the scriptures. The Word generally is assumed to be the scriptures themselves. But my interpretation of this passage is that the Word is every single lesson and word the Holy Spirit uses to direct us in the way of Divine Truth and Righteousness.
So basically the sword, for me, is service to the Holy Spirit … allowing the Holy Spirit to show us what to do and how to do it. That’s what happens to everyone experiencing k awakening ie., they are conscripted into service to the Holy Spirit. Remember to keep your shield up, but advancing on the adversary in a timely fashion with a sharp sword is quite effective in keeping the dark forces at bay. The adversary doesn’t particularly relish the idea of confronting well-armed opponents, particularly those skillful in using their weapons. Having a sharp sword of the Spirit and not being afraid to use it - also indicates we are wide awake and not mesmerized by the adversary’s schemes and traps.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. To gird our loins with the truth, is to only walk in the Spirit. Those undergoing k awakening can’t do anything else. We can try to fight it, but (as has been stated previously) most of those who’ve successfully handled a k awakening will testify that it does no good to fight or fear the experience. We’ve been given the very high honor of being personally trained by the divine.
It is hoped that the readers find this discussion to be helpful.
love
parvati
edit/ minor revision