Sunday School Lesson: The Armor of God

Main Takeaway: God has given us a full array of equipment and tools we can use to fight the evil in this world and to keep our focus on Him.

The Lesson Objective: Students will read Ephesians 6:10-18 and learn how God equips us for battles against the powers of darkness. Recognizing parts of a suit of armor will aid students in memorizing the spiritual gifts of God we can use in our battles.

Key Verse: Ephesians 6:10: Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

What Did a Bible-Times Full Suit of Armor Look Like?

Show students a picture of a Roman soldier from a book or a website. Explain the parts of the military gear while passing around the picture.

During the New Testament era, Roman soldiers wore suits of armor made of bronze or tin to protect them in battle and let them fight with confidence. They wore helmets with face and neck protection and a horsehair crest on top. Their torso body armor was made of iron strips or chainmail fastened with leather straps. They sometimes had metal leg guards on their shins. A tunic underlay their gear, with a belt to hold a sword. For added protection, the soldiers hoisted a large shield before them.

What Is the Armor of God?

The Apostle Paul had Roman soldiers and their protection in mind when he wrote about putting on the Armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18, but his focus was on fighting the spiritual forces of evil in the world. This passage is not about fighting against the “flesh and blood” dangers of the first century, when the Roman Empire felt threatened by the early Christians. It is about fighting against the forces of evil that continue to surround us today(Ephesians 6:12). The equipment we use to fight these challenges are spiritual gifts of walking with Christ. They protect us from falling for the Devil’s schemes.

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 aloud as a class. Point out that in verse 13 we are advised to “put on the full armor of God” in order to “stand your ground.” Then review how the scripture outlines the equipment God has provided us to remain firm in our Christian walk.

• The belt of truth in verse 14 refers to God’s Word as the main source of truth (John 17). If we spend time reading and studying the Bible, we will realize heaven and hell are real places and the spiritual realms of good and evil exist. The Bible gives us a firm foundation for fighting against the evil in the world and living in the kingdom of God.
• The breastplate of righteousness, also in verse 14, lets us know God guards our hearts from shame and guilt. Though no one is sinless, God made us righteous through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus on the cross (Romans 3:23-24). He saved us from being condemned for our sins, and the breastplate guards our hearts from anxiety and worry by assuring us of our righteousness in Christ.
• The shoes of peace in verse 15 grant us peace, knowing God is no longer angry with people for sinning. Jesus took our sins to the cross and washed us clean of guilt. We can live with the peace that God has forgiven us and move forward with confidence in our Christian walk.
• The shield of faith in verse 16 allows us to know that what we believe about God will be fulfilled. The biblical truths we read and the voice of the Holy Spirit will come to fruition (Hebrews 11:1). Our faith protects us from attacking arrows of doubt.
• The helmet of salvation in verse 17 eases our minds from all anxiety and fear. We have confidence that Jesus’ sacrifice has saved us from all unrighteousness, and we will be victorious over any stumbling block. Heaven is our true home for all eternity, and we need not be overly troubled by our problems in this world (John 14:1).
• The sword of the Spirit in verse 17 refers to the Holy Spirit Jesus left us with to reassure us, even in difficult struggles. Jesus called the Holy Spirit an “advocate to help you and be with you forever” (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit is called a “comforter” in some Bible translations, one who gives us hope that we will win our battles. We can meet any problem with the confidence that the Holy Spirit will guide us.
• Prayer in verse 18 is how we maintain our spiritual strength and keep going in our walk. God has given us the gift of prayer. “On all occasions” we are advised to stay in communion with God through prayer. Prayer is the ultimate weapon against evil.

Taking up the armor of God allows us to win our battles against the evil in this world. No temptation will be more than we are equipped to handle, as it says in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” The armor of God is a full set of equipment for us to use in resisting evil.

Activity Idea for Putting on the Armor of God

Materials:

• 11” x 14” newsprint or other paper that is available
• Colored pencils or fine-tip markers
• Bibles

Draw a pencil outline of a human body wearing a tunic in a rough sketch on each student’s paper. Distribute the papers to students and have them add to the sketch the equipment described in Ephesians 6:14-17—each piece of the Armor of God. First, they are to draw and label the body gear for the head, chest, waist, and feet. Let students work together, reviewing the scripture passage, as they draw the pieces of armor and label them with the phrases found in the text.

After the students have finished drawing and labeling the body armor, have them draw a shield and a sword for the soldier. Label these parts of the gear as described in the scripture passage.

Then have students stand and recite the phrases describing the Armor of God from head to feet. Prompt the students by asking, for example, “What do I wear on my head?” and down the body to the chest, waist, and feet. The students will respond with the phrase used to describe the helmet, breastplate, belt, and shoes, as outlined above.

For the weapons carried, prompt the students to recite with these questions: “What do I hold before me?” and “With what do I fight my battles?” Mimic holding a shield and hoisting a sword when you ask the questions.

For review, you could lead a low-key guessing game: let one student ask, “What do I wear on my ______ (head, chest, waist, feet)?” and have the first student to raise his/her hand with a correct answer ask the next question. Coax the students to ask the shield and sword questions as well.

Finally, students respond to the question: “And what can we use to stay connected to the source of the Armor of God? PRAYER.

Closing Prayer for Armor of God Sunday School Lesson

Lord, thank you for giving me gear that will protect me from the evil things in this world. Let me use this equipment with the confidence that these gifts of truth, righteousness, peace, and faith will lead me through life. And thank you for our salvation and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is in your name we pray. Amen

Photo credit: Massonstock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Betty Dunn hopes her writing leads you to holding hands with God. A former high school English teacher, editor, and nonprofit agency writer, she now works on writing projects from her home in West Michigan, where she enjoys woods, water, pets and family. Check out her blog at Betty by Elizabeth Dunning and her website, www.elizabethdunning-wix.com.