Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11
Jason is the creative genius in our home. He will come up with projects like the one above when we study a portion of scripture as a family. He loves visuals and I love that he is able to come up with ways to allow the children to absorb the lesson at any given moment. He definitely is gifted in this area which I am so thankful for.
The Belt Of Truth – It secures a soldier’s armor in place. Just like in biblical times, today’s culture is filled with deceptive teachings. As parents, we must see our homes as training grounds rooted in God’s Truth. One of our family’s favorite games to play is “Spot The Lie.” When our kids are able to detect a lie, we reward them with a treat. Because of these conversations, we have noticed our kids becoming more confident in what they believe. They need to develop a boldness to defend those beliefs because one day they may have to stand alone presenting the gospel.
The Breastplate Of Righteousness – The metal breastplate is worn on the chest to protect a soldier’s vital organs as he comes face to face with his enemy. Our spiritual breastplate protects our heart. Proverbs 4:23 is one of my favorite versus that I often pray over my children. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” This makes it clear that we can not be righteous on our own. We try to equip our kids to know the difference between submitting to the temptations Satan sets before them and living in Christ’s righteousness. We will sin; that is inevitable. This is why it is imperative that families have discussions about moral predicaments together. “What would you do if your brother gave you the answers to your math test?” These thought-provoking questions have led to some very important conversations about ways we can be more like Christ instead of resorting to evil.
The Shoes Of Peace – Shoes are used for taking bold measures, not sitting passively on the side-lines. We need to be equipping our children to be ambassadors by sharing Jesus with others. We have to create opportunities for our family to serve together – giving what we have an abundance of (usually chicken eggs or garden vegetables) mowing lawns for widows, giving meals to our community workers, opening up our home in hospitality, or serving at the local nursing home. As parents, we have to model Christ’s love and explain the gift of salvation if they are to ever understand how to do this themselves. We are helping our kids lace up their boots, so to speak, for when the enemy comes against them, they will be ready.
The Shield Of Faith – A shield is a soldier’s protection, purposed for protecting him from the enemies shooting arrows. Ephesians 6:16 says “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” This means our spiritual shield helps us extinguish the fiery darts from our enemy. Satan’s weapon is deception. He is always lying with the objective of confusing us on what God’s Word says. Yes, he knows the scriptures very well. This is why we must combat his lies through having faith, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” as Hebrews 11:1 says. Studying scripture as a family is one way we can be strengthened in our faith. Our faith will grow as we see Him being faithful in His promises. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
The Helmet Of Salvation – A soldier’s helmet protects his head, just as our spiritual helmet protects our minds and our thoughts. There are so many deceitful voices working their distorted ideas into our children’s minds. As their protectors, we must reassure our children of the Truth of salvation by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. In our home, we talk a lot about our thought life and our struggles. We must hold these things up next to the Word of God if we are to have victory in these areas. As a family, we need to be guarding against Satan’s deceitful ways if we don’t want to fall into his trap. We have to reject the lies about who he says we are (such as “we are not valuable” or “we aren’t doing enough”). Also, Jason and I are mindful of what we bring into our home so not to fill our children’s minds with nonsense. Take the garbage out regularly and this will help keep the trash out of their minds as well.
The Sword Of The Spirit – A soldier’s sword delivers penetrating blows to his enemy and it is used to defend himself against all attacks. Jesus intends for us to use the Bible for our spiritual sword. Jesus quoted scripture when He resisted Satan’s temptations. When temptations come to your doorstep, refute the lies and quote scripture. Your children too can stand on His Word during these times of testing. Try to memorize portions of scripture together. Sometimes I will bake cookies or pass out fun little treats so it can be enjoyed, and not seem like an assignment. Long ago, a precious friend taught me how to do hand motions along with scripture, and that has been the simplest way for the children to hide it in their hearts. (Psalm 119:11) The Word of God is the sharpest blade, and it is better than any blade that man has ever made!
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Amen! Don’t you feel ready mom and dad? I hope this is encouraging and sheds some light on a few things we do to “suit up” as a family. Feel free to use Jason’s poster in a bible lesson for your home if you would like. Remember, your children will have struggles like we all do. The important thing to remember is to walk through those tests alongside them and see God’s faithfulness in your lives. This is a sanctifying process for all of us.
Natalie