Dear Fellow Believers in Christ, (The Whole Armor of God is Once The Put on Us by God at Salvation) 

Does the Word of God really indicate that the whole armor of God has once then been put on us at Salvation? Is not Christ in us every piece of this whole armor? Could it be that we as Christians don't fully have the mind renewed by the Holy Spirit to the fullness of Christ in this area? Can we discern the evil spirits and demonic activity that is behind evil men and their deeds? Has Christ not defeated Satan by His work on the cross? Then, how is our Spiritual warfare to be accomplished in light of that truth? Holy Spirit open new and fresh insights on the truth of Christ in us -- our whole armor of God.

THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

"Finally, my brethren ever be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Once then put on the whole armor of God, that you may ever be able to at intervals stand fast against the methods of the devil" (Eph. 6:10-11, author's translation).

First, Be Ever Empowered in the Lord and in the Might of His Strength
Paul, in his final exhortations in Ephesians, gave the church some clear insight that we should "ever be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength" (Eph. 6:10, author's translation). This verb in the Greek text is endunamousthe, which means in+powered – hence, empowered. The verb is in the present tense, which means it is ever happening with continuous action. Also, the verb is in the passive voice, which means the subject (we) only receives action, but does not produce it. This declares that the empowerment ever comes from and is ever produced from the Lord Himself, who lives within the Spirit rebirthed sons of God. We have the might or the manifested power of His strength within us. This is His continuous Spiritual action in us because of the finished work of the cross.

Second, Once Then Put on The Whole Armor of God at Salvation
Paul said, "Once then put on the whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:11, author's translation). The putting on of the whole armor of God was done by God's part once for us at our Spiritual birthing. However, since our mind was not fully renewed at salvation, we may not have been yet taught of the Spirit of what was once then completed at that time. First, our mind has to be renewed to the truth that we have all of Christ's empowerment, might, and strength within us. Second, with His renewed mind in us, we allow that truth to be expressed in and through us with a conscious choice, as we once then put on the whole armor of God. Some teach that they put on the whole armor of God at the start of every day, repeating all of the armor pieces that they put on. That is simply mental gymnastics and is error. Every piece of the armor is the character and nature of Christ, and was once then put on at Salvation by God when we received Christ.

Third, We Stand Fast At Intervals Against the Methods of the Devil
First, we need to know that we are empowered by the might of His strength. Second, we need to once then put on the whole armor of God at Salvation. Third, the whole armor of God given to us at Salvation, is so that we can stand fast at intervals against the methods of the devil. There is no question that our mind needs Holy Spirit renewal to every facet of this truth. The devil has methods to deceive us by getting us to see, believe, and choose the temporal things over the eternal things. Also, the devil has other methods to deceive us in using our own strength and power instead of the strength and power of Christ, who lives within us. Satan's greatest deception to man centers in demonic doctrines of separatism. Satan gets the unrenewed mind of man to see, believe, and choose a useless attempt to live a self-for-self life, separate from Christ our life (Gal. 2:20). We have to stand fast in Christ in us through every test and trial.

Fourth, We Are Wrestling in a Spiritual Warfare Against Evil Spirits
We need to recognize that we are wrestling in a spiritual warfare against evil spirits. Even though we see evil men doing evil things in the world, we have to recognize the evil spirits that are leading, promoting, and using the evil men for their purpose of killing, stealing, and destroying (John 10:10). Paul makes this very clear. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (II Cor. 10:3,4). "For we are not continually wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against evil spirits of wickedness in the heavenlies" (Eph. 6:12). Our warfare is actually against demon principalities and powers.

Fifth, We Can Only Stand Against the Enemy in the Person of Christ
Every piece of the whole armor of God depicts a part of the personality of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled every piece of this armor through His Person and His finished work on the cross. Only the Lord Jesus Christ expressing Himself in and through us today by His Spirit and personality can be the fulfillment of this whole armor of God. We can only stand against the enemy in the person of Christ. Our waist or loins is girt around with truth. Christ is truth at the center and circumference of all that we stand for (John 14:6). Christ is our righteousness (I Cor. 1:30). We stand only in His righteousness. Our feet or walk is in the gospel of His peace, for He is our peace (Eph. 2:14). These three (3) pieces of armor are our foundation (Eph. 6:14,15).

Sixth, We Live and Win by the Faith of the Son of God & the Renewed Mind
While the first three (3) pieces of armor deal primarily with us bodily, the next two (2) pieces of armor deal primarily with our soul and mind. "In all things at intervals taking up the shield of faith, in which you will hereafter be able to once then quench all the fiery darts of the evil one" (Eph. 6:16, author's translation). We live by "the faith of the Son of God" (Gal. 2:20), not our own mustered up psuedo faith. The devil sends fiery darts to strike us. If we stand in anything that is of us, we will be struck and with much pain. However, if we hold up the shield of His faith, for He is the faithful and true, then the fiery darts are quenched. They are quenched because of the finished work on the cross. Just like a fiery dart sailing across the sky and falling into a large lake, Satan's fiery darts are quenched in the faith of Christ as in a large lake of water. The helmet of salvation speaks of the mind renewed by the Holy Spirit, that we have once then chosen to put on and stand in His life and His finished work of the cross.

Seventh, Spiritual Warfare is Through Christ the Word and Prayer In Us
The last two (2) of the seven pieces of armor are for the spiritual warfare. "The sword of the Spirit, which ever is the Word of God" (Eph. 6:17), is the very Spirit of Christ within us (Rom. 8:9). Christ is the living Word of God (John 1:1), and He will flow through us as a sword to discern every situation in the Spirit (Hebr. 4:12). Why? To fullfill the seventh spiritual armor piece by "continually praying through all prayer and petition at every time in the Spirit, and into it continually watching in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints" (Eph. 6:18). That is the spiritual warfare that only Christ, Himself can do, in and through us. Christ and His finished work on the cross in us as us, defeats Satan every time!