The Armor of God (Part 1: Standing in Readiness)

There are two powers in this world: the power of God and the power of Satan. Both will continue to grow until the Second Coming of our Savior. Brigham Young said,

“It was revealed to me in the commencement of this Church, that the Church would spread, prosper, grow and extend, and that in proportion to the spread of the Gospel among the nations of the earth, so would the power of Satan rise” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe (1954), 72).

  

The war that started in heaven continues on today; the war over the agency of man. Agency is the freedom for us to choose for ourselves. As we keep ourselves free from the bonds of sin we are free to choose our actions. However, if we use our agency to choose addicting behaviors or succumb to weaknesses (which always affect both the body and the spirit) we are relinquishing our freedom to act for ourselves.

President George Albert Smith quoted his grandfather, George A. Smith, when he said,

  

“There is a line of demarkation, well defined, between the Lord’s territory and the devil’s. If you will stay on the Lord’s side of the line you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil’s side of the line one inch, you are in the tempter’s power, and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly, because you will have lost the spirit of the Lord” (link to quote). 

    

The pathway of the Lord can be compared to whiteness, purity, and truth while the path of the adversary is often referred to as darkness, wickedness, and deceit. If the Lord’s way is pure white, than anything varying from that whiteness—in whatever shade of gray you choose—is tainted somewhat with the influence of the adversary. This only shows the great, even infinite, need that we have for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through the merciful plan of our Heavenly Father we can escape the grayness of our daily lives. We can also find protection from the blackness that is throughout the world around us.

In Ephesians we read about the wickedness that surrounds us. And, more importantly, we also learn what we can do to protect ourselves.

“[B]e strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

“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.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

"Praying always" (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Sheri Dew spoke of the significance of the armor of God when she said,

“[Satan] is 'a roaring lion, [who] walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.' And he will devour you--unless you 'put on the whole armour [or power] of God', for the power of God is stronger than the power of Satan" (link to talk).

The armor of God is readily available to us but we must take it unto ourselves; it cannot be forced upon us.

As I have studied about the armor of God I have found layers upon layers of meaning for each item. It has been fascinating to me to discover the many ways the Lord has given us to help arm ourselves against the power, and the many influences, of the adversary.

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth" (Ephesians 6:14)

Stand therefore,…

There are numerous ways the Lord asks us to “stand” throughout the scriptures. I want to delve into a few of those.

STAND AS A WITNESS:

In Mosiah we are asked “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in” (Mosiah 18:9).

Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-nego, from the Old Testament, are perfect examples of standing as witnesses of God. They were commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar to bow down to the idols that he had created or be thrown into the fiery furnace. Their response?

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).

They stood as witnesses of God but were throw into the fire anyway. However, their lives were spared in a miraculous way.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

“He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:24-25).

Elder M. Russell Ballard recounts this story about Joseph F. Smith standing as a witness of God. 

“ Joseph F. Smith was 19 when he returned from his mission in Hawaii. As he traveled from California to his home in Utah, he was confronted on emorning by a 'wagonload of profane drunks..., shooting their guns, yelling wildly, and cursing the Mormons.' One of the drunks, 'waving a pistorl,' came toward him. Although Joseph 'was terrified, he felt it would be unwise and useless to run..., and so he advanced toward the gunman as if he found ntohting out of the ordinary in his conduct. "Are you a -- -- -- Mormon?" the stranger demanded. Mustering all the composrue he could, Joseph answered evenly while looking the man straight in the eye, "Yes, siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through." Almost stunned by this wholly unexpected response, the gunman stopped, dropped his hands to his sides, and, after looking incredulously at Joseph for a moment, said in asubdued tone, "Well, you are the -- -- pleasantest man I ever met! Shake. I am glad to see a fellow stand for hisw convictions." So saying, he turned and walked away" (link to talk).

Not all of those who stand as witnesses of God are so miraculously spared. In the Book of Mormon we read about the prophet Abinadi who was taken before King Noah. Here he testified to the king and his priest’s of their wickedness. He taught them about the Law of Moses, as well as the life, mission, and Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because he chose to stand as a witness of God he was then sentenced to a martyr’s death by fire (see Mosiah 12-17).

What does it mean to stand as a witness of God? Sister Sharon G. Larsen said, “It means we will not bow down or give in or be persuaded to do anything contrary to God’s will” (link to talk). As we seek to know God's will we can have the guidance of the Holy Ghost in our lives and can be led to know what the Lord would have us do. And as we read the scriptures we can know “all things what [we] should do” (2 Nephi 32:3). 

How does one stand as a witness? Sister Susan W. Tanner said, “You … can stand as a witness of God by nurturing a spirit of faith, love, peace, and testimony…now” (link to talk).

 STAND IN LIBERTY:

Captain Moroni, in the Book of Mormon, declared, “My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free” (Alma 61:9). Paul, speaking to the Galations, similarly stated, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). We can be freed from spiritual bondage as we stand fast, have faith in, and rely on, the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

We can keep ourselves from being led into bondage by “lay[ing] aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Hebrews 12:1). In the Book of Job we read that Job “was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1). To eschew means to habitually avoid (source). Job made it a habit to avoid evil. I am guessing that along those same lines he made it a habit to avoid people, places, or things that might persuade him into temptation.

Stand fast in freedom from spiritual bondage, addiction, or sin by avoiding places where we know our weaknesses lie. Stand fast in spiritual liberty by repenting and forsaking our sins, and by relying on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power it has to change our lives.

STAND IN HOLY (AND HIGHER) PLACES:

Along the lines of avoiding evil, we can “seek for the things of a better [world]” (Doctrine & Covenants 25:10). We have also been counseled to “stand…in holy places, and be not moved” (Doctrine & Covenants 87:8).

In the Book of Nehemiah we learn of a people who

“… separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God…every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

"They...entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes” (Nehemiah 10:28-29).

Be obedient to the teachings and commandments of God, even if it means separating yourselves from the world; including family, friends, and acquaintances who pressure you to do otherwise. Nephi chose to keep the commandments, and his brothers Laman, and Lemuel, did not. Because of this they sought Nephi’s life. Nephi was warned by the Lord to separate himself from them (see 2 Nephi 5:1-5).

We can also choose to stand on higher ground. Jesus told a parable of a wise man and a foolish man who each chose where he would build his house.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:24-27).

In this parable, the wise man built his spiritual house upon “the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God” (Helaman 5:12) and his house was not moved when the storm raged. I think that the wise man searched for a solid location; a higher place to build so as to have a refuge from the waves of the sea. I am pretty confident that the rock he built his house on was not a rock he found by digging in the ground. The foolish man, on the other hand, may have arrived when the tide was low, saw that it was a beautiful place, and was content to settle in the sand. So it is in our own lives; it takes a lot more effort to seek out higher ground than it does to just build wherever you want on the open sand. It also takes an effort to stand in holy places, but is an effort well worth the cost.

As we choose to be in the right places the Holy Ghost can be there and we can be protected from the adversary. President Spencer W. Kimball said,

  

“Sin, like a journey, begins with the first step and wisdom and experience teach that it is easier to resist the first temptation than later ones, when a pattern of transgression has begun to develop….It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the devil to enter a door that is closed. He seems to have no keys for locked doors. But if a door is slightly ajar, he gets his toe in, and soon this is followed by his foot, then by his leg and his body and his head, and finally he is in all the way” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 214-215).

The most holy place that we can stand on this earth is in the Holy Temple of our God.

“The temple is a place of instruction where profound truths pertaining to the Kingdom of God are unfolded. It is a place of peace where minds can be centered upon things of the spirit and the worries of the world can be laid aside. In the temple we take covenants to obey the laws of God, and promises are made to us, conditioned always on our faithfulness, which extend into eternity” (The Priesthood and You, Melchizedek Priesthood Lessons—1966, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1966, p. 293).

Elder John A. Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve said this about the spiritual blessings we can gain by taking the time to be in the temple:

“Temple work … gives a wonderful opportunity for keeping alive our spiritual knowledge and strength. … The mighty perspective of eternity is unraveled before us in the holy temples; we see time from its infinite beginning to its endless end; and the drama of eternal life is unfolded before us. Then I see more clearly my place amidst the things of the universe, my place among the purposes of God; I am better able to place myself where I belong, and I am better able to value and to weigh, to separate and to organize the common, ordinary duties of my life, so that the little things shall not oppress me or take away my vision of the greater things that God has given us” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1922, p 97–98).

Whether we live close to a temple or far away the Lord is more concerned about our where our hearts are. President Howard W. Hunter said,

“the Lord does desire that his people be a temple-motivated people. I repeat what I have said before: It would please the Lord for every adult member to be worthy of--and to carry--a current temple recommend, even if proximity to a temple does not allow immediate or frequent use of it" (link to talk).

I think that standing in holy places does not just mean the placement of our feet; I feel that it includes our heart, mind, strength and efforts as well.

In Isaiah we read, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). If we are to be in tune with the Lord we will need to move our thoughts to higher ground.

Presiden Boyd K. Packer talked about controlling our thoughts.

“As you learn to control your thoughts, you can overcome habits, even degrading personal habits. You can gain courage, conquer fear, and have a happy life. I had been told a hundred times or more as I grew up that thoughts must be controlled, but no one told me how. I’ve thought about this over the years and have decided that the mind is like a stage. During every waking moment the curtain is up. There is always some act being performed on that stage. It may be a comedy, a tragedy, interesting or dull, good or bad; but always there is some act playing on the stage of your mind.

“Have you noticed that shady little thoughts may creep in from the wings and attract your attention in the middle of almost any performance and without any real intent on your part? These delinquent thoughts will try to upstage everybody. If you permit them to go on, all thoughts of any virtue will leave the stage.…What do you do at a time like that, when the stage of your mind is commandeered by the imps of unclean thinking…? If you can fill your mind with clean and constructive thoughts, then there will be no room for these persistent imps, and they will leave” (link to talk).

To have our thoughts be higher we need to have our focus in the right direction. I have found that when riding a bicycle it is really difficult to keep moving straight forward unless I am actually looking forward. If I look a little to the left or a little to the right I need to look straight ahead again or my bike will slowly shift to the left or right according to my gaze. If I look for a long time to one direction or the other my bike veers drastically in the direction that I am looking.

So it is with spiritual things.

Peter was one who was able to walk on water while he was focused on the Savior, but “when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and [began] to sink” (Matthew 14:30). When he took his focus off of the Lord, even just a little, doubt and fear attacked and he began to sink. But, the Lord stretched forth His hand, caught hold of him, and walked back with him. He will do the same for us.

In the story of Abraham and Lot we see the difference between where our hearts our centered and where our focus is directed. We read, “[Lot] pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12) but Abraham “built…an altar unto the Lord” (Genesis 13:18). Eventually Lot moves to Sodom, and Abraham is blessed by his incredible faith in the Lord.

In our efforts to stand in holy places we need to be not moved. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, we must not have a home in the promised land and a summer cottage in Babylon (link to talk). We need to decide for ourselves where we will stand no matter our circumstances.

“[R]emember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12, emphasis added).

If you build upon the rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ you cannot fall.

having your loins girt about...

Girding up your loins is a phrase that we often hear in the scriptures, but may not fully comprehend what it means.

“In Biblical language, to ‘gird up the loins’ is to prepare for a journey, or for work. The Hebrews wore girdles [sashes] when traveling, and when at work. On such occasions they girt their clothes about them [by tucking them under the sash] to ensure free movement of the limbs. The servants of the Lord must be prepared to do His work, and to go when He calls” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 201). see also video link

In the New Era it says,

“Loins means the area between the hips and abdomen. Girt means tied around firmly with a belt. Generally, to “gird your loins” means to prepare for action. We prepare ourselves to take action in the battle against evil by learning the truth through prayer and scripture study” (link to article).

Both of these explanations talk about standing in readiness, or being prepared. We must be vigilant and on guard against the continual attacks of the adversary. Because of the location of our loins, however, I had another thought about girding our loins. I think it can also mean being virtuous and chaste—in our actions as well as our thoughts. Many blessings will follow as we choose to do so. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read,

“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

“The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46).

Two stories from scripture can be used to demonstrate the difference that being virtuous, or not, can bring to our lives.

David, who slew Goliath, became king. He was a very righteous man. But one night, as he tarried in Jerusalem—a place he should not have been, as he should have been in battle (see 2 Samuel 11:1)—he allowed a momentary glance to turn into something more. Rather than turning away quickly, he lingered for what was probably supposed to be a brief moment and allowed his mind to entertain thoughts that were most likely not virtuous. In the end he traded his soul for what started out as a simple glance, when he arranged the murder of Uriah (see 2 Samuel 11).

Joseph was also a good, righteous man who was sold into slavery by his brothers. His virtuous life was blessed and prospered by the Lord, and at one point he became the ruler of Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph and he initially responded by saying, “how…can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). She continues to speak to him day after day in an attempt to wear down his defenses (something she may have tried with others before). Joseph recognizes this and “fled, and got him out” (Genesis 39:12). His initial consequence is that he gets thrown into prison. But, the “Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him” (Helaman 12:1), and Joseph eventually becomes greater than all the people of Egypt, save the Pharoah himself. The Lord then uses this virtuous man to help move His work forward and save his own family from famine.

Elder Bednar said this about the blessings of being virtuous,

“living the law of chastity invites some of the greatest blessings men and women can receive in mortality: appropriate spiritual confidence in the presence of family, friends, Church associates, and, ultimately, the Savior. Our innate longing to belong is fulfilled in righteousness as we walk in the light with hope” (link to talk).

Elder Marion G. Romney stated the following about living a virtuous life,

“I can think of no blessings to be more fervently desired than those promised to the pure and the virtuous. Jesus spoke of specific rewards for different virtues but reserved the greatest, so it seems to me, for the pure in heart, ‘for they,’ said he, ‘shall see God.’ And not only shall they see the Lord, but they shall feel at home in his presence” (link to talk).

Imagine feeling at home in the presence of God. 

The choices we make in this life, whether big or small, will determine where we will end up after this life. Let us arm ourselves with the protection of the Lord by living a virtuous life.