Your spiritual armour10Above all, be strong in your faith and dependence on the Lord, on His might and power.11He has provided His protection for you in several ways. Clothed with His gifts and resources, you will be able to stand against all the devil's disruptive tactics.12Your battle is not against people but against the negative spiritual forces that influence and control them; against the spiritual rulers, authorities and powers that are at work in this world that is in bondage to the darkness of sin. They are in league with those evil spiritual forces that exist outside the world.13So accept everything God has made available to you, to enable you to stand steadfast when evil attacks. Yes, no matter what happens you are able to stand firm and to remain standing.14You stand firm with His truth like a belt you keep around your waist for support. His righteousness is like a breastplate that protects you.15You wear the shoes of the gospel so that you are always ready for any eventuality and can walk in peace.16Your faith is like a shield that you have to take hold of and that enables you to overcome anything the devil throws at you.17The assurance of your salvation is like a protective helmet, enabling you to counter all the devil's lies and efforts to deceive you in your thinking.18You have, not only a defensive shield, but an offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit which is God's Word. Whenever you pray, depend on the Spirit to lead you and fill your prayer with His life and power, no matter what you are asking of God. How important to pray in the Spirit continually for all your fellow believers.Final greetings19And pray for me also. Whenever I speak in the Lord's name I need Him to supply what I say, so that I will be able to reveal the truth of the gospel to those with no spiritual understanding.20I am still an ambassador of the truth, even though I am in chains at present. So I pray that, despite everything, I will be bold in declaring the truth without any fear.
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)