Now We Fight by Pastor Stéphane Chauvette, front cover

The armour of God in Ephesians 6, piece by piece

In short: Ephesians 6 lists six pieces of armour and one weapon of prayer. Pastor Stéphane Chauvette's Now We Fight takes them one at a time: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and praying always. Each has a Roman original, a biblical meaning and a daily use.

The passage

Paul wrote Ephesians from prison, chained to a Roman soldier, and the picture he draws in chapter six is the man beside him. "Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). The command is to stand, not to charge, and every piece is defensive except the sword and prayer. Now We Fight follows that order.

The belt of truth

A Roman soldier's belt held everything else in place. Truth, both the truth of the gospel and personal truthfulness, is what holds the Christian life together. A believer living in deception has nothing to hang the rest of the armour on.

The breastplate of righteousness

The breastplate guarded the heart and vital organs. The righteousness in view is first Christ's, given to the believer, and then the practical righteousness that follows. A guilty conscience is an exposed heart; the breastplate is the answer.

The shoes of the gospel of peace

Roman military sandals were studded for grip. The believer's footing is peace with God and the readiness to carry that peace to others. The book makes the point that a Christian at peace is very hard to knock over.

The shield of faith

The large Roman shield could be soaked in water to quench flaming arrows. Faith, trust in what God has said, puts out the enemy's accusations and fears before they reach the heart. Shields also locked together, which is where the chapter turns to the church.

The helmet of salvation

The helmet protects the head, and the head is where the battle for the mind is fought. Assurance of salvation guards the believer's thinking from despair and doubt.

The sword of the Spirit

The only offensive piece: the Word of God, specifically the spoken word, the right scripture at the right moment, as Jesus used it in the wilderness. The chapter is an argument for knowing the Bible well enough to draw it quickly.

Praying always

Not a piece of armour but the posture of the whole soldier. Paul closes with prayer for all saints and for himself. Pastor Chauvette treats it as the piece that makes the others work, which is why the book ends with it.

Where to read it

Now We Fight is a 200-page paperback published in 2021, and Pastor Chauvette's conviction is that the Body of Christ has rarely needed this teaching more than now. Moriah Publications is the official publisher.

Read next

Frequently asked

What are the pieces of the armour of God?

The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, with prayer as the posture that unites them (Ephesians 6:14 to 18).

Which piece of the armour is offensive?

Only the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Everything else is for standing and defending.

Is Now We Fight a commentary on Ephesians?

It is a study of Ephesians 6:10 to 18 specifically, taking each weapon in turn with its background and practical use, rather than a commentary on the whole letter.

Where can I buy Now We Fight?

From Moriah Publications, the official publisher, shipping from Canada.

Back to blog