Thesis
In Ephesians 6:13-15, Paul calls believers not to give up in the face of spiritual opposition but to actively put on the armor God provides. Pastor Hunter Jones walks through the first three pieces of that armor — the belt of truth, the body armor of righteousness, and the shoes of peace — arguing that each piece addresses a specific tactic of the enemy: deception, moral vulnerability, and fear of sharing the gospel. The call is not passive faith but deliberate, daily gearing up for the battle every Christian is already in.
Key points
- 1
Christians are in a real spiritual war and must choose to gear up rather than give up.
- 2
The belt of truth is the foundational piece of armor because the enemy's primary tactic is to lie and deceive us about who we are and who God is.
- 3
Wrapping yourself in truth requires putting yourself in places committed to speaking truth — worship, community, and God's Word.
- 4
The body armor of righteousness — both the positional righteousness received at salvation and the practical righteousness lived out daily — protects the heart from the enemy's attacks.
- 5
When we treat God's call to holy living as a burden and take off our armor, we become vulnerable to wounds of shame, depression, and anxiety — not divine punishment but enemy attacks.
- 6
The shoes of peace are rooted in the gospel — the good news of Jesus' victory over sin and death — and they give believers the firm footing and confidence to stand and share their faith.
- 7
Putting on your shoes means living intentionally — inviting people to Jesus, especially with Easter approaching — because the enemy fears the victory you carry.
Outline
Introduction — Wearing the Wrong Clothes
Pastor Hunter tells the story of accidentally blending into a riot in Paris while wearing a bright yellow rain jacket, landing in a conflict zone in the wrong outfit. This sets up the sermon's central image: Christians habitually show up to spiritual battles wearing the wrong gear.
The Call to Gear Up — Ephesians 6:13
Paul, writing from Roman house arrest, tells the church to put on every piece of God's armor so they can resist the enemy and still be standing after the battle. The big idea is introduced: do not give up — gear up.
First Piece of Armor — The Belt of Truth
The belt is foundational — it holds everything together and allows free movement in battle. Because the enemy's chief tactic is deception (illustrated from the garden of Eden and John 8:44), believers must wrap themselves in truth through worship, community, and God's Word.
Second Piece of Armor — The Body Armor of Righteousness
Pastor Hunter distinguishes positional righteousness (received at salvation) from practical righteousness (lived out daily). Using a childhood story about a golf club injury, he illustrates that God responds to our wounds not with anger but with heartbreak and a desire to bring healing — urging the church to put their armor back on.
Third Piece of Armor — The Shoes of Peace
The gospel — the good news that Jesus defeated sin and death — gives believers firm footing like cleated Roman sandals. Pastor Hunter challenges the church to stand confidently in that victory, share their faith, and personally invite people to Easter, because the enemy is afraid of what a gospel-grounded believer will do.
Conclusion — Get in the Roller Coaster
Using a Six Flags story from childhood, Pastor Hunter pictures God inviting reluctant Christians off the bench and into the ride — assuring them it is far better to live in the victory Jesus provides than to sit in the middle of a war zone giving up. The sermon closes with a direct call to identify which piece of armor each person needs to put on today.
Memorable moments
do not give up. Gear up
He wants you to give up. He doesn't want you to fight
When he lies it's consistent with his character for he's a liar and the father of lies
To be honest, he's just tired of seeing you wounded because he loves you
If you are a Christ follower in the room, your enemy knows what you can do and he's afraid of what you're about to do
I don't want to stand there on that day looking across and seeing my friends, seeing my neighbors, seeing my coworkers, seeing my family with tears streaming down their face asking, why didn't you tell me
Application
Pastor Hunter closes with a simple, direct question: where do you need to gear up? For some, it means getting back into the truth — joining a small group, returning to worship, or opening God's Word again — so the enemy's lies stop being the loudest voice. For others, it means honestly naming a sin, an addiction, or a compromising habit and choosing to fight it rather than excuse it, trusting that God is not angry but heartbroken to see you wounded. And for others still, it means lacing up the shoes of peace and living with bold, everyday intentionality — starting with a personal invitation to someone for Easter. The armor is already given. The choice is whether to put it on.
