In ancient times, a soldier was only as good as the equipment he had. His only source of protection was his armor and his sword. In ancient warfare, there wasn’t the option to carry out attacks from miles away like we can today. It was always up-close, in a large crowd with hand-to-hand combat, and you needed armor that could protect you from every side.

When I read these verses in Ephesians, I immediately thought of two people: football players and baseball catchers. In both sports, helmets protect the athletes from blows to the head and limits the possibility of a concussion. Shoulder pads protect their chest and shoulders—a breastplate, so to speak. Then they have the hip, thigh and knee pads for leg protection, and finally, cleats to get traction and support their feet.

While this equipment provides players with physical protection, we, as Christian “warriors” need other protection as well. Ephesians tells us just as warriors (players) need protection, we Christians need armor to protect us from the outside forces that wish to harm us. During football games, my players get pounded constantly, and without the protective armor, their bodies wouldn’t be able to take the abuse.

The same can be said for our spiritual lives. Satan is constantly pounding us with temptations. Therefore, we need the armor of God to protect us and give us the strength to stand tall when the world around us in falling apart. On a recent Friday night at an important game, a player and I talked just before the third quarter. I told him that, as a senior and a player, he as an individual had to make something happen. And he did. He came up with a couple big stops and one or two sacks that truly made a difference. He stood tall and fought back in a situation where our season was falling apart. And he wasn’t the only one; it was a team effort.

Today, as Christians, let’s put on the armor of God so we can stand up for Him and be that Christ-like example for our teammates, and all the world, to see.