Putting on the armor of God

In Ephesians Chapter 6 verses 13 through 17 Paul describes the armor of God. The passage states, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor 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 preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The first thing Paul instructs the Ephesians to do before even putting on the armor of God is to stand. They are not to shrink or back down, but to stand tall and upright for their cause. Sometimes I find that when I am being mocked or ridiculed or sometimes just questioned for my beliefs it is easy to shrink down. However, I know that the Lord wants me to stand. 
He has also provided armor that I can put on to help me stand. All of the items listed in the passage above except for the sword of the spirit are defenses. They are things that the Lord has given us so that we can be protected from the enemy, so that we can stand and not fear. In battle the most valuable defensive tool is a shield. It can be used to protect any part of the body. As Christians, our shield is our faith. It is our most powerful defensive tool against the enemy. We can develop it, and make it strong.
I know that the Lord gives us tools to defend ourselves against temptation and trials today, but we must choose to “put on” out protection each day. If we do not develop the qualities which protect us, especially faith then we will not be prepared for the battle against the enemy.