Book Review: The Full Armor of God by Larry Richards

Spiritual Warfare: Practical Help Without the Drama

Spiritual Warfare is one of those topics that may seem *far out* to the materialist, and not correct to those who believe in white magic. However, Christianity describes an unseen battleground between angels and fallen angels whose fallout splashes onto us, the humans. While we can't see this spiritual warfare, we are a target for attack.

Richards' book, The Full Armor of God, is a practical guide to combating spiritual warfare. He describes how, in the first century, Ephesus was a central city for spiritual warfare because of its famed temple to Diana (Artemis) and consequent Diana-related commerce. Paul wrote to the Ephesians and in 6:11-17 describes *the full armor of God* using the metaphor of a Roman soldier to describe how we humans may defend against spiritual attacks.

Richards articulately goes through the metaphor of each piece of armor (helmet of salvation, shield of faith, sandals of peace, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, sword of the Spirit) to explain how each of these metaphors can be a spiritual defense from spiritual attack. Spiritual attack may not look like what we think, either: it is often simply discouragement or disinterest to the things of God, rather than an out-and-out obvious event. We are vulnerable to *demonization* (harassment by demons) by believing lies: we are worthless, we are guilty, and these lies are more easy to believe in company with anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness. Richards' book addresses how to combat these negative thought patterns to be able to receive the *true* values of God. Exercises at the end of each chapter practically focus the reader to address these issues.

This book also contains two appendices: Christian Counseling and Evil; and "Live Free" Support Group Lesson Plans. The lesson plans are helpful for small group study.

Overall, I found this a practical book, happily without *way out there* theology that often may accompany treatises on the unseen. It is written in an approachable yet intelligent style, and I imagine might give real help for discouraged or angry Christians.

I received a free copy of this book from Chosen Books in return for posting a review. These opinions are my own. I was not required to post a positive review.