While writing the previous blog post, ‘faith, action, and victory‘, the Lord showed the role of an armor bearer and how this role refers to our role as believers and followers of Jesus Christ. What does the Bible say about the life of an armor bearer? What is the meaning of the armor bearer? What are the characteristics of an armor bearer? What does an armor bearer do? What does it mean to be God’s armor bearer?
What is the role of an armor-bearer?
Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor-bearer slew after him (1 Samuel 14:13)
The first characteristic of an armor bearer is that an armor bearer follows his lord and is obedient to his lord, in all things. The armor-bearer knows, that he is subordinate to his lord. He is not important, but his lord is important. It’s not about his will and what he wants, but it’s all about what his lord wants.
In 1 Samuel 14, we read about the battle, between the people of Israel and the Philistines.
Jonathan stepped out of the army of 600 people and commanded his armor-bearer to come with him and fight against the Philistines.
Jonathan said: “come”, and the armor-bearer immediately obeyed him.
The armor-bearer didn’t think about it, he didn’t argue and didn’t question him. He didn’t say to Jonathan: “Jonathan, are you sure? Is this the right thing to do? Why don’t we wait, until the others go, so we can all go together and attack the Philistines?”
No, the armor-bearer didn’t say that. The armor-bearer was willing and obeyed his lord and went with him. He trusted his lord completely.
Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer twice to come and both times his armor-bearer obeyed Jonathan and came. The second time, that Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer to come with him, the armor-bearer said to Jonathan: “Do all that is in your heart: turn thee; behold, I am with you according to your heart.”
The armor-bearer obeys and follows his lord
Whatever Jonathan decided to do, his armor-bearer obeyed him and followed him. Jonathan made his plans known to his armor-bearer, he made him part of his mission.
When Jonathan climbed up to the Philistines, his armor-bearer followed him and stayed in his shadow. Jonathan had authority, and as long as his armor-bearer would stay in his shadow, he shared this authority with him. But as soon as the armor-bearer would leave his shadow, he would be on his own and wouldn’t have any authority anymore.
The armor-bearer wouldn’t have any authority anymore, because he was the armor-bearer and not lord.
Then came the best moment of their cooperation: the moment that Jonathan and his armor-bearer attacked the Philistines and gained the victory. The Philistines fell before Jonathan and his armor-bearer slew after him and killed the Philistines. During their attack, they each had their own task.
What are the characteristics of an armor-bearer?
In the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer, we see the following characteristics of the armor-bearer:
- his life was in service of his lord
- he obeyed his lord
- he trusted his lord
- he followed his lord
- he stayed in the shadow of his lord
- he fulfilled his task during their mission
What does it mean to be an armor bearer of Jesus Christ?
If you believe in Jesus Christ and have made Jesus your Saviour and Lord and are born again in Him and you have become a new creation; the new man, then you are the armor bearer of Jesus Christ. Just like Jonathan and his armor bearer were joined together and worked together, so you are joined together with Jesus Christ and you work together with Him.
All hosts, in heaven and on earth, are put under Jesus’ feet. Jesus has all authority in the heavens and on earth!
Jesus fulfilled the plan of God on this earth. He died on the cross and took all sins, sicknesses, and iniquities of the world upon Him. By His blood, He restored fallen man and reconciled man back to God.
Jesus took the keys of authority back from the devil and gave you the opportunity to reign together with Him, in His authority in the heavenly places (Read also: Has Jesus bound the strong man, or do you have to bind the strong man?).
The armor bearer is a servant of his Lord
It all begins by giving up your own life. Jesus Himself says this in all the four gospels:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it (Matthew 16:24-25)
And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it (Mark 8:34-35)
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it (Luke 9:24)
He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour (John 12:25-26)
The armor bearer gives up his own life
You can’t serve without giving up your own life. Why not? Because otherwise, you will not be able to follow Jesus. A follower follows someone, but when you want to follow your own will on this earth and do what pleases you, then you can’t follow someone else. There can’t be two lords in your life. There’s only one lord and one follower.
When you decide to follow Jesus Christ, it means that you have to give up your own will; your ‘self‘’, and give your whole life to Him and yield to Him and become His servant (Read also: ‘Following Jesus will cost you everything‘).
The armor bearer obeys his Lord
When you give up your life and serve Jesus Christ, it means that you love Him and therefore you shall obey Him and do His commandments. It doesn’t matter what you want to do, what you feel, or what you think, but it’s all about what Jesus wants and what Jesus thinks and what the Word says.
Just as Jesus did the will of His Father, so shall you do the will of Jesus. You shall obey Jesus and walk in His commandments (Read also: ‘The commandments of God and the commandments of Jesus Christ‘).
If ye love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15)
If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love (John 15:10)
If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour (John 12:26)
The armor bearer trusts his Lord
It all begins with having faith. You have to trust the Lord completely. When there is doubt in your heart, it is impossible to obey and follow Him and walk in faith. When you say, that you believe, it means that you fully trust Him and rely on Him. You can say that you believe, but your actions will show if you really believe in Him and in His words, or not.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)
When you trust Him and don’t lean on your own understanding, then you shall be able to follow Him.
The armor bearer follows his Lord
Jesus commands you to follow Him. Therefore, you should follow Him, instead of following your own will. You have His Word. He has given His words to you. Now, it’s all about what you do with His words.
When you take up your cross (crucify your flesh daily, so that your will become subject to His will), and follow Him, then you shall become His armor-bearer.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke 9:23)
The armor bearer stays in his Lord’s shadow
As long as you are seated in Jesus Christ, and as long as you stay in His shadow, you shall be able to walk in His authority and shall be protected.
But as soon as you leave His shadow and go your own way, you will have no authority over principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places anymore.
There are two shadows in which a person can live: The shadow of the Most High or the shadow of dead.
The shadow of death
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up (Matthew 4:15-16)
The shadow of the Most High
How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings (Psalms 36:7)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalms 91:1)
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:9-10)
As long as you stay in Jesus Christ; the Word, you shall walk in His shadow and shall walk in His authority. When you walk in His authority, you shall have dominion over all hosts (Read also: Walk in the dominion that God has given you).
The armor bearer has a task to accomplish
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19)
Jesus accomplished His task on earth, He bound the strong one; the devil. Jesus defeated the devil at the cross, and by His resurrection, He took the keys of authority back from him.
To everyone, who believes in Him and has given up his or her own life to serve Him and follow Him, He has given power (authority) over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt him or her.
Jesus is now seated on the right hand of God the Father. He has bound the strong one, the devil. Now, it’s our job to spoil the house and set people free.
No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house (Mark 3:27)
Jonathan had a task to fulfill and his armor-bearer had a task to fulfill.
Jonathan didn’t take these two tasks upon himself, so that the armor-bearer didn’t have to do anything. No, the Philistines fell before Jonathan and his armor-bearer had to kill the Philistines.
Jesus has given you a task to accomplish
You also have your own task to accomplish. Jesus has given you the following task:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).
He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:16-18)
You can’t pray to God and expect Him to take over and do your part; your task. If that was the case, then what are we all doing here on earth? Because that would mean, that you don’t have to do anything anymore.
You cannot turn your task over to Him. You should fulfill the task that He has given you to do. Jesus has done His part, now you should do your part. That means action!
As long as you are a follower and servant of Jesus Christ and yield to Him, obey Him, trust Him, follow Him, and stay in Him, then you shall be able to fulfill your task and fulfill His mission on this earth.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
