The Armor and The Bastion

The Traditional Bastion

In the Information Security world, we generally talk about the “multi-layer” security structure. This security approach was traditionally based on protecting a very well-defined perimeter for anything external. It is the “Bastion” approach. Think of this like a house that has multiple doors and windows on its well-designed walls Looking at that house, you can clearly see the perimeter (generally the walls) that separate the inside from the outside. But you can only access this house at one single door! All the other doors are windows are protected to avoid any entrance. The one door that is designed for access has all the security controls: deadbolt locks, re-enforced door panels, security chains, cameras … To access through this door, you need to ring a bell. Someone in the house will then come and check your identity, see what you are carrying, check where you are coming from and finally confirm the reason you need to enter before letting you in. But remember, all of this is done at the sole entry door of the bastion.

With the progress of technology and the multiplication of access methods (mostly with remote access from anywhere), the bastion concept had to be revised and complemented with a concept called Identity based Access Control. This was for 02 main reasons:

-          The cost of have all the controls we had in the single access door of the bastion in multiple areas of the perimeter was prohibitive

-          It will be easier to implement security controls and in a cost-effective way is the controls were moved from the perimeter to the actual user that needs access to the company resource

Thus, the identity, location, reason… are now moved to the individual level. This is a key principle of the “Zero Trust” concept that is today applied in all security architectures.

If I told you that God already had this zero-trust concept from the start, you may be surprised! It is the concept of the Armor of God!

The Armor of God

Psalm 91:4 states that: "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." This verse tells us that God’s protection is given at the level of the individual. It also brings in the concept of “shield” and “rampart” that tells us that God is building a protective space around His children so they shall not be exposed to any evil!

In Psalm 121:7-8: "The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.", God tells us that He shall not just protect us in a simple spot, He will be our guard wherever we are and at all times! This is the perfect bastion! But let us go further and look at the Armor of God.

These are some of my best verses in the Bible. When I read it, I feel totally secured and ready to live my life and God made it. The concept of the "Armor of God" is beautifully described in Ephesians 6:10-18. Here’s an overview of the key verses:

• Ephesians 6:11: "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." In this verse, God is asking us to make sure we have His full protection by wearing His Armor.

• Ephesians 6:13: "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." In this verse, God is justifying the need to wear His Armor and affirms the effectiveness of the protection given by the Armor of God!

• Ephesians 6:14-17: These verses detail the individual components of the armor:

  • Belt of truth

  • Breastplate of righteousness

  • Shoes of the gospel of peace

  • Shield of faith

  • Helmet of salvation

  • Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God)

In these verses, God gives us the description of His Armor. This is a clear translation of the areas the Armor covers. And, as you can see, it covers our entire being! There is no area that is left out in the architecture of the Armor of God: we are FULLY protected!

• Ephesians 6:18: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." This verse is key when you have put on the Armor of God! God tells us here to pray and keep praying not only for ourselves but for all His people. By so doing, the Armor that we wear does not just covers us, but it covers all God’s people. This is wonderful because now the bastion is not just limited to us but extended to the entire community.

These verses offer a powerful definition of spiritual protection and readiness for life's challenges. The Armor of God is the never-failing, optimum security protection architecture that we all need. So, what should we do to make sure we put on the Armor of God every day and all day?

Call for action

The Armor of God is free! We do not need to spend a dime of give our blood to have it! All we need to do is to:

• -      Build our relationship with Christ

• -      Make sure our relationship with Christ grows and gets deeper and stronger everyday

• -      Make sure we read and meditate on the Word of God

• -      Make God our number one partner!

When you do the above, you shall feel deep inside you that you are fully protected by the Most High. Try it and enjoy the benefits of being protected by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

God bless you! 

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