We are all familiar with the idea of war. I read about a group of historians who claim that, within the last 5,600 years, there have been 14,351 wars resulting in about 3.64 billion casualties. During that same period, there have only been 292 combined years of peace. There is a war going on right now that is not included in those statistics; it is a war that all Christians are a part of. As followers of Jesus, every single day, we are involved in spiritual warfare against a common, very powerful enemy. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter expresses that reality by saying, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Paul communicates the same idea in Ephesians 6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
We are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare against our enemies, Satan and his demons. What must we do in order to be victorious over them? Here is the answer that Paul gives in Ephesians 6:11, 13: “Put on the whole armor of God.” As Paul was writing this letter under house arrest in the city of Rome, he would have constantly been surrounded by Roman soldiers. When Roman soldiers went out to battle, they would wear armor to protect them. Paul uses the reality of physical armor in physical warfare to communicate the kind of spiritual armor that Christians need in the midst of spiritual warfare. God supplies us with the armor that we need as we fight against our enemy on a daily basis.
Why? Why do we need to put on the whole armor of God? Paul gives two reasons. First, “that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Second, “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13). Satan does not wage war against us haphazardly; Satan makes plans against us. When our enemy carries out his schemes against us, we must put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against him.
How? This seems to be a very challenging task, doesn’t it? How can we possibly do this? Notice Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:10: “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Standing against the devil and his minions, resisting the plans that Satan makes against us, and putting on the whole armor of God are not accomplished based on our own strength; they are accomplished based on the strength and might that God supplies. We cannot stand against Satan on our own. As we take up the armor of God, we must learn to rely on and trust in His strength. God has already won the war against Satan; His strength is what we need to be victorious on a daily basis.
What? What is the armor of God? Lord wiling, that is the question that we will explore over the next few weeks. In Ephesians 6:14-20, the armor of God centers on the following seven ideas: truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the word of God, and prayer. Throughout the next few weeks, we will think about each one of those ideas individually. Until next time, I want to encourage you to spend some time in Ephesians 6:10-20. Put on God’s armor by relying on His strength so that you can stand against the schemes of your enemy.
-Tyler Alverson
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