Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:10–18
Put on the whole armor of God. Ephesians 6:11
The battle of the Christian is not simply against particularly evil men and women. Rather it involves “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (v. 12). The spiritual forces against which we struggle are not holy or beneficent. They are wicked and destructive. And their work of evil and error will carry the world into a new dark age unless Christians stand firm.
Thus, Paul admonishes us to “put on the whole armor of God” and stand against Satan. Where did Paul get his thoughts about this armor? I am inclined to think that in this case, as in many others, Paul got his ideas from the Word of God. He would have known that in Isaiah 59 there is a picture of God putting on his own armor. Part of it says, “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head” (v. 17).
This means that when Paul speaks of the “armor of God,” he is not thinking of it only as the armor that God supplies, but rather God’s own armor, that which he himself wears.
What do we need if we are to fight against Satan? Is it truth? Yes, we need truth, but not just any truth. We need God’s own truth: the truth of God, which we find in Scripture. Do we need righteousness? Yes, but not just human righteousness. We need the righteousness of God. The gospel? It is God’s gospel, God’s Good News. Peace? It is God’s peace. Faith? It is faith from God, a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Is it salvation? God is salvation. We must be armed with him.
Furthermore, everything that is given to us to make our victory possible is from Christ. Is it truth (Eph. 6:14)? He is the truth; he is the one who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Is it righteousness (Eph. 6:14)? He is our righteousness. Paul writes, “[Christ Jesus] became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Is it the gospel (Eph. 6:15)? The gospel is the gospel of Christ (see Mark 1:1). Is it faith (Eph. 6:16)? It is faith in him (Gal. 2:20). Salvation (Eph. 6:17)? Christ is our salvation; he achieved it by his death on the cross (see Acts 4:10–12). Even prayer is by the channel that he has opened up for us (Heb. 10:19–20).
Not one of us can stand against the spiritual forces of evil in our own strength— not even for a moment. But in Christ, armed with God’s armor, we can fight on to victory.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.