Ephesians 6: 10-11, 13-18
“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having your feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” (NASB)
Ephesians 6:10-11, 13-18
“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord, be empowered through your union with Him: draw your strength from Him, that strength which His boundless might provides. Put on God’s whole armor, the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies, that you may be able successfully to stand up against all the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
“Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day of danger, and, having done all the crisis demands, to stand firmly in your place. Stand therefore, hold your ground, having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God. And having shod your feet in preparation to face the enemy with the firm footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news of the Gospel of peace. Lift up over all the covering shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. Pray at all time on every occasion, in every season, in the Spirit, with all manner of prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints, God’s consecrated people.” (The Amplified Bible)
Let’s review just a little bit before we continue with the third section of our study, STAND.
We have talked about “SIT” found in Ephesians 2:6.
This is the key to the secret of a true Christian experience. God has made us to “sit” with Christ in the heavenly places. Every Christian must begin his spiritual life from that place of “rest.”
We just finished our study on “WALK” in Ephesians 4:1. It is used as an expression of our life in the world. We are challenged there to display in our Christian walk our conduct that is keeping with our high calling.
Let me make this point: It is extremely important for the Christian to learn how to sit and walk before he can stand before his enemy.
It is with these two lessons well and truly learned that he comes to appreciate the third principle often Christian life summed up in the word “STAND.”
Now we begin our study on “STAND” found in Ephesians 6:11. This is our attitude toward our enemy, Satan. It is expressive of our place of triumph.
The Christian experience begins with sitting, and leads to walking, but it does not end there.
Every Christian must learn to stand.
Each one us must be prepared for the conflict.
We must know how to sit with Christ in heavenly places and we must know how to walk worthy of Him down here, but we must also know how stand before the enemy.
No Christian can hope to enter the warfare of the ages without learning first to rest in Christ and in what He has done and through the strength of the Holy Spirit within, to follow Him in a practical, holy life here on earth.
If he is deficient in either of these, he will find that all the talk about spiritual warfare remains only talk; he will never know its reality.
Satan can afford to ignore him for he does not count for anything.
Yet the very same Christian can be made strong “in the Lord, and in the power of His might” by knowing the value first of his exaltation and then of his indwelling.
(Ephesians 1:9)(Ephesians 3:16)(Ephesians 6:10)
It is with these two lessons well and truly learned that he comes to appreciate the third principle of the Christian life summed up in the word “STAND.”
Our power for standing, as for walking, lies in our having first being made to sit together with Christ. This is very important. The Christian’s walk and warfare alike derive their strength from his position in Christ. If he is not sitting before God he cannot hope to stand before the enemy. This is well worth remembering and understanding.
Satan’s primary objective is not to get us to sin, but simply to make it easy for us to sin by getting us off the ground of perfect triumph on to which the Lord has brought us. Satan’s goal is to draw us away from where he knows he can’t touch the Christian, into his “turf” where he knows we don’t stand a chance.
Through the avenue of the head or heart, through our intellect our feelings, he assaults our rest in Christ or our walk in the Spirit.
Stand means to “hold your ground.” It is not a command to invade a foreign territory. It implies that the ground disputed by the enemy is really God’s, and therefore yours. We need not struggle to gain a foothold on it.
“To stand firm against”means to hold a watch post, to stand and hold out in a critical position on a battlefield. This phrase belongs to the soldier's language and conveys the idea of standing one's ground, as opposed to taking flight. Note that stand is a key word in warfare (Ephesians 6:11; 6:13; 6:14 - in verse 14 note that resist is a derivative of the Greek word for stand).
John Stott quotes Simpson writing that...
“The tactics of intimidation and insinuation alternate in Satan’s plan of campaign. He plays both the bully and the beguiler. Force and fraud form his chief offensive against the camp of the saints.”
Wayne Barber writes that...
“The word "stand" there has the idea not of a casual standing but of a digging in. The sandals of the Roman soldiers had spikes on them so they could dig in and hold their ground and not be knocked off course. That is the idea of standing. It is not just a casual standing up. It has the idea of standing firm and holding the ground that you are on, not being knocked off course. You need to understand that Satan is in this world and wants to come in your face and put deceit in your mind. If you are not being strengthened in the inner man, your mind being affected by truth, letting the Lord Jesus Christ motivate you and live His life through you, you are a "dead duck". If you are not in the Word of God, you are not consistently seeking to let Him control your life...If you are not putting the Word in your mind, letting truth affect your life, then you have missed the whole point of what this conflict is over. It is not power against power. God can sneeze and put him down. It is the battle of truth. That is why it is so important for us to understand that we need to be strengthened in the inner man at all times because that affects the way we think and that affects the way we live.”
“STAND FIRM” (histemi) means to stand. In context it conveys the idea of digging in (the Roman sandals had spikes for this purpose). It was a military term for holding one's position. Hold your ground. Don't give an inch of territory to the enemy. That is the picture.
From a practical standpoint one stands firm by living the obedient, Scripture–dominated, Spirit–empowered life - the Spirit in such a state is not quenched or grieved and strengthens the obedient believer to stand firm.
The greatest weapon we have in warfare is not what we say to the devil but how we live the ''Christ life''. Obey, surrender, and submit for this is your greatest weapon. It's not binding but it's bowing, saying ''yes'' to Jesus and committing to do His Word...at the moment He says it...then at that moment you become a fortress against the devil.
We must live in light of the fact that just as much as "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life," so it is true that "Satan hates you and has a terrible plan for your life" - we do have an enemy who wishes us nothing but evil.
Using the metaphor of a battle, in the military sense to stand firm meant to hold a watch post or to stand and hold a critical position on a battlefield while under attack! The intent of Paul's exhortation is not unlike that of our Lord to the embattled church at Thyatira, whom He commanded, “hold fast until I come” (Rev 2:25). The believer needs to be strengthened in the inner man, letting our mind be affected by the truth, and letting the Spirit of Christ motivate us (Ezekiel 36:27) and live His life through you. Stand firm by being in His word, obeying His word, repenting quickly and returning to your first Love. If you are disobedient you are deceived and a deceived person doesn't even know it! Furthermore when you are deceived you are primed for defeat! That is how good the Deceiver is. Remember his territory is the darkness, this present world system, and even though believers have been transferred out of darkness and into God's marvelous light, we can still choose to place ourselves under his domain by willing disobedience.
“RESIST” (anthistemi from anti = against + histemi = stand) means literally to stand or set against. It means to arrange in battle against and so pictures a face to face confrontation. It means to set one's self against, to stand firm against someone else's onset, to oppose (place opposite or against), to resist by actively opposing pressure or power, to withstand (oppose with firm determination). It involves not only a psychological attitude but also a corresponding behavior. It was used to refer to an army arranging in battle against the enemy force and so to array against.
“Anthistemi” suggests vigorously opposing, bravely resisting, standing face-to-face against an adversary, holding your ground. Antihistamines (derived from "anthistemi") block or antagonize histamine, and in the same way “anthistemi” tells us that with the authority and spiritual weapons granted to us we can stand against all evil forces. Note carefully that Paul does not say for us to hunt down or to actively pursue our spiritual enemies (don't worry...they will find us!), but to remain steadfast and immovable girded in the full armor of God in the face of persistent attack.
Wuest writes that “anthistemi” means:
“to withstand, to be firm against someone else’s onset” rather than “to strive against that one.” The Christian would do well to remember that he cannot fight the devil. The latter was originally the most powerful and wise angel God created. He still retains much of that power and wisdom as a glance down the pages of history and a look about one today will easily show. While the Christian cannot take the offensive against Satan, yet he can stand his ground in the face of his attacks. Cowardice never wins against Satan, only courage." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)
A Roman centurion, according to Polybius, had to be the kind of man who could be relied upon to resist or stand fast and not give way, even when hard-pressed. So too for the Christian soldier who is called to resist the devil, to forsake the world, and to deny the lusts of the flesh. As discussed elsewhere in these notes, the alert believer must constantly remember that Satan’s desire is to tempt believers to doubt, to deny, to disregard, and to disobey God. So strengthened by the Spirit and clothed with God's full armor, resist him!
Remember also that in spiritual warfare, there is no middle ground and no neutrality (Satan, unlike Hitler, recognizes no "spiritual Switzerland"). To stand with the Lord is to stand against everything sinful and worldly that formerly was appealing, corrupting, and enslaving.
Believers are not to fight with one another but stand against their true enemy. Believers also need to guard against an unhealthy, arrogant attitude which says "we're going to whip the devil!"
So strengthened in the Lord, "take up the full armor of God" so that when the battle is at its fiercest, you as a good soldier of Christ Jesus, will be able to hold your line against even the most determined enemy assault. In so doing you will find that when the assault passes, it will be found that not an inch of territory has been yielded to the enemy.
Despite the devil's deceptions, accusations, power, hatred and ferocity, we can successfully resist him because God commands us to do so and His commands always include His enablement. Be aware that although the devil is a defeated foe, he is also a persistent foe (prowls in 1Peter 5:8 is = continually on the prowl!).
In his first epistle John has several passages that reinforce the truth that the believer can resist the devil:
"I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome (nikao - come off victorious over) the evil one (the devil and his evil angels)." (1Jn 2:14) (Comment: These young men know sound doctrine and so are strong against sin and error because they have His Word in them and are enable to overcome the wiles of the devil, who makes havoc of spiritual children.)
You are from God, little children, and have overcome (be victorious over) them; because greater is He who is in you (the Spirit of Christ) than he who is in the world. (the spirit of the devil and his henchmen) (1Jn 4:4). (Comment: The context speaks especially of false doctrine, which the Spirit of God will help the believer discern as error.)
We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him. (1Jn 5:18) (Comment: The word for "touch" means to lay hold of or to grasp in order to harm. Because the believer belongs to God, Satan must operate within God’s sovereignty and cannot function beyond what God allows, as taught for example in Job 2:5. God protects His children and places definite limits on Satan’s influence or power).
By now you are probably asking yourself, How do I stand?
Also, you should by now have come to the realization that we are talking about spiritual warfare.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE DEFINED: Constant struggle between the flesh and the spirit, between good and evil, between hope and despair, between faith and unbelief, and between carnality and spirituality in a believer. Spiritual warfare is waged on three fronts: personal, corporate, and cosmic. In all three cases the war is waged against unseen enemies, principalities and powers, and evil in high places. (Kurian, G. T. Nelson's New Christian dictionary. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Pubs)
Paul answers the question, How do I stand?
In the following verses of Ephesians 6, Paul answers that question:
VERSE 6:10: FINALLY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.
“BE STRONG” (endunamoo from en = in + dunamóo = strengthen in turn from dunamis = to be able or to have power) is best explained if one first understands the root word “dunamis” which refers to inherent strength residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. The best spiritual example this inherent power is the "gospel" ("the gospel...is the power [dunamis] of God for salvation to everyone who believes" Romans 1:16) which has the inherent, omnipotent power of God that brings about the salvation of a lost sinner who receives this truth. “Dunamis” therefore describes power that overcomes resistance or effects a change. “Dunamis” is used in the NT to speak of miracles or supernatural acts which have in them the inherent power of God or in which one sees His supernatural power exerted in their performance.
“Endunamoo” then means, "to put power in" (like a car needs gas for power) and so to make strong, vigorous, to strengthen (active voice), or to be strengthened (passive voice), be enabled or be empowered inwardly. This word is found only in biblical and ecclesiastical Greek. The idea is to cause one to be able to function or do something. It can refer to physical strengthening as in (Heb 11:34) but is more often used with the figurative sense referring to spiritual or moral strengthening.
Paul like a commanding general who is overseeing his troops in the heat of battle, issues his first command to be strong, a present imperative which is to be carried out by the Christian soldier continually. To disobey a general's command in a crucial battle can be disastrous, and it is no less serious in the believer's continual warfare against his or her unseen foe.
John MacArthur writes about the decisive choice...
The Christian life is a question of availability and appropriation. Know three things: First, it’s a war; second, the power to win is available; and third, you have to appropriate that power. You can choose to be impotent and fruitless, even though residing in you is the power to do beyond what you can even ask or think (Eph. 3:20). You could be lethargic, indifferent, and cold, drifting in and out of church, and still be in heaven for all eternity by the immeasurable grace of God. But if you choose to live that way, you will forfeit the blessing God has for you in this life. And you will fail to glorify God to the extent that you should. You can turn your back on all the available power, blunt the energy of the Spirit of God, and say no to the incomprehensible work that God wants to do through you if you so choose. (MacArthur, J. The Believer's Armor. Chicago: Moody Press 1986)
The idea of the passive voice brings to mind the picture of believers who as vessels (of honor - 2 Ti 2:21) make themselves available to and are strengthened by this outside force. In Ephesians we have learned that this Source is the Holy Spirit Who strengthens us in our inner man as we learn to yield our will to His, and allow Him to strengthen us. Are you resisting or hindering the Spirit (e.g., not necessarily overt willful sin which clearly "hinder" His working in unclean vessels but even in subtle ways like self-confidence, self-assurance, etc, all of which are simply manifestations of pride - to which God is opposed and which cuts off the flow of grace! – (see 1 Peter 5:5)? You cannot empower yourself for this spiritual struggle. You must be willing to surrender to the Spirit and allow yourself to be strengthened. Be continuously empowered in union with the Spirit of Christ. He is the source of spiritual power. Spiritual battles are not natural and require supernatural spiritual strength. This dynamic process is synonymous with being continually filled with or controlled by the Spirit and continually walking in the Spirit so that we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The result is supernatural strength for a supernatural life.
As someone has said, you plus God equals a majority. No giant can withstand you when you are led and empowered by God’s Spirit.
The fact that we cast everything upon God does not give the soldier the right to sit back and to do nothing. Cromwell’s advice to his troops was...
“Trust in God, and keep your powder dry.”
AND IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT
In the strength of His might - This shows how to get this strength and it does not happen by simply knowing these truths or memorizing them.
Guzik puts it this way...
It is not an incantation or a spell. You can’t just walk around saying, “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” over and over and it will happen. Christianity isn’t one of those self-help formulas where you go around saying, “Every day, and in every way, I am getting better and better.” Those kind of mental games can accomplish something, but it certainly wasn’t what Paul meant here. (Ephesians 6)
In Ephesians 6:10 this phrase “strength of His might” relates to the surpassing greatness of His power and the power that God used to raise Christ from the dead. It follows that Paul is commanding the saints to be empowered with resurrection power that conquered death and sin and Satan, so that they might be enabled to stand firm. The victory over the enemy is certain because of Calvary, but as His soldiers we have to daily win the battle against our relentless foe the Devil (the world system he controls and the residual fallen flesh still in our mortal bodies and at which he can aim fiery missiles).
Every believer now has the resources within to deal with Satan, no matter what onslaughts the devil may bring. But there however two conditions that must be met:
(1) The believer’s strength must be in the Lord and not in himself and
(2) He must utilize the armor—the provision God has made for him.
Remember that God would not command us to stand firm in (Ephesians 6:14) had He not provided us with the resources that ensure victory in each and every battle. By faith in God's Word (the fruit of which is obedience), believers can daily walk in the victory of the Cross as more than conquerors...
“STRENGTH” (kratos) refers to manifested power or power that is put forth in action. “Kratos” represents the exercise of might (ischus). When the muscular man uses his might to bend an iron bar, he uses his power (kratos). “Kratos” means that the reserve of strength is actually in operation. It is power to overcome resistance or whatever stands in the way.
“Kratos” refers to the inherent strength which displays itself in the rule over others. Thus it is strength or might, the power to rule or control or exert dominion (power to rule, supreme authority, sovereignty, the right to govern or rule or determine).
Guzik explains that...
God has vast reservoirs of might that can be realized as power (strength) in our Christian life. But His might does not work in me as I sit passively. His might works in me as I rely on it, and step out to do the work. I can rely on it and do no work. I can do work without relying on it. But both of these fall short. I must rely on His might and then do the work. (Ephesians 6)
“MIGHT” (ischus) refers to “power as an enduement.” “Ischus” is the inherent ability which stresses the factuality of the ability, not necessarily the accomplishment.
“Ischus” is inherent power or force. A muscular man’s big muscles display his might, even if he doesn’t use them. It is the reserve of strength. “Ischus” therefore conveys the sense of endowed power or ability. The idea is that it is the active efficacy of the might that is inherent in God, His indwelling strength.
“Ischus” is that strength which one has in possession or ability. One might think of ischus as God's latent power. It is His capability to function effectively. He is able!
Vincent explains that...
The radical idea of “ischus,” might, is that of indwelling strength, especially as embodied: might which inheres in physical powers organized and working under individual direction, as an army: which appears in the resistance of physical organisms, as the earth, against which one dashes himself in vain: which dwells in persons or things, and gives them influence or value: which resides in laws or punishments to make them irresistible.
“Kratos” is exercised strength whereas “ischus” refers to great inherent strength. Nevertheless, the distinction is somewhat difficult to appreciate and convey in the form of a simple definition.
In Ephesians 1:19 “ischus” describes the strength of God has bestowed upon believers. What does this "working of the strength (ischus) of His might (kratos)" look like? Paul presents a fourfold demonstration of this very power which God makes available to believers:
(1) God “raised Him from the dead” (Ephesians 1:20),
(2) “seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies” (Ephesians 1:20),
(3) “subjected all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:22), and
(4) “gave Him as head over the church” (Ephesians 1:22).
In summary, because we are in Christ and He is in us, believers possess resurrection (and ascension) power. To live in this power was ever Paul's desire as he expressed so powerfully in Philippians writing...
“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10)
VERSE 6:11: PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.
We need to notice something in this passage of Scripture.
It says to “Put on the full armor of God.” Notice that it does not say “Put on some pieces and disregard the rest.”
I like what the Amplified Bible says:
“Put on God’s whole armor, the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies, that you may be able successfully to stand up against all the strategies and the deceits of the devil.”
PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD
Paul gives further explanation of what has to be done in order to be strong enough to meet spiritual enemies, especially the devil. It's not your armor that you are to put on but the armor God supplies. Another necessity in victorious warfare is to know the enemy. Don't try to fight your spiritual struggles based on human ingenuity or inherent personal strength. You don't stand a chance against the schemes of the invisible, powerful, crafty foe the devil. Spiritual warfare demands spiritual armor which can only be the "armor of God", the accouterment He provides and which is even modeled on what He Himself wears as described by the prophet Isaiah....
"Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. (Isaiah 11:5) (Comment: compare this OT description to the picture of the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ in Rev 1:13 where John saw "one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.")
And He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. (Isaiah 59:17)
“PUT ON” (also in Eph 6:14)(enduo) from en = in + dúo = to sink, go in or under, to put on) means literally to clothe or dress someone and to put on as a garment, to cause to get into a garment (e.g., Lu 15:22 where the father says "quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him...").
The aorist imperative is a command to do put on the armor now. Don't delay. There is a sense of urgency in the aorist imperative. Just do it like the Nike commercial says.
The middle voice conveys the idea that it is your choice to do it. You put on yourself this armor. You make the choice to initiate the putting on of God's armor and then you participate in the benefits of having it on. Not one is going to put it on you. God is not going to force you to put it on. His command and His good and acceptable and perfect will is for you to put it on, but it still comes down to a choice you must make. It has to do with surrendering your will to His will. Saying no to self (self sufficiency, self confidence, etc) and saying yes to God, obeying Him out of love, as a son or daughter would their Abba, their Daddy.
Note also that this garment is unusual because it has to be put on from the inside! Ultimately this "new self" is Christ Himself (Ro 13:14) Legalism is putting them on the outside. You may look good in the pew or the pulpit but you won't be able to stand firm in the moment of temptation! Knowing the truth is not enough. You have to eat it, digest it, be renewed in your mind by it so that your futile thinking is taught, reproved, corrected and trained in the direction of righteousness then you are transformed from inside out by the Spirit.
The basic necessity for the believer is to depend on the Lord and put on the armor—and leave it on. We are gullible and vulnerable if we think that merely knowing the facts in Ephesians 6:10-18 will protect us. The armor is an absolute requirement for daily victorious living. And even the battles seem to wane; we cannot become apathetic or forget that we are in spiritual warfare everyday for the rest of our life until the day we die!
Paul uses "enduo" are all figurative describing the putting on of "ethical, moral or spiritual" garments. And what a "wardrobe" he lays out for believers in his epistles...
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT
Romans 13:12: The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside (middle voice = you yourself initiate this action and participate in the effect) the deeds of darkness and put on (clothe yourself = middle voice = you yourself initiate this action and participate in the effect) the armor of light.
CHRIST HIMSELF AS OUR GARMENT
Galatians 3:27: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Comment: This putting on refers to salvation, at which time the Spirit replaced our filthy rags of sin with the righteousness of Christ - this is now and forever our new position before God. He sees us in Christ's righteousness - the theologians refer to this as positional truth = past tense salvation = justification).
Romans 13:14: But put on (our practice = present tense salvation = progressive sanctification - put Him on each morning and every moment of the day - aorist imperative [middle voice = you initiate the action and participate in the result = put Him yourself]) the Lord Jesus Christ, and make (present imperative = with the negative means to stop an action already in progress! You know what I am talking about!) no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Comment: As you study the pieces of armor, you can see that ultimately putting each of them on is equivalent to clothing one's self with Christ - truth, righteousness, peace, faith.
THE NEW SELF
Ephesians 4:24: and put on (not a command - aorist tense) the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Comment: There is debate between excellent commentators, some favoring this putting on as indicative of positional truth and others favoring it as calling for this to be our practice - progressive sanctification or present tense salvation).
Colossians 3:10: and have put on (past tense salvation = positional sanctification = our position now and forever in Christ - see our practice in Col 3:12) the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One Who created him.
Colossians 3:12: And so, as those who have been chosen of God (cf notes Eph 1:5), holy and beloved, put on (present tense salvation = progressive sanctification = our practice - a command be clothed [middle voice = clothe yourself] now = aorist imperative) a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
THE BREASTPLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE
1 Thessalonians 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on (at the time of our new birth = justification = our position = past tense salvation) the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
IMPERISHABLE, IMMORTAL GARMENTS
1 Corinthians 15:53 For this perishable must put on (glorification = future tense salvation) the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory.
What a "wardrobe" God has made available for believers! We're the "best dressed" folks in the world and most of us don't even know it!
And the best is yet to come for John describes our new...
GARMENTS OF FINE LINEN, WHITE AND CLEAN...
Revelation 19:14 And the armies (this is us, those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb) which are in heaven, clothed (enduo) in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him (the Lamb = Faithful and True = the Word of God) on white horses.
FULL ARMOR OF GOD: God has supplied the complete armor, but He expects the Christian to put it on. We need the divine equipment in its completeness, without the lack of any single part. God has not sent us out into battle without everything we need at our disposal. and with no part missing or in disrepair.
Paul frequently pictures the Christian as a soldier in his writings – (see Ro 6:13, 23, Ro 13:12, 2Cor 10:4, 1Thes 5:8, 1Ti 1:18, 1Ti 6:12, 2Ti 2:3-4, 4:7). It is not surprising that Paul would draw the analogy of the Christian life with that of a soldier, for it was to a soldier that he was chained while in prison.
Wiersbe writes that...
Paul emphasizes the fact that the full armor is necessary if we are to defeat Satan. The area in our life that we leave unguarded is sure to be the very place that Satan attacks. On October 17, 1586, Sir Philip Sidney was killed at the Battle of Zutphen, because he was not wearing his full armor. He saw that Sir William Pelham was not wearing leg armor, so Sidney removed his. He was struck in the leg and died from the wound. I cannot stress enough the importance of complete protection. (Wiersbe, W: Strategy of Satan: How to Detect and Defeat Him)
“FULL ARMOR” (panoplia from pás = all, every + hoplon = weapon, originally any tool or implement for preparing a thing, became used in the plural for weapons of warfare) is literally wholly armed and refers to the complete set of instruments used in offensive and defensive war. The literal meaning referred to the full preparation of a foot soldier for offense and defense - the complete suit of armor. Certainly Paul could claim knowledge of the Roman soldier’s armor, being chained to one for some three years.
God has supplied the complete armor, but He expects the Christian to put it on. We need the divine equipment in its completeness, without the lack of any single part. God has not sent us out into battle without everything we need at our disposal. However, there is no armor for the back -- we are expected to face our foe!
This Greek word gives us our English word, panoply, which refers to a full suit of armor; ceremonial attire; something forming a protective covering; a magnificent or impressive array; display of all appropriate appurtenances.
Expositor's writes that...
The soldier must be protected from head to foot and the “panoplia” is made up of all the various “hopla” (hoplon = singular) or pieces of armor, both defensive and offensive. Polybius has left a detailed description of the heavily armed Roman infantryman or “hoplite.” Paul may have drawn his picture "live" from the soldier he was chained to in his house arrest, though it is not altogether certain that such a custodian would have been in full battle dress. (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan Publishing)
How does the believer put on the full armor of God?
One of the most important ways is to hide God's Word in our heart (Ps 119:9-11) as if our very life depended upon it because our spiritual vitality does.
Toward the close of World War II, Allied forces were mopping up against remaining Nazi resistance. One particular unit was assigned a crucial mission in Berlin. Each soldier had to memorize a map detailing all of Berlin's important military sites -- and they had to do it in a single night! In just a few hours, each soldier in the unit had committed the map to memory. The mission was a success. Several years later, the Army conducted an experiment to see if that original feat could be duplicated. They offered a similar unit an extra week's furlough--an attractive incentive--if they could carry out a comparable mission without a hitch. But the second unit could not match the success of the first. What made the difference? The lives of the men were not at stake. Surviving in battle was a greater motivation than a week's vacation. Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. Our road map, our plan of strategy against Satan's military strongholds, is the Bible. The more we read it, the more of it we memorize, and the more thoroughly we know it, the more effective we will be for God. We must approach God's Word as if our lives depended on it--because they do. That's real motivation!
If your life depended on knowing the Bible, how long would you last?
How important is the full armor? Here's an illustration...
Bull Moose - Recently National Geographic ran an article about the Alaskan bull moose. The males of the species battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going head-to-head with antlers crunching together as they collide. Often the antlers, their only weapon are broken. That ensures defeat. The heftiest moose, with the largest and strongest antlers, triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The one that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight in the fight. Those that eat inadequately sport weaker antlers and less bulk. There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles wait. Satan will choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious, or will we fall? Much depends on what we do now—before the wars begin. The bull-moose principle: Enduring faith, strength, and wisdom for trials are best developed before they’re needed. (Craig Brian Larson - Bible.org)
SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST
“WILL BE ABLE” (dunamai) means to have power by virtue of inherent ability and resources.
Paul uses the present tense and thus is saying that we are to continually be provided with this Divine enablement. No power outages or shorted circuits (because of willful sin for example) are allowed if we are to win each battle. “Dunamis” is God's omnipotent, omnipresent, inherent ability to perform what He calls us to do -- in this case to stand firm when the battle is raging all around us!
Note the passive voice indicates that this enabling is an internal enablement provided by an outside source, the Spirit of God:
Ephesians 1:19; "strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man"
Ephesians 3:20 "Him Who is able to do...according to the power that works within us"
What does that mean practically?
It simply means that we have to be willing to let God enable us. We have to be willing to let Him have His way rather than us having our way. We have to be willing to allow His Spirit to strengthen and control us at every moment during the battle. And thus strengthened in our inner man, we can make the choice to take a stand, to hold firmly to our position, to resist the temptation to doubt, to fear, to gratify. We are more than conquerors through Christ Who loved us on Calvary and will love us eternally. With such assurance and empowerment we can stand firm against every assault to the praise of the glory of His grace which He so richly lavishes upon us.
The underlined sentence is the key. It is a day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute choice on our part.
Notice that Paul uses “dunamai” three times in this short treatise on spiritual warfare and each time it is in the passive voice indicating an external source of enablement to which the believer must be willing to yield and receive from the Holy Spirit! (See notes Ephesians 6:11, 6:13; 6:16) In other words, attitudes such as self confidence, self sufficiency and self assurance, etc, have to be cast off like filthy garments of unrighteousness if we are to receive the necessary divine empowerment God graciously makes available.
To stand firm against - to hold a watch post, to stand and hold out in a critical position on a battlefield. This phrase belongs to the soldier's language and conveys the idea of standing one's ground, as opposed to taking flight. Note that stand is a key word in warfare (see notes Ephesians 6:11; 6:13; 6:14 - in verse 14 note that resist is a derivative of the Greek word for stand)
THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL
Here we encounter the commander in chief of the invisible army arrayed against us. He is our sworn, mortal enemy. This is not a video game or a fairy tale but a very real war with a very real, deceptive foe.
Earlier Paul had warned about the devil's schemes to disrupt the unity of the body writing that...
“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming”
“AGAINST” (pros) expresses direction - toward, on the side of, in the direction of. It can serve as a marker of closeness of relation or proximity. “Pro” is most commonly translated...against (21), before (10), toward (9). The picture is that of the believer facing these schemes.
The schemes of the devil - Note Paul's use of the definite article in Greek ("the") which defines these as specific schemes, not just general schemes. It suggests that the devil and his minions have specific schemes, "tailor made" for each person, for he is aware of the sin that so easily entangles each of us!
Note that these schemes involve shrewdly devious and intriguing methods that entail following an orderly, technical procedure in the handling of a subject. Schemes is used to describe a wild animal cunningly stalking and unexpectedly pouncing on prey (cp 1Pe 5:8). Satan’s schemes to destroy us and do us harm are built around stealth and deception but as Paul writes to the Corinthians
"we are not ignorant of his schemes." (2Corinthians 2:11) (Comment: Here schemes is not “methodeia” but “noema” [from nous = mind] and refers to the content of thinking and reasoning.)
Samuel Rutherford reminds us that...
"Satan is only God’s master fencer to teach us to use our weapons."
“SCHEMES” (methodeia from methodeuo = to work by method in turn from meta = with, after + hodos = a way) refers to an orderly, logical, effective arrangement, usually in steps followed to achieve an end. It describes deliberate planning or a systematic approach and can have a positive or negative connotation. The negative meaning of “methodeia” implies the use of clever methods or strategies to attain the desired end. The Scripture always uses “methodeia” with a negative connotation.
“Methodeia” has reference to planned, subtle, systematized error. Error organizes. It has its systems and its logic. Be alert! Be mature! Satan’s scheming, crafty actions and artful designs have ‘method’ and purpose, for his aim is to mislead the immature who are not grounded on apostolic doctrine. Behind the evil men and women who seek to expound false teaching, there is also a supernatural evil power who seeks to deceive unwary saints with his "devilish" cunning.
Think about this simple definition in the context of spiritual warfare. Satan is orderly and logical in his steps employed against you to achieve his nefarious purposes. This realization should prompt each of us to be even more appreciative of the fact that we cannot stand against our invisible enemy in our own intelligence, our own strength or our own human "methods" or "schemes". We must put on the full armor that God supplies in Christ.
David Jeremiah has an interesting thought on Satan's “methodeia” writing that...
“If you could sneak into Satan’s office, wherever that might be (he’s not in hell yet), and take a peek into his files, you might be surprised to find a file folder with your name on it. I’m not exaggerating. He keeps a file on you, and inside that file are all the strategies he’s tried on you—the ones that have worked and the ones that have failed. He doesn’t waste his time with the ones that don’t work anymore. Instead, he uses variations on the strategies that have caused you to stumble in the past. As long as they keep working, he keeps using them
.
Somewhere in that file cabinet there’s a file labeled: Jeremiah, David. In this file, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there was a notation that reads something like this: Subject may be prone to discouragement, especially if he becomes overly weary. This has worked several times before and seems a promising method of attack. Suggestion: Make sure he stays very busy, overcommitted, and physically tired. At all costs, keep him from extended times of Bible reading and prayer.
So what is Satan’s strategy for me? He looks for ways to discourage me, and if possible, cause me some depression. He will use whatever people, means, or circumstances it takes to achieve his goal.
It’s the same for you. Maybe your file says, “Frequently tempted to gossip,” or “quick temper,” or “prone to coveting and jealousy,” or “weak in the area of lust.”
Don’t kid yourself, he knows very well where your vulnerabilities lie. It’s all in his file. You’ve heard, perhaps, that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. That’s very good news, but it is also true that Satan hates you and has a plan and strategy to destroy your walk with Jesus Christ.
That’s one big reason why you experience struggle and discouragement in your Christian experience. Sometimes I hear people say,
“Well, if you’re a Christian, you shouldn’t have any struggles. You shouldn’t ever feel discouraged. All is peace and joy and love and happiness.”
I don’t think so. I personally think that description fits better with life before you found salvation in Christ. Do you know why? Because you only had one influence in your life at that time. There was no contest for your heart. There was no tug-of-war for your soul.” (Jeremiah, D. . God In You: Releasing the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life. Multnomah Publishers)
Ray Stedman in his excellent book "Spiritual Warfare" has this note regarding "methodeia":
"What are the tactics the devil employs? He destroys by deceiving, by lying, by distorting, by counterfeiting, by masquerading, by clouding human minds with illusion and fantasy. This is what Paul calls "the devil's schemes," or as some translations put it, "the wiles of the devil" Read through the Bible and see how many times the work of the devil is referred to in that manner - the snares and the traps of the devil, the lies and illusions, the stratagems and the wiles. That is why we must look closely at the tactics the devil uses against us so that we can be strong and well-defended when he comes to us to defeat us, weaken us, and ruin our lives....
By far, the majority of attacks of the devil against Christians are not direct but indirect. That is why they are called the "schemes" of the devil. Schemes suggest deviousness or acting in a way that is subtle, secretive, and treacherous.
We need to examine this more thoroughly, for the major attack of the devil and his powers against human life is not by direct means, but indirectly by satanic suggestions through the natural and commonplace situations of life.
So we have an enormous responsibility before God and before the entire world to give ourselves, body and soul, to this great battle against the schemes of the evil one. We have a responsibility to battle the schemes of the devil in this world, and to point the way to the peace and security that lies ahead of us in the world to come...most often the devil comes in disguise, through the channel of "the flesh" our inner selves with silken, subtle, suggestive schemes. That is the avenue of satanic attack the apostle Paul warns us most strenuously about: the subtle schemes of the devil." (Stedman, Ray. Spiritual Warfare. Revised edition, 1999 -- highly recommended)
Stedman goes on to write:
"Friend, in Christ there is nothing that more clearly indicates that we have succumbed to the schemes of the devil than to complain about our lot in life. Again and again, the Word of God shows that the mark of a Christian who has learned how to be a Christian is that he rejoices in everything and gives thanks in all things."
EPHESIANS 6:13: THEREFORE, TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM.
“TAKE UP” (analambano from ana = up + lambano = take) means literally to take up, to assume. Depending on the context analambano can mean to cause to go up, to lift up and carry away as in the Ascension of Christ (Acts 1:2, 11, 22), to take up in order to carry (Acts 7:43, Eph 6:13, 16), to pick up (someone to take along on a journey - 2Ti 4:11), to take aboard a ship (Acts 20:13, 14).
Paul like a military general to his troops commands the believers to take up their armor. The aorist imperative conveys a sense of urgency and demands that one take decisive action. Do this now! Don't delay! So when the battle is the most fierce, the soldier of Christ may still be able to hold his or her position even against the most determined attacks.
Wuest adds that “analambano” means to...
“to take up” in order to use, “to take to one’s self,” thus, “take up” as one takes up armor to put it on. The verb is aorist imperative, which construction issues a command given with military snap and curtness, a command to be obeyed at once and once for all. Thus, the Christian is to take up and put on all the armor of God as a once-for-all act and keep that armor on during the entire course of his life, not relaxing the discipline necessary for the constant use of such protection. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans
FULL ARMOR) (panoplia from ps = all, áevery + hoplon = weapon, originally any tool or implement for preparing a thing, became used in the plural for weapons of warfare) is literally wholly armed and refers to the complete set of instruments used in offensive and defensive war. The literal meaning referred to the full preparation of a foot soldier for offense and defense - the complete suit of armor. Certainly Paul could claim knowledge of the Roman soldier’s armor, being chained to one for some three years.
Don't miss the qualifying phrase "of God". It is His armor, not ours. He provides the full armor, but believers must recognize the battle and implement God’s sufficient provision by faith and obedience. Trust and obey...there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey!
Ray Stedman illustrates the importance of full armor in warfare...
“BRITISH ADMIRAL LORD DAVID BEATTY commanded a flotilla at the Battle of Jutland during World War I. As the battle began, British and German ships engaged each other in a long-range artillery battle. It quickly became apparent that there was a major flaw in the British ships. First, a heavy cruiser, the Lion, was hit by an artillery barrage and quickly sunk. Next the Indefatigable was hit in the powder magazine, and was blown to pieces. Then the Queen Mary was sunk, taking a crew of 1,200 sailors straight to the bottom. Watching this destruction among the proud ships of his fleet, Admiral Beatty turned to his bridge officer and said with characteristic British restraint,
"There seems to be something wrong with our ships today, Chatfield."
Though the British ships eventually turned back the German fleet, it was later discovered that there was a fatal flaw in the design of the British ships. Though they had heavily armored hulls, their wooden decks offered almost no protection against enemy long-range artillery shells that dropped almost straight down out of the sky. Only after the British began to armor their ships on top as well as on the sides did they stop losing ships to German long-range artillery. Effective armor is a crucial element of victory in any war including spiritual warfare...If you leave anything unprotected, the enemy will find a way to exploit that chink in your armor and he will destroy you. In Ephesians 6, Paul calls us to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." How do we do this? How do we become strong in the Lord as Paul exhorts us to? By putting on "the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." And note that word full. We cannot merely put on this or that piece of God's armor in some random or incomplete fashion. We cannot leave any part of ourselves uncovered and unprotected. We cannot give our enemy any little opening, or he will exploit that opening to his advantage.” (Ray Stedman. Spiritual Warfare)
VERSE 6:10: FINALLY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.
VERSE 6:11: PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.
EPHESIANS 6:13: THEREFORE, TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM.
Take a good look at these three passages in Ephesians 6.
What do you see?
See if you notice the following:
TO BE ABLE TO STAND ONE MUST:
(1) BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.
(2) PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD:
SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL
(3) TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD:
THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY
AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM
Today we war against Satan only to maintain and consolidate the victory, which Christ has already gained.
The ground Christ has won has been given to us. We do not need to fight to obtain it. We only need to hold it against all challenges. Our task is one of holding, not of attacking. It is a matter not of advancing, but of sphere, the sphere of the Christ.
In the person of Christ, God has already conquered. He has given us the victory to “hold.” He has given us the victory to “hold.”
Within the sphere of Christ, the enemy’s defeat is already a fact, and the Church has been put there to keep him defeated. Satan is the one who must do the counterattacking in his efforts to dislodge us from that sphere. For our part we need not struggle to occupy ground that is already ours.
IN HIM WE STAND:
WE DO NOT FIGHT “FOR” VICTORY; WE FIGHT “FROM”VICTORY.
WE DO NOT FIGHT IN ORDER TO WIN, BUT BECAUSE IN CHRIST WE HAVE ALREADY WON.
OVERCOMERS ARE THOSE WHO REST IN THE VICTORY ALREADY GIVEN TO THEM BY THEIR GOD.
WHEN YOU FIGHT TO”GET” THE VICTORY, YOU HAVE LOST THE BATTLE AT THE VERY ONSET.
WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGHT INTO VICTORY, YOU ARE RELINQUISHING TO THE ENEMY THE VERY GROUND THAT IS YOURS.
ONLY THOSE WHO SIT CAN STAND.
Our power for standing, as for walking, lies in our having first being made to sit together with Christ.
The Christian’s walk and warfare alike drive their strength from His position there.
If he is not sitting before God he cannot hope to stand before the enemy.
WHEN YOU GET OUT OF REST, YOU GET OUT OF YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST AND YOUR POWER IS WEAKENED.
For every point of attack, defensive armor is provided. (Ephesians 6)
If you look at the armor provided here, there is no piece of armor for the back.
However, if you are walking in the power of God, the glory of the Lord is your rear guard.
We do not retreat.
Because victory is His, therefore it is ours.
If we will not try to gain the victory, but simply to maintain it, then we shall see the enemy utterly rooted.
We must not ask the Lord to enable us to overcome the enemy, or even to look to Him to overcome, but praise Him because He has already done so.
A good example of this is found in II Chronicles 20.
Read what the Lord told the king to do.
REVELATION: If you will notice, they were to praise the Lord before the battle even started. The Lord told me that we celebrate a victory after it is done. A good example is a team winning the Super Bowl or World Series. They celebrate the victory after they have won. We are to celebrate the victory because it is already won. That is why we are more than conquerors, because Jesus has already won and we partake of His victory.
HE IS THE VICTOR
IT IS ALL A MATTER OF FAITH IN HIM.
If we believe the Lord, we shall not pray so much but rather praise Him more.
The simpler and clearer our faith is in Him, the less we shall pray in such situations and the more we shall praise Him.
IN CHRIST WE ARE ALREADY CONQUERORS!
IN CHRIST JESUS YOU ARE THE VICTOR IN THE FIELD IN HIS NAME
Ephesians 6 is concerned with more that the personal side of our warfare.
It has to do with the work of God entrusted to us, the utterance of the mystery of the gospel.
It is true, on one the one hand, that our Lord Jesus is seated “far above all rule and authority, and that all things have been put in subjection under His feet.”
Clearly it is the light of this completed victory that we are to “give thanks always for all things in the Name of Jesus the Anointed One.”
By now you will have noticed that I did not go into each piece of the armor of God.
I decided not to because I am going to give you a link to an E-Book titled “Spiritual Warfare” by Ray Stedman.
Ray Stedman does a much better job of explaining each piece of the armor of God and spiritual warfare. I highly recommend that you follow the link and download this E-book. It’s free.
Go to http://www.raystedman.org/
Scroll down to books by Ray Stedman, and look for the one titled “Spiritual Warfare.”
You want to download the 1999 new revised edition.
