Ephesians 6:10-11 – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
I don’t need to tell you that there is constant warfare in this life. You know that as well as anybody! Every day we struggle or battle against the common problems and obstacles of life. We have business deals that fall apart, vehicles that break down, schedule conflicts, kids that need braces, unexpected bills, and lawns that we can’t mow because it rains five days a week! Sometimes, it feels like nothing is easy. 
In addition, the Christian is also engaged in spiritual warfare. The powers of darkness are trying to destroy our relationship with God and our testimony amongst men.
Given our situation, it is fitting that Paul uses the analogy of a soldier to prepare us for what lies ahead. Notice what our first two preparations are to be – one, we are to be strong in the Lord, operating in his might. In other words, we are to have spiritual strength and courage. We need to mature past the point where we are babies in Christ. We should be engaging in the enemy through prayer, fasting, praise and worship, quoting the word, etc. Each answered prayer is a victory, and each victory strengthens us in the Lord and gives us courage to battle even bigger foes. Each victory causes faith to grow.
Why don’t you take a moment right now and reminisce about your last three or four victories? Share your testimony with someone else. It will build your faith and make you stronger!
Our second preparation is to arm ourselves with the armor and weapons God has provided. God provides them and makes them available to us, but it is our responsibility to pick them up and become skilled at wielding them! The reason for putting on the armor is that we may be able to stand against the devil. This involves withstanding temptations, recognizing deceit/lies, avoiding traps and snares, rescuing those still under Satan’s grasp and spreading the gospel message.
Clearly, it takes both the armor/weapons and spiritual courage in order to be successful soldiers for Christ.
Spiritual warfare also has a very pleasing benefit – it draws you into a more intimate relationship with Jesus. As you battle the enemy, you will be drawing on the strength and wisdom of God. You will be pressing into his presence with prayer and praise. You will find yourself enjoying communion and intimacy with him as he stands with you against the foe.
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.
“Flesh and blood” is a euphemism for people. If human strength and cunning were the extent of the opposition we faced, the battle wouldn’t be too overwhelming. It would be human against human and we would have a chance of victory. However, that is not the case. As Christians we need to remember that people are the instruments or tools used in the attack, but the true enemies are evil spiritual powers. They are far stronger and more cunning than we are; we cannot withstand them in our own power or strength.
What we truly face are “rulers, authorities and cosmic powers” as well as “spiritual forces of evil” in the heavenly realms. These phrases denote ranks of demonic powers. They seem to have an organization with differing levels of power, just as an army would. They are numerous. They are powerful. They are experts at temptation, violence and evil of all kinds. Back in the garden of Eden Satan won the rights to earth from Adam and Eve. This world has been the seat of his empire since then. Therefore, this world is considered in present darkness. Paul tells us this not to overwhelm us with fear, but to stir up diligence within us, so that we can be prepared to fight.
Ephesians 6:13 – Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
An ‘evil day’ is a time when we face temptations, persecution, trials, etc. Therefore, any day can be an evil day. Since we don’t know when the next attack may come, we are to take up God’s armor and be ready to fight the enemy at all times.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
We are instructed to “take up” and to “stand”. Notice that we are not expected to achieve the victory. That is because Jesus has already won victory over Satan. Our job is to enforce that victory. We must be prepared to stand our ground in faith, rejecting temptation, repelling sickness and disease, warring against injustice, spreading the gospel and in general, fighting Satan’s evil schemes where we find them. James tells us that if we stand firm and resist the devil, he will run away. Obviously, he is not scared of us, but of Christ who lives in us.
Ephesians 6:14 – Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness…
Continuing with his military analogy, Paul now takes the time to give us the particulars of our spiritual armor. We are not going to make an in depth study of the actual pieces of ancient armor, because this is only an analogy; it is intended to focus our minds on what is necessary for the Christian life. 
The belt of truth: Truth is actually a very broad topic. There is truth of action, meaning honesty in all our dealings and relationships. There is truth of the heart, which refers to our intentions. God is very, very interested in our intentions or motivations. This is clear throughout the Bible. For example, remember when Samuel was sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king of Israel? A number of Jesse’s strong young sons were brought before him, but this is what the Lord said:
1 Samuel 16:7 - But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart”.
There is also truth of speech, which entails much more than just an absence of lying. It also includes building up and strengthening others through truthful words. Perhaps someone told your best friend that she was a failure and she would never amount to anything. As a Christian, you should use words of truth to encourage her. You need to tell her that she is a victor in Christ. Tell her that God has a plan and purpose for her life. Tell her that God loves her so much, he numbers the hairs of her head and he has her name tattooed on the palm of his hand. Truth of speech not only builds up others, it protects us as well. We too, need to know the truth of how God views us. We need to realize that he is pleased with us, that he loves us, that his love does not depend on performance, etc.
Just as a belt encompasses our entire body, the spiritual belt of truth surrounds all aspects of what we do in the spiritual realm.
The breastplate of righteousness: This weapon is fairly easy to understand. It signifies the practice of righteousness or living a holy life. A soldier’s breastplate protected the vital organs from the chest to the thighs. These were the most likely areas of enemy attacks, because any injury here would have a good chance of being fatal. As we live holy lives, we defend and protect our spiritual man from attacks of the enemy that could be very serious indeed. How often have we seen Satan ruin the life or even the ministry of a man/woman of God because of sin? We should develop a thick breastplate through personal holiness.
Ephesians 6:15 - and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
Roman soldiers wore heavy sandals studded with hobnails which gave them a secure foothold when fighting. (The best modern day example we have would be the athlete’s footwear called ‘spikes’.)
Being properly shod indicates that the Christian soldier is constantly ready to move forward, taking new ground for Christ by sharing the good tidings of peace. The Israelites were commanded to eat the Passover with their feet shod to show that they were ready for their journey. Christ commanded His messengers to be shod with sandals, so they were prepared to proclaim the gospel wherever they were sent. You and I should be prepared to witness for Christ as the opportunity arises.
I think this is an excellent place to stop for reflection. If you are experiencing weariness in your Christian life, perhaps you need to re-think your position and check your armor. Are you trying to do accomplish things for the kingdom using your own power? You should be getting your strength from the Lord, who has an infinite supply. Isaiah tells us that those who ‘wait’ on the Christ will run the race of life without being weary. David tells us in Psalms 18 that it is God who gives us strength for the battle.
Psalms 18:39 – For you (God) equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
How are you progressing in the area of personal holiness? All of us fail at times; you should not allow the devil to condemn you for that, but overall is your level of personal holiness greater now than it was six months ago? A year ago? If you are not sure, this might be a good time to check your armor.
2 Corinthians 7:1 - … let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
How important is truth in your life? Are you governed by it’s principles? [FYI, if you base your life on principles of truth, things will go much smoother and more trouble free for you!]
When was the last time you spontaneously prayed for someone or shared the gospel? If called upon to share it right now, are you able to give a reasonable, clear account of the salvation message?
I share these thoughts not to make you feel badly about yourself, but just as a check. A good soldier has routine maintenance performed on his gear and weaponry. Now is a good time for us to do the same to our spiritual gear!
Ephesians 6:16-17 – In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Faith is like a sort of universal defense. Our enemy will try to launch fiery darts of unbelief, worry, unforgiveness, bitterness and hopelessness, etc. All of these lies can be stopped or blocked with faith.
For example, you may hear a report from work that says your job is going to be eliminated. Don’t be surprised if Satan immediately launches a “fiery dart” at you by putting thoughts in your mind. He may whisper something similar to this: 
“I know I am going to be let go and I will never find another job at my age”
“If I lose this job, I will lose my house”
“If I lose my job, I won’t be able to afford medical insurance”
“If I lose this job, I will need to declare bankruptcy”.
If we were to listen to those thoughts, it would induce a sense of panic, worry and fear into our lives. We would be tempted to think that God either cannot or will not take care of us. Our peace would be gone; so would our trust in God.
But it does not have to be that way. When the enemy whispers those thoughts in our ear, we can fend him off with the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
For example, when those thoughts come to you, you should immediately banish them from your mind. You can’t necessarily keep them from popping up in your mind, but you do have the power to shut them out without dwelling on them. Instead, fill your mind with the God’s truth. Remind yourself of past times when God met your needs. Remind yourself that the God you serve owns the universe and he loves you! Remind yourself that he has promised never to forsake you. Remind yourself that he has promised to meet your needs according to his riches in glory! Remind yourself that God miraculously fed millions of people every day for over 40 years with manna. Surely, he can take care of you in your situation!
The truth is that even if you DO lose your job, God is still going to walk with you and take care of you!
Philippians 4:19 – And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
As you dwell on these truths, your faith will kick in and you will not fall prey to the enemy. Instead of fear and worry and panic, you will have peace and assurance that God is leading your steps. That is how the shield of faith works. Faith is believing what God says rather than what the circumstances look like. If you resist the devil, he has to leave you alone!
James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The shield of faith works best in conjunction with the sword of the Spirit, or the word of God. When the enemy attacks, fight back with the word. This is exactly what Jesus did when he was tempted by the devil. If you look at the temptation of Christ in Luke 4, you find that Jesus spoke the word of God in response to every temptation Satan threw at him. Eventually, Satan gave up and left. We can do the same thing.
I believe there are two keys to using the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. One, you have to get control of your mind and emotions. You can kick Satan out of your thoughts and dwell on Christ, but it takes discipline. Replace those thoughts with thoughts of God’s power and love for you. Praise and praise songs can be a very effective way of reminding yourself how great and power God truly is! Regardless of how you do it, I would advise you to start stretching your mental muscles today, so you will be ready when the battle comes.
Secondly, you must know and be familiar with the word. If you never read the Bible, how will you use it when the day of testing comes? Again, look at Jesus. When Satan came to tempt him, he didn’t get out a scroll to look up a scripture. He had them already hidden in his heart, and they came to him as he needed them. You must do the same. Prepare now for the day of battle and you will be successful!
Ephesians 6:18- …praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
The first thing to notice is that prayer should be happening at all stages of life. If you are young, you should pray. If you are middle aged, you should pray. If you are old, you should be pray. If you are lying about your age, you should definitely be praying!
Prayer should be happening no matter what circumstance you find yourself in. Whether in adversity, prosperity, temptation, joy, under trial, or having a ‘mountain top’ experience, we need to be praying.
Our prayers themselves are different and unique. The prayer we pray for a stranger at Walmart is different from the deep interceding we do in our private prayer closet. The prayers you pray with your spouse will be different from the group prayers that are prayed at church. Sometimes our prayer may just be a simple cry for help, or it maybe it takes the form of silently waiting to hear from God. While there are different kinds of prayer, the key is that in all circumstances, we should pray.
This raises an important question – what should we pray? Well, first of all, we know we should pray in accordance with the Word of God. It is good and right to pray for people to be healed of sickness, because the Bible says Jesus has paid the price for our healing; it’s God’s will that we are healthy. Obviously, we want to avoid prayer that is in direct opposition to God’s word. For example, we should not pray that we don’t get caught cheating on our taxes!
Sometimes, it is clear what we should pray for, but other times it is not. For instance, what is the best way to pray for an unsaved loved one that you don’t see very often? In this case, we may not know the circumstances well enough to pray for the right thing. Even if we know the circumstances, we may misinterpret what God is doing. If our loved one is going through a difficulty, we may pray for her to be delivered, when in fact, the trial is the very thing God is using to draw her to himself. 
Thankfully, according to Ephesians 6:18, the Holy Spirit will assist the believer in prayer. This is confirmed in Romans 8:26-27:
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words….the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Practically speaking, you can begin by praying with your understanding. Then, wait on the Holy Spirit to guide you in your prayer. He is more than willing to lead you in the right direction.
Also, for those who have a spiritual prayer language from the Holy Spirit, you can also use this to pray. In this instance, the Holy Spirit himself is praying through you, so you can be sure that you are praying the exact will of God.
Ephesians 6:19-20 …and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
If the apostle Paul felt that he needed prayer support from his church, how much more do we need it as well? We should be able to ask our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to aid us in our ministries by prayer. We should be able to boldly ask them to pray for us when we are sick or facing trials and difficulties. One of the blessings of being part of a church body is the support, love, and prayer we can receive from each other. If you are not involved in a church, I would encourage you to find one and become an active participant.
Ephesians 6:21-24 - So that you may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Can we read between the lines in Paul’s final words to the Ephesians? Paul is sending a messenger with this letter to “tell you everything”. It is his intention that the church at Ephesus may “know how we are” and that it may “encourage your hearts”.
But what exactly was Paul’s situation? He was in prison, being accused of a crime he did not commit. He is not telling the Ephesians that everything is great. He is not telling them that the Christian life is easy or trouble free. Rather, he is showing them that in all his tribulations, God is present with him. In all his trials, God comforts and sustains him. In all the unfairness of his situation, God is still in control and he will bring about his purposes for the church. Wow! This is a lesson we can all learn from!
This letter is also a great reminder that this world is not the end. There is another eternal, spiritual world that will one day be our home. I hope this study of Ephesians has stirred up your mind to a greater understanding of the spiritual blessings we have in Christ. I also hope it has encouraged you to become an active member of the body of Christ!
May the Lord bless you!