THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10)

Devotion 3 of 15

THE REAL STRUGGLE

What is the real nature of our warfare? Why is armor required, and what kind of opponents are we facing? For some people, the challenges of daily life, with all of its complexities and decisions, are the real issue. For others, their careers, home-life, or business decisions are where the real struggle is found. Still, others consider the most formidable contests to be in the area of overcoming bad habits and acquiring good ones. All who tend to think in this manner see little value in "the whole armor of God." That is why they seek refuge in the arms of the educator, motivator, psychiatrist, religious professional, counselor, or substance-abuse expert. Of this swelling number of people, few have any solid view at all about "the whole armor of God." Although most of them are "churched," they would be hard-pressed to identify any element of the marvelous suit of armor God has provided.

Be clear on this: those who fail to "put on the whole armor of God" will lose the daily skirmishes, and the final battle as well. God will give no victory to those who refuse to wear the armor He has provided. However, men will have no desire to appropriate armor for which they see no need. The Spirit will now confirm the requirement of the "armor of God." Few believers have honored the Lord in their approach to His "full armor." It will be obvious that this is because they have not seen the nature of the hosts against which they do battle.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph 6:12).

"Wrestling" involves a fierce and relentless struggle. To "wrestle" is to fight – to be engaged in a conflict that can only be won by one of the combatants. This battle will not conclude in a "draw." The picture depicted in wrestling is that of a battle that continues until one is thrown to the ground and held there. It also implies face-to-face conflict to the finish. No virtual battle here, or one that is fought in absentia, or sitting at a computer. This is no game where the believer can withdraw at will, and devote himself to more preferable activities.

NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD

Our battle is not against men, as formidable as they may appear at times. Our difficulties are far greater than fighting men, where human strength and carnal weaponry are used. Our weapons are not "carnal," or fleshly, because our foes are not. As it is written, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:4-5).

There are "strongholds," bastions of thought, that must be pulled down with spiritual violence. No natural power or ability is able to do this. There are "imaginations," vain persuasions that have so enslaved men that no human adroitness, however cultured and trained, can free them. We do NOT contend with "flesh and blood." The area of spiritual warfare is not the political arena. It is not the business and athletic fields. Those are all "flesh and blood." Our weapons are not suited for such conflict. They equip us for a higher battle, a more formidable foe, and forces that are vastly superior to flesh and blood.

When men "strive to enter the strait gate," there are powerful spiritual forces who are against such an effort. When we "strive against sin" (Heb 12:4), we are dealing with more than mere habits and fleeting inclinations! We are not grappling with "flesh and blood." While Jacob wrestled with a heavenly messenger (Gen 32:24-25), we wrestle with similar messengers of darkness, infinitely more powerful than ourselves, and capable of violently casting us to the ground if we lack "the whole armor of God." Who, then, is aligned against us? Who must we engage in battle, arrayed with the "whole armor of God"?

FORMIDABLE FOES

Faith has engaged us in a battle with "principalities . . . powers . . . the rulers of the darkness of this world," and "spiritual wickedness in high places." The NLT reads, "against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms." Some may think it demanding enough to deal with demons, and that is certainly no small matter. There are some demons who only "come out" through "prayer and fasting" (Matt 17:21). Still, our text goes beyond the demonic world, and those spirits who take up residence in the bodies of men and women. Our battle is above this earth, in lofty realms where wicked governing spirits reside.

PRINCIPALITIES. "Principalities" are wicked magistrates or rulers. Jesus has been exalted above these "principalities" (Eph 1:21), but we must contend with them. These "principalities" were plundered by Jesus (Col 2:15), but have enough strength remaining in them to defeat us if we do not "put on the whole armor of God." One of these "principalities" is mentioned in the tenth chapter of Daniel. He is called "the prince of Persia." He was too formidable for Daniel, and was engaged by no less than a strong angel from heaven, whose articulation was "like the voice of a multitude" (Dan 10:6).

Although sent by God to Daniel from the very "first day" Daniel set his heart to understand, this angel was "withstood" for three full weeks by "the prince of Persia." Unable to topple this dark power himself, he was aided by Michael, "one of the chief princes," and himself an "archangel" (Jude 9). Following the fulfillment of his mission to Daniel, this angel said he was going to return and rejoin Michael in the battle. Michael had remained with "the kings of Persia." The result of the overthrow of this principality would be the fall of the Persian empire, and the coming of the Grecian empire. Here is how the angel stated it. "Now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come" (Dan 10:20). Such powers have now engaged the sons of God!

POWERS. These are spiritual powers who have received delegated authority, and have jurisdiction over certain areas and matters. These are not political powers, like Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, or Nero. All of them were flesh and blood, and none of them occupied the "heavenly places." There is a hierarchy of wicked spirits, just as there are among the upright spirits. Among the holy heavenly assembly there are the four living creatures (Ezek 1:5; 4:6), cherubim (Gen 3:24; Psa 80:1), seraphim (Isa 6:2,6), archangels (1 Thess 4:16; Jude 9), and other holy angels (Heb 1:13-14). I do not know of the ranking among these celestial powers, nor do the scriptures provide a listing, as they do of human authorities in Christ's body (1 Cor 12:28). The point is that Satan also has ranking spirits who exercise unusual power, and have authority in certain areas.

These are the kind of "powers" Jesus said would be "shaken in heaven" (Matt 24:29), resulting in the dispersion of their wicked influence. All of them are subject to Christ (1 Pet 3:22), none of them are subject to us personally. We must "wrestle" against them, and do so with "the whole armor of God." If you do not come against them in an authority greater than theirs, there is no hope of overcoming them. It will not be enough to shout out the name of Jesus. You must "put on the whole armor of God."

THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD. Iniquity is inherent in flesh, but it is promoted and governed in this world by the rulers of spiritual darkness and ignorance. This is the source from which demons receive power to perpetrate false and condemning doctrines (1 Tim 4:1). These dark forces maintain the high levels of spiritual ignorance in vast segments of the world where idol worship, violence, and the ignorance of God dominate. The devil is the prince of this world, and these "rulers" carry out the dissemination of spiritual ignorance throughout the world. As a believer, you are engaged against these "rulers." It should be apparent you need "the whole armor of God" to resist them, and throw them down from their lofty perches.

SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES. These are spiritual, forces who promote wickedness of all forms in the earth. They account for the rapid spread of immorality and unspeakable atrocities throughout the world. Where the people of God are not fitted with "the whole armor of God," they should not be surprised at the outbreak of iniquity in their surroundings. Believers are like watchmen on the walls, sent forth to do battle in high and lofty realms, toppling wicked powers that are presently causing the spread of wickedness. A worldly church only gives more power to these forces. We should not be surprised that mass murders, drunkenness, occultism, sorcery, and other forms of wickedness are leaping beyond social boundaries they formerly could not cross. Those who wear the name of Jesus have not "put on the whole armor of God," and thus have been unable to resist the onslaught of these inimical forces.

The necessity of the "while armor of God" should be apparent to you. It should also be clear that it is never in order to expend our spiritual energies on footmen, when the dark horsemen of the higher realms are galloping through the land!

PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus' name, open my eyes to see the largeness and formidableness of the battle, and then to throw my energies into fighting for your glory.

– Tomorrow: STANDING FIRM --