He tells us in verse 10 to be strong. It actually means to clothe oneself with strength as with a garment. He is saying what we are to do is something that is part of a process. It is not something that we become quickly, anymore than we are clothed with clothing all at once. Rather, we put clothing on one piece at a time. Becoming strong in the Lord is part of a process that takes place in our experience in this relationship with God.
We are to be continually strengthened with Christ's strength—be clothed, be made strong in the Lord.
He tells us then in verse 11, "to put on." That is very interesting because it literally means in English "hide in" as though it is a place of safety. He is telling us that we are to hide in. It is very close to the English word "envelope." An envelope covers a letter.
So the armor of God, that is, being strong in the Lord, will envelope us. It means that every part of our body, from the soles of our feet to the top of our head, is to be covered with the armor of God, which He calls the panoplia. It does not appear in English, but it is translated "the whole armor of God." It is not just divine equipment, but the whole divine equipment that we are to be covered with.
He tells us in verse 12 that we are involved in a wrestling match and this is very interesting. It does not take a great deal to explain it, but a little bit of background will help us to understand. What he is saying is based on what happened in Greek wrestling matches, which is that very frequently the loser was blinded. He was not put to death, but his eyes were put out.
Now understand how that would incapacitate a person physically. Let us think of it in spiritual terms. A good understanding have all they that do His commands (Psalm 111:10). Right? In other words, a person who is doing the commands of God is going to be able to see spiritually. If we lose the wrestling match with Satan, the loss is going to be in the inability to see spiritual things. We begin to lose it. Is that not a colorful description? What a metaphor! He is not saying we will die immediately. We simply begin to lose it.
Paul is not trying to frighten us and I am not trying to frighten us. But we have to fight this with understanding. People are not our real enemies! The principalities and powers will use people. He wants us to understand that the real enemies are these supernatural beings who are motivating these people to do their bidding and trying to get the heirs of salvation to be tripped up.
Again, it is very clear that we are fighting a spiritual war against enemies who are far greater in numbers, intelligence, subtlety, and power than Israel had to wage war against in terms of the Amalekites, the Moabites, and so forth. In addition to this, our enemy is invisible.
Paul tells us to "stand." Again, he uses a military term for holding on to a position. What he is saying in effect is that, before one can launch an attack, he must first hold the position he is in. I do not know if you noticed it; but, in addition to that, in the way Phillips translated it he used the word "against" four times. And I am sure that he did that in order to stress the determined hostility that there is in our enemy. The Christian soldier is confronting something that, as a soldier, he could not overcome except that he himself has help as well that is invisible and yet can be drawn upon as a resource.
In military strategy, perhaps one of the most basic of all rules is that you never underestimate your enemy. Our struggle is not merely against human foes; and yet we can find, in other places, that it is a war to the death. In fact, right here in Ephesians 6 (even though it does not say so directly) it is hidden there in the Greek. It is a war to the death—against supernatural forces. The word "powers" denotes one who aspires to world control, and it was used by ancient writers to designate the savior gods of pagan religions. That is who we are fighting against—demons! It is very clear.
Paul is working hard to prepare us for that war. Four times within there he talks about standing firm, stand against, withstand. He is telling us that if we stand firm in Christ, then Christ will be with us because we are standing up for Christ. And know only through Jesus Christ that we can defeat this enemy. That is why He provides these resources for us. We cannot do it on our own. Again, this is a spiritual war. And so only through His strength and His power will we overcome it.
And then in Ephesians 6, verse 12, Paul emphasizes the importance of putting on the whole armor of God in order to fight against this prince of the power of the air, the spirit.
So these evil spirits place damaging moods and feelings in vulnerable or unsuspecting human minds. And to some people, they implant impulses to want to give in to sin or give up on life.
