Our Present Struggle, Our Present Source
“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. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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.” Ephesians 6:10-13
When we think of combat and of tactical war strategies, we think of battle zones in the physical sense: what we see with our own eyes occurring wherever wars are being fought at any given time. But Paul is not taking about physical warfare in this passage, but of spiritual warfare: the struggle all Christians face regarding the forces of evil with the devil as the Five-Star General in charge; those currently being fought in the heavenly spheres.
The truth is, we are no match for Satan’s fallen and yet powerful ingenuity. We need an inner strength that comes from God in-order-to daily resist the devil’s many cunning devices at store in his deadly arsenal and ready for use at any given time. Paul not only answers “Against Whom?” the Christian is at war in this preface to the Armor of God listed in Ephesians, Chapter Six, he also calls us to first and foremost, stand firm in our faith by trusting God’s promise to spiritually protect the Christian from Satan’s evil tricks with the truth of God’s Word applied via God’s spiritual armor.
God has won! He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Paul literally commands us in Ephesians 1:19-20, to stand firm in the strength of the Lord’s might (See again Ephesians 6:10), supported, sustained, and strengthened by the same power that God deployed to raise Jesus from the dead! Now that’s standing firm with a Godly confidence and with a courage to hold your ground no matter what the enemy may attempt to send your way! Read Ephesians 6:10-20 to find out more about our adversary and our Awesome God.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might!
Pastor Louie