PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD TO STAND AGAINST EVIL

Proclamation:

“Finally, be strong in The Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the whole armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Ephesus.  Paul begins this final chapter by offering advice to children, telling them to obey and honor their parents. (Ephesians 6:1-3)  The parents were also admonished not to provoke their children but to train them in the ways of The Lord. (Ephesians 6:4 and Proverbs 22:6)  Paul also offered them advice for the behavior of workers and bosses. (Ephesians 6:5-9)  Finally, as he ended this letter, he offered this advice to the believers, telling them to be strong in The Lord.  He followed this with specific instructions regarding how to do that and included a rationale for why it should be done. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Application:

As believers today we should also prepare for battle against evil.  The devil and his army are well-positioned for their attack.  However, as the Old Testament believers were told, the battle is not ours to fight, but it is The Lord God’s. (1 Samuel 17:47 and 2 Chronicles 20:15)  We will be attacked and we will need special weapons and protective “war clothes” in order to survive the battle and to stand our ground. (Ephesians 6:11-13)  We will need the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace about our feet, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith in one hand, the sword of The Spirit (The Word of God) in the other hand, and prayer in our mouth. (Ephesians 6:14-18)  We cannot overcome the devil on our own with our limited abilities and power.  As a Christian soldier we need the help of The Lord God in order to withstand the devil’s attacks.  We have already been granted the victory but only through Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  To God be the glory!!!