I’m not going to fight in the physical with physical weapons . . . I’m going to fight with spiritual weapons, cause it’s a spiritual fight. - Stephen Baldwin(1)
If you attended Vacation Bible School as a child, then you may recall marching into the church building to the tune of “Onward, Christian Soldiers.” Have you ever considered the meaning of this hymn? Some of the lyrics state, “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.” And also, “At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; on, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!”(2)
This hymn speaks of battle with Satan and his demons; but how many believers realize the unseen war that’s being fought around them? How many believe and acknowledge that there really is a war? And among those who do have some degee of spiritual understanding, how many know they’re actually equipped with weapons to send the devil running? Ed Silvoso states,
The Church in the West today presents too easy a target for Satan. We do not believe we are at war. We do not know where the battleground is located, and, in spite of our weapons, they are neither loaded nor aimed at the right target. We are unaware of how vulnerable we are.(3)
We must believe that the devil is real, and we must understand that we’re in the middle of an all-out war; otherwise, we’ll be unprepared to fight. Tonight’s message is intended to bring an awareness of the unseen war that’s all around us, and to reveal our weapons and equipment with which we can engage in spiritual battle and defend ourselves against our spiritual enemy.
Spiritual Warfare (vv. 10-12)
The Bible doesn’t directly use the term “spiritual warfare,” however it’s likely derived from the book of Psalm. David declared, “He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation” (Ps 18:34-35a). The Lord prepares you us war, because there’s a war to be fought; and Paul described this conflict in verses 10-12:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:10-12).
Paul alerted believers concerning the war that rages unseen. On this battleground Satan is the general of the opposing forces. Peter warned believers, “Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pt 5:8); and Paul cautioned young Timothy to be careful lest he “fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Ti 3:7).
This spiritual war is fought in the “battlefield of the mind.” The devil attacks the mind and heart, which are synonymous in biblical meaning. The New Bible Dictionary says the word “mind” is perhaps the closest modern term to the biblical usage of the word “heart.”(4)
When Judas betrayed Jesus, it was because the devil deceived his heart. John said, “The devil already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him” (Jn 13:2). Peter advised believers, “Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Pt 1:13a); and Paul admonished, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rm 12:2a).
The battleground is indeed within the mind and heart, and the devil works to deceive by his lies and schemes. Jesus said of the devil, “There is no truth in him . . . for he is a liar and the father of it” (Jn 8:44). The word “wiles” in Ephesians 6:11 can also be translated as “schemes” (NIV); and Paul once spoke of the importance of forgiving others, so “that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes” (2 Cor 2:10-11 NLT).
The war being waged is within the mind and heart; therefore, it doesn’t involve physical conflict, but a spiritual fight. For this reason, we’re provided spiritual weapons with which to defend ourselves. Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 10:4-5, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
In our main text, Paul said that within the armor of God are contained weapons for spiritual warfare; and if we want to be successful in our ministry efforts, and be able to withstand the attacks and schemes of the devil, then we need to gear up and wear the entire suit of armor.
Paul derived his imagery of the armor of God from an Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah, and examining this prophecy is a good starting point in identifying the believer’s spiritual weapons. Isaiah declared:
Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak (Isaiah 59:15b-17).
When the Messiah came to bring justice and salvation on earth, He prepared for spiritual battle by putting on the “breastplate of righteousness” and the “helmet of salvation.” Jesus set an example for believers to follow. Therefore, if we want to survive and thrive during the heat of battle, then we need to be like Jesus and suit up. If He felt it was necessary to wear the armor of God, then what does that say about how much more we need it?
Paul said, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (Eph 6:12), or against individual people, but against principalities and powers (6:12). Millard Erickson says that principalities and powers are the visible structures and institutions of society, like a moral code, political ideology, or nationality.(5) Walter Wink elaborates on how these institutions appear as being controlled by human influence; but on the contrary, they’re manipulated by spiritual forces.(6)
Jesus clad Himself in the armor of God because He entered a highly political scene. Palestine was under Roman occupation; and the scribes and Pharisees, who were power hungry, dominated the religion of Judaism. Jesus was under constant attack by the institutions of His society; institutions which had underlying spiritual influences.
Believers today live in a time when traditional beliefs and values are under attack from Satan. These attacks manifest themselves within the institutional realms of religion and politics, and are disguised by language such as “alternative lifestyle” and “pro-choice.” The devil is working within the minds and hearts of leaders, destroying the very fabric of national morality; therefore, it’s imperative for believers to put on the armor of God, in order to guard against being deceived by the lies of the enemy.
Suiting Up for Battle (vv. 13-17)
We are soldiers in God’s army. Paul said, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs” (2 Ti 2:3-4a NIV). As a soldier of the Lord we have weapons at our disposal that are especially tailored for spiritual battle, and Paul listed these weapons in verses 13-17:
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.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-17).
The imagery of this text is based on the armor of the Roman soldier. Paul went into great detail explaining each specific part; and each piece of the armor represents different areas of spiritual preparation that will aid in our fight against the principalities and powers:
Belt of Truth (6:14) - “The belt of truth pictures the large leather belt the Roman soldier wore. It held other weapons and kept his outer garments in place. To put on the belt of truth can be understood as accepting the truth of the Bible and choosing to follow it with integrity.”(7) Just as the leather belt helped gird up the soldier’s garments, “we must belt ourselves in truth and keep lies from getting in our way during spiritual warfare.”(8) Let us not be deceived by any spiritual Trojan horses.
Breastplate of Righteousness (6:14) - “The breastplate of righteousness pictures the metal armor in the shape of a human torso common to the Roman uniform. To put on the breastplate can be understood as choosing not to harbor and nurture known sin. It is striving to be like Christ and living according to His ways of righteousness.”(9) Harboring a known sin will cause it to smolder within our heart; and it could eventually ignite until we’re completely consumed by iniquity.
Shoes of the Gospel of Peace (6:15) - “Feet fitted with readiness [or preparation] pictures the hobnailed shoes which kept the soldiers footing sure in battle. To put on these shoes could be understood as believing the promises of God in the gospel and counting on them to be true for [us].”(10) We have sure footing when we stand on the firm foundation of God’s promises. These promises provide us with peace, and help us rely on the Lord for our strength.
Shield of Faith (6:16) - “The shield of faith pictures the small, round shield the Roman soldier used to deflect blows from the sword, arrow, or spear of the enemy.”(11) “The shield was often made of leather and sometimes soaked with water. When flaming arrows hit the shield, the arrows would be stopped and the flame extinguished.”(12) “To take up this shield can be understood as rejecting temptations to doubt, sin or quit, and telling [ourselves] the truth and choosing on the basis of the truth to do the right thing.”(13)
Helmet of Salvation (6:17) - “The helmet of salvation pictures the Roman soldier’s metal protective headgear. It does not refer to our salvation in Christ. First Thessalonians speaks of the helmet of the ‘hope of salvation’ . . . That being the case, taking the helmet of salvation could be understood as resting our hope in the future and living in this world according to the value system of the next.”(14)
Living according to the value system of the kingdom is sure to make the world take notice. We should think about where our value system currently lies. If people can’t tell believers apart from unbelievers, then some need to repent and seek to become more like Christ.
Sword of the Spirit (6:17) - “The sword of the Spirit pictures the soldier’s weapon sheathed to his belt and used both for offensive and defensive purposes. Taking the sword of the Spirit - defined for us as the Word of God - can be understood as using Scripture specifically in life’s situations to fend off attacks of the enemy and put him to flight.”(15)
In Hebrews 4:12, we read, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
A soldier practiced constant weapon drills with his two edged sword. What can be taken from this information is that a “constant weapon drill may make us experts in our trade,” just as it did the Roman soldier.(16) We are practicing spiritual weapon drills as we continually study the Word of God.
A Prayer Warrior (vv. 18-20)
Have you ever heard of someone who fervently prays being called a prayer warrior? Wesley Duewel speaks of what is called “prayer warfare,” stating how prayer advances against Satan’s strongholds and dislodges and dispels his demon forces.(17) Prayer is powerful in withstanding the enemy, and Paul emphasized that it is a vital part of our arsenal. In verses 18-20, he said:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints - and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak (Ephesians 6:18-20).
Donald Whitney expresses that the Lord “expects us to pray just as a general expects to hear from his soldiers in the battle. One writer reminds us that ‘prayer is a walkie-talkie for warfare, not a domestic intercom for increasing our conveniences’.”(18) He continues to state, “To abandon prayer is to fight the battle with our own resources, instead of God’s. This will get us nowhere.”(19)
Paul set forth an example of how believers are to pray. He said to pray for words to speak, pray for boldness, and pray for an ability to explain the gospel (Eph 6:19). Elsewhere, Paul expressed a lack of confidence in his public speaking (1 Cor 2:1a); however, he believed that through prayer the Lord would enable him with boldness, and he had faith that God would teach him exactly what to say.
Time of Reflection
Do we feel like we’re now somewhat prepared for spiritual warfare? Do we feel energized and ready to take a stand for Jesus Christ? If not, then perhaps after hearing a very moving letter we’ll be inspired to do battle for the glory of the Lord. Listen closely to the following correspondence, one which a missionary in the jungles of New Guinea wrote to his friends back home:
Man, it is great to be in the thick of the fight, to draw the old devil’s heaviest guns, to have him at you with depression and discouragement, slander, disease. He doesn’t waste time on a lukewarm bunch. He hits good and hard when a fellow is hitting him. You can always measure the weight of your blow by the one you get back.
When you’re on your back with fever and at your last ounce of strength, when some of your converts backslide, when you learn that your most promising inquirers are only fooling, when your mail gets held up, and some don’t bother to answer your letters, is that the time to put on mourning? No, sir. That’s the time to pull out the stops and shout Hallelujah! The old fellow’s getting it in the neck and hitting back.
Heaven is leaning over the battlements and watching. “Will he stick with it?” And as they see who is with us, as they see the unlimited reserves, the boundless resources, as they see the impossibility of failure, how disgusted and sad they must be when we run away. Glory to God! We’re not going to run away. We’re going to stand!(20)
Maybe after hearing this letter we might think, “This guy is crazy!” Then again, we might say, “Here’s a man on fire for the Lord!” Are we excited to be a Christian soldier? We should be, because if we’re wearing the armor of God then Satan will flee. James said, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (4:7).
This evening, if you’re a born again believer in Christ, and you’re having trouble experiencing victory over sin and the attacks of the enemy, or if you’re compromising somewhere in your faith, then I want to invite you to stand strong and upright in the armor of God. The Lord wants you to put on truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and the hope of salvation. He also wants you to become sharpened in the Word of God, and to train yourself in prayer so that you’ll be ready to proclaim His praises.
Also, if you don’t know Jesus Christ as Savior, then I urge you not to dodge the draft this evening, but boldly enlist in the army of God and inherit eternal life in His kingdom. Confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and you’ll be forgiven of your sins and be assured or your salvation.
NOTES
(1) Stephen Baldwin, BrainyQuote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stephenbal186327.html (Accessed March 26, 2010).
(2) Sabine Baring-Gould, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” The Baptist Hymnal (Nashville, TN: Convention Press, 1991), Hymn # 493.
(3) Ed Silvoso, Carl Townsend’s Quotation File: http://www.creatingnewworlds.org/spiritualwarfare.cfm (Accessed Mar. 26, 2010).
(4) “Heart,” The New Bible Dictionary, on Logos 2.1E CD-ROM (Wheaton, Il: Tyndale House, 1962).
(5) Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1996), p. 650.
(6) Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), p. 6.
(7) Max Anders, “Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians,” Holman New Testament Commentary, vol. 8, ed. Max Anders (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 1999), pp. 190-191.
(8) Karl Leuthauser, ed., “Angels and Demons Are Active In Your Life,” The Truth About the Spiritual Realm, Core Belief Bible Study Series (Loveland, CO: Group, 1997), p. 19.
(9) Anders, p. 191.
(10) Ibid., p. 191.
(11) Ibid., p. 191.
(12) Leuthauser, p. 19.
(13) Anders, p. 191.
(14) Ibid., p. 191.
(15) Ibid., p. 191.
(16) Howard F. Vos, “A Soldier’s Armor and Ephesians 6,” Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1999), p. 616.
(17) Wesley L. Duewel, Touch the World Through Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986), p. 208.
(18) Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 1991), p. 68.
(19) Ibid., p. 69.
(20) Michael P. Green, Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1997), pp. 356-357.
