“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. 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.” Ephesians 6:10-13
Who is adequate for a war against the world, flesh, and devil? We live in evil days (Eph 5:16) surrounded by a world of darkness (Eph 5:11). Many deceivers calm the conscience with empty religious words (Eph 5:6). And our life of witness to the truth often causes us to be punished and sidelined “in chains” (Eph 6:20). In this context, the believer finds himself in need of the armor of God.
Some people’s lives seem to be only wrestling to get their way, wrestling to make more money, wrestling to be praised by others. The war that brings spiritual battles and needs spiritual resources evades them. Their “battle” is how to win over others. To be on top of the stack of life. To have the right methods, techniques, feels, and outcomes. They aren’t a foot soldier in the cosmic battle between the kingdom of Christ and Satan, they are still bound to the “basic principles of the world.”
So, yes, some who claim Christ are not engaged at all in this battle—they actually love the world, the things of the world, and the ways of the world. But many of us also are alive in Christ and children of light, but are still immature of mind, still flailing around in worldly paradigms of thought (Eph 4:17), and so end up walking like the world, as if still bound to it, corrupted in thinking, imagining that “godliness is a means of gain” (1 Tim 6:5).
Or they don’t feel the war because they think, pridefully, that they’ve arrived.
Their religion is about styles, rules, vibes and there is no real wrestling with the world, flesh, and devil. They substitute spiritual war for man-made religion and people-pleasing: “according to the commandments and doctrines of men…[having] an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” (Col 2:20-23). They busy themselves with trying to persuade men of their particular views, plans, team, brand, shibboleths, whatever—not knowing the apostle’s shame in the world: “if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Gal 1:10 )
This kind of religion can be very convincing, spreading house to house (Titus 1:11) and especially captivating silly women who rather than dealing with their own sins get lead around by their feelings and desires (2 Tim 3:6).
But for real spiritual battle against the world, flesh, and devil, nothing but the gift of God, his strength received in faith, his guards and helps, “armor” “put on” in faith, can do. Then, only then, we can do our all and remain standing firm against the devil’s onslaughts.
A prayer:
Blessed King, grant that we your servants may live in the strength you give, our only power being the power of your mighty Spirit, our only defense your gracious Word applied in our whole lives, that we may do our all, and emerge from the times of our own trials, standing in your strength to your eternal glory. Amen.