Justified and adopted believers in Christ are assured of their salvation and they are no longer dominated by the forces of darkness. Nevertheless, Satan and his fallen angels are still at war with God and with each believer for the rest of his or her life, as he or she enters the final phase of God’s plan of salvation in his or her life, that is, progressive sanctification.[1]
The apostle Paul teaches in Ephesians and elsewhere that the battle of sanctification against the forces of darkness is a work of God in the believer. This struggle is a spiritual struggle against superhuman enemies, Satan and his minions, which requires divine strength and divine weapons that believers do not have within themselves. True believers who walk in Christ are absolutely certain to be involved in a spiritual war with the supernatural enemies, Satan and his legions. Therefore, they need God to provide the divine weapons of warfare if believers are to prevail in this war (Eph. 6:10-17).
Paul encourages believers to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might (Eph. 6:10) and put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:11) because their battle is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). He assures believers that this will enable them to withstand the evil forces and he encourages them to stand firm (Eph. 6:13).
Paul uses the armor worn by Roman soldiers of the time as a metaphor for the believers’ spiritual weapons and protection for battle. Believers have to be ready at any moment to go to battle, so the implication in what Paul is teaching here is that this “armor” must be put on by Christians for their entire life. God has provided the offensive weapons and defensive armor that we need to protect ourselves when battling Satan and his forces of darkness. But we have to put on the armor and use the weapons at our disposal and pray for the strength to stand firm against the evil spiritual forces against us.
Here Paul wants his readers to clearly understand who their adversaries are and how powerful they really are (Eph. 6:12). Believers’ adversaries whom they struggle against are not men but evil spirits. They are the demons, the fallen angels, who serve Satan. Christians must be ready every day and always to do battle with the formidable enemies of Satan’s dark kingdom (Eph. 6:13). These Christian soldiers must appropriate God’s armor for their offensive and defensive purposes in this battle. Christians must put on this armor now in order to be ready when the battles actually come. Our goal is to stand firm against the wicked forces of darkness and their human instruments of evil without wavering so that when the conflict is over, believers will have been victorious.
Paul, having described the nature of the battle that will result from the collision of the church with Satan and his dark forces, then describes this battle armor (Eph. 6:14-17). He teaches that the way the Christian soldier stands firm is through the knowledge and belief of the truth. He tells Christians to fasten on the belt of truth, to put on the breastplate of righteousness and put on the shoes of readiness to spread the gospel (Eph. 6:14-15). Christians are not prepared to do battle with the powers of darkness using their own abilities and defenses. Our only defense is the truth of the Word, the righteousness of Christ and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The next piece of defensive armor is what Paul refers to as the shield of faith (Eph. 6:16), the faith by which we are justified and reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus Christ and of which Christ is the object, which receives Him as the Son of God and our Savior.[2] This shield of our faith protects us from the darts and flaming arrows thrown by Satan.
And then there is the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17). The helmet of salvation protects the believer from the attacks by Satan not against his or her salvation, because that is unassailable, but against his or her assurance of salvation. As stated, the sword of the Spirit, the only offensive weapon listed, is the word of God. The word of God is the only weapon needed to defeat Satan. The truth of the Word is more powerful than anything Satan has to offer (Heb. 4:12). All Christians have this at their disposal as needed.
And of course, Paul adds one more offensive and defensive weapon that is not part of the armor metaphor but just as necessary as the armor and that is prayer (Eph. 6:18). Believers put on the armor of God and pray for God’s blessing. Prayer should not just ask for help but it should include confession, adoration, thanksgiving and it should be directed to definite needs and seek specific benefits. Believers should pray always and within God’s will and believers should also pray for all the saints.
Christ’s death and resurrection defeated Satan and his dominion over human beings and Christ became the dominant ruler over heaven and earth (Eph. 1:20 -22). The defeat of Satan will be finally consummated at Christ’s second coming (Rom. 16:20; Rev. 20:7-14). However, for the rest of the believer’s life, he or she is engaged in a spiritual struggle for which God has provided us with the supernatural protection and weaponry necessary to prevail against the forces of darkness. We just need to put on the armor of God!
[1] That ongoing work of God in the soul of the believer to gradually separate the believer from sin so that the believer walks through life in a manner more closely resembling Christ.
[2] Charles Hodge, Geneva Series of Commentaries: Ephesians (The Banner of Truth Trust, 2003 (1856)), 284-85.
