Spiritual Warfare (Eph. 6:10–13)

Series: Ephesians: Building the ChurchText: Ephesians 6:10–13

By: Shaun Marksbury Date: Aug. 20, 2023

Venue: Living Water Baptist ChurchOccasion: PM Service

Introduction

People are growing more antagonistic toward religion today, particularly toward our Christian heritage, and have engaged in efforts to make the cultural town square more secular, separated from God. As our culture has supposedly becomes more secularized, it’s entering an era of mass confusion. We see it all around us. Much of this we’ve considered before — for instance, the accepted institution of marriage now losing its meaning, and people are questioning the nature of gender itself. Our moral compass has lost true north.

But western culture is only supposedly becoming more secularized. Folks expect the waning influence of Christianity to produce a new age of reason spearheaded by naturalistic scientism. However, instead, we’re seeing an increase in pre-modern superstition and paganism. For instance, one news story reports that, as Millennials reject the Christian faith, the number of witches have skyrocketed to potentially 1.5 million in the United States. In a more recent article, an author examines the question, “Why is witchcraft on the rise?” She notes,

There are sea witches, city witches, cottage witches, kitchen witches, and influencer witches, who share recipes for moon water or dreamy photos of altars bathed in candlelight. There are witches living in Winnipeg and Indiana, San Francisco and Dubai; hosting moon rituals in Manhattan’s public parks and selling $11.99 hangover cures that “adjust the vibration of alcohol so that it doesn’t add extra density and energetic ‘weight’ to your aura.”

While many would resist this characterization, much of modern witchcraft is simply the material for Instagram. Still, if any believe this to be a statistic just among young, restless, white females, think again. Another article from The Atlantic describes how many black millennials are leaving Christian churches for digital covens featuring African witchcraft. They believe they’re becoming more empowered than they were in the church, and they even claim they know God better.

These statistics may seem especially appropriate for today’s topic, but the issue is far deeper and more insidious. The confusion in our culture isn’t the result of the rise of witchcraft or satanism; both are symptoms of the same issue that affects us all. People don’t replace Christianity with non-religion, they replace it with religion.

Behind the curtain, it’s not democrats or leftists leading all this; it’s Satan. He rules this world and leads it to all manner of deception. We read in Ephesians 2:2 that the course of this world is “according to the prince of the power of the air.” Elsewhere, Scripture calls him the “god of this world” and says that he blinds us to the gospel (2 Cor 4:4). He can even deceive Christians, appearing as “an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). And he doesn’t win only when he leads people to witchcraft and satanism; he wins anytime he leads a person away from one of God’s truths, whatever they identify as in the end.

How can we hope to stand against this foe? We must begin with the knowledge that our victory was already won at the cross, when Christ “disarmed the rulers and authorities” (Col. 2:15). Paul places this fact toward the beginning of Ephesians (1:21), and he says that the church exists in part to display “the manifold wisdom of God” before angelic creatures (3:10).

Christ’s victory over Satan doesn’t make demons harmless, however. In the book (not the movie) Return of the King, Gandalf warns the others that the defeated Saruman wasn’t a toothless serpent, for he still had one tooth — his voice. Well, Peter tells us that the voice of the devil remains as a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8). Here, in the Book of Ephesians, we read that Satan is not only active in the sons of disobedience (2:2), he wants a foothold within the church (4:27).

As such, we read here that we continue to engage in warfare (see also 2 Cor. 10:3–5), and we begin to see this today. The passage briefs us on the battle, our need for armor, and next week, we’ll discuss the particulars of our armor. Approaching this passage from the vantage point of battle, we can break it up along the phrases. First, note the preparation for our battle (v. 10–11a). Second, we’ll note the enemy we battle (v. 11b). Third, we’ll note the arena of our battle (v. 12). Finally, we’ll review our battle (v. 13). Let’s start this inspired briefing.

First, the preparation for our battle (v. 10–11a)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God,

This starts Paul’s final admonition in the book, summing up what he’s said before. He begins with an interesting command: “be strong.” Sometimes we say this to people, but we always mean this: get or become strong. A coach may be telling a young athlete to work out more to become physically stronger. If I were a legalistic or moralistic Bible teacher, I would tell you this means to clean up your act and get stronger in your faith.

Yet, that is not quite the command. First, this is a passive command, meaning that, even though you’re told to do something, you’re also the recipient of the action. Another way to read this would be, “let this state be.” In fact, the command “may also be translated ‘be made strong.’ ” As such, Paul says, “be strong in the Lord.”

The strength for our strength comes from the Lord. Paul repeats this command elsewhere, and each time, it requires receiving something from God (1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Tim. 2:1). Even the Old Testament demonstrates this. Before entering battle, the Lord told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous… and I will be with you” (Deut. 31:23). We can do all that He calls us to do, but only through Him (Phili. 4:13).

Paul emphasizes this with the next words — “and in the strength of His might.” Earlier, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would understand the might or power that raised Jesus from the dead is working in them (Eph. 1:19; 2:4–6; 3:16–19). This is the kind of power that works miracles, so it can certainly help us to overcome temptation. Our hearts will fail in the heat of battle, our boasting turning into cowardice; we who find our strength in the Lord will find the stout heart we lack.

So, to “be strong” begins with a confession of weakness. We agree with Jesus that “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Again, He defeated Satan at the cross, and when He returns, God will crush Satan under our feet (Rom. 16:20). As such, we seek Him for the power to survive the battle until that day.

It’s with this in mind we can think about our gear for battle. Paul doesn’t say, “Craft armor and strategies;” he says, “Put on the full armor of God.” In the Book of Isaiah, we read about God donning armor (Isa. 11:4–5; 52:7; 59:17). We have access to it, and we read to put on God’s “full armor” so that we’re entirely dependent upon Him in battle (don’t put on some of His armor and supply some of your own).

Indeed, the command “put on” suggests we already have it. If you remember, we were told to put something on before. Back in 4:22–24, we read, “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” The Lord has created a new life we are to wear, the wearing of which is what it means to become strong in Him.

The point of armoring up is so that we can hold our ground against the enemy. Before, the image was that of walking in chapters four and five, but now it is that of being able to stand one’s ground in battle. Who is the enemy we’re standing against? This brings us to the next point.

The enemy we battle (v. 11b)

so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Who is our enemy? One name he goes by is Satan, which means “adversary.” As such, he appears to us in the role of the tempter; he even tries Jesus in the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:2). Satan twice kept Paul “more than once” from visiting the Thessalonians (1 Thes. 2:18). He motivated some groups of Jewish people to persecute the churches in Revelation (Rev. 2:9; 3:9). Satan is the enemy of our souls, a murderer and a liar (John 8:44).

He was not originally created as such — at one time, he was “the anointed cherub” until unrighteousness was found in him (Eze. 28:14–15). His iniquity led him to spend his time accusing God’s people (Zech. 3:1), earning him another name: the devil, the accuser. So, day and night, he accuses the brethren (but will eventually be cast down, Rev. 12:10). One of his most common attacks against believers is to remind them of their sin and unrighteousness, getting them to doubt or neglect the gospel (a tactic of diversion). Is it not proper that Scripture compares him to a serpent (Gen. 3:1; Rev. 12:9)?

We face an enemy with an arsenal of deceptions. The word for wiles or schemes is methodia, from which we get the word “method.” This speaks of the devil’s craftiness and cunning. Note the plural; the devil has multiple schemes, varied attacks to find weaknesses in one’s defense. If he cannot entrap you with one, he will seek another. If one deception doesn’t work — for instance, if you are entirely un-swayed by witchcraft — then another scheme will follow another. He will throw false theology at you, and if you hold to true theology, he’ll tweak it and throw a perversion of it at you. He’s an enemy full of wiles, so we must beware his schemes so that we’re not ignorant of them (cf. 2 Cor. 2:11).

Let’s consider this within the context of Ephesians. As one commentary notes, these “stratagems are likely to have been attempts to destroy the unity of the church (3:14–21; 4:1–16, 27) through the introduction of false doctrine and the fomenting of dissension (4:2, 21, 31, 32; 5:6).” As such, this is one of the reasons Paul calls the church to maturity — the devil himself sends false and confusing winds of doctrine and human trickery into churches as part of his crafty, deceitful design (4:14). He sows strife and division within our ranks, and we must handle such issues biblically.

So, our adversary will accuse, lie, and oppose us in any way he can. Even so, the text here doesn’t necessarily call to go on the offensive, as it uses defensive language. Trouble comes to us, so let’s now look around and consider the battlefield before us.

The arena of our battle (v. 12)

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.

We read here that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” That’s reminiscent of another text, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3–5). Such texts inform us of two essentials.

First, we must remember our true enemy. The persecutors of Christians are not their true enemies, whether they be Jewish or Roman in ancestry. Those who have harmed or slandered us are not our enemy. We may need to confront people, but we must always remember that they are merely pawns of our adversary.

Consider that we’re struggling with “the ruler of the demons” (cf. Luke 11:15), meaning we not only face the devil but also his supernatural rulers and powers. In fact, Paul mentioned them three times previously in this letter (1:21; 2:2; 3:10). Scripture is not specific on its power structure, and it’s not something we need to know. The main point for us is that the enemy is unseen but organized.

Second, this tells us where our true battlefield lies — in the unseen. We wage war ultimately not in the marketplace or the polling booth, but in an invisible realm. This is why we’re commanded to put on the armor of God in v. 11 —“For our struggle is … against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

The “heavenlies” are where the Lord has blessed us (1:3). This is the spiritual realm, outside of our visual perspective but real, nonetheless. Remember when the enemy army encircled the city; Elisha’s servant feared the worst, but the prophet Elisha prayed the Lord “open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kgs. 6:17). Unfortunately, this world isn’t just filled with those holy angels, but also a demonic army ready to work darkness and wickedness in the world. It is, perhaps, God’s grace that keeps the heavenlies beyond our view!

So, our arena of engagement isn’t one we normally see, but it remains confined to the realm of angels and demons. This gives us the arena of battle, which will help us understand how our armor and weapons operate in the following verses. We will see that our conflict is ultimately on our knees in prayer. With the initial mission briefing coming to an end, let’s use v. 13 to review.

The review of our battle (v. 13)

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Again, we return to our original thoughts. Because of the struggle of v. 12, we need to “be strong in the Lord” (v. 10). We must seek “the strength of His might,” not our own. Therefore, v. 11 says “Put on the full armor of God,” and this verse says to take it up. We need everything God offers us if we hope to survive the battle.

The word “take up” is “the regular word for equipping oneself with or putting on weapons” We must prayerfully prepare our minds and hearts, knowing that it is only in Christ that we will enjoy the victory in battle. We’ll get into the components of the armor next time, Lord willing, but that we’re told to take it up means that He’s already given us what we need to win the battle. What we will see over the coming weeks is that “the full armor of God” comes down to the prayerful application of His promises to our lives.

It’s our only hope to “be able to resist in the evil day.” He also says this in v. 11, and James 4:7 similarly promises, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” The attack of the enemy may be imminent, and we must stand our ground, but the Lord has already promised us victory in Jesus.

Even so, you might ask when the evil day is. Paul had already called this present time evil when he told us to make the most of our time (5:16). The evil day is the time of battle, the arrival of temptation in our lives. As such, we may have several evil days, both as individuals and as a church.

Sadly, many have already come. We’ve already shed much blood through our losses at these moments. Perhaps you even personally bear the wounds of previous battles, resulting from some moral failing on your part or on the part of another. Even so, we must remember who we are and be better prepared for the next battle — so that, “having done everything,” you will be able “to stand firm.”

We are in a spiritual battle everyday of our lives. Because of the wiles of the enemy, his attacks can leave us reeling and battle-weary. However, in the Lord we find our peace, stability, and strength to carry on as soldiers of Christ. Only in Him can we take our next stand.