Ephesians 6:10-13

The Believer's Warfare, Part 1

Ephesians 6:10–13

1953

April 22, 1979

Sermon Summary: Ephesians 6:10–13

(Introduction to Spiritual Warfare and the Call to Stand)

Primary Text Read Aloud

MacArthur opens by reading Ephesians 6:10–13, emphasizing that this morning is an overview, and the details (especially the pieces of armor) will come in later messages:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

He frames these verses as Paul’s closing major theme in Ephesians: the Christian life is not merely doctrine and practice—it is warfare.

1) Context of Ephesians: Position, Then Practice

MacArthur reminds the congregation that Ephesians has moved in a deliberate theological progression:

The believer’s position in Christ (Ephesians 1–3)

Paul has unfolded “the great realities of being in Christ”—what it means to belong to God, to be indwelt by the Spirit, adopted into God’s family, and defined by a new identity.

MacArthur summarizes these chapters in terms of spiritual riches: believers are blessed “with all spiritual blessings,” including God’s electing purpose, forgiveness, enlightenment, resurrection power, and transfer from Satan’s dominion into Christ’s kingdom (compare themes in Ephesians 1–2).

The believer’s practice in the world (Ephesians 4–6)

From chapter 4 onward, Paul turns from identity to conduct. MacArthur uses a memorable illustration:

Chapters 1–3 are like describing the car—its engine and power plant.

Chapters 4–6 are the roadmap—where the power is meant to go in obedient living.

He highlights the repeated “walk” language: believers are to walk worthy, in unity, love, light, wisdom, and in the Spirit (compare Ephesians 4–5).

The missing reality: opposition

Now think of it then this way in summary.  You have all the resources, all the power.  You have all the principles to live the Christian life.  There’s just one thing you need to know.  In spite of all resurrection power, in spite of all of the trues that you need to know being available, it will not be easy.  And that is the way Paul wants to end his letter.

Don’t dare take anything for granted.  Because you know how you’re to operate on the job doesn’t mean you’ll pull it off.  Because you know how you’re to conduct yourself and your family doesn’t mean that you’ll fulfill it.  Because you know the truths about resurrection and about the power available doesn’t mean you’re going to apply it necessarily.  Because you know what God teaches about marriage is no guarantee that you’ll see the fulfillment of it.

Even though the power is there and the principles are there something else is there and that’s the enemy, the adversary who wants to withstand any good thing God sets out to do.  The enemy will be there to thwart divine purpose in your life and so when you come to defining the Christian life the best term is simply warfare, warfare.  That’s what Paul uses to speak of it in this passage.

When Jesus began his ministry the initial thrust of his ministry was a war with Satan, a conflict with Satan after 40 days of fasting in which Satan approached him and tempted him subtly three times and the way his ministry ended was the same way as Satan began to besiege him in the garden of Gethsemane and he began to sweat as it were great drops of blood.  That shows us a lot of things but it shows us one thing I’d like to point out and that is that whether you’re at the beginning of your experience or at the end of it you’re going to be in the same battle and if you think it will get easier you’re wrong.

Jesus had a conflict at the beginning but he didn’t sweat great drops of blood in the wilderness.  That was at the end when he was in the garden.  There was if anything an intensification of the efforts of the enemy as Christ came closer to accomplishing his goals.  I remember when I was young somebody said to me “You know you ought to begin to witness because the more you do it the easier it gets.”  That isn’t true.  The more effective you become the harder Satan works.

Paul ends the letter by warning: having power and principles does not mean obedience will be easy. Knowing God’s design for marriage, family, work, ministry, and holiness is not the same as successfully living it—because an enemy actively seeks to thwart divine purpose.

2) The Christian Life Defined: Warfare

MacArthur argues that the best single term for the Christian life is warfare. He stacks biblical language to show this is not a metaphor Paul uses once, but a consistent scriptural framework:

Paul at life’s end: “I have fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Paul in ministry: “I fight…not…beating the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26).

To Timothy: endure hardship like a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3).

Spiritual conflict is real, continuous, and intensifies where gospel effectiveness increases.

Christ’s own ministry illustrates intensifying conflict

MacArthur observes that Jesus faced Satan at the beginning (temptation) and again with greater anguish at the end (Gethsemane). His pastoral conclusion: if you think the battle gets easier with maturity, you are wrong; in many cases, effectiveness invites stronger opposition.

Pastoral realism: the preacher’s war

You know people say to me “You’ve been preaching so long it must be easy.”  It isn’t any easier than it ever was.  It’s the same.  If anything sometimes it’s more difficult.  You might be surprised to know that Satan would want to thwart me any way he possibly could from preaching.  I fight more now to get the time to study than I ever fought in my life.  I mean it’s early morning, late night and doing it wherever you can because there’s so many things that Satan wants to do to undermine that priority of teaching the word of God.  

And then he slams away at me.  You know sometimes I get tired.  I woke up this morning and I stared at the ceiling and the first thought that came in my mind was this “Oh no.  It’s Sunday.  I got to preach again.”  That’s the truth.  I wanted to go back to sleep.  I thought to myself “Oh if I were just sick.  Not real sick, just sick enough not to preach but not sick enough not to take a trip or a ride somewhere or play golf.”

And then I just had a little prayer time and I said “Lord this isn’t the new me.  This is the sin that is in me.”  By the time I got myself together and had my breakfast I couldn’t wait to get out the door to get here but it isn’t any easier because it’s always a war.  It never stops being a war and you always have a certain sense of weariness that goes along with a great sense of accomplishment because the longer you fight the battle the greater the string of victories, right, and the greater the string of victories the more the confidence you have in God and the more you know that God’s going to take you through and the more thrilling it is as you see God’s power working.

He applies this personally, describing the internal resistance and weariness that can meet even long-time preaching—then interpreting that resistance as part of the ongoing conflict. The point is not self-pity but clarity: Christian ministry and Christian obedience are contested terrain.

“The door is open…and there are many adversaries”

It can come as it did to Jesus through the persecution of men.  It can come in the form of spit.  It can come in the form of mockery and cursing and abusing language.  It can come in the form of blows to the face.  It can come in the form of nails and spears in the side, it can come to the Christian today as it did to the apostles in the form of being beheaded or being killed for the sake of Christ.  It can come in those ways and maybe as we continue to preach Jesus Christ faithfully in increasingly godless humanistic society it will come to that.

But behind the physical, behind the hatred and the persecution we see from people there is a domain of spiritual beings that are at war with the believer and they simply use the physical world as a means to their ends.  It is not so much that men hate Christ as that Satan hates Christ and uses men as his pawns.  He is the force behind the warfare and so we face an enemy that is so strong and so clever and so deceiving and so subtle that if ever we are to fulfill the potential of our position, if ever we are to live and practice what we are in position, if ever we are to know the fullness of Christian living we must listen to what Paul says at the end of this book.

He cites Paul’s logic in 1 Corinthians 16:8–9: Paul stays where opportunity is great precisely because opposition is great. Many want an “easy ministry”; Paul wanted to stay where the battle was hottest because that is where victory advances.

MacArthur’s thrust: Christianity is not sentimental ease—“waltzing through a meadow”—but conflict in a hostile world energized by invisible powers.

3) Five Headings for Ephesians 6:10–13

And so as we look then at verses 10 to 13 let me share five things with you, the preparation, the armor, the enemy, the battle, the victory.  And this is just brief and introductory this morning.  We’ll get into detail next time.

MacArthur gives an introductory grid for the section: (1) Preparation, (2) Armor, (3) Enemy, (4) Battle, (5) Victory. He focuses most of this sermon on (1) and begins (2), while previewing (3)–(5).

4) Preparation: Strength Must Be “In the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10)

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might”

First the preparation and by the way this is basic.  You do not want the battle to begin when you’re unprepared.  You don’t want to be just sort of lollygagging around and all of a sudden you’re halfway defeated before you make up and realize you’re in the war.  So preparation comes first and this is Paul’s word in verse 10.  “Finally” and he says that because it is the last of his major themes in the book, “my brethren” uses that term because he wants to identify with them in the struggle “be strong in the lord and in the power of his might.”   

“As a general principle in living depend on the strength of God.”  That’s what he’s saying.  “As a way of life my brethren depend on God’s strength.”  You’ll notice two times he uses the word in. in the lord and in the power of his might and that is a cardinal reality in the book of Ephesians.  We are in Christ.  We are one with him.  His life is our life.  His power is our power.  His truth is our truth.  We are one with Christ in him and so it is in Christ that we are strong.  It is in Christ that his might becomes our might.

And by the way no matter how strong our enemy is and we’ll see how strong in a moment, his strength is superior.  I can’t help but think of the church at Philadelphia in Revelation chapter 3 and it talks about this church as a good church.  In fact it’s one of the two out of the seven churches to which no condemnation was given.  This was a righteous community of faith and our lord says to them “you will have an open door before you.”  

This was a church that was reaching out, a church that was blessed by God and then in verse 8 it says “And you have a little strength” and you know what’s beautiful about that is the fact that even a little strength preserves the church.  God is so much more powerful than Satan that a little of his strength is enough to overcome all of the enemies.  You see?

Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.  And so infinitely greater that the smallest amount of divine power can overcome the greatest amount of the power of hell and the enemy and so the strength is ours in the lord.  In Philippians 4:13 Paul says “I can do all things through Christ who’s strength in me.”  Again the resource is ours.

Beloved I believe that we have that resource.  To deny that to me is to deny a basic fundamental reality of the Christian life.  To say nothing of playing havoc with the thought of Paul and Ephesians chapter 6.  I believe at the cross Jesus Christ gave a death blow to Satan as recorded in Hebrews 2:14.  He destroyed him who had the power of death and I believe all we need to do is enter into that victory.  Listen.  If Christ defeated Satan at the cross and I was in Christ then I defeated Satan at that same cross and as Satan is now subject to Christ so is Satan subject to me.  As he is under his feet so as Romans says is he under my feet.  

I believe he is a vanquished foe.  I believe he can lay no just claim to a believer.  Romans 8 says “Who shall lay any charge to God’s elected, as God that justifies and if God has declared me just and if God has won the battle and if God has gotten the victory in Jesus Christ then that victory is mine and Satan has no power to withstand the resurrection resource that dwells in the life of every believer.”

The point is this.  We are in a war but there is no reason to lose and there’s no reason to be afraid.  Divine resource belongs to us.  Timothy as a young man in the ministry had grown fearful.  He had grown timid.  He had been besought by the lusts that come to young man, young men.  He had been besieged by people who were telling him false doctrine and they were pretty strong at what they were doing.  He was being inundated by his own fearfulness so that he literally became ashamed of the testimony of Jesus Christ.  He became ashamed of his companion in the gospel, the beloved apostle Paul who had disciple him and in the midst of these terrible feelings of timidity, of fear, a lack of love, shame, lust and all of these things the apostle Paul calls to him in 2 Timothy 2:1 and says “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  

“Timothy there’s no reason for this.  You claim the strength that is yours.”  And in Chapter 1 he said “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  The point is this.  There is no Christian, no time in his life who needs to feel that he loses the battle to the enemy.  God has given us in Christ the resource for victory.  “Now unto him who was able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think according to the power that works in us.”

MacArthur insists Paul is not calling believers to summon internal willpower. The repeated phrase “in the Lord” reflects Ephesians’ core doctrine: union with Christ. Because believers are “in Christ,” Christ’s power becomes theirs.

He reinforces this with other Scripture:

The principle of sufficiency: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

God’s power toward believers is resurrection power (compare Ephesians 1:19–21).

“Little strength” can be enough

He references Revelation 3 (Philadelphia) to stress God’s superiority over Satan: even “a little strength” from God preserves and advances the faithful church because the gap between divine power and demonic power is infinite.

Victory is grounded in the cross and union with Christ

MacArthur argues that Christ’s work dealt Satan a decisive blow (he references Hebrews 2:14), and that believers participate in Christ’s victory by union with Him. His pastoral conclusion is sharp: believers are in a war, but there is no reason to live in paralysis or ongoing defeat.

5) A Corrective: “Christian Exorcism” as a Distraction

We hear a lot about demon problems today.  Christians are supposedly worrying about how do you deliver each other from demons.  There’s a lot of what is known as Christian exorcism going on which is totally foreign to Scripture.  There is no word about that in the Scripture.  In fact there is no incident in all of the Scripture where demons are ever cast out of a believer any time, any place.

Whenever Satan is dealt with he is dealt with in terms of two things.  One, the strength of the lord and, two, the provision God has made for every believer in Christ.  It’s always that way.  Rituals and exorcisms and all of that are foreign to Scripture.  Why?  We don’t need that because the resource is there.  That’s what I want to get across to you.  It’s there.  

In Ephesians Chapter 1, in verse 19, it talks about the power toward us who believe.  What kind of power?  Mighty power.  How strong?  Power that raised Christ from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenlies far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but in that which is to come.  What kind of power do we have?  The power that conquered death on the cross.  The power that conquered death in the grave.  The power that exalted Christ to the right hand and set every angel and demon in the universe under his feet.

That’s the power we have.  That’s the power toward us so that I say to you that every believer has a resource within him with which he or she can deal with Satan no matter what onslaughts the devil may bring but on conditions.  One that his strength is in the lord, not himself.  Two that he fulfills the conditions of the armor, the provision God has made.

And so preparation beloved means we recognize that in the lord the power is available.  Colossians 1:10 says that you may walk worthy of the lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing by the knowledge of God.  Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power.  We have all might according to his glorious power.  Christ who has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear son has given us this power.  There is no believer who cannot deal with Satan on terms of resurrection, power available in Christ.

MacArthur directly addresses contemporary anxiety about demons. His claim is straightforward:

Scripture does not present believers as needing rituals, demon-casting ceremonies, or “Christian exorcism” as normative practice.

The Bible’s instruction is consistent: rely on the Lord’s strength and employ the Lord’s provision.

His practical point: believers should not obsess over demon techniques. The New Testament emphasis is faith, obedience, spiritual vigilance, and resistance—under God’s authority.

6) A Key Pastoral Warning: Self-Confidence Makes You Vulnerable

And recently I have heard about Christian who supposedly has demons and doesn’t have the resource to get rid of them so people are doing it for him.  That is foreign to Scripture.  There is within every believer the resource in the power of God to free that individual from any satanic involvement whatever, no matter how simple or complex it may be.  

In 1 Corinthians I want you to notice the word of Paul in chapter 10 and verse 12.  It says this “wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”  You know when you’re vulnerable?  When you think you’re not.  When you think “I’ve got all the information.  I’ve mastered the book of Ephesians.  I’ve even memorized it.  I have all the doctrinal data.  I’ll all right.  I know what to do.  I’ve got the principles.”  Or when you think you can handle Satan.  “I can handle that.  I’ve got all the necessary equipment.”  The point is this, when you think you can do it you can’t.  But on the other hand when you depend upon God there is nothing Satan can do to you that needs to cause you to lose the victory.

Look at verse 13.  “On the other hand there is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful.”  Now notice this whole thing is dependent on the character of God.  Not just his power but his faithfulness to make that power available.  God is faithful who will not permit you to be tempted above that ye are able.  God will never allow Satan any foothold in the life of a believer that is more than that believer can deal with.  Right?  But will, with the temptation also make the way to escape that you may be able to bare it.  There will never be a time in this warfare when you need to lose.  There will never be a time when you cannot overcome in Christ if you depend on him.

In fact the resource is going to be most available to you when you’re the weakest.  In 2 Corinthians 12:9 Paul says “When I am weak then I am strong.  His strength is made perfect in my weakness.”  As long as you think you can handle it you can’t.  When you know you can’t and depend on him he can.  

Listen if you’re a guard on duty and let’s say you’re guarding, you’re looking for the approach of an enemy army.  All of a sudden the enemy army approaches your fort.  What do you do?  Do you run down from the parapet where you’ve been watching and run out there with your little gun and start fighting the enemy?  Not if you’re smart you don’t.  Guards don’t go and fight the war.  They tell the commander.  And the sooner you learn that in the Christian life the better off.  When Satan attacks don’t fight it.  Report to the commander.

As David said to the Philistines “the battle is the lord’s.”  The battle is the lord’s.  Let him fight it.  He knows what he’s doing.  Let him be the one who fights the battle.  And so we simply need to face the reality that the power is there.  Ephesians 6:10 tells us “we can be strong in the lord and in the power of his might.”  There’s no reason for feeling defeated.  There’s no reason to think that a believer is so inundated by Satan that he can’t get out of it.  There’s no bondage so great that there’s not a way to escape if he takes the resources available and they are, one, confidence in the power of God and then as we’ll see in the weeks to come putting on the armor is the other one and that must be done as well.

So the preparation.  The Holy Spirit said to Jehoshaphat one time “The battle is not yours.  It’s God’s.”  Boy what a great thing to know because I wouldn’t want to get in to this warfare which is something I can’t even see, something spiritual, something far beyond me.  I wouldn’t want to get into that and fight without even being able to see the enemy or know how he operated.  I’m so glad the battle belongs to the lord and when the temptation comes Satan sends his confusions.  Then I report to the commander in chief.  I ask him to purge my life and make me as righteous a vessel as can be and in that righteousness I stand fearless, protected by him.

MacArthur uses 1 Corinthians 10:12:

“Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

His interpretation: the most dangerous moment is when a Christian thinks he is safe because he has mastered information, memorized doctrine, or feels personally capable.

Then he leans into 1 Corinthians 10:13, emphasizing God’s faithfulness: God will not allow temptation beyond what believers can bear, and He provides “the way of escape.” The warfare is real, but God’s governance over temptation is real too.

Weakness is often the pathway to strength

He cites Paul’s testimony (2 Corinthians 12:9–10): God’s power is perfected in weakness. MacArthur’s logic is consistent: when you think you can handle Satan, you cannot; when you know you cannot and depend on God, you stand.

A memorable illustration: the guard and the commander

A guard does not run out alone to fight the enemy army. He reports to the commander. Likewise, the Christian does not wage warfare independently. MacArthur summarizes it with the biblical theme: “The battle is the Lord’s” (compare 1 Samuel 17:47; also echoed in Jehoshaphat’s deliverance, 2 Chronicles 20:15).

7) The Armor: Put It On “Once for All” (Ephesians 6:11)

From there we move to the armor because that is the second way we have to deal with the enemy.  Verse 11 “Put on the whole armor of God.”  We’ll stop right there.  We’re going to get into that in detail but a believer needs to have the armor.  It doesn’t do a bit of good unless you put the armor on.  You could have people sitting around you calling demons out of you until they’re blue in the face and it won’t do any good until the armor is on.  And if the armor is on you don’t need all those people doing that.

Because the dependence upon God’s power and obedience to put on the available armor is the only resource the believer needs.  That’s the only way the Bible ever deals with this problem in terms of the individual.  The phrase put on by the way because in the original it means put on once and for all.  This isn’t like game uniforms you know where you just put it on on Saturday when it’s game time.  You put the armor on once and leave it on the rest of your life.  You never lay your armor down until you meet the lord.  You put your armor on and keep it on and if you don’t have it on you become vulnerable at any point.

And so Paul, probably chained to a Roman soldier as he wrote this sees the whole of the Roman soldiers uniform and all the armor that went with it as a perfect illustration of how the believer is to be prepared to fight the enemy.  Verse 14 he speaks of this armor.  “The loins are gird about with truthfulness.  The breastplate of righteousness, the feet of the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.”  We’ll be getting in to these fabulous thoughts in detail in coming weeks but this is the basic necessity for the believer.  Depend on the lord and put the armor on and leave it on.

MacArthur transitions to verse 11:

“Put on the whole armor of God…”

He pauses before detailing the pieces (which he says will come later), but he does make two foundational points:

The armor must be worn. It is not enough to talk about it, study it, or have others perform religious actions around you.

The command implies permanence. He explains the wording as meaning put it on decisively and keep it on—not like a uniform worn only on “game day.”

He previews the pieces named later (Ephesians 6:14–17): truth, righteousness, gospel readiness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. His framing is important: this armor is not mystical ceremony; it is the lived reality of truth-believing and righteousness-practicing under God’s provision.

8) The Enemy: The Devil and His Methods (Ephesians 6:11–12)

“Stand against the schemes of the devil”

That brings us thirdly to the enemy.  Verse 11 “That you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  In other words we know we have the power of the lord and his might.  We put on the whole armor.  We’re ready, obedient with our armor, depending on divine power and are able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Always the believer is to stand because Satan will attack him.  You don’t need to go find the devil.

Now we’re never told in the Bible to attack the devil either.  We’re just told to resist him and he’ll flee.  Stand firm.  Hold our ground.  And that’s what he says here.  Who is the enemy?  Easy to see.  The devil.  People say “oh there’s no devil.  The devil is just a Halloween costume, pointed tail and two little horns, pitchfork.”

That’s not what the Bible says.  The Bible tells us there’s a real devil, that this is nothing but Lucifer the greatest angel.  Read Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28 talks about this angel, the anointed cherub, the one who sparkled with all the jewels of heaven, the highest being God ever made.  This anointed angelic being wanted to be like God and in the sin of pride he was thrown out of heaven and Revelation 12 says “like a great dragon he fell and with his tail he swept a third of the angels with him.”  So Lucifer this fallen angel, the highest of the angels leads a host of one third of all the angels God ever created and there are literally millions of them and these then become the demonic enemy.  This is the devil.

MacArthur insists the devil is not a cartoon but a real personal being—Lucifer fallen—leading a demonic host. He marshals biblical data points: Satan’s presence in Genesis 3, Christ’s temptation, the apostles’ testimony, and Satan’s ongoing opposition to gospel work.

He lists multiple biblical titles to stress Satan’s identity and activity: “prince of this world,” “prince of the power of the air,” “god of this age,” “accuser,” “tempter,” etc. He highlights Jesus’ description: murderer and liar (John 8:44).

The devil’s primary weapon: deception

Jesus believed in him.  He talked with him in Matthew 4.  He talked about him in John 14, John 16 and elsewhere.  The apostles believed in him.  Paul talked about him, Peter talked about him, James talked about him.  If you look at history you know there’s a devil.  He tempted Eve in Genesis 3.  He tempted Christ in Matthew 4.  He perverted God’s word in Matthew 4 and he opposed God’s work in Zachariah 3.  He hindered God’s servant in 1 Thessalonians 2 and he hinders the gospel in 2 Corinthians 4.  He snares the wicked in 1 Timothy 3 he desires the nations in Revelations 16.  He’s an angel of light in 2 Corinthians 11.  He fights with Michael in Jude.  He brought sin into the world in Genesis 3.  He now has the whole world lying in his lap in 1 John 5.  He’s been all through history.

He has personal titles.  The Bible calls him in Ezekiel 28 the anointed cherub.  In John 16 the prince of this world.  In Ephesians 2 the prince of the power of the air.  In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 he’s called the God of this age and in Luke 11:15 the prince of demons.  52 times he’s called Satan which means adversary.  That is his most common title.  35 times he’s called devil, diabolos which means slanderer.  He is called the old serpent, the great dragon, the roaring lion, the evil one, Abaddōn, Apolluōn, tempter, accuser, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience.

He is described by our lord in John 8:44 as a murderer and as a liar.  He works overtly and covertly with flat out doctrines of devils and with seducing spirits.  He is a sinner in 1 John 3:8.  He is an imitator in 2 Corinthians 11:13 to 15.  He is some formidable enemy.  Lucifer, fallen from heaven, the ruler of a vast host of demon beings who have been around for centuries and thousands of years since first they fell and first they were created.  They’ve been here a long time.  They are wily, they are clever, they are subtle, they are cunning, they are invisible, they are super human and they are our enemy.

And it says in verse 11 that they operate on the basis of the wiles of the devil, methodeia, methods and the word is used in Ephesians 4:14 and translated cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive us.  About what?  Like children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine.  The emphasis is that the wiles of the devil are lies, false doctrine, false religion, false teaching.

He is a liar and the father of it.  He is a deceiver.  His whole system deceives subtly, supernaturally, cleverly, powerfully.  He has deceived mankind the world over with false religious systems.  It’s incredible how sophisticated they come.  Can you believe that in the old testaments Satan deceived Israel into worshipping idols and turning their back on the true God?  Can you remember that in the New Testament Satan deceived Israel into murdering their own Messiah?  Would you believe that in the future he will deceive Israel into thinking the anti-Christ is Christ?

He is a deceiver.  He is subtle.  His area is lies, heresies and false doctrine.  He will lie about everything whether simple or sophisticated and if I sometimes get upset about false doctrines and false cults and false teaching the reason is because I believe all of that stuff whether it’s a denial of the truth of the word of God or whether it’s Zoroastrianism, whether it’s the new liberation that denies God’s order for the family, whether it’s homosexuality the new morality, whether it’s the cults and isms and schisms and spasms and the rest of that stuff or whether it’s old line religions of the world.

MacArthur focuses on “schemes” as methods of deception, frequently expressed through false doctrine and false religion—subtle, sophisticated, and damning. He connects this to the church’s vulnerability to doctrinal winds (compare Ephesians 4:14).

The conflict is not mainly human

Ephesians 6:12 becomes central:

“We do not wrestle against flesh and blood…”

MacArthur acknowledges persecution can come through people and governments, even violently. But behind human hostility stands an invisible hierarchy of spiritual beings—“principalities…powers…rulers of the darkness…spiritual wickedness.”

9) The Battle: “Wrestling” as Close-Quarters Conflict

And the word wrestle is not talking about a simple athletic game.  In the roman times when the wrestlers went into the ring to wrestle the idea was to get two hands around the neck of the man in a strangle hold and press not only his shoulders but his head to the ground and if his head was on the ground for a certain time he died.  If only his shoulders touched and you didn’t get his head down he lived to fight again and Satan wrestles with us through his demons and we with him and it is a life and death matter.  

They read the Bible.  They know the way it’s charted to come out.  They know there’s a bottomless pit.  They know there’s an eternal place created for them and they will do everything they can to get a stranglehold on the things of God to change that and so it is a warfare on a level unhuman and it is anything but a sport.  In fact humans are just duped into a supernatural war.  They’re just duped to fight Satan’s causes.  And so our enemy is a subtle enemy.

He explains “wrestle” as intense, personal, and lethal, not a sporting match. The image conveys close engagement and high stakes. Humans are often unwitting participants, manipulated by satanic purpose.

A practical warning: do not “play in the occult realm”

You know whenever I begin to think about how clever he is and then you see people you know who want to delve into this demon stuff, boy, you don’t know what you’re getting into.  You can’t handle it.  John Walden, a friend of mine who has done so much research on the cults is probably the most prolific cult researcher around today sent me a report and in it he discusses something of this issue.

And this is what he says.  “God did not make us in such a way that we can function either safely or effectively in a demon environment.  Even if it’s neutral which it clearly isn’t who knows what demons can do in their own environment and what inter-relationships exist or can be manufactured between their world and ours.  We weren’t made to fly around in astral realms.  Granted the existence of the demonic one is playing in an astral pigpen filled with evil and hostility.  We were not made with the intellectual capacities to separate the good from the evil, the true from the false in the occult realm.  

For example the prophet Daniel was a brilliant and Godly young man.  However even he had to be given additional wisdom from God in a special way to be able to have discernment in occult matters.  Thus involvement in such will always produce faulty conclusions because man as a fallen creature does not have the necessary equipment or ability to sort out demonic matters.”

He’s right.  Report to the commander is all you need to do.  Get the armor on.  Don’t mess with the dominion that you can’t even comprehend and so this is a look at the enemy for whom we need the armor, for whom we need the preparation and to understand the battle is important people.  It isn’t going to be easy for you to live the Christian life.  It isn’t easy for me either.

I walked in a room one time where a person was full of demons and the demons started screaming at me “Get him out of here!”  They know who I am.  They know me.  But you know something, that’s the only time I ever got in a conversation with them, once in ten years.  I don’t even fool with them.  You know why?  Because the Bible doesn’t tell me to do that.  I don’t know what they’re doing.  I don’t know what kind of games they play.  That’s a domain I don’t get in.  I don’t talk with them.  I don’t pay any attention to them.  I just get my armor on, I report to the commander and you know what?  In ten years God has continued to bless the ministry here and we haven’t paid any attention to that.

MacArthur cautions against Christians who seek direct engagement with demons, astral experiences, and occult exploration. His argument: God did not design us to function safely in that environment; our calling is not curiosity but obedience and resistance under God’s command.

His repeated counsel is consistent: stand firm, resist, do not go hunting demons. Scripture calls believers to withstand, not to seek conversations in a realm we do not understand.

10) Victory: You Can Stand (Ephesians 6:13)

MacArthur ends where Paul ends this paragraph:

“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.”

“The evil day” is now

He defines “the evil day” broadly: any day in this present age while Satan’s influence persists. Therefore, the armor is not occasional; it is constant.

The concluding pastoral thrust

If strength is in the Lord and the armor is on, the believer can stand. Victory is the normal expectation of Christian living—not because Christians are strong, but because God is faithful and His provision is sufficient. The outcome of such standing is not pride but joy, peace, and contentment rooted in confidence in God.

Closing Prayer Themes

MacArthur’s prayer asks God to make the congregation individually dependent on God’s strength, faithful in wearing the armor, and confident in victory—especially as spiritual conflict intensifies approaching Christ’s coming.

Section List: What This Sermon Covered Most

— Ephesians’ structure: identity (1–3) leading to conduct (4–6) — The missing reality: opposition that makes obedience difficult — Christian living defined as warfare, not ease — Preparation: strength is “in the Lord,” not self — Warning: self-confidence creates vulnerability (1 Corinthians 10:12) — Assurance: God provides escape in temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) — Armor: put it on decisively and keep it on — Enemy: the devil is real; his chief method is deception — Battle: not flesh and blood; wrestling is close conflict with spiritual powers — Victory: believers can stand firm in the evil day through God’s provision

Application Points

Personal readiness

— Begin each day with the settled assumption: you are entering contested ground. Pray accordingly (Ephesians 6:10). — Refuse self-reliance. Treat self-confidence as a warning light, not a strength (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Spiritual strategy

— Stop chasing “secret techniques.” Scripture’s strategy is ordinary and durable: dependence on God, obedience, truth, righteousness, faith, and the Word. — Do not interpret every difficulty as merely human conflict. People may be the instrument; the deeper battle is spiritual (Ephesians 6:12).

Ministry mindset

— Do not measure faithfulness by ease. Often the “great door” comes with “many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9). — Choose to stay faithful where God has placed you, rather than hunting for an easier assignment.

Memory Verses

— Ephesians 6:10–11 (strength in the Lord; put on the full armor) — Ephesians 6:12 (the battle is not against flesh and blood) — 1 Corinthians 10:12–13 (warning against presumption; God’s faithful escape) — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (strength perfected in weakness) — James 4:7 (resist the devil and he will flee)

Cross-References for Further Study

— The structure of Ephesians: identity to conduct (Ephesians 1–3; 4–6) — Union with Christ and resurrection power: Ephesians 1:19–21; 2:4–6 — Spiritual warfare framing: 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 — The devil’s deceit: John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 — Perseverance under opposition: 1 Peter 5:8–9

Historical and Theological Context

Paul’s setting

Paul likely writes Ephesians while associated with Roman custody, making the soldier-and-armor imagery vivid and concrete (Ephesians 6:20). The letter’s theology is expansive—cosmic reconciliation in Christ—and it ends fittingly with cosmic conflict: the church lives and obeys inside a hostile spiritual environment.

Theological logic

This passage guards believers from two equal errors: — Triumphal presumption: “I know doctrine; I’ll be fine.” — Defeated fear: “The enemy is too strong; I can’t stand.” Paul corrects both: stand in God’s strength, and stand in God’s armor.

Teaching Outline

I. Introduction: Why Ephesians Ends with Warfare (Ephesians 6:10–13)

— Ephesians gives resources and principles, but obedience is contested — Therefore Paul closes with the reality of spiritual conflict

II. The Christian Life as Warfare

— Biblical pattern: soldier language and conflict imagery — Ministry effectiveness often intensifies opposition

III. Preparation: Strength in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10)

— Union with Christ as the source of strength — God’s faithfulness governs temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) — Weakness drives dependence, where strength is perfected (2 Corinthians 12:9)

IV. Provision: Put On the Full Armor (Ephesians 6:11)

— The armor must be worn, not admired — A lifelong posture, not an occasional tactic

V. Opposition: The Enemy and His Schemes (Ephesians 6:11–12)

— The devil is real; his methods are deceptive — The struggle is not primarily human but spiritual

VI. Conclusion: Victory Means Standing (Ephesians 6:13)

— “The evil day” is ongoing in this age — The promise: you can stand firm through God’s strength and provision

Discussion Guide

Observation Questions

In Ephesians 6:10–13, what are believers commanded to do repeatedly (be strong, put on, take up, stand)?

What does Paul explicitly say the battle is not against (flesh and blood), and what is it against?

What is implied by the phrase “schemes of the devil” about how the enemy operates?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul place spiritual warfare at the end of a letter that already explained doctrine and ethics?

How does “be strong in the Lord” correct both fear and self-confidence?

In what ways can deception (falsehood, doubt, distorted doctrine) be more dangerous than open persecution?

Application Questions

Where are you most tempted to self-reliance—marriage, parenting, work, purity, discouragement, ministry?

What would it look like this week to “report to the Commander” immediately when temptation hits?

Which “armor” theme do you most need to grow in right now: truth, righteousness, faith, gospel readiness, assurance of salvation, Scripture?

Prayer Prompts

— Ask God for humility to distrust self-reliance and depend on His strength. — Ask for vigilance to recognize deception and stand on truth. — Ask for endurance to stand firm in “the evil day” with joy and confidence.

Zoroastrianism is an ancient Iranian religion associated with the prophet Zarathustra (Greek: Zoroaster). It centers on devotion to Ahura Mazdā (“Wise Lord”) as the supreme deity and emphasizes living in accordance with truth and moral order. Encyclopedia Britannica+2Encyclopaedia Iranica+2

Core beliefs and themes

— Ahura Mazdā as supreme creator and source of good, opposed by a destructive/evil principle often described in later tradition as Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), forming a strong good-versus-evil moral framework. Encyclopedia Britannica+1 — Ethical focus: human beings are morally responsible to choose the good (often summarized popularly as “good thoughts, good words, good deeds,” though phrasing and emphasis vary by tradition). — Cosmic conflict with an ultimate resolution: history moves toward the triumph of good, judgment, and a final restoration/blessedness in Zoroastrian expectation. Encyclopedia Britannica

Sacred texts

— The principal scripture is the Avesta, a collection of texts used in worship and teaching; its most ancient core is commonly identified with the Gathas, attributed to Zarathustra. Encyclopedia Britannica+1

Worship and practice

— Zoroastrians are often associated with fire temples and a continuously tended sacred fire. Fire is not “worshiped as a god,” but treated as a powerful symbol of purity, truth, and divine light in ritual life. Encyclopedia Britannica+1

Historical footprint and communities today

Zoroastrianism was historically prominent across ancient Iran for many centuries before Islam became dominant there. Today, Zoroastrian communities exist worldwide, including the Parsis (especially associated with India) and Iranian Zoroastrians in the diaspora. Encyclopaedia Iranica

Reference

John MacArthur. https://www.gty.org/sermons/1953/the-believers-warfare-part-1