Armor of God
Intro:
God does not send us into battle against Satan without divine assistance. In fact, he dresses us in his own armor. The imagery comes from the book of Isaiah, where the Lord and his Messiah are arrayed for battle (Isa. 11:4–5; 52:7; 59:17). We war against the Devil’s lies and accusations with the truth of the gospel, fighting the fight of faith to believe that the cross brings us peace, our salvation is secure, and the Lord is our righteousness. Our posture is almost entirely defensive. We are told to “stand” (Eph. 6:11, 13, 14), knowing that Christ has already won the victory (cf. 1:7–10). Our one offensive weapon is the sword of the Spirit.
But all of this instruction for spiritual battle begins with the reminder to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (6:10). We do not win any battle against evil in our own strength, but only with the spiritual resources provided by our Savior, the One who is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion” (1:21). In the words of a hymn by Martin Luther, “The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him. His rage we can endure, for lo his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him.”
It was used both defensively to fend off Satan’s attacks, and offensively to help destroy the enemy’s strategies. It is the truth of Scripture. See notes on 2 Cor. 10:3–5; Heb. 4:12.
Prayer is the energy that enables the Christian soldier to wear the armor and wield the sword. We cannot fight the battle in our own power, no matter how strong or talented we may think we are. When Amalek attacked Israel, Moses went to the mountaintop to pray, while Joshua used the sword down in the valley (Ex. 17:8–16). It took both to defeat Amalek—Moses’ intercession on the mountain, and Joshua’s use of the sword in the valley. Prayer is the power for victory, but not just any kind of prayer. Paul tells how to pray if we would defeat Satan.
6:18–19. If prayer for one another (v. 18) continues the figurative image of warfare in the preceding context, it might relate to how the soldiers had to stand together in their battle formation, covering one another by moving as a solid unit. A Roman soldier by himself was vulnerable, but as a unified army a Roman legion was virtually invincible. “Watching” or “being alert” may also be military language (suggested by Jesus; cf. Mk 14:38). Prayer in the Spirit probably implies inspired prayer (cf. 1 Cor 14).
6:19, 20 Paul does not ask for prayer for his personal well-being or physical comfort in the imprisonment from which he wrote, but for boldness and faithfulness to continue proclaiming the gospel to the unsaved no matter what the cost. mystery. See notes on 3:4. ambassador. See notes on 2 Cor. 5:18–20.
A surprise attack has defeated more than one believer who forgot to “pray without ceasing.”
for true Christian prayer is prayer in the Spirit. The Spirit is given as helper, and not least for the task of prayer (Rom. 8:26–27); but as in the case of the other uses of this phrase in the Greek in this letter (2:18, 22; 3:5; 5:18) in the Spirit means more than by the Spirit’s help. The Spirit is the atmosphere of Christians’ lives, and as they live in the Spirit grace will be given to watch and power to continue in prayer.
Furthermore, as he is aware that by God’s grace he has been given understanding in the mystery of the gospel (see on 3:3–4 and 9), so he needs constantly to be given power to proclaim it boldly, without in any way departing from or diminishing ‘the whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:27), whether for the sake of the praise of others, or to avoid their scorn or opposition. Like the early apostles (Acts 4:29) his prayer was not for success, nor for deliverance from danger or suffering, but for boldness in proclaiming the gospel of God that was entrusted to him.
Now, in order to give point to their prayers, he reminds them more specifically of his condition. He is an ambassador in chains. He was aware of the many ambassadors who came to Rome from far and near; he, though in prison at the will of the powerful Roman emperor, felt the dignity and tremendous importance of his position as representative of the King of kings. He was the bearer of the word of his royal master, the word that entreated people who were at enmity against him to be reconciled to him (2 Cor. 5:20)
In Acts 28:16 it is said that when Paul first came to Rome he ‘was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him’, and then in verse 20 of that same chapter he tells the Jews that ‘because of the hope of Israel’ he is ‘bound with this chain’ (tēn halysin tautēn perikeimai). He speaks as he does of his imprisonment not to excite feelings of sympathy in his readers. ‘What concerns Paul most … is not that his wrist may be unchained, but that his mouth may be opened in testimony; not that he may be set free, but that the gospel may spread freely and without hindrance’ (Stott). Imprisonment brings its own special temptation to bow to the fear of what those with political power may do. Paul knows that he has a responsibility (and a privilege), which remains his to the end of his life. He knows how he ought to speak in bearing witness to the gospel. Therefore he repeats the request that they pray that he may declare that gospel boldly.