Armor of God: Learning to Walk in the Power and Protection of Our LordSample

Read: Ephesians 6:12

SOAP: Ephesians 6:12

For your struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Into the Text

Let’s be honest; most days, it feels like our struggle is against other people. Yet, in Ephesians 6:12 we read the exact opposite. Those individuals who oppose us, discourage us, or come against us may feel like our real enemies. But our struggle is not against people, organizations, or political parties.

Spiritual warfare is fought in the invisible realm, but the effects of it are often felt in the physical. Temptations and conflicts are not random. Some have even compared our battles to hand-to-hand combat. The fight is up close and personal. Our adversary is all in and giving it his best shot.

Our battle takes place in the spiritual realm against Satan and his demons. Verses in the Old and New Testament speak about these demonic forces that wage war against us. Their aim is to destroy our lives or at least make us ineffective for God’s kingdom. But Satan is a created being. He is limited in his power. He is not all-knowing and can’t be everywhere at the same time, unlike God. Satan was at one time the highest of all the angels, but pride filled his heart. He rebelled against God and took many of the angels in heaven with him in his rebellion.

Satan hates God and wants to destroy Him. Since you are a child of God, you have a target on your back because Satan wants to destroy anything God loves. We need to be aware of this reality but not be afraid of it. There is a balance of being aware of Satan, his demons, their activities, and their influences and not living in fear or constant preoccupation with them. Satan is no match for God; God has no equal. So, while we live aware of this invisible battle, we don’t live in fear of it.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You for this reminder that we don’t fight against other human beings. They are not our enemy; evil is. Give me spiritual eyes to see the battle around me and not be deceived by it. Give me discernment to know what is really going on in the spiritual realm so I can pray and respond accordingly. Help me to clothe myself daily in the armor You have generously provided. Amen.