“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13)

In the last chapter of Ephesians, Paul writes “Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). He uses the image of a fully armed Roman soldier to paint the picture of what it takes to fight against the devils tactics. Paul was under no illusion as to the significance of spiritual warfare. Our battle, he said, is not against flesh and blood, but against the cosmic powers over the present darkness and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). In spite of all that, Paul knew these forces were no match for the living God, but he also knew there were many who were ill-prepared for the battle and left vulnerable to evil influences.

Paul’s description of the Roman soldier’s armor consists mainly of defensive weapons to fend off attacks. The one offensive weapon for the battle was the sword of the Spirit−the word of God. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, he cited Scripture to withstand that temptation. If it proved useful for Him to withstand temptation, why would we think it wouldn’t be for us? It’s through the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit prepares us for the fight.

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day. She was sharing with me her vision for a ministry to help every day Christians live out their walk with Christ in order to stand against those things that would hinder their ability to glorify God and live out the salvation God intends for His children. Our greatest source to know what these things are is God’s Word. It’s through the disciplines of encountering God in His Word and through prayer that we put on the armor of God. It’s how the Holy Spirit prepares us for the fight. There’s no doubt the battle Satan wages in this life is a serious one that we must be prepared for. So, are you prepared? Is your armor on? Are you battle ready?