Fighting against the Spiritual darkness: (6:10-19)
Here the Apostle says: Finally, which means he is speaking in the light of the following things which have taken place in the lives of believers.
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- What God has done for them.
- The plans that God has kept for them that they may grow and become mature.
- Which also means they are filled with Holy Spirit and walking by the Spirit.
- And there is a spiritual battle they have to face.
- Put on the whole armour of God: (6:11): The whole description is based on the weapons of soldiers. As the soldier stands against the schemes of devil, a believer must be able to withstand against attacks of the devil’s schemes and the patterns of the world but to depend upon God. We must draw the strength from God. The whole body needs to be armed. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit to face worldly persecutions.
- Our struggle is against rulers, authorities and powers of dark world: (6:12): The reason that we need to put on the whole armour of God is that our warfare not a physical one but against principalities against spiritual wickedness. Demons are very real, they are not fantasies. We must continue to engage in the struggle until Christ returns or the Church is raptured. We need supernatural power to defeat Satan and his helpers. The word rulers or principalities or authorities speak that Satan has his own hierarchical ranks as Lucifer and the fallen angels. We can face and defeat them only by the power of God.
- The 7-fold armour of God:(6:13-18): Paul very clearly gives the reason in (6:12) and now says that it is mandatory for all the believers to be armed with the 7-fold armour of God. Each weapon is very special and is must. If a believer lacks any one of the 7-weapons, he or she is liable to lose in the battle. Now we will see them.
- The belt of truth: Before a Roman soldier put on his armour, he puts a belt around his waist. This held his garments together and served as a place on which to hang his armour. The belt of truth refersto a believer’s integrity and faithfulness. As a soldier’s belt or sash gave ease and freedom of movement, so truth gives freedom from self, from others and from false gods.
- Breast plate of righteousness: The breastplate of righteousness refers not to justification, obtained at conversion (Rom 3:24; 4:5), but to the sanctifying righteousness of Christ (1 Cor. 1:30) practiced in a believer’s life. As a soldier’s breastplate protected his chest from an enemy’s attacks, so sanctifying, righteous living (Rom. 6:13; 14:17) guards a believer’s heart against the assaults of the devil.
- Feet ready from the Gospel of peace: This refers to a believer’s stability or surefootedness from the gospel which gives him peace so he can stand in the battle. Also like Firemen who are always ready to douse the fire caused by Satan in others’ lives. Many times Satan makes us to think that telling Gospel to others is worthless and hopeless because the size is too vast. But the Gospel always ready with us would give us the motivation to continue to proclaim the true peace that is available in God.
- Shield of faith:The shield in a Roman soldier’s attire, made of wood, was about 2 1/2′ wide and 4′ long. It was overlaid with linen and leather, to absorb fiery arrows. Thus it also protected the other pieces of the armour; hence Paul used the phrase, in addition to all this. The shield consists of faith. The idea, is that a believers strong faith in the Lord can stop and extinguish all the flaming arrows of the devil which are aimed at him.
- Helmet of Salvation:The helmet gives us safety, security, hope and preserves us from the blows of the enemy. The idea is, that a well-founded hope of salvation will preserve us in the day of spiritual conflict. A soldier would not fight well without a hope of victory. A believer cannot engage in the fight with his foes, without the hope of final salvation.