Ephesians 6:12-13: Wrestling against the spiritual forces of evil
Outline
- What we are up against
- How we are to react
Introduction
What are the real problems in the world, who are the real enemies, and how are we to respond? If we ask this question in the world today we will get answers very different to what the bible says. Having listened to many Atheist versus Christian debates recently many atheists would say that religion is the cause of most of our wars, fundamentalist ideology is the enemy and a war on faith and the secularising of society is the necessary preventative. Others who have a more compassionate outlook would say that main problem is injustice, apathetic or corrupt governments are the problem and a universal human rights activism is the cure. The bible places before us a very different perspective. The main problem is that mankind has rebelled against its Creator, man is now under a curse with the prospect of judgement, and the interim period is marked by life in a fallen world where a devil and his demons are active to destroy mankind and the church. If this is the real state of affairs, then our analysis of what our real problems are, and what our solutions should be will be very different. The remedies suggested by the world become a case of treating the symptoms and not the cause. Paul in the verses before us analyses the true state of affairs the action that is to be taken on our part. Ephesians 6:12-13, ‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.’
So far Paul has called us to war, he has called us to throw off lethargy and be alert for battle. He has pointed us to God’s provisions, the strength that He provides through the armour; strength that we need to stand against the devil and his schemes. We continue with Paul’s train of thought looking more deeply into what we are up against and how we are to react.
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