The Armor Of God

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ~Ephesains 6:12-13

Paul comtinues in Ephesians to explain the "why" behind the armor of God.

He explains that "our struggle (refering to our temptations, seens in 'schemes of the devil' in verse 11) is not against flesh and blood" but against something far greater.

We battle against the authorities of the evils realm, the rules and against the powers. Now, think, who are you?

This reminds me of the account in Acts 19, where several people tryed to take on these powers alone.

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. ~Acts 19:13-16

I think sometimes when we try to overpower these forces on our own they begin to ask the same question, "Who are YOU?" Who are too beat these forces on our own? We need He who overcomes, Jesus Christ. We need to as, Ephesains 6:13 says, "put on the armor of God" and why? So we "may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Not only so we can stand our ground in battle, but stand even we've doen everything we can do. This is essential in our battle against the kingdom of darkness, and in our struggle for holiness.

Next post we will begin to look at each piece of the "armor of God". God Bless!