Put On

Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

‘Put on the whole armour of God’ – God equipped us for battle so that we can be in right standing and ready for warfare at all times.

‘Armour’ [Greek: panoplia] full armour of a heavily armed soldier, described in Ephesians 6:13-17.

‘That you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.’ Three great blessings of the armour of God: The ability to stand against all enemies (6:11-14). The ability to withstand all attacks (6:13). The ability to quench every fiery dart of satan (6:16). We, therefore, have no excuse to fall to his plans, wiles and attacks.

‘Wiles’ [Greek: methodeias] methods – the different means, plans, and schemes used to deceive, entrap, enslave, and ruin the souls of men. A man’s method of damning his soul.

‘Wrestle’ [Greek: pale] wrestle. It refers to warfare in general between saints and spirit rebels who are against God.

‘Not against flesh and blood’ – we are not in battle with human beings, even though they can be the paws through which the enemy operates, hence one can be a stumbling block to others (Matt. 18:6).

‘Against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ Four kinds of spirit rebels are noted here: Principalities [Greek: archas] chief rulers or beings of the highest rank and order in satan’s kingdom. Powers [Greek: exousias] authorities, those who derive their power from and execute the will of the chief rulers. Rulers of the darkness of this world [Greek: kosmokratoras] world-rulers of the darkness of this age, pertaining to governments. Spiritual wickedness in high places [Greek: pneumatika, tes and ponerias] spiritual wickedness, that of the wicked spirits of satan in the heavenlies (6:12; 1:21; Col. 1:16-18; 2:10).