When I was 15 years old, my father sat me down gently but soberly before my freshman year. He said, “Jimmy, you’re getting ready to start high school. Do you know what that means?” I stared at him blankly.
He continued: “That means new temptations and new pressures are coming, and what you decide will affect the rest of your life.”
When my dad finished, I didn’t simply feel challenged. I felt deeply cared for, because my father was preparing me for a war I didn’t yet know I was in.
That’s exactly what the Apostle Paul does in Ephesians 6. He warns us about spiritual wars, then teaches us not just how to fight them, but how to fight them with wisdom—so that we win.
The first way Paul teaches us to fight is to treat God with appropriate respect. In Ephesians 6:10-11, he writes, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Notice that Paul doesn’t say be strong in yourself—he says be strong in the Lord. When we fight in our own strength, we make things far worse. But when we fight in God’s strength, everything changes.
The second thing Paul calls us to do is trust God to bring the victory. In verse 13, he writes, “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.” There is something powerful in that phrase—after you have done everything, stand. There are moments when we’ve prayed, we’ve obeyed, we’ve done all we know to do, and our job is simply to trust God with the outcome.
Third, we must take our stand and fight with the right weapons. In verses 14-17, Paul lists every piece of armor God has provided: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. The enemy looks for any gap in our armor he can find. This is why Paul urges us to put on the full armor of God.
Fourth, Paul shows us that we must team up with the right people. In verse 18 he writes, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” The church was never intended to be a cruise ship—it’s a battleship. When we lock shields together, pray together, and stand together, we become something the enemy cannot easily overcome.
Friend, when spiritual battles come, know that God is not surprised by what you’re facing, and He has not left you without what you need for victory. If you’ll learn to fight right, you will win!
