The Field Of Battle

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.   Ephesians 6:11

Our enemy is the devil, and he is a created being. That means he’s not present everywhere, he doesn’t know all things, and he doesn’t have all power. These things belong to God alone. So, the enemy normally works through two infrastructures, which the Bible calls “the world” and “the flesh.”

We may rightly say that we’re engaged in a great battle against the devil, just as during the Second World War, a woman sewing army uniforms in the north of England would have said she was fighting Hitler, even though she never actually came within a hundred miles of him or saw him directly. Practically speaking, though, the reality is that we are normally contending with what Paul calls the devil’s strategies. These are the primary ways in which Satan tries to make you fall.

The field of battle is a lot closer than many people think. The primary battles of your life will be fought in four areas: your mind (see Ephesians 4:22ff), your home (5:21ff), your work (6:5ff), and your church (4:1ff).

These are the areas where your enemy will launch his main attacks, so you must be careful to defend them. God’s spiritual armor is the equipment we need for maintaining a pure mind, a strong family, a God-honoring career, and a healthy church. This is where the real battle is fought.

The first objective of your warfare is to stand. This is so important that Paul uses the word four times in Ephesians 6 to make his point clear. The enemy is going to come against you and try to push you back to a position in which your life will count for very little in the advance of Christ’s Kingdom.

You will need more than willpower and good intentions if you are to stand against the devil’s onslaught. You will need the help of someone who can defeat him, and that means you need to learn to find your strength in the Lord (see Ephesians 6:10).

For further reading, see Ephesians 6