What if the greatest battle you'll ever face has already been decided and you're on the winning side? That might sound too good to be true, but it's exactly what the Apostle Paul declares as he closes his letter to the church in Ephesus. The good news is that in Jesus' death and resurrection, all who receive the salvation he offers are set free from slavery to sin and death and declared righteous in the sight of God, not because of anything we have done, but because of what God in Christ has done for us.
A Battle Already Won
But even though Christ has won the victory over sin, the reality is, we still live in a world where the effects of that victory have not been fully realized, where we still face an Adversary who seeks to drag us back into slavery, and where there is still a long battle ahead before we can fully live into our liberation.
How can we face that Adversary? How can we be prepared for that battle? And how can we stand strong with the assurance that the battle has already been won?
Recognize the Real Enemy
In Ephesians 6:10-17, the Apostle Paul gives some of the most famous instructions in the New Testament:
"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. 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."
It's tempting to identify people of a race, ethnicity, lifestyle, religion, or political party other than our own as "the enemy." But Paul cautions us against that temptation. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against an invisible, spiritual enemy who cannot be defeated by physical means. If we try to identify another human being who bears the image of God as our eternal enemy, we have already succumbed to the true Enemy who seeks to divide us.
You remember what Jesus said to do to our enemies? Love them. We are to love them as God has first loved us, to pray for those who seek to do us harm, to demonstrate to them the life-transforming power of Jesus, until our enemies are no more because they have become our friends.
When Jesus stood before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, just before he was condemned to be crucified, he said something that reframes everything: "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place" (John 18:36). Rather than bringing his kingdom on earth by force, Jesus surrendered himself to the principalities and powers and defeated them from within. In his death and resurrection, Jesus defeated the principalities and powers once and for all and set us free from slavery to sin and death.
Arm Yourself with God's Defenses
So if Christ has already won the battle, what are we supposed to do? Paul's answer is to put on the full armor of God.
Did you know that Paul didn't just pull this metaphor out of thin air? He drew it from the Hebrew prophet Isaiah, where it was actually God himself who wore the armor. Isaiah 59:15b-17 says: "He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head." As N.T. Wright puts it, "The king has won the victory; now he shares his armor with us so that we may stand firm."
Here's a quick look at what that armor means for us today:
Belt of Truth: The Enemy fights with lies. God's truth keeps you from getting caught off guard.
Breastplate of Righteousness: The Enemy attacks our hearts, our emotions, our self-worth, our trust. God's righteousness guards the core of who we are. And this word can also be translated "justice"; when we are protected by God's righteousness, we are also motivated to protect those who are most vulnerable.
Feet Ready with the Gospel of Peace: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news." Don't become discouraged by the Enemy's attacks and negative responses that come from bearing the good news.
Shield of Faith: Faith equals trust plus obedience. When we trust God and live in obedience to his ways, we will be protected from the Enemy's flaming arrows of insults, setbacks, and temptations.
Helmet of Salvation: Guards our minds from doubt. As Paul writes in Colossians, we are to "set our minds on things above," and when our minds are guarded by the knowledge of our salvation, we'll be focused on heavenly realities rather than earthly ones.
Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God: The only offensive weapon and it belongs to God. As Hebrews 4:12 reminds us, "The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword." We learn to wield it skillfully to counter the enemy's attacks.
It's also worth noting that Paul purposely leaves out the "garments of vengeance" from Isaiah's imagery. It is not our place to exact vengeance on our enemies. As Paul writes in Romans, quoting Deuteronomy: "Vengeance is mine. I will repay," declares the Lord. Our job is to stand strong and love those who seem to be our enemies until they are transformed by the power of God to be our friends.
Fight with the Power of Prayer
After outlining the armor, Paul closes his letter with one more critical instruction in Ephesians 6:18-20: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains."
When I think about fighting with the power of prayer, I think of another time Paul was in prison. In Acts 16, Paul and his friend Silas had been arrested, flogged, and thrown in jail in the city of Philippi. About midnight, they were praying and singing hymns to God. Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the prison foundations, the doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose.
The jailer, thinking his prisoners had escaped, was about to take his own life. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer rushed in, fell trembling before Paul and Silas, and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" That night, the jailer washed the wounds of his prisoners, woke up his whole family, and they were all baptized. Then they sat down together for a meal, filled with joy.
The earthquake wasn't the most incredible part of the story. What's even more remarkable is that Paul was more concerned with telling the jailer about Jesus than he was with escaping from the jail. He fought with the power of prayer, and not only was he freed from his predicament, but he bore witness to his enemy and made him his eternal friend.
Rather than praying for a way out of his problems, Paul prayed for God's power to carry him through them.
Remember That the Battle Is Already Won
In 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, Paul writes to another church with this triumphant declaration: "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
The battle we face is not ours to win, because the victory has already been won. Our Enemy is obsessed with launching attacks, trying to gain ground, and taking out whoever he can among the faithful, because he knows that his defeat is already assured. But we, who have the assurance of victory and the protection of our Savior, only need to stand firm and endure.
And that leaves room to bring others into our ranks alongside us, so that many more can share in the victory of Christ. The Enemy's days are numbered. The best thing we can do is win our neighbors to the cause of heaven and leave our Enemy with no one left to fight for him. Now that is a cause worth fighting for!
Putting It Into Practice
So how do we live this out? Here are a few steps to consider:
Identify who your real enemy is and isn't. The next time you feel like someone is your enemy, remember: your battle is not against flesh and blood. Choose to pray for that person rather than fight them.
Put on the armor daily. Each morning, intentionally remind yourself of the truth of God's Word, the righteousness credited to you through Christ, and the salvation that guards your mind against doubt.
Pray first, not last. Don't save prayer as a last resort. Paul says to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions." Bring every battle, big and small, before God before you try to fight it on your own.
Be a witness, not a warrior. Our role is not to bring God's kingdom by force. Our role is to make the wisdom of God known, to be witnesses to the life-transforming power of Jesus, until our enemies become our friends.
Stand firm. When it feels impossible to keep going, remember the words God spoke to the Israelites at the edge of the Red Sea: "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" (Exodus 14:14). Our God has fought for us and won, once and for all. So clothe yourself with God's own defenses, arm yourself with the Word, the Spirit, and prayer, and stand firm. The battle is already won.
Reflection
Take a few quiet moments with these questions.
Who or what have you been treating as "the enemy"? A person, a group, a political party, a circumstance? How does Paul's reminder that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood" challenge the way you've been thinking about that?
Which piece of the Armor of God do you feel most vulnerable without right now? Are you struggling with doubt (helmet of salvation)? Temptation (shield of faith)? Discouragement in sharing your faith (feet ready with the gospel of peace)? What does it tell you that God has already provided exactly what you need?
The battle has already been won but the battle still rages. How does the assurance of Christ's final victory change the way you face the hard things in your life today?
Remember: Our role is not to be warriors. Our role is to be witnesses. The most powerful thing you can do today is stand firm in the victory Christ has already won and invite someone else to stand with you.
Prayer
Generous God, thank you for the victory that has already been won. Thank you that I don't have to earn my freedom or fight my way to you because Jesus has already done that for me. Forgive me for the times I've picked up weapons you never asked me to carry, and for the times I've identified the wrong enemy. help me to put on your armor not my own. Guard my heart with Your righteousness. Guard my mind with the assurance of my salvation. Steady my feet with the peace of the gospel. Strengthen my faith to extinguish every flaming arrow the Enemy throws at me. And give me the courage to wield your Word, not my own cleverness or strength. Give me eyes to see the people around me not as enemies, but as image-bearers who need the same good news that set me free. Make me a witness, not a warrior. In the name of Jesus, who has already won, Amen
