Saturday

Related Verses
Eph. 6:11-20 (11-13, 18-20)
11 Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil,
12 For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness
15 And having shod your feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace;
16 Besides all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.
17 And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God,
18 By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints,
19 And for me, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known in boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I would speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Related Reading
The armor of God is composed of six items: the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the firm foundation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. When we are equipped with such a full armor, we can stand against the attack of the enemy and even take the offensive against him. After these items of the armor of God, Paul turns to prayer. 

Ephesians 6:18 says, “By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints.” The phrase by means of all prayer and petition modifies the word receive in verse 17. By prayer we receive both the helmet of salvation and the word of God. This indicates that we need to receive the word of God by means of all prayer and petition. We need to pray as we are receiving the word of God. We have seen that the whole armor of God is composed of six items. Prayer may be considered the seventh. It is the unique, crucial, and vital means by which we apply the other items, making the armor available to us in a practical way. (Life-study of Ephesians, p. 537) 

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It is by means of all prayer and petition that we gird our loins with truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, and have our feet shod with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace. Furthermore, it is by prayer that we take up the shield of faith and receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God. Whenever we are about to put on the armor or to take up any item of the armor, we need to pray. We cannot and we should not attempt to use any part of God’s armor without prayer. Prayer is the unique way to apply the armor of God. 

We need to put on the whole armor of God so that we “may be able to stand” (Eph. 6:11). In chapter 6 the word stand is crucial. In chapter 2 we sit with Christ in the heavenlies (v. 6), and in chapters 4 and 5 we walk in His Body on the earth (4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15). Then in chapter 6 we stand in His power in the heavenlies. To sit with Christ is to participate in all His accomplishments; to walk in His Body is to fulfill God’s eternal purpose; and to stand in His power is to fight against God’s enemy. 

By putting on the whole armor of God, we are able to stand against the stratagems of the devil. These stratagems are the devil’s evil plans. Not only does the devil have an evil will, but he also has subtle stratagems to work out his will. Even now Satan is busily working and plotting to carry out his evil, subtle stratagems. 

In 6:11 we are told to put on the armor of God, and in verse 13 we are charged to take it up…The armor of God is prepared and provided by God for us. But we need to take it up and put it on; we need to use and apply God’s provision…Whether we put on the whole armor of God or take it up, we must exercise our will in a strong way. 

In order to wage the spiritual warfare, we need the whole armor. This requires the Body of Christ, not only individual believers, to take it up. 

By taking up the whole armor of God, we will be able to withstand in the evil day. To withstand is to stand against. In fighting, the most important thing is to stand. In 5:16 Paul says that the days are evil. In this evil age (Gal. 1:4), every day is an evil day because Satan is at work every day. 

Paul concludes Ephesians 6:13 with the words, “Having done all, to stand.” In fighting we need to stand to the end. Having done all, we still must stand. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 537-538, 519-520, 522) 

Further Reading: CWWL, 1953, vol. 3, “The Experience of Life,” ch. 18 

Further Reading:
Further Reading: The Experience of Life, ch. 18

Hymn: #885
1 Fight the battle in the Body,
Never fight it on your own;
With the Body to the Head joined,
Fight the battle on the throne.
 
Fight the battle in the Body!
By the virtue of the Head;
Standing firmly with the Body,
Into vict’ry you’ll be led.

2 For the Body is God’s armor,
Not for anyone alone;
When you wrestle in the Body,
All its benefits you own.

3 ’Tis the Church on Christ established
Satan shall not overpow’r;
’Tis the Body built together
Which resists the evil pow’r.

4 In the Body, by the Headship,
Sitting in the heavenlies,
Struggle with the wicked spirits
And the principalities.

5 As a member of the Body,
With the brethren stand for God;
Praying always in the Spirit,
Claim the vict’ry through the Blood.

6 In the heav’nlies more than conqu’ror,
In the power of His might,
As a soldier in the army,
In the Lord the battle fight.

7 Keep on wrestling in the Body,
Mighty vict’ry you will see,
Bind and loose, God’s will fulfilling,
And the foes your food will be.