Ephesians 6:11

Plan for Protection

Ephesians 6:11 is a verse in the Bible that reads, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” This verse is part of a larger passage in which the apostle Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, instructing them on how to live as Christians in a world that is often hostile to their faith.

In this verse, Paul is telling the believers in Ephesus to put on the “whole armor of God.” This phrase is metaphorically referring to the various spiritual practices and disciplines that enable believers to stand firm in their faith and resist temptation. The armor of God includes things like the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation.

The purpose of this armor is to help believers “stand against the schemes of the devil.” The devil is a term used in the Bible to refer to the spiritual forces of evil that seek to oppose God and deceive and tempt people away from following Him. These schemes can take many forms, such as temptation, persecution, and deception, but the armor of God gives believers the strength and protection they need to resist them.

One thing to note about this verse is that it does not imply that believers are in a constant state of warfare with the devil. Instead, it is meant to be a reminder that believers will encounter spiritual challenges and temptations in their lives and need to be prepared to stand against them. “Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it. How the gate is narrow and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are who find it.^{Matthew 7:13-14 WEB}

Another important aspect of this verse is the idea of putting on the whole armor of God. This means that believers should not pick and choose which parts of their faith they want to embrace and which they want to ignore. Instead, they should fully embrace all aspects of their faith and be diligent in their spiritual practices and disciplines. Preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. ^{2 Timothy 4:2-5 WEB}

Something to think about with this verse is in terms of building a strong foundation for one’s faith. Just as a house needs a strong foundation to stand firm against the elements, believers need a strong foundation in their faith to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. This foundation is built through prayer, reading and studying the Bible, participating in fellowship with other believers, and serving others in the name of Christ. “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.” ^{Matthew 7:24-27 WEB}

In conclusion, Ephesians 6:11 is a reminder to believers that they will face spiritual challenges and temptations in their lives and need to be prepared to stand against them. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:12-13 WEB The armor of God gives believers the strength and protection they need to resist these schemes and live faithfully as followers of Christ. It is important for believers to fully embrace all aspects of their faith and build a strong foundation in their spiritual practices and disciplines.

Triumph

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.

Thomas Paine

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