Vs. 12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the dark¬ness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

The saint is in a battle against supernatural, invisible, and vehement forces of evil. Satan is the head of this heinous hier¬archy, and supervises the deployment of his ranks. The princi¬palities while varying in rank are all subordinate to Satan.
“Principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places,” are not four different classes of demonic beings, but is given to show the power Satan has vested in his principalities, and the way they exer¬cise that power.

“...Rulers of the darkness of this world,” the world is a world of darkness, being alienated from light by sin. Satan, knowing man is in gross darkness as to spiritual truth takes advantage of him, setting up rulers over him, and directs human governments in adopting legislation that is God debasing. Satan uses human instrumentality to do his evil work and to achieve his diabolical designs. He used Eve in the overthrow of Adam. He used Cain, which the bible says was “of the wicked one,” To slay able. He used Judas to betray Christ, and he is going to use his puppet, the personal anti-christ to murder thousands of God’s precious saints in the great tribulation period. (Rev. 12:11).

Satan is never more satisfied than when he can use a blood bought saint in his efforts to bedim the glory of God. As Christ said to Peter, “Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Lk. 22:31), the same is true of every saint, especially those in the Lord’s true church. Let us be reminded that our old
nature loves darkness rather than light (John 3:19), that left to our reasoning we would not only be deceived, but would propagate satanic delusion. It is the intercessory work of Christ at his Father‘s right hand that keeps us from being sifted by Satan. The world is in a relentless revolt against God, Satan is the leader and chief rival in this revolt, and becomes ecstatic when He recruits a Baptist to his ranks.

“Spiritual wickedness in high places,” Satan is the prince and power of the air (Eph. 2:2). His seat of authority is in the Heavens immediately above the earth, and. It is in his airy domain that he plans his strategy against the inhabitants of the earth, the church being his primary target. Satan conceives his battle Plans in “high places” above the earth, but the conflict is fought on the earth below. The spiritual forces of wickedness occupy the regions immediately above the earth, they are immaterial, and their aim is to destroy the material creation of God.

Satan is a personality. Many in the pulpit teach that Satan is simply the personification of evil influences in the heart. No doubt he influences the heart to embrace evil, but he is more than a mere influence. He tempted Christ who did not have a fallen Spirit to ally itself with Satan. Satan’s personality is attested to in both the old and New Testaments. I will not charge the Omniscient God with carrying on a dialogue with a mere influence, (Job 1 & 2, matt. 4.)

I Pet, 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

All of Satan’s power is a delegated power. Nevertheless, it is a genuine power. The Almighty God, Who allows Satan great power, also makes available to the born again person strength to overcome Satan. The prerequisite for victory against Satan is, James 4:7-8.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God…” This submission to God is rewarded with strength to “resist the devil...” This God supported resistance of the devil carries this promise, “and he (the devil) will flee from you.” The Divine order for the defeat of the devil is, “draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you...” Satan can persecute the saint (Acts 9:13; 26:10), but he cannot cause them to suffer perdition. He can cast the saint down, but he cannot destroy him, and knowing that “where sin abounded (Calvary), grace did much more abound” (Ro. 5:20), should cause us to stand against the fiery darts, and wiles of the devil.

Vs. 13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

“The whole armour of God…” it is provided by God. “That ye may be able to withstand…” it is complete, enabling the wearer to stand. The other side of this truth is, if any part of the armour is left off, the unprotected area is venerable to the fiery darts of the devil, whereby the armour taken for defense in rendered ineffectual. It is vain for one to install the most sophisticated heating system in his home, if he leaves one window open.

The Christian is in a conflict with spirit beings that are ultimately antagonistic toward him, thus it is, we are admonished by the Holy Spirit to be completely insulated, or to have on the complete panoply of God. In the text (Vs. 13), the “whole armour of God,” is set over and against the “evil day.” The “evil day” is sure to come, no saint is free from satanic attack, but there is a time when the attack of Satan is more likely to succeed, and that is when accumulated years with their physical and spiritual liabilities are more acute. Often the physical infirmities of the aged prevent them from attending the regular worship services of the church, keen¬ness of perception, vision, and hearing are usually diminished, in view of this Solomon say, “Remember now thy creator in the days
Of thy youth” (“wherefore take unto you the whole armour Of God.”), while the evil days come not (age and infirmity), nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecc. 12:1)

So it behooves us while we have the strength of youth to crucify the deeds of the flesh, to behead the Goliaths that come against us, and to fortify ourselves against the evil day.

Lam, 3:27 “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” and Christ says, Mt. 11:29-30 “take my yoke (armour) upon you...”

Vs. 14 “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”

The first item on the list of armour essentials is the girdle of Truth. The girdle in ancient warfare was used to hold the soldier’s garments intact, and it was from the girdle that the scabbard and sword hung. In modern times of warfare we may liken it to the Pistol belt which holds the raincoat or field jacket in close to the body, and from which the holster with its forty five hangs, Along with hand grenades, first aid packet, and ammunition.

Note: “truth” is without the article in the text. It is simply, “have your loins girt about with truth...” or, be encircled with truth carries the idea of being honest, sincere, and truthful. These Are qualities which are alien to the unregenerate heart, and seeing that the “whole armour” is provided by God, and that the disposition of the soldier of the cross is to be one of sincerity and truthfulness, then we can only conclude that these graces must be issued from the armory of heaven, and by the captain of our salvation.

Truthfulness and sincerity of life being undergirded with doctrinal correctness makes for a powerful life. One without the other is void and empty, the radiance of which leaves much darkness in the soul.

The next item on the list is, “the breastplate of righteousness.” The breastplate was used to protect the chest area, and the vital organs housed therein without this breast cover, the Roman or Greek soldier was a ready target for the flying shafts of the enemy In the spiritual sense, righteousness is the breastplate of the soldiers of Jesus Christ. Righteousness referred to in this text is the righteousness of the saints, or a life lived in accordance With heavens code of morality. This view is in harmony with the context, however it must be understood that the righteousness of the saints is wrought in then by the Holy Spirit, and is based upon the justifying righteousness of Christ. It is by His life, not ours that we are made righteous before God, II Cor. 5:21).

It is the perpetual practice of righteousness, or the continual wearing of the breastplate of righteousness that protects the heart, and wards off the fiery darts of Satan. The hypocrite may try on this breastplate, but he cam never be comfortable if It, and will in due season unbuckle it, and lay it aside.

A true and honest soldier of Jesus Christ will be more concerned for the eternal issues than for the temporal. Seeking those things which are above may cause some heartache below, but righteousness is sweet to his soul, and he thrives on the heavenly bread. The paltry, though painted with the world’s greatest luster, holds for him no attraction, and he is careful not to become encumbered with that which is less than eternal. (II Tim. 2:3, 4)

“Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier”.