Eph.6:11-18- “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”Eph.6:11-13- “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” What is the armor of God? Is it literal or spiritual? Is it real or figurative? Well, I believe that it is a little bit of both. First, we must determine who and what the enemy is and what we are fighting against. IICor.10:4-5- “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”

First, the weapons of God are not carnal. Meaning they are not physical or of the natural. They are supernatural. So, we do not look to the physical when dealing with spiritual warfare. Physical means are useless when dealing with spiritual enemies. Second, the weapons of God are mighty. This means able in the Greek. God’s weapons are able to pull down strongholds. And to cast down imaginations or any plan against the will of God.

 And every thought into obedience to Him. This means simply that God can change the mind of anyone He chooses. Pharaoh was a good example. Ex.7:13- “And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.”Eph.6:11 states to put on the whole armor of God. In other words, don’t forget one piece of it. Put it all on. The purpose for the armor is in the next statement. 

“That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Stand in the Greek means to cause or make to stand, to place, put, and set. Meaning you are firm. The word wiles means cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery in the Greek. But, the word stand occurs three times in these three verses. Eph.6:11-13. The emphasis on standing firm against spiritual forces cannot be overstated. It is vital to victory that you do not back down against the enemy. It clearly says having done all to stand. Meaning, you have done everything in your power to stand against evil.Eph.6:12 states that we wrestle not against flesh and blood. 

So, that is the first indication of the enemy. If it is not flesh and blood, it must mean a spirit. Most specifically, an evil spirit. Matt.12:43-45- “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” We see from these scriptures that unclean spirits are not our allies. They seek to possess and infiltrate every facet of a person’s being and seek to help other demon’s enter your life as well. So, they are our enemies. At least one of them.The next enemy that this verse mentions in respect to spiritual enemies is principalities. The Greek meaning of this entity means the first person or thing in a series, the leader. So, it is reasonable to assume that this entity is the leader. Many agree that this is a fallen angel. 

The thing about a fallen angel is this. It is still an angel. It is merely in a fallen state. It may even look like an angel still. There is nothing in scripture that indicates any loss of power or appearance. Just a loss of office and territory. So, in the case of a fallen angel, they are very powerful entities that are intelligent, manipulative, crafty, and highly organized. This is only the beginning of the enemy’s hierarchy. 

The word powers in Eph.6:12, has to do with the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises so it says in the Greek. So, what this reveals is that the powers that these entities exert is extremely powerful. And remember that this is on a spiritual plane. Evil powers can be very intimidating.There are also Rulers. Lord of the world, prince of this age the devil and his demons. The rulers entice spiritual wickedness or evil purposes and desires.

 It all begins in the mind which, in turn leads to the heart and soul. Which is what spiritual wickedness is. It is mindful. The darkness of this world has to do with the spiritual blindness that accompanies the fallen state of these angels. They are of darkened eyesight or blindness to all things of God. The high places has to do with the things which occur in heaven. The lower heavens, of the stars. (Several times in scripture, angels were referred to as stars or wandering stars.)

Jude 1:9-13-“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.”

That is where many of the hierarchy of fallen angels dwell. Satan was called” the prince of the power of the air.” His lower ranking officers seem to have a similar abode.Eph.6:13-Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Notice it says “wherefore.” Or, for this reason. The reason being the enemy in the heavenly realms. 

Because we face a powerful enemy, it is absolutely imperative that we put on the armor of God and to make sure that we don’t miss one piece of it. Which is why it says the whole armor. This armor is of God. And that has to do with the God-head generally. These weapons are mighty through God. So, it is upon Him that we must put or assurance. Our faith. Without faith, the armor doesn’t work. “That ye may be able.” It means to be capable, strong and powerful. Only through faith and trust in the Lord is it possible to utilize the armor. Zech. 4:6- “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” 

1John 4:4- “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Protection is not of your power or ability. Power is not your ability. Ps. 62:11- “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God” “To withstand” or to resist. We are told to resist the devil. James 4:7- “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” 

The key to resisting is to first submit to God. The word submit means to subject ourselves unto God. Because He is the one doing it. To resist the devil means to set one’s self against. We as Christians must set ourselves against everything that is of the devil in order to really be resisting him.

 The only way to do this is to abide in Christ. This is the only way to withstand in the evil day or day of tribulation and trials.Ps.91- “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.”Notice to whom this promise is made. In verse one we read: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” 

If you are under someone’s shadow, it is because you are close to them. If you remain close to the Lord, you are doing all to withstand in the evil day. And God promises to get you through it.
Finally, it says, “having done all to stand.” Or performing all that is required. To stand or to make firm, fix, or establish. So, having done everything that we have discussed, you will be able to stand.Eph.6:14-

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;” Again, here we are told to stand. To make firm, fix or establish. Righteousness has a-lot to do with real Christianity and being available to God’s anointing. Psalm 112:6-7- “Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.” You cannot stand if you are living in sin. If the ground you walk on is mud, you will sink. You must have your feet planted on the Rock. Righteousness is standing. Matt.7:24-29- “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” “Having”. This means to be equipped with the knowledge of the truth. So, the loins have to do with the mind. Our mind must have the truth deeply imbedded within. Because that is where the battle always starts. 

Loins also have to do with the hip. If this is not protected, you will fall. Your walk must be deeply affected by the Word of God. The breastplate of Righteousness- The breastplate is to put it simply, the righteousness that you live by everyday. It protects you from the consequences of sin, and separation from God. Ps.18:20- “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.” 

There are rewards attributed to righteousness. Ps.5:12- “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” God will grant favour. God hears the cries of the righteous. Psalm 34:15- “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” Ps.34:17- “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” Ps.37:17- “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.” Ps.37:29- “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.”

The breastplate is protection over your life and everything that you do. James 5:16- “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” It requires real faith to be righteous. Rom.3:22- “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.” If You have faith, it is because you are righteous. If you are righteous, it is because you have faith. All is born of God. 

Without Him nothing is possible.Eph.6:15- “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” “This verse is fairly simple in it’s understanding. The feet have to do with walking. In our walk with Christ, we must be prepared to speak the gospel so peace will come to men. We are told to always be prepared. 1Peter 3:15- But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 

To be prepared is to pray and meditate on the word of God. Matt.10:19-20- “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” 

When you spend time with the Lord, the world will know it. Acts.4:13- “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” That is the key right there! To be with Jesus over and over again. It is when you spend much time with Him that you will be much like Him! 

Ps.62:11- God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. Power belongs to God, but it rests on the man that prays to God in the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 4:31- “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

 If you want God to shake the place you are in, spend time with Him. When the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives within you, nothing is impossible to you. Matt.19:26- “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matt.17:20- “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. “ Luke 1:37- “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”Eph.6:16- “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

 It says here, “Above all”, meaning most important! Don’t forget that one! We hear about faith all the time in certain circles, but what is it exactly? Hebrews 11:1- “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Here is the definition. Faith is the substance or foundation of the things you hope for. Without a foundation, a house will fall. We being a spiritual house will fall without faith. Faith pleases God. Heb.11:6- “ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

 To diligently seek God, is to spend time with Him as much as possible. Studying His word to find His will and obey it. To be on praying ground, you must fit into the conditions of prevailing prayer. 1John 3:22- “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 

Those that keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight, are the ones that are on praying ground and have power with God. Psalm 5:12- “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”Eph.6:17- “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

 The helmet of salvation has to do with the protection of the soul by believing in Christ for salvation. Belonging to Christ is a shield in itself. God believes in the armor as well and gives us a replica of His own. Isaiah 59:17- “For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.” If God wears armor, how much more do we? 

Again we are speaking in a spiritual sense although I have heard testimonies of people saying their demons have seen armored saints in battle against the enemy. 1Thessalonians 5:8- “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” So, salvation is protection, and we see from this that those who are saved are the ones who can wear the armor of God. 

The sword of the Spirit, its definition is given in the verse. It is the word of God. What does a sword do? It cuts, slices and kills. It is sharp, and pointed. It being a spiritual weapon kills sin in your life. When truth enters, sin exits. John 8:32- “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” This is a vastly misunderstood scripture. The truth is real truth. Real truth, like a sword piercing through flesh, doesn’t feel too good. It hurts. Just as the expression says. “The truth hurts.” 

Real truth is not sugar coated or wishy washy. It will cut and kill sin in your life for good. The scripture says the truth will make you free. In other words, you will have no choice but to obey. It will be automatic! Heb 4:12- “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 So, salvation, and the word, are very important in the elements of the armor being effective even most important.Eph.6:18- “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” We’ve already discussed prayer, but, it is so important that I will mention it again. It is power with God. Dependent on obeying His commandments and doing the things that are pleasing in His sight. 

As well as, meeting other conditions as well.Prayers God Will Not Hear- Ps.66:18- “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” If we look upon sin with favour, or those who sin with favour, don’t expect God to hear you. It is written that he will not hear such a person’s request. Hab.1:13- “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?” 

God will not hear the man who will not hear Him- Prov.28:9- “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” Zechariah 7:11-13- “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts.” Prov.1:24-25,28- “Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:

But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.”God won’t hear the ones who will not hear the cry of the poor- Prov.21:13- “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” 

The Lord helps those who help others.What prayers will God hear?- Those that are humble- Luke18:9-14- “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

The Righteous- Ps.34:15-17- “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”Those that Fear and Obey God- Ps.145:18-19- “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.”

Those that please God- 1John3:22- “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” This takes some work to fulfill because one has to find out what the commandments are. That is done only by study of God’s word. We must also do those things that are pleasing in the sight of God as well. 

That only takes a little common sense and much struggle with the flesh!Things to watch for- Praying selfishly. James 4:3- “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”Unconfessed Sin- Isaiah 59:1-2- “Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Psalm 32:1-7- “A Psalm of David, Maschil.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.” 

Sin is a heavy burden and will rob anyone of power with God.Idolatry- Ezekiel 14:3- “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?” Watch for unbelief- James1:5-7- “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” James 5:16-18- Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” An effectual prayer is a prayer that meets every condition to bring it to pass.Just as God is omniscient, so is prayer. 

Just as God is omnipresent, so is prayer. Just as nothing is impossible through God, nothing is impossible through prayer to God. There is no distance in prayer. There is no limit in prayer. If there is a limitation, it is us, not God. For nothing is impossible to Him. If the faith as small as a grain of mustard seed can move a mountain, what can it do to the mountains in your life? Do just as Jesus said, “Only Believe.” 

That is all there is to do. Just believe. The one that has called man to great things will always lead him. He may lead you through the hardest most difficult situations anyone can face, but, He always leads us through. Just as the psalmist has said, “A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm 23 

No matter where we go or what we go through, God goes with us. Always. Heb.13:5- “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”