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Ephesians 6:11 Commentary

Updated: Thu, 07/30/2026 - 16:17 By admin
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EPHESIANS - CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
Click chart to enlarge
Charts from Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission
SYMMETRY
OF EPHESIANS
EPHESIANS 1-3 EPHESIANS 4-6
The Root The Fruit
Spiritual Wealth Spiritual Walk
Christian Privilege Christian Conduct
The Position
of the Believer		 The Practice
of the Believer
God Sees
Us in Christ		 World Sees
Christ in Us
Privilege Practice
Doctrine Duty
Doctrinal Practical
Revelation Responsibility
Christian
Blessings		 Christian
Behavior
Belief Behavior
Privileges
of the Believer		 Responsibilities
of the Believer
Our Heritage
In Christ		 Our Life
In Christ
Know your
Resources (Riches) in Christ		 Live by faith in the light of your
Resources (Riches) in Christ
The Finished Work
of Christ		 The Faithful Walk
of the Christian
Work
of Christ
In Us		 Work
of Christ
Through Us
We
in Christ		 Christ
in Us
Word
of God		 Walk
of the Christian
Heavenly
Standing		 Earthly
Walk
Who You Are
In Christ		 Whose You Are
In Christ
Identity Responsibility
Position
of the Believer		 Practice
of the Believer
Theology Ethics

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (NASB: Lockman)

Greek: endusasthe (2PAMM) ten panoplian tou theou pros to dunasthai (PPN) humas stenai (AAN) pros tas methodeias tou diabolou;

BGT ἐνδύσασθε τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι ὑμᾶς στῆναι πρὸς τὰς μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβόλου·

Amplified: Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)

NLT: Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. (NLT - Tyndale House)

NLT Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (Revised version)

KJV Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

NET Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

CSB Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.

ESV Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

NIV Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

NKJ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

MIT Suit up with God's battle gear so you can stand up to the devil's stratagems.

NJB Put on the full armour of God so as to be able to resist the devil's tactics.

NRS Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Phillips: Put on God's complete armour so that you can successfully resist all the devil's methods of attack. (Phillips: Touchstone)

Wuest: Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God to the end that you will be able to hold your ground against the strategems of the devil, .  (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) 

Young's Literal: put on the whole armour of God, for your being able to stand against the wiles of the devil,

PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD: endusasthe (2PAMM) ten panoplian tou theou:

Paul gives further explanation of what has to be done in order to be strong enough to meet spiritual enemies, especially the devil. It's not your armor that you are to put on but the armor God supplies. Another necessity in victorious warfare is to know the enemy. Don't try to fight your spiritual struggles based on human ingenuity or inherent personal strength. You don't stand a chance against the schemes of the invisible, powerful, crafty foe the devil. Spiritual warfare demands spiritual armor which can only be the "armor of God", the accoutrement He provides and which is even modeled on what He Himself wears as described by the prophet Isaiah....

Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. (Isaiah 11:5 ) (Comment: compare this OT description to the picture of the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ in Rev 1:13 where John saw "one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.")

And He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. (Isaiah 59:17)

Put on (also used in Eph 6:14) (1746) (enduo) from en = in + dúo = to sink, go in or under, to put on) means literally to clothe or dress someone and to put on as a garment, to cause to get into a garment (eg, Lk 15:22 where the father says "quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him...").

The aorist imperative is a command to do put on the armor now. Don't delay. There is a sense of urgency in the aorist imperative. Just do it like the Nike commercial says. The middle voice conveys the idea that it is your choice to do it. You put on yourself this armor. You make the choice to initiate the putting on of God's armor and then you participate in the benefits of having it on. No one is going to put it on you. God is not going to force you to put it on. His command and His good and acceptable and perfect will (Ro 12:2b) is for you to put it on, but it still comes down to a choice you must make. It has to do with surrendering your will to His will. Saying no to self (self sufficiency, self confidence, self-reliance, etc) and saying yes to God, obeying Him out of love (not legalism), as a son or daughter would their Abba, their Daddy.

Note also that this garment is unusual because it has to be put on from the inside! Ultimately this "new self" is Christ Himself (Ro 13:14) Legalism is putting them on the outside. You may look good in the pew or the pulpit but you won't be able to stand firm in the moment of temptation! Knowing the truth is not enough. You have to eat it, digest it, be renewed in your mind by it so that your futile thinking is taught, reproved, corrected and trained in the direction of righteousness then you are transformed from inside out by the Spirit.

The basic necessity for the believer is to depend on the Lord and put on the armor—and leave it on. We are gullible and vulnerable if we think that merely knowing the facts in Ephesians 6:10-18 will protect us. The armor is an absolute requirement for daily victorious living. And even the battles seem to wane, we cannot become apathetic or forget that we are in spiritual warfare everyday for the rest of our life until the day we die!

In the Gospels, enduo is used primarily in a literal sense e.g.

Matthew 6:25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?

Matthew 22:11 "But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes,

Matthew 27:31 And after they had mocked Him, they took His robe off and put His garments on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

Mark 6:9 but to wear sandals; and He added, "Do not put on two tunics."

Mark 15:17 And they dressed Him up in purple, and after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on Him...20 And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, and put His garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

Luke 12:22 And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.

Luke 15:22 "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet

Jesus uses enduo once in a figurative sense in the Gospels declaring to His disciples...

Luke 24:49 "And behold, I am sending forth the Promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power (dunamis) from on high."

Comment: The Power and the Promise is His Spirit, Who God had promised in the description of the New Covenant in the Old Testament, [Ezekiel 36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you"], promised again in Acts 1:8 and realized in Acts 2:4 at Pentecost and then in every believer thereafter as described in Romans 8:9, Ephesians 1:13; 1:14])

Paul uses enduo are all figurative describing the putting on of "ethical, moral or spiritual" garments. And what a "wardrobe" he lays out for believers in his epistles...

THE ARMOR OF LIGHT

Romans 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside (middle voice = you yourself initiate this action and participate in the effect) the deeds of darkness and put on (clothe yourself = middle voice = you yourself initiate this action and participate in the effect) the armor of light. (See notes)

CHRIST HIMSELF AS OUR GARMENT

Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Comment: This putting on refers to salvation, at which time the Spirit replaced our filthy rags of sin with the righteousness of Christ - this is now and forever our new position before God. He sees us in Christ's righteousness - the theologians refer to this as positional truth = past tense salvation = justification).

Romans 13:14 But put on (our practice = present tense salvation = progressive sanctification - put Him on each morning and every moment of the day - aorist imperative [middle voice = you initiate the action and participate in the result = put Him yourself]) the Lord Jesus Christ, and make (present imperative = with the negative means to stop an action already in progress! You know what I am talking about!) no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (See notes)

Comment: As you study the pieces of armor, you can see that ultimately putting each of them on is equivalent to clothing one's self with Christ - truth, righteousness, peace, faith

THE NEW SELF

Ephesians 4:24 and put on (not a command - aorist tense) the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Comment: As discussed in the notes there is debate between excellent commentators, some favoring this putting on as indicative of positional truth and others favoring it as calling for this to be our practice - progressive sanctification or present tense salvation).

Colossians 3:10 and have put on (past tense salvation = positional sanctification = our position now and forever in Christ - see our practice in Col 3:12) the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One Who created him (See notes)

Colossians 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God (cf notes Eph 1:5), holy and beloved, put on (present tense salvation = progressive sanctification = our practice - a command be clothed [middle voice = clothe yourself] now = aorist imperative) a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (See notes)

THE BREASTPLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on (at the time of our new birth = justification = our position = past tense salvation) the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

IMPERISHABLE, IMMORTAL GARMENTS

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this perishable must put on (glorification = future tense salvation) the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory.

What a "wardrobe" God has made available for believers! We're the "best dressed" folks in the world and most of us don't even know it!

And the best is yet to come for John describes our new...

GARMENTS OF FINE LINEN, WHITE AND CLEAN...

Revelation 19:14 And the armies (this is us, those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb) which are in heaven, clothed (enduo) in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him (the Lamb = Faithful and True = the Word of God) on white horses.

Comment: This incredible historical event will occur at the end of the 7 year period, Daniel's Seventieth Week, and marks the defeat of the antichrist and his armies and the inception of Messiah's Millennial Reign

Full armor of God - genitive of source or origin indicating that God provides the armor. So we need not only Divine armor but that equipment in its completeness and with no part missing or in disrepair.

Paul frequently pictures the Christian as a soldier in his writings - see Ro 6:13, 23, Ro 13:12, 2Cor 10:4, 1Thes 5:8, 1Ti 1:18, 1Ti 6:12, 2Ti 2:3-4, 4:7). It is not surprising that Paul would draw the analogy of the Christian life with that of a soldier, for it was to a soldier that he was chained while in prison.

Warren Wiersbe writes that "Paul emphasizes the fact that the full armor is necessary if we are to defeat Satan. The area in our life that we leave unguarded is sure to be the very place that Satan attacks. On October 17, 1586, Sir Philip Sidney was killed at the Battle of Zutphen, because he was not wearing his full armor. He saw that Sir William Pelham was not wearing leg armor, so Sidney removed his. He was struck in the leg and died from the wound. I cannot stress enough the importance of complete protection." (Strategy of Satan by Warren Wiersbe - borrow the book or listen to the 2 hr 36 min audiobook free of charge)

Full armor (3833) (panoplia from pás = all, every + hoplon = weapon, originally any tool or implement for preparing a thing, became used in the plural for weapons of warfare) is literally wholly armed and refers to the complete set of instruments used in offensive and defensive war. The literal meaning referred to the full preparation of a foot soldier for offense and defense - the complete suit of armor. Certainly Paul could claim knowledge of the Roman soldier’s armor, being chained to one for some three years.

This armor is of God both is the sense that it is from Him, and in the sense that it is His actual armor Isaiah recording that the Messiah also wears this armor (Isaiah 59:17). It is His armor that Messiah now shares with every person who places their faith in Him. Truths such as these explain why Paul can exclaim...

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer (we continually-present tense- super-conquer) through Him who loved us. (We win the supreme victory through Him Who loved us. See Ro 8:37+)

Comment: Stedman writes "If we barely manage to win our way to heaven by the skin of our teeth, we could be said to be a conqueror, but a "more than conqueror" is someone who takes the worst that life can throw at him and uses that to become victorious. "More than conqueror" is one who, by the grace and the gift of God, and in the strength of God within him, actually takes the very things that are designed to destroy him, and they become stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks. That is being "more than conquerors." William Newell adds that "loved us" is past tense and "It is this past tense gospel the devil hates . . . Let a preacher be continually saying, ‘God loves you, Christ loves you,’ and he and his congregation will by and by be losing sight of both their sinnerhood and of the substitutionary atonement of the cross, where the love of God and of Christ was once for all and supremely set forth."

God has supplied the complete armor, but He expects the Christian to put it on. We need the divine equipment in its completeness, without the lack of any single part. God has not sent us out into battle without everything we need at our disposal. However, there is no armor for the back -- we are expected to face our foe!

This Greek word gives us our English word, panoply, which refers to a full suit of armor; ceremonial attire; something forming a protective covering; a magnificent or impressive array; display of all appropriate appurtenances.

Expositor's writes that - The soldier must be protected from head to foot and the panoplia is made up of all the various hopla (hoplon = singular) or pieces of armor, both defensive and offensive. Polybius has left a detailed description of the heavily armed Roman infantryman or hoplite. Paul may have drawn his picture "live" from the soldier he was chained to in his house arrest, though it is not altogether certain that such a custodian would have been in full battle dress. (Borrow The Expositor's Bible Commentary or see page 1414 note on Eph 6:11)

TDNT - The soldier's equipment remains much the same for centuries but with minor variations, e.g., in the size of shields or the weight of armor. The Roman legionary carries a lance or spear, a shield, javelins, helmet, and breastplate of coat of mail. In the OT we read of shields, helmets, armor, shoes, spears, bows and arrows, and slings... The word is used only figuratively in the NT. (TDNT - abridged online) 

Other than the use here and in Ephesians 6:13, there is only one other NT use...

Luke 11:22 but when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied, and distributes his plunder.

How does the believer put on the full armor of God? One of the most important ways is to hide God's Word in our heart (Ps 119:9-11) as if our very life depended upon it because our spiritual vitality does. Toward the close of World War II, Allied forces were mopping up against remaining Nazi resistance. One particular unit was assigned a crucial mission in Berlin. Each soldier had to memorize a map detailing all of Berlin's important military sites -- and they had to do it in a single night! In just a few hours, each soldier in the unit had committed the map to memory. The mission was a success. Several years later, the Army conducted an experiment to see if that original feat could be duplicated. They offered a similar unit an extra week's furlough--an attractive incentive--if they could carry out a comparable mission without a hitch. But the second unit could not match the success of the first. What made the difference? The lives of the men were not at stake. Surviving in battle was a greater motivation than a week's vacation. Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. Our road map, our plan of strategy against Satan's military strongholds, is the Bible. The more we read it, the more of it we memorize, and the more thoroughly we know it, the more effective we will be for God. We must approach God's Word as if our lives depended on it--because they do. That's real motivation!

Thy Word is like an armory,
Where soldiers may repair,
And find, for life's long battle-day,
All needful weapons there.
--Hodder

If your life depended on knowing the Bible, how long would you last?

How important is the full armor? Here's an illustration - Bull Moose - Recently National Geographic ran an article about the Alaskan bull moose. The males of the species battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going head-to-head with antlers crunching together as they collide. Often the antlers, their only weapon are broken. That ensures defeat. The heftiest moose, with the largest and strongest antlers, triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The one that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight in the fight. Those that eat inadequately sport weaker antlers and less bulk. There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles await. Satan will choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious, or will we fall? Much depends on what we do now—before the wars begin. The bull-moose principle: Enduring faith, strength, and wisdom for trials are best developed before they’re needed. (Craig Brian Larson - Bible.org)

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THE METAPHOR OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

THE AMALEKITES: A PICTURE OF PERSISTENT SPIRITUAL WARFARE

SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST : pros to dunasthai (PPN) humas stenai (AAN) pros:

So that (4314) (pros) means "towards" and in this context introduces a purpose clause (See importance of disciplining yourself to spot and query the many terms of result/purpose in Scripture - "so that" = 580x)

Expositor's Greek NT adds that "the general sense of direction (is) conveyed by the flexible preposition pros... In this short sentence it expresses mental direction, aim or object, and local direction, against."

Will be able (1410) (dunamai - see also related word dunamis = gives us English words like dynamic, dynamite, dynamo, etc) means to have power by virtue of inherent ability and resources. In this context this enablement is supernatural power. How else could we ever stand firm against our Adversary (or his demonic host of henchmen)? Simply put - we could not stand without the Spirit's supernatural enablement. Thank you Father for providing for us everything necessary for life and godliness (according to a true knowledge of Christ - 2Pe 1:3-note) and victory over our mortal foes, the the world, the flesh and the devil. Amen.

Paul uses the present tense and thus is saying that we are to continually be provided with this Divine enablement. No power outages or shorted circuits (because of willful sin for example) are allowed if we are to win each battle. Dunamis is God's omnipotent, omnipresent, inherent (miracle working) ability to enable us to accomplish what He commands us to do -- in this case to stand firm when the battle is raging all around us!

Note the passive voice (You may see in some of the online sources that include tense, voice and mood that the Textus Receptus says "middle or passive deponent" but clearly the context favors the passive voice) indicates that this enabling is an internal enablement provided by an outside source, the Spirit of God (see notes on "surpassing greatness of His power" - Eph 1:19-note; "strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man" - Eph 3:16-note; "Him Who is able to do...according to the power that works within us" -Eph 3:20-note ; "be filled filled [controlled] with the Spirit"-Eph 5:16-note).

What does that mean practically? It simply means that we have to be willing to let God enable us (See Php 2:13-note for how we even become "willing"!) We have to surrender. We have to yield our "rights." We have to be willing to let Him have His way rather than us having our way. We have to be willing to allow His Spirit to strengthen and control us at every moment during the battle. And thus strengthened in our inner man, we can then make the choice to take a stand, to hold firmly to our position, to resist the temptation to doubt, to fear, to gratify, etc, etc. We are more than conquerors through Christ Who loved us on Calvary and will love us eternally (Ro 8:37KJV). With such assurance and empowerment we can stand firm against every assault to the praise of the glory of His grace which He so richly lavishes upon us.

Notice that Paul uses dunamai three times in this short treatise on spiritual warfare indicating our need for enablement and our need to be willing to yield and receive power from the Spirit! (See note on Eph 6:16- note, cp Eph 6:13-note) In other words, attitudes such as self confidence, self sufficiency and self assurance, etc, have to be cast off like filthy garments of unrighteousness if we are to receive the necessary divine empowerment God graciously makes available.

To stand firm against - to hold a watch post, to stand and hold out in a critical position on a battlefield. This phrase belongs to the soldier's language and conveys the idea of standing one's ground, as opposed to taking flight. Note that stand is a key word in warfare (see notes Ephesians 6:11; 6:13; 6:14 - in verse 14 note that resist is a derivative of the Greek word for stand)

John Stott quotes Simpson writing that "The tactics of intimidation and insinuation alternate in Satan’s plan of campaign. He plays both the bully and the beguiler. Force and fraud form his chief offensive against the camp of the saints." (See The Message of Ephesians - Page 210)

Wayne Barber writes that "The word "stand" there has the idea not of a casual standing but of a digging in. The sandals of the Roman soldiers had spikes on them so they could dig in and hold their ground and not be knocked off course. (Click picture to enlarge figure of the spiked soldier shoes called "caligae") That is the idea of standing. It is not just a casual standing up. It has the idea of standing firm and holding the ground that you are on, not being knocked off course. You need to understand that Satan is in this world and wants to come in your face and put deceit in your mind. If you are not being strengthened in the inner man, your mind being affected by truth, letting the Lord Jesus Christ motivate you and live His life through you, you are a "dead duck". If you are not in the Word of God, you are not consistently seeking to let Him control your life...If you are not putting the Word in your mind, letting truth affect your life, then you have missed the whole point of what this conflict is over. It is not power against power. God can sneeze and put him down. It is the battle of truth. That is why it is so important for us to understand that we need to be strengthened in the inner man at all times because that affects the way we think and that affects the way we live."

Stand firm (2476) (histemi) means to stand. In context it conveys the idea of digging in (the Roman sandals had spikes for this purpose). It was a military term for holding one's position. Hold your ground. Don't give an inch of territory to the enemy. That is the picture.

From a practical standpoint one stands firm by living the obedient, Scripture–dominated, Spirit–empowered life - the Spirit in such a state is not quenched or grieved and strengthens the obedient believer to stand firm.

The greatest weapon we have in warfare is not what we say to the devil but how we live the ''Christ life''. Obey, surrender, submit for this is your greatest weapon. It's not binding but it's bowing, saying ''yes'' to Jesus and committing to do His Word...at the moment He says it...then at that moment you become a fortress against the devil.

We must live in light of the fact that just as much as "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life," so it is true that "Satan hates you and has a terrible plan for your life" - we do have an enemy who wishes us nothing but evil

Using the metaphor of a battle, in the military sense to stand firm meant to hold a watch post or to stand and hold a critical position on a battlefield while under attack! The intent of Paul's exhortation is not unlike that of our Lord to the embattled church at Thyatira, whom He commanded, “hold fast until I come” (Rev 2:25). The believer needs to be strengthened in the inner man, letting our mind be affected by the truth, and letting the Spirit of Christ motivate us (Ezekiel 36:27, see note Philippians 2:12) and live His life through you. Stand firm by being in His word, obeying His word, repenting quickly and returning to your first Love. If you are disobedient you are deceived and a deceived person doesn't even know it! Furthermore when you are deceived you are primed for defeat! That is how good the Deceiver is. Remember his territory is the darkness, this present world system, and even though believers have been transferred out of darkness and into God's marvelous light, we can still choose to place ourselves under his domain by willing disobedience.

AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL : pros tas methodeias tou diabolou:


The Devil depicted in The Temptation of Christ,
by Ary Scheffer, 1854.

THE DEVIL IS
DIABOLICALLY METHODICAL!

Schemes of the devil - Here we encounter the commander in chief of the invisible army arrayed against us. He is our sworn, mortal enemy. This is not a video game or a fairy tale but a very real war with a very real, deceptive foe. See in depth discussion of Schemes of the Devil

Earlier Paul had warned about the devil's schemes to disrupt the unity of the body writing that...

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming (Ep 4:14-note)

Against (4314) (pros) expresses direction - toward, on the side of, in the direction of. It can serve as a marker of closeness of relation or proximity. Pros is most commonly translated...against (21), before (10), toward (9). The picture is that of the believer facing these schemes.

The schemes (methodeia) of the devil - Note Paul's use of the definite article in Greek ("the") which defines these as specific schemes, not just general schemes. It suggests that the devil and his minions have specific schemes, "tailor made" for each person, for he is aware of the sin that so easily entangles each of us! Note that these schemes involve shrewdly devious and intriguing methods that entail following an orderly, technical procedure in the handling of a subject. Schemes is used to describe a wild animal cunningly stalking and unexpectedly pouncing on prey (cp 1Pe 5:8-note). Satan’s schemes to destroy us and do us harm are built around stealth and deception but as Paul writes to the Corinthians "we are not ignorant of his schemes." (2Corinthians 2:11) Here schemes is not methodeia but noema [from nous  = mind] and refers to the content of thinking and reasoning.

Satan is only God’s master fencer
to teach us to use our weapons.
--Samuel Rutherford

Schemes (3180) (methodeia from methodeuo = to work by method in turn from meta = with, after + hodos = a way) refers to an orderly, logical, effective arrangement, usually in steps followed to achieve an end. It describes deliberate planning or a systematic approach and can have a positive or negative connotation. The negative meaning of methodeia implies the use of clever methods or strategies to attain the desired end. The Scripture always uses methodeia with a negative connotation.

Methodeia has reference to planned, subtle, systematized error. Error organizes. It has its systems and its logic. Be alert! Be mature! Satan’s scheming, crafty actions and artful designs have ‘method’ and purpose, for his aim is to mislead the immature who are not grounded on apostolic doctrine. Behind the evil men and women who seek to expound false teaching, there is also a supernatural evil power who seeks to deceive unwary saints with his "devilish" cunning.

Think about this simple definition in the context of spiritual warfare. Satan is orderly and logical in his steps employed against you to achieve his nefarious purposes. This realization should prompt each of us to be even more appreciative of the fact that we cannot stand against our invisible enemy in our own intelligence, our own strength or our own human "methods" or "schemes". We must put on the full armor that God supplies in Christ.

As alluded to above, the negative connotation of methodeia implies the use of cleverness, craftiness, cunning and deception. The "deceiver" uses specific, subtle, stealthy plans to target each individual, his goal being to defeat, discourage and dishearten. Stated another way, Satan's attacks are "tailor made" ("the schemes"), carefully and methodically selected to attack each person's specific weaknesses and vulnerabilities. His wiles and methods are usually attractive, always deceptive, and often ensnaring. Stay sober and alert!

Spurgeon has the following cautions regarding our Adversary, the devil writing that...

He will attack you sometimes by force and sometimes by fraud. By might or by sleight he will seek to overcome you, and no unarmed man can stand against him. Never go out without all your armor on, for you can never tell where you may meet the devil. He is not omnipresent, but nobody can tell where he is not, for he and his troops of devils appear to be found everywhere on this earth.

Puritan Thomas Watson wrote that "Satan tempts after some discoveries of God’s love. As a pirate sets on a ship that is richly laden, so when a soul hath been laden with spiritual comforts the devil will be shooting at him, to rob him of all. The devil envies to see a soul feasted with spiritual joy.

David Jeremiah has an interesting thought on Satan's methodeia writing that...

If you could sneak into Satan’s office, wherever that might be (he’s not in hell yet), and take a peek into his files, you might be surprised to find a file folder with your name on it. I’m not exaggerating. He keeps a file on you, and inside that file are all the strategies he’s tried on you—the ones that have worked and the ones that have failed. He doesn’t waste his time with the ones that don’t work anymore. Instead, he uses variations on the strategies that have caused you to stumble in the past. As long as they keep working, he keeps using them. Somewhere in that file cabinet there’s a file labeled: Jeremiah, David. In this file, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there was a notation that reads something like this: Subject may be prone to discouragement, especially if he becomes overly weary. This has worked several times before and seems a promising method of attack. Suggestion: Make sure he stays very busy, overcommitted, and physically tired. At all costs, keep him from extended times of Bible reading and prayer.

So what is Satan’s strategy for me? He looks for ways to discourage me, and if possible, cause me some depression. He will use whatever people, means, or circumstances it takes to achieve his goal.

It’s the same for you. Maybe your file says, “Frequently tempted to gossip,” or “quick temper,” or “prone to coveting and jealousy,” or “weak in the area of lust.”

Don’t kid yourself, he knows very well where your vulnerabilities lie. It’s all in his file. You’ve heard, perhaps, that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. That’s very good news, but it is also true that Satan hates you and has a plan and strategy to destroy your walk with Jesus Christ.

That’s one big reason why you experience struggle and discouragement in your Christian experience. Sometimes I hear people say,

“Well, if you’re a Christian, you shouldn’t have any struggles. You shouldn’t ever feel discouraged. All is peace and joy and love and happiness.”

I don’t think so. I personally think that description fits better with life before you found salvation in Christ. Do you know why? Because you only had one influence in your life at that time. There was no contest for your heart. There was no tug-of-war for your soul. (See God in You: Releasing the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life)

Methodeia is translated with a number of words as shown in the list below with each word followed by a definition. As you read through this list think about how each describes your mortal foe, the devil.

Craftiness - adept in the use of subtlety and cunning. No place in Scripture reveals Satan’s schemes better than Genesis 3, which records Satan’s initial contact with man.

Cunning - characterized by wiliness and trickery. It describes the faculty of executing well what one has devised.

Scheming - given to making plots; shrewdly devious and intriguing. Synonyms include artful, calculating, conniving, cunning, deceitful, designing, duplicitous, foxy, Machiavellian, slippery, sly, tricky, underhand, wily.

Strategies - careful plans or methods. Strategy can also refer to the art or science of the planning and conduct of a war. The Columbia Encyclopedia notes that "strategy and tactics, in warfare are related terms referring, respectively, to large-scale and small-scale planning to achieve military success. Strategy may be defined as the general scheme of the conduct of a war, tactics as the planning of means to achieve strategic objectives. Synonyms for strategy include: blueprint, design, game plan, project, scheme.

Stratagems - an artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy. A cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end. Stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

Tactics - The derivation of the word tactic is very interesting and gives us some insight into the meaning of the devil's methods. The word "tactics" is from the Greek word taktikos which means "of order, of tactics, fit for arranging" and which in turn is derived from "tassein" which means to arrange or place in battle formation. Tactics is defined then as the science and art of disposing and maneuvering forces in combat. It refers to the art or skill of employing available means to accomplish an end. In short, the tactics of the devil are calculated plans specifically designed to bring the downfall of God’s people and His kingdom.

Trickery - the practice of crafty underhanded ingenuity to deceive or cheat. It implies ingenious acts intended to dupe or cheat.

Wiles - tricks or strategy carried out with the intent to entice, ensnare or deceive. Wiles suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements. In short they are attractive!

Friberg states that methodeia can have a neutral or positive meaning referring simply to a "method or procedure (but) in the NT (is used) in a bad sense, (and refers to) scheming to deceive, craftiness, cunning, deception (see notes Ephesians 4:14); In the plural (as used in Ephesians 6:11) methodeia can refer to stratagems, cunning attacks, tricks" (borrow Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament)

John MacArthur writes that methodeia ("wiles") conveys "the idea of cleverness, crafty methods, cunning, and deception. Satan’s schemes are propagated through the evil world system over which he rules, and are carried out by his demon hosts. “Wiles” is all-inclusive, encompassing every sin, immoral practice, false theology, false religion, and worldly enticement." (See The MacArthur Bible Commentary)

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament has the following note on methodeia specifically commenting on its use in Ephesians 6:11 "The reference is to machinations or (in military terms) attacks against which one must be armed. The nature of the attacks (the plural suggests that they are constantly repeated or are of incalculable variety) constitutes their great danger, against which the armour of God is the only defence. They are distinguished not so much by technique or strategy as by refinement and insidiousness (Vulgate translates insidiae, Luther “cunning attacks,” A.V. “wiles”)" (TDNT - abridged online) 

The only other use of methodeia is in Ephesians 4:14 where as a result of being equipped and growing in maturity, the saints "are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness (methodeia) in deceitful scheming." (See notes Ephesians 4:14)

The KJV has a picturesque rendering of Ephesians 4:14 stating that "they lie in wait (methodeia) to deceive."

Kenneth Wuest writes that "methodeia" is derived "from the verbal form methodeuo “to follow up or investigate by method and settled plan, to follow craftily, frame devices, deceive.” (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company - used by permission)

Methodeia was used to describe a wild animal who cunningly stalked and unexpectedly pounced on its prey, a vivid depiction of the Adversary's "methods" against believers.

Satan’s schemes are propagated through the evil world system over which he rules, and are carried out by his demon hosts. “Wiles” is all-inclusive, encompassing every sin, immoral practice, false theology, false religion, and worldly enticement. Methodeia is a Greek word that denotes a path or roadway that is traveled over. This is because the devil continuously attempts to secure a foothold so that he may begin construction of a roadway to your mind."

Marvin Vincent adds that "methodeia means a deliberate planning or system."

Albert Barnes writes that "methodeia means properly that which is traced out with “method;” that which is “methodized;” and then that which is well laid - art, skill, cunning." (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)

Ray Stedman in his excellent book "Spiritual Warfare" has this note regarding "methodeia":

"What are the tactics the devil employs? He destroys by deceiving, by lying, by distorting, by counterfeiting, by masquerading, by clouding human minds with illusion and fantasy. This is what Paul calls "the devil's schemes," or as some translations put it, "the wiles of the devil" Read through the Bible and see how many times the work of the devil is referred to in that manner - the snares and the traps of the devil, the lies and illusions, the stratagems and the wiles. That is why we must look closely at the tactics the devil uses against us so that we can be strong and well-defended when he comes to us to defeat us, weaken us, and ruin our lives....

By far, the majority of attacks of the devil against Christians are not direct but indirect. That is why they are called the "schemes" of the devil. Schemes suggest deviousness or acting in a way that is subtle, secretive, and treacherous.

We need to examine this more thoroughly, for the major attack of the devil and his powers against human life is not by direct means, but indirectly by satanic suggestions through the natural and commonplace situations of life (Click for more in depth discussion)...

So we have an enormous responsibility before God and before the entire world to give ourselves, body and soul, to this great battle against the schemes of the evil one. We have a responsibility to battle the schemes of the devil in this world, and to point the way to the peace and security that lies ahead of us in the world to come...most often the devil comes in disguise, through the channel of "the flesh" our inner selves with silken, subtle, suggestive schemes. That is the avenue of satanic attack the apostle Paul warns us most strenuously about: the subtle schemes of the Devil." (Stedman, Ray. Spiritual Warfare. Revised edition, 1999 -- highly recommended) (Bolding added)

Ray Stedman goes on to write "Friend, in Christ there is nothing that more clearly indicates that we have succumbed to the schemes of the devil than to complain about our lot in life. Again and again, the Word of God shows that the mark of a Christian who has learned how to be a Christian is that he rejoices in everything and gives thanks in all things." (Ed note: Only possible for one continually filled with the Spirit - see notes Ephesians 5:18) (Ibid) (Bolding added)

Murphy writes that "The idea behind methodeia is deception. The apostle is warning us that the devil’s entire system of warfare against us is based on deception. He fights not on a pitched field, but by sudden assault and secret and cunning onslaught." (See The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare: Revised and Updated - Page 405)

Eadie in his classic commentary on Ephesians adds that "The great enemy of man, a veteran fierce and malignant, has a method of warfare peculiar to himself, for it consists of “wiles.” His battles are the rush of a sudden ambuscade (ambush). He fights not on a pitched field, but by sudden assault and secret and cunning onslaught. Vigilance, self-possession, and promptitude are therefore indispensable to meet him: and as his aim is to throw his opponents off their guard and then to surprise them, so there is need to be ever clothed in this complete armour of God. His “wiles” are seen in unsettling the mind of Eve by representing God as jealous of the first man and woman; in stirring up the warlike aspirations of David to take a military census and force a conscription as the basis of a standing army; in inflaming the avaricious and sordid spirit of Judas; and in his assaults on our Lord by an appeal to appetite, piety, and ambition. (John Eadie, D., LL.D. The Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians)

Oswald Chambers has a good word about the methodeia of the devil writing that "We cannot stand against the wiles of the devil by our wits. The devil only comes along the line that God understands, not along the lines we understand, and the only way we can be prepared for him is to do what God tells us, stand complete in his armor, indwelt by His Spirit, in complete obedience to Him." (Oswald Chambers 1874–1917)

Jonathan Edwards wrote that "the best protection one can have from the devil and his schemes is a humble heart."

James Burns writes that...

The danger of listening to the voice of the Tempter, and the subtlety by which he accomplishes his wiles, is illustrated by R. Spencer Stanhope in a picture in the Manchester Art Gallery, entitled “Eve.” In it he represents the Serpent whispering in her ear while she listening, plays with the sin within her mind. At the same time, unseen by her, he bends a branch of the tree with a coil of his body, and lo! as she dallies with the sin in her mind, an apple drops into her open hand. When the temptation has once been permitted to enter, the means of gratifying it is at hand." (Tan, P. L. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations)

MacDonald warns that

"the devil has various stratagems—discouragement, frustration, confusion, moral failure and doctrinal error. He knows our weakest point and aims for it. If he cannot disable us by one method, he will try for another....

Most serious of all is the danger of deception. Those who are babes are unskillful in the word of righteousness, their senses are not exercised to discern between good and evil (Heb. 5:13, 14). They inevitably meet some false cultist who impresses them by his zeal and apparent sincerity. Because he uses religious words, they think he must be a true Christian. If they had studied the Bible for themselves, they would be able to see through his deceitful juggling of words. But now they are carried about by his wind of doctrine and led by unprincipled cunning into a form of systematized error. (See Believer's Bible Commentary: Second Edition - Page 1973)

The Open Bible defines our Adversary's "schemes" as "superhuman craftiness, capable of drawing careless Christians into sin."

Warren Wiersbe writes that "The danger on the battlefield is that we do not take the enemy seriously and therefore fail to put on all of the armor. By faith, you put on the armor through prayer, which must be done at the beginning of every day. Never underestimate the strategy and strength of the devil." (borrow With the WordNashville: Thomas Nelson)

Seldom does Satan ever attack openly with an overt frontal assault (and by the way most of us will probably never be attacked by Satan himself as he is a finite not omnipresent being. But he does command a host of fallen angels who share his evil design for mankind). In contrast, Satan's Schemes are nearly always unseen, shrewd, and perfectly tailored to ensnare his victim like a fowler camouflaging his net to trap a bird ("methodical"). "Schemes, wiles and methods" speak of the trickery and subterfuge by which evil and temptation present themselves in our lives. Evil rarely looks evil until it accomplishes its goal. It gains entrance by appearing attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate. But to reiterate it is a baited and camouflaged trap. As Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 11:14, Satan masquerades as an angel of light.


Achilles' Heel

Spurgeon - Satan and Our Weak Spot -   We all have our tender spots. When Thetis dipped Achilles in the River Styx, you remember she held him by the heel; he was made invulnerable wherever the water touches him, but his heel not being covered with the water, was vulnerable, and there Paris shot his arrow, and he died. It is even so with us. We may think that we are covered with virtue till we are totally invulnerable, but we have a heel somewhere; there is a place where the arrow of the devil can make way; hence the absolute necessity of taking to ourselves “the whole armor of God,” so that there may not be a solitary joint in the harness that shall be unprotected against the arrows of the devil. Satan is very crafty; he knows the “ins” and “outs” of manhood. There is many an old castle that has stood against every attack, but at last some traitor from within has gone outside, and said, “I know an old deserted passage, a subterranean back way, that has not been used for many a day. In such and such a field you will see an opening; clear away a heap of stones there, and I will lead you down the passage; you will then come to an old door of which I have the key, and I can let you in; and so by a back way I can lead you into the very heart of the citadel, which you may then easily capture.” It is so with Satan. Man does not know himself so well as Satan knows him. There are back ways and subterranean passages into man’s heart which the devil well understands (ED: "METHODEIA"); and he who thinks that he is safe, let him take heed lest he fall (1 Cor 10:12).

THOUGHT - Where (what) is your achilles heel? Be alert to "arrows" being shot at that spot to take you out of action! Is there a part of the "whole armor" you are failing to put on? If so you are vulnerable to the schemes of the Devil! 

Satan’s Tools -  An old fable says that the devil once offered his tools for sale, intending to give up his business. He displayed these tools—malice, hatred, jealousy, deceit, and several others, with the prices marked on them. One of them was set apart, marked with a higher price than the others. When the devil was asked why this was, he said, “Because that is my most useful tool; it is called depression; with that I can do anything with people.” How true! Let us watch, therefore, when it makes its appearance and take our stand against depression; it is often from the devil. (AMG Bible Illustrations)

A SUMMARY OF THE "METHODEIA"
OF SATAN, OUR ADVERSARY, THE DEVIL

God's Word teaches that Satan, our relentless, determined Adversary, the Devil, carries out the following with great craft and cunning (and even this long list is not exhaustive!)

(1) ACCUSES

Job 1:6-11 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it." 8 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 "Hast Thou not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.11 "But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face."

Job 2:1-7 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth, and walking around on it." 3 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to ruin him without cause." 4 And Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 "However, put forth Thy hand, now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse Thee to Thy face." 6 So the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life." 7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

Zechariah 3:1-2 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse (Hebrew = satan!) him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"

Revelation 12:10-11 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser (kategoros - one who speaks openly against, to condemn or accuse mainly in a legal sense) of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 "And they overcame (nikao = get the victory, conquer, prevail, "Nike missile") him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death. (See notes Revelation 12:10; Revelation 12:11)

(2) AFFLICTS

Job 1:12-19 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD. 13 Now it happened on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 14 that a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Job 2:6-7 So the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life."7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

Luke 13:16 "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

Revelation 2:10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (See notes Revelation 2:10)

(3) CONQUERS

Note: Remember that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us." (NKJV, Ro 8:37)

Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed (katadunasteuo = to tyrannize, rule over as a potentate, oppress harshly, exercise dominion against) by the devil; for God was with Him.

Ephesians 6:16; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.

2Timothy 2:25-26 (The Lord's bondservant) with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (Comment: Note what sets the captive free - The Truth. The struggle is not a power struggle but a truth struggle!) (See notes 2 Timothy 2:25; 2:26)

(4) DECEIVES

Genesis 3:1-6,13 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.'" 4 And the serpent said to the woman, "You surely shall not die! 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate...13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived (beguiled, led astray, deluded, seduced) me, and I ate." (cf 1Ti 2:14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived (seduced into error, enticed into sin), fell into transgression.)

John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning (see Genesis 3:1-6,13+), and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. (Comment: Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, “Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.”)

Acts 13:10 (Saul known as Paul filled with the Holy Spirit spoke to Elymas the magician who was opposing the apostles) and said, "You who are full of all deceit (dolos = deliberate attempt to mislead other people by telling lies, duplicity, deliberate dishonesty, deceitful cunning) and fraud (recklessness, malignity, mischief, intrigue, unscrupulousness), you son of the devil, (in Acts 13:6 he is called "Bar-Jesus" = son of Jesus or son of Joshua! cf 2Cor 11:13-15 below) you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?

2Cor 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled (kalupto = covered over and hence not visible), it is veiled to those who are perishing (apollumi = pertains to destruction but not annihilation, to that which is ruined and is no longer usable for its intended purpose), 4 in whose case the god of this world (aion) (cf 1John 5:19) has blinded (tuphloo - cf use in 1John 2:11) the minds of the unbelieving (note that this speaks of their rejection of the light of the gospel which leaves only one alternative, the darkness of unbelief!), that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God.

2Cor 11:13-15 For such men (those who were boasting that their work was like Paul's and the real apostles) are false apostles (pseudapostolos), deceitful (dolios - guile filled, from dolos = one who deliberately attempt to mislead by telling lies with desire to gain advantage or preserve position) workers, disguising (metaschematizo from metá = change of place or condition + schematízo = change outward form without a change in the internal character as in metamorphoo = transfigure, transform, the outward here being truly representative of the inward nature) themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.

2Thess 2:8-10 And then that lawless one (Anti-Christ, man of lawlessness, son of destruction in 2Thess 2:3-4, the "little horn" of Da 7) will be revealed (apokalupto - he will be caused to be fully known, this "revelation" corresponding to the midpoint [3.5 years, time, times, half a time, 42 months, 1260 days] of Daniel's Seventieth Week) whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth (cf Rev 19:15, 20) and bring to an end by the appearance (epiphaneia - literally His "shining forth" or upon with the idea of sudden and unexpected!) of His coming (parousia - the Second Coming of Christ); 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity (energeia - operative power) of Satan, with all power and signs and false (pseudos = lying) wonders, 10 and with all the deception (apate = that which gives a false impression, whether by appearance, statement or influence; causes one to have misleading or erroneous views concerning the Truth) of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence (this is a Divine judicial decree, a reaping of their sowing, a consequence of their refusal to readily and deliberately make the choice to accept the Truth by which they could have been delivered and born again) so that they might believe what is false.

Revelation 2:9 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (See notes Revelation 2:9)

Revelation 3:9 'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie-- behold, I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you. (See notes Revelation 3:9)

(5) HINDERS

1Thessalonians 2:18 For we wanted to come to you-- I, Paul, more than once-- and yet Satan thwarted (egkopto from en = in + kopto = cut down, strike. To hinder, impede, detain. In classic Greek a military metaphor = to cut in on, throw obstacles in the way of or cut up the road so that normal movement is impossible!) us.

(6) MURDERS

John 8:44 (See #4 above)

(7) PERVERTS

Acts 13:10 (See #4 above)

2Th 2:9-10 (See #4 above)

(8) PROMPTS

1Chr 21:1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. (Note: Actually God permitted Satan to prompt David to take a census of the people, and David insisted on doing it, contrary to Joab's advice. 2 Sa 24:1 "Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah." The point is that Satan can only do what God allows! God here is said to have caused the action in the sense of permitting Satan to put David to the test. Be careful when you commit sins, for you are entering into Satan's domain of darkness!)

John 13:2,26-27, 30 And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him... 26 Jesus therefore answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him." So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 And after the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Jesus therefore said to him, "What you do, do quickly."...30 And so after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night (an appropriate time for Judas who was now fully controlled by darkness, cf Luke 22:53 "While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power [exousia] of darkness are yours.").

Acts 5:3, 9 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land?...9 Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out as well."

(9) SCHEMES

2Cor 2:11 (repent of an unforgiving spirit) in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes. (Comment: When we sin and fail to repent we give the devil an opportunity. In this verse the sin is unforgiveness and it allows Satan to take advantage, to exploit, to cheat or to defraud. We need to get out of the darkness and walk in the light, where Satan cannot gain an advantage. If the church family—or any person in the family—carries an unforgiving spirit, then Satan will use that attitude as a beachhead for new assaults against the church.

As someone has well said an unforgiving spirit is the devil’s playground, and before long it becomes the Christian’s battleground. If somebody hurts us, either deliberately or unintentionally, and we do not forgive them, then the potential is for us to develop bitterness, which hardens the heart. We should be tenderhearted and kind, but instead we are hardhearted and bitter. Actually, we are not hurting the person who hurt us but are only hurting ourselves. Bitterness in the heart makes us treat others the way Satan treats them, when we should treat others the way God has treated us. In His gracious kindness, God has forgiven us, and we should forgive others. God Himself is infinitely kind, tender–hearted, and forgiving, and we show those virtues by imitating their Source. We do not forgive for our sake or even for their sake, but for Jesus’ sake. Learning how to forgive is one of the secrets of a happy Christian life and allows one to stand firm against the schemes of the Devil.

Ephesians 6:11 (see notes)

1Timothy 3:7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare (pagis - a trap which is fixed or fastened by a noose or notch and which can fall unexpectedly or suddenly so that wild animals and birds are caught by surprise) of the devil.

(10) STALKS

1Peter 5:8-5:9 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. (See notes 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Peter 5:9)

(11) STEALS

Mt 13:19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

Luke 8:12 "And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved.

(12) TEMPTS

Mark 1:12-13 And immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. 13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted (peirazo) by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

Luke 4:1-13 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted (peirazo) by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days; and when they had ended, He became hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."4 And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.'" 5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain (exousia) and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish (Jesus did not correct Satan - the world system indeed had been given to him as John wrote "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies [asleep like a baby in a cradle!] in the power of the evil one" 1John 5:19). 7 "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" 9 And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, 'HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,' 11 and, 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" (Here the devil misquotes Scripture to his advantage - this promise applies only to those whose ways are in God's will and Satan left that critical detail out of the verse when he quoted Ps 92:11-12) 12 And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" 13 And when the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time (see study of kairos).

1Cor 7:5 Stop depriving (present imperative = with negative implies this practice was already ongoing) one another, except (1) by agreement (2) for a time (kairos - a specified aliquot of time) (3) that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again lest Satan tempt (peirazo) you because of your lack of self-control. (Comment: The general rule is that neither husband nor wife has the right to refuse the physical relationship of marriage. Here Paul presents a possible exception that applies if all three conditions are fulfilled = sexual abstinence is permissible if the couple agrees in advance, set a specific time limit, and does so for the purpose of prayer. The KJV adds "fasting and prayer". Sexual abstinence can become a tool of Satan and is never to be used as pretense for spiritual superiority or as a means of intimidating or manipulating one’s spouse. Physical love is to be a normal and regular experience shared by both marriage partners and avoids "the schemes of the devil"!)

1Thess 3:5 For this reason (knowing they were going to suffer affliction which might have made them vulnerable to the schemes of the Devil), when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter (peirazo) might have tempted you, and our labor should be in vain (empty, fruitless, without success).

(13) THREATENS

Heb 2:14-15 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. (Comment: The wages of sin are death, spiritually and eternally. Christ died as a satisfactory sacrifice [see Heb 2:16-17] and paid the price for our sins, the wages of which were death [see note Romans 6:23] so that the devil no longer holds the power of death over believers and we no longer are held in bondage to that fear). (See notes Hebrews 2:14; 2:15; 2:16; 2:17)

This list (which is not exhaustive) of the "wiles of the devil" should thoroughly convince each of us of our need to be totally dependent on the full of armor of God and His Spirit's strengthening of our inner man, causing us not to hesitate for even a moment to put on the whole armor! What are you waiting for dear Christian friend? Are any of the "pieces" missing or in disrepair. Then return and confess and repent and go forth into battle as more than a conqueror through Him Who loved us.

"Repent (aorist imperative = urgent. Do it now!) therefore and return (aorist imperative = urgent. Don't procrastinate!), that your sins may be wiped away (blotted out, erased, obliterated), in order that times of refreshing (literally recovery of breath and so revival) may come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19) (Comment: This verse in context was Peter's call to the Jewish audience to be saved, but is still applicable in principle to believer's who have chosen momentarily to walk in darkness instead of the light.)

Men don’t believe in a devil now
As their fathers used to do,
They reject one creed because it is old
For another because it is new.

But who dogs the steps of the toiling saint?
Who spreads the net for his feet?
Who sows the tares in the world’s broad fields,
Where the Savior sows His wheat?

They may say the devil has never lived,
They may say the devil has gone,
But simple people would like to know
Who carries the business on?
Gem Cyclopedia

A. T. Robertson warns that the devil "is a crafty foe and knows the weak spots in the Christian’s armor."

Expositor's Bible Commentary writes that "In the second century A.D. the church interpreted these (schemes or methodeia) as torture inflicted on the martyrs. But in the context of Ephesians they are more likely to have been deliberate attempts to destroy the unity of Christ's body (Eph 3:14-22; 4:1-16, 27) through the invasion of false doctrine and the fomenting of dissension (Eph 4:2, 21, 31, 32; 5:6). (Borrow The Expositor's Bible Commentary or see page 1414 note on Eph 6:11)

A few of the Devil's schemes...

A. Makes us think money is more important than living sincerely before God.

B. Defames God’s character by accusing him of impure motives.

C. Opposes the necessity of Christ’s death for our salvation.

D. Tries to cripple spiritual leaders.

E. Prevents believers from meeting together in fellowship.

F. Prevents non-Christians from understanding and believing the gospel.

G. Sends his evil supporters to infiltrate the ranks of true Christians. (from Discipleship Journal. Issue 2. Mar/Apr 1981)

One of the Devil’s most effective schemes or stratagems is to instill doubts about God’s goodness. These seeds of "doubt" can grow into an ungrateful spirit that refuses to thank God at all times for all things. Doubts about God was one of Satan's greatest tools against Martin Luther. After the frightful Anfechtung (Contestation) of 1527 Luther wrote that

"For more than a week I was close to the gates of death and hell."

It is therefore no surprise that Luther's great hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God has such great stanzas on "spiritual warfare.

Roland Bainton, Luther’s biographer, writes:

“The content of his depressions was always the same, the loss of faith that God is good and that He is good to me."

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus
(Play)
“Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you,
You dare not trust your own.

Put on the gospel armor,
Each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger,
Be never wanting there.”
-----George Duffield

The devil (1228)(diabolos from diá = through, between + ballo = to cast, throw) means a false accuser, slanderer (one who utters false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation), backbiting (malicious comment about one not present), one given to malicious gossip or a calumniator (one who utters maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about, this term imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions). See the discussion on the background on spiritual warfare (Click Ephesians 6:12)

The New York Times, in reporting on a survey by the Barna Group, noted that two-thirds of Americans do not believe in the devil as a living entity. The Times called it “a result of fundamental, long-term shifts in the nation’s religious culture.”

Ray Stedman writes that...

The devil is real, he is active, he is working day and night, trying to subvert and undo and defeat God's plan in human history. The devil is our enemy. And this is war. There is a spiritual war going on behind the scenes of history, and that spiritual war in the unseen world is driving events in our own visible world. There is no peace in the material world because there is a war now raging in the spiritual world. There is nothing more meaningful, more relevant, more real that we could be involved in than the cause of God in this vast spiritual war. The biblical teaching of spiritual warfare shines a spotlight of truth on the basic problem of human existence and human history. (Stedman, Ray. Spiritual Warfare)

Wuest has an interesting comment that the literal meaning of "to throw through" means “to riddle one with accusations.” (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - used by permission)

Warren Wiersbe makes an important point about dealing with the devil...

I was watching an electrician install a complex control panel. I said to the man, “It just amazes me how you fellows can calmly work on those lines with all of that power there. How do you do it?” The electrician smiled and said, “Well, the first thing you have to do is respect it. Then you can handle it.”

Satan is a dangerous enemy. He is a serpent who can bite us when we least expect it. He is a destroyer (Rev 12:11; Abaddon and Apollyon both mean “destruction”) and an accuser (Zech. 3:1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Rev. 12:9, 10, 11). He has great power and intelligence, and a host of demons who assist him in his attacks against God’s people (Eph 6:10ff). He is a formidable enemy; we must never joke about him, ignore him, or underestimate his ability. We must “be sober” and have our minds under control when it comes to our conflict with Satan.

A part of this soberness includes not blaming everything on the devil. Some people see a demon behind every bush and blame Satan for their headaches, flat tires, and high rent. While it is true that Satan can inflict physical sickness and pain (Luke 13:16; Job 1:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,1 7, 18, 19, 20, 21 - see especially Job 1:22!), we have no biblical authority for casting out “demons of headache” or “demons of backache.” One lady phoned me long distance to inform me that Satan had caused her to shrink seven and a half inches. While I have great respect for the wiles and powers of the devil, I still feel we must get our information about him from the Bible and not from our own interpretation of experiences. (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor)

In warfare knowledge of one's enemy is vital in order to assure victory in battle. General Erwin Rommel was known as the "Desert Fox" because of his military prowess, especially in the North African desert in WWII. It is said that one of the keys that eventually led to his defeat was the fact that the Allied command was able to "get inside his head" and gain a sense of how he would strategize. How did they do this? They studied his detailed memoirs which had been published and thus began to gain insights into his personality, and thus his methods! In the same way, although believers are not to focus on Satanology, they are called to be aware of his schemes. Paul emphasized the importance of forgiveness to the church at Corinth...

in order that no advantage (pleonekteo = from pleion = more + echo = have > the idea is to outwit, get the better of, cheat, exploit or defraud) be taken of us by Satan (literally = Adversary); for we are not ignorant (unaware, uninformed about) of his schemes (KJV = devices = noema = purposes conceived by thinking = designs, intentions, schemes, plots, stratagems). (2Cor 2:11)

The works of the devil are defined as "schemes" (Ephesians 6:11), "devices" (KJV) (2Cor 2:11), "snares" (2Ti 2:26-note). Our adversary beguiles, seduces, opposes, resists, deceives, sows tares, hinders, buffets, tempts, persecutes, blasphemes. Our adversary is personal, aggressive, intelligent, cunning and destructive, and is to be reckoned with seriously, vigilantly and intelligently.

Be careful to avoid one of two extremes in regard to the devil. First, do not think that Satan causes everything and is everywhere. Satan is a created being and a controlled being (cf. see especially Job 1-2; Zech. 3:1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and is neither omnipresent nor omniscient. The other extreme is justly as dangerous and that is to think that there is no such being as the devil, but that he is imaginary or myth. He is very real and very wily believers need to be very wary (not frightened). As stated elsewhere in the notes the spiritual struggle believers face with the devil and his demonic henchmen is not a power struggle as much as it is a truth struggle and the primary battlefield is therefore our minds.

In Ephesians 2:1, 2:2 (see notes) we are introduced to him.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience" (Ep 2:1, 2-notes)

Comment: Satan occupies a twofold in the earth and in the air; ruling over both evil men and evil spirits. Christ never acknowledged Satan as king, but three times he calls him "the prince of this world," thereby acknowledging his governmental authority. Ephesians teaches that he is the ruling spirit over "the sons of disobedience," which includes all unregenerate mankind.

In John 8:44 Jesus said

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies." (Comment: Because he is a liar and a murderer, the devil's work is to deceive and to destroy. There you have the explanation for all the misery, hatred, murder, war, and other evils that have taken place in human history. Whom the devil cannot deceive, he tries to destroy, and whom he cannot destroy, he attempts to deceive. That is the working of the devil)

The devil was once an angel in heaven, the most beautiful angel in heaven. He led a rebellion against God and, as a result, was cast into the lower heavens. He walks on this earth, but he still has access into heaven to accuse the brethren both day and night.

In Genesis 3 we read that

"the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

The devil deceived the woman and caused the man to sin. By getting Adam to sin, sin entered the world and something else happened. Paul writes...

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned-- (Ro 5:12-note)

As a result of the sin of Adam, the depravity of man, the authority of this earth, its inhabitants and its lower atmosphere became Satan’s legally in the just system of God. When man sinned, it was like the world was turned over to the authority (exousia = now Satan had the right and might) of darkness, legally, because man chose to disobey his God. Death, the result of the curse of sin, was his weapon. His kingdom is a kingdom of darkness and deceit. Every person is born into his kingdom.

Wayne Barber writes that...

Before the cross and the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross, man lived in fear of the devil and death. But Jesus conquered them both. In Ephesians 1:20 it says that He, Jesus, was seated far above all principality and powers. As a matter of fact, look at verse 20:

which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. (See notes Ephesians 1:20; 1:21)

He didn’t say He seated Him above, he said He seated Him "far above". Let me explain to you what that means. If you could take the power of Satan and put it on a scale next to the power of God, his doesn’t even show up. God’s is far above all principalities and powers. I want you to know that warfare is not a struggle against power. It is a struggle to maintain truth. We will see that as we walk through this. Satan is no equal to God. He is a creation. God is the Creator!

SPIRITUAL WARFARE
is not a struggle against
POWER.

It is a struggle to maintain
the TRUTH.

Well, the believer needs to be aware that Satan is around. We are told that by Peter in his epistle. We need to be aware of the demonic. We need to be aware of darkness. We need to be aware that it has infected a world system and is in our face daily. We need to be aware of that, however, our focus is not to be on that. Our focus is to be on the resurrected, ascended, glorified Lord Jesus Christ and on His resurrection power in each individual life.

FOCUS ON THE LIGHT

Our FOCUS is to be on the resurrected, ascended, glorified Lord Jesus Christ and on His resurrection power in each individual life. That is our focus. We do not focus on darkness. We focus on light. The Prince and the power of light is the Lord Jesus Himself.

1John 5:18-19 says...

"We know that no one who is born of God [transformed, delivered, made into a new creature] sins [habitually = present tense] but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world (kosmos) lies (present tense = continually) in [the power of] the evil one." (Comment: Note that "touch him" means touch to do harm.)

J Vernon McGee has an interesting comment on "lies" in 1John 5:19...

This is the text of a sermon which I have preached on several occasions entitled “When the Devil Puts the Baby to Sleep.” “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth [actually, lies asleep - e.g., see Lk 2:12,16] in wickedness [or, in the arms of the wicked one].” In other words, the Devil has the world asleep. The Devil is saying to Vernon McGee, “Sh-h-h. Hush! You’re waking people up, and we don’t want to do that! They are very comfortable. Many people in churches are dead in trespasses and sins, and we don’t want to wake them up. Let’s leave them alone.” The Devil is concerned when people are awakened. You and I are living in a world that is asleep in the arms of the wicked one—if you look around today, you must agree with that statement. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)

Paul had warned about the wiles of the devil earlier writing...

and do not give (stop giving = present imperative with a negative) the devil an opportunity. (Ep 4:27-note) (See Dwight Pentecost's comment)

The KJV Commentary warns that...

Men dream of a devil that is a hideous, horned, and hoofed monster who haunts the vice dens of the world; but God says he fashions himself into an angel of light and fashions his ministers as ministers of righteousness (2Cor 11:14,15). He is the champion of liberalism, ritualism, rationalism, and every other “ism” that seeks to displace Christ. His aim is to substitute something else and something different for the grace and truth of Christ. Never underestimate the enemy. (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson)

John Eadie writes that...

The great enemy of man, a veteran fierce and malignant, has a method of warfare peculiar to himself, for it consists of “wiles.” His battles are the rush of a sudden ambuscade. He fights not on a pitched field, but by sudden assault and secret and cunning onslaught. Vigilance, self-possession, and promptitude are therefore indispensable to meet him: and as his aim is to throw his opponents off their guard and then to surprise them, so there is need to be ever clothed in this complete armour of God. His “wiles” are seen in unsettling the mind of Eve by representing God as jealous of the first man and woman; in stirring up the warlike aspirations of David to take a military census and force a conscription as the basis of a standing army; in inflaming the avaricious and sordid spirit of Judas; and in his assaults on our Lord by an appeal to appetite, piety, and ambition. (Ephesians 6 Commentary)

Diabolos is the noun form of the verb diaballo which describes not only those who bring a false charge against one, but also those who disseminate the truth concerning a man, and do so maliciously, insidiously and with hostility.

Notice how the root words (diá = through + ballo = throw) picture what the devil does. He constantly throws between seeking to divide whether it be between a husband and wife, a child and parent, a church, etc. Resist his divisive, condemnatory accusations firm in your faith. Wuest has an interesting comment that the literal meaning of "to throw through" means “to riddle one with accusations.” (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - used by permission)

Diabolos is applied some 34 times to Satan, the god of this world, and in each case has the definite article in the Greek ("the" = defining a specific entity) and is never in the plural (the three uses below in the pastoral epistles are all plural) as when applied to men who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him.

Note that this discussion of diabolos is intended to focus primarily on the meaning of the Greek word and not the more general Biblical teaching on the devil. For more all inclusive articles on "the Devil" click one of the following resources: Torrey's Topical provides an excellent Scriptural summary of "The Devil" (see also Torrey's topic on the various Names of the Devil) ; Holman's Bible Dictionary article has a well done summary on "Devil"; Nave's Topical Analysis of Satan; in depth article on "Satan" in International Std Bible Encyclopedia.

Diabolos is coupled with the word “Satan” (transliteration of Hebrew word meaning “adversary”) in the Revelation, John recording that an angel from heaven

laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years (Re 20:2-note)

Diabolos is used of one who makes accusations and presses charges. In Revelation 12:9-10, we read that "the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser (kategor) of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses (kategoreo - present tense = describes the devil's continual activity) them before our God day and night." How grateful saints can be that "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Ro 8:1-note:1)

Are you safe and protected from the devil's accusations "in Christ Jesus" dear reader? If not, cry out this very moment to the Most High God for Him to give you His grace that you might this moment experience eternal security in Christ through your exercising of personal faith in Christ's life, death, burial, resurrection and sure, soon return. God is faithful.

Constable has an excellent summary of Satan's schemes...

Satan has consistently aimed his personal attacks at getting people to doubt, to deny, to disregard, and to disobey the revealed will of God (cf. Gen. 3; Matt. 4). The world system seeks to get people to believe that they do not need God but can get along very well without Him (1 John 2). The flesh tempts us to think that we can find satisfaction, joy, and fulfillment on the physical, material level of life alone (Ro 7). (Ephesians Expository Notes) (Boding added)

Wiersbe gives us...

A word of caution here: never discuss things with Satan or his associates. Eve made this mistake, and we all know the sad consequences. Also, never try to fight Satan in your own way. Resist him the way Jesus did, with the Word of God (Mt 4:1-11). (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor)

William Evans wrote that it is popular in some circles to day to spell the word devil with the letter "d" left off thus reducing the idea of an actual person called the devil to a mere influence called evil. The devil may be out of fashion, but he's not out of business and as Evans adds...

"If the devil can't mislead people that way, he would have them think of him as a horrible, monstrous-looking creature with a forked tail, dressed in a fiery red suit, and with horns protruding from his head. If the devil can get folks to think of him like that, then when he comes as an 'angel of light', he will not be recognized, and so find it easier to beguile his unsuspecting victims."

Discipleship Journal asked its readers to rank the areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them. The results came back in this order:

1. Materialism

2. Pride

3. Self-centeredness

4. Laziness

5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness and Sexual lust

6. Envy

7. Gluttony

8. Lying

The respondents also noted that temptations were more potent when they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent). Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 percent), and being accountable to someone else (52 percent).

Spurgeon said...:

Where he cannot destroy, there is no doubt that Satan’s object is to worry. He does not like to see God’s people happy. Martin Luther used to say, “Let us sing psalms and spite the devil,” and I have no doubt Martin Luther was pretty nearly right; for that lover of discord hates harmonious, joyous praise.

As the worker in metals knows that one metal is to be worked at such a heat, and another at a different temperature; as those who have to deal with chemicals know that at a certain heat one fluid will boil, while another reaches the boiling-point much earlier, so Satan knows exactly the temperature at which to work us to his purpose. Small pots boil directly when they are put on the fire, and so little men of quick temper are soon in a passion; larger vessels require more time and coal before they will boil, but when they do boil, it is a boil indeed, not soon forgotten or abated. The enemy, like a fisherman, watches his fish, adapts his bait to his prey; and knows in what seasons and times the fish are most likely to bite.

Grant Richison warns us that...

"The Devil uses stealth. He stalks every Christian. He is now on the loose. He is on the prowl looking to trap you in his devices. The Devil always seeks opportunities to undermine our Christian walk. He is constantly on the prowl. He is not omnipresent for he can only be in one place at a time. However, he has a massive infrastructure of emissaries (demons) who do his bidding. They seek to seduce every one of us. The Devil says,

"I am looking for the spiritually naive. I'm patrolling the earth for simple souls who think that I am not real."

The idea that the Devil walks about in a red union suit, having a forked tail and cloven hoofs and carries a pitch fork is a religious fairy tale. He camouflages himself with this idea." (Richison, G. Today's Word)

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

by Martin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper he, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that might be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
From age to age the same,
And he must win the battle.

And tho this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph thro’ us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure.
For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word will fail him.

That word above all earthly pow’rs,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Thro’ him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindreds go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abidest still,
His kingdom is forever.

The following devotional illustrations are all from Our Daily Bread (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Shrike System  Ephesians 6:10-18  April 4, 2006

The ancient sport of falconry used trained hawks or falcons in the pursuit of wild game. When the "educated predator" was allowed to fly, however, it often rose too high for human eyes to see. So a hunter often carried a small caged bird called a shrike. By watching the antics of the little bird, the man could always tell where his hawk was, for the shrike instinctively feared the predator and cocked its head to keep it in view.

Christians desperately need an alert perception similar to that of the shrike to detect their spiritual enemy. Our adversary, Satan, "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Our responsibility, according to the apostle Peter, is to be sober and vigilant. In other words, we’re to be always on the alert.

It would be nice if God had giant sirens to warn us of an attack by the devil. But He doesn’t operate that way. Instead, we must read the Bible regularly, meditate on its truths, maintain a prayerful attitude throughout the day, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only then will we be sensitive to an imminent assault by the evil one, and be armed by grace to meet it. —Mart De Haan

The devil is clever, deceiving us all,
He cunningly causes the strongest to fall;
But we his sly methods are sure to discern
By making God’s warnings our daily concern. —D. De Haan

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1John 4:4

The Angel Of Music  Ephesians 6:10-18 May 28, 2006

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training.

As the plot thickens, we find that her mysterious mentor is really a demented man who wants to carry her away into a bizarre underworld beneath the opera house. What the girl thinks is a supernatural agent sent by her beloved father is really a madman who wants to possess her for his own ends. The “Angel of Music” is evil masquerading as good.

The believer in Christ also faces an evil one who masquerades. One of Satan’s key strategies is to look like someone who is good. Paul told us, “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2Corinthians 11:14). The Greek word translated as “transforms” means “to change appearance, masquerade, or disguise oneself.”

In preparing us to face the evil strategies of the devil, God has provided all the equipment we need to stand our ground. Protecting ourselves with the armor of God unmasks the evil that opposes us and stabilizes our spiritual walk (Ephesians 6:10-18). —Dennis Fisher

When you’re making a decision,
Evil sometimes wears a mask;
Trust the Lord for true discernment—
He’ll give wisdom if you ask. —Hess

God’s armor is tailor-made for us, but we must put it on.

Blackbeard  March 22, 2006  Ephesians 6:10-18

As a young man in the late 1600s, Edward Teach joined the crew of a British ship that was headed to the Caribbean. Much later in his nautical career, he managed to capture a merchant vessel and turn it into a 40-gun warship. Teach soon became known as Blackbeard—the most feared pirate in the hemisphere.

Blackbeard had some success as a pirate, but his “career” abruptly ended when he encountered a contingent of the British Royal Navy. In a desperate battle, he and his fellow pirates were killed, putting an end to their terrorizing exploits.

Long ago in the heavenly places, an angel fell into spiritual piracy. Lucifer was a cherub who stood in the radiant glory of God (Ezekiel 28:11, 12, 13, 14, 15). But his own self-love replaced love for his Creator. Desiring to be like the Most High, he led a rebellion and was cast out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12, 13, 14, 15). Today he and his henchmen are doing whatever they can to commandeer the lives of human beings (Luke 8:12; 2Cor 4:4).

Even so, we don’t need to be afraid. Satan is a dangerous enemy, but Jesus sealed his ultimate fate when He rose from the dead. And He has given us everything we need to withstand the devil’s attacks (Ephesians 6:10-18). —Dennis Fisher

And though this world with devils filled
Should threaten to undo us;
We will not fear, for God has willed
His truth to triumph through us. —Luther

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1John 4:4

Shrike System Ephesians 6:10-18
April 4, 2006

The ancient sport of falconry used trained hawks or falcons in the pursuit of wild game. When the "educated predator" was allowed to fly, however, it often rose too high for human eyes to see. So a hunter often carried a small caged bird called a shrike. By watching the antics of the little bird, the man could always tell where his hawk was, for the shrike instinctively feared the predator and cocked its head to keep it in view.

Christians desperately need an alert perception similar to that of the shrike to detect their spiritual enemy. Our adversary, Satan, "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1Peter 5:8). Our responsibility, according to the apostle Peter, is to be sober and vigilant. In other words, we’re to be always on the alert.

It would be nice if God had giant sirens to warn us of an attack by the devil. But He doesn’t operate that way. Instead, we must read the Bible regularly, meditate on its truths, maintain a prayerful attitude throughout the day, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only then will we be sensitive to an imminent assault by the evil one, and be armed by grace to meet it. —Mart De Haan

The devil is clever, deceiving us all,
He cunningly causes the strongest to fall;
But we his sly methods are sure to discern
By making God’s warnings our daily concern.
—D. De Haan

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1John 4:4

The Battle Still Rages Ephesians 6:10-18
December 4, 2001

The world has changed drastically since my dad stood his ground against the enemy in World War II. Back then, he and his brave comrades fought against nations that were threatening to destroy any country that dared stand in their way. Dad took a bullet in the leg and suffered the painful effects of that injury for the rest of his life.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who fought in that war. Their bravery issued from a cause they believed in—a mission they were willing to die for. They understood that if they did not go overseas, many people would lose their freedom, or even their lives, under the rule of ruthless dictators. Thankfully, the battles of those years are behind us.

A different kind of battle still rages today—a battle that we as Christ's followers must fight every day (Ephesians 6:12). Our enemy, the devil, continues to try to bring down our faith, take over our hearts, and stop the spread of the gospel. He is called "the wicked one" (Eph 6:16), and he will always be our enemy.

Are we willing to suffer for the cause? Are we brave enough to be a faithful generation of believers? Let's fight the good fight! —J D Branon —Dave Branon

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before!
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banner go!
—Baring-Gould

Christ's soldiers fight best on their knees.

On Alert Ephesians 6:10-18

In an article for Youth Ministries magazine, a 14-year veteran of the Navy SEALs describes the color-code system they use to indicate levels of combat readiness. Each stage has a parallel in spiritual warfare.

Condition White: The soldier is relaxed and daydreaming, unaware of his surroundings. A Christian in this condition is easy prey for Satan.

Condition Yellow: The soldier is relaxed physically but alert mentally. A believer at this level may sense trouble coming, but he's not ready to confront it.

Condition Orange: The soldier is physically prepared, mentally alert, and ready to fight. A believer at this stage has on the full armor of God.

Condition Red: As in condition orange, the soldier is ready to fight. The difference is experience. A battle-seasoned Christian knows quickly what to do because of his experience and familiarity with Scripture.

Wherever we as followers of Christ happen to be--at work, in the mall, on a business trip, even among fellow believers--we need to know about Satan's methods and be prepared to resist. He always seems to attack at our most vulnerable moments. But if we stay alert and armed, we can fend off his most powerful attacks. --D C Egner

Thinking It Over
Which color code describes your spiritual condition?
How have you responded recently to temptation?
Are you studying and obeying God's Word?

Spiritual victory comes only to those who are prepared for battle.

RESIST THE DEVIL. James 4:7.

I. The Enemy. The Devil.
1. Personal (Matt. 4:10).
2. Mighty (1 Peter 5:8; 2 Cor. 2:11).
II. Our Attitude Towards the Devil. "Resist."
1. Resist, don't argue (Eph. 6:10, 11).
2. Resist, don't compromise (Matt. 4:10, 11).
III. The Promise. "He will flee from you." The victory will be—
1. Sudden. "He will flee."
2. Complete. "He will flee from you."

The Falcon and the Shrike
The ancient sport of falconry employed trained hawks in the chase of wild game. When the "educated predator" was allowed to fly, however, it often rose too high for human eyes to see it against the blue sky. It was therefore not uncommon to carry a small caged bird called a shrike. The hunter could then easily tell where his hawk was located by watching the antics of the little creature in front of him, for it instinctively feared the falcon and always cocked its head to keep it in view.
The Christian desperately needs the sensitivity and perception of the shrike when it comes to the detection of his spiritual adversary! Satan, the prince of the power of the air, dwells in high places and is a master deceiver. He often subtly camouflages himself against the beautiful background of attractive people and exciting activities. His presence is hard to detect if we are not on guard.

See: 2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. EPHESIANS 6:11
 
One of the most unusual creatures of the sea is the lobster. It runs backwards. It hears with its legs and tastes with its feet. It chews its food with teeth in its stomach. And because the lobster is delicious food for other sea creatures, the Lord gave it a full suit of armor. A thick plate covers its claws and its body. Overlapping sheets of armor encase its lower body and its tail. Although many old lobsters have numerous scrapes and gouges on their shells, they survive attacks from most predators because of the armor God gave them to protect them.
 
The Lord supplies us with a suit of armor too—a helmet, a breastplate, a shield, a belt, and shoes—to keep us safe from the attacks of our powerful spiritual foes. But we must be sure to use our armor. Take the helmet of salvation to assure you of your position in Christ, the breastplate to live righteously, and the shield of faith to protect you at all times. Finally, be sure to walk in truth and peace. Omitting any part of Gods provision invites spiritual injury Like the lobster, let's take full advantage of our armor! —D. C. E.
 
GOD'S ARMOR IS TAILOR-MADE, BUT WE MUST PUT IT ON.

Outlaws of Heaven
      Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.    Ephesians 6:11

 Observe, that all that came to Christ in His earthly ministry have been forced through some one necessity or other; either a leprous body, blind eyes, a palsy, a bloody issue, a withered arm, or a dying son; and that some have been brought to Christ, at least, their parents or friends have come to Christ, through reason of bodily possession by the devil: but we read of none who came through reason of the devil’s spiritual possessing of them, either by themselves or others…Misplaced love is much. “Ye are of your father the devil” (John 8:44). Every child loves the father. Why? And men love not the devil: does not every wretch through nature’s instinct abhor the devil? Is not this the  mother-devotion of any wretch that knows nothing of God from the womb? “God save me from the devil and all his works; I have nothing to do with that foul spirit.” It is true, there is a physical hatred of the devil, as he is a spirit, an angel, and a pursuivant of divine justice, inflicting evil of punishment on all men naturally; but there is in all men an inbred moral love of the devil, as he is a fallen spirit, tempting to sin: here every prisoner loves this keeper; like loves like; broken men and bankrupts flee together to woods and mountains; an outlaw loves an outlaw; fowls of a feather flock together. The devil and sinful men are both broken men, and outlaws of heaven, and of one blood; wicked men are the “children of the devil” (1 John 3:10); they have that natural relation of father and son; there is of the devil’s seed in sinners. 

James Smith - THE WARRIOR'S ENEMY. Ephesians 6:11, 12.

(For Notes on "The Whole Armour of God," see Vol. IX, page 179.) Here we shall briefly look at "Your Adversary the Devil." The Christian's great enemy is "not flesh and blood" (v. 12). Not even human nature, as such, but a real spiritual and powerful personality. "Called the Devil and Satan" (Rev. 12:9).

I. His Character. There is but one Devil, or Satan, but there are many "demons." "The Devil and his angels." He has had long experience in sinning. "The Devil sinneth from the beginning." He is great. Called "the Son of the Morning" (Isa. 14:12). He is also called a "lion" for strength, a "dragon" for fierceness, the "old serpent" for subtilty. Even our Lord called him "the prince of this world." When he led the revolt in Heaven it was the great Archangel Michael who fought against him (Rev. 12:7). This is the passage we have to deal with: Who is the "accuser of the brethren" (Rev. 12:10).

II. His Sphere. When cast down from Heaven, he seems to have pitched his camp in the aerial regions near this world, and became "the prince of the power of the air," and the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), and "the spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2). Although his stronghold is spiritual wickedness in high places, he is found "going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it" (Job 2:2),

III. His Resources. These are difficult to define. But when we take our "stand against the wiles of the Devil" (v. 11) we are in conflict with the despotisms, the empires, the forces that control and govern this dark world—the spiritual hosts of evil arrayed against us in the heavenly warfare (Weymouth). But, thank God "greater is He that is for us."

IV. His Methods. We are not to be "ignorant of his devices," lest he should get an advantage of us (2 Cor. 2:11). His devices are varied—
1. He tries "WILES" (v. 11). Something attractive, but deceptive and ensnaring. This was his method with Christ in His great temptation.
2. He tries "FIERY DARTS" (v. 16). Poisoned tipped arrows, that strike as suddenly as an unclean thought or a dishonest and evil imagination. If you do not love such, but hate them, you need not worry over them. Disown them.
3. He tries the PROLONGED STRUGGLE, or "wrestling." "We wrestle against the rulers of darkness, against spiritual wickedness" (v. 12). The conflict may be severe, but resist the Devil and he will flee from you.

V. His Subjects are not those who are warring against him, but those who are his willing, because blinded, slaves (Eph. 2:2; 2 Cor. 4:4). They live in his "kingdom of darkness," being captured by his powers, his signs, and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2:9). They are in bondage to a great delusion. This is the condition into which sin and unbelief had brought us, and where all unsaved ones now are. May the love of Christ constrain us to seek their deliverance.

VI. His Victors. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the stronger One, has come into the Devil's dominion, and has overcome him, and spoiled him of his goods (Luke 11:21, 22). By His life and death, and triumphant resurrection, He has spoiled principalities and powers. He shook them off, and boldly displayed them as His conquests, when by His Cross He triumphed over them (Col. 2:15). The Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the Devil, even him that had the power of death (Heb. 2:14). Now we who believe in Him have been delivered from the power and dominion of Satan, and translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son (Col. 1:13). We know that we have passed from death into life (John 5:24), and that the darkness is passed, and the true light now shineth (John 2:8). "Thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory" (Rev. 12:11).

YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL. 1 Peter 5:8.

"Your adversary the Devil." These are ominous words, and suggest at once our privilege and our warfare. We fight, not against flesh and blood, not with human beings, but against principalities, and powers, and wicked spirits ruling and reigning in the hearts of ungodly men.

1. His personality. He is called "that old serpent, the Devil," and "Satan, your adversary." The personality of the Devil is about as little realised by the world as the personality of the Holy Spirit is by the Church. How real he was to the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 4:3).
2. His character. He is described by the unerring Word as—
1. MOST SUBTLE (Gen. 3:1-7). As cunning as a serpent. It is part of his cunning to appear as an angel of light.
2. A TEMPTER (Matt. 4:1). He tempts by presenting desirable objects before the eye. He seeks to pamper our pride that we might forget or deny God. He succeeded with Eve; he failed with Christ.
3. AN ADVERSARY. He is opposed to every holy resolution, every good work, every heaven-born desire.
4. A DECEIVER (1 John 5:19, r. v. ). Deceit is the poison of the serpent. He deceives men with the pleasures of sin, nations with the rule of unrighteousness. We are not ignorant of his devices.
5. A MURDERER (John 8:44). He murdered from the beginning, and will do so until the end, all who come under his destroying sway, every power, and faculty.
3. His purpose. The Devil has a purpose, and is in desperation to carry it out. In the following texts we observe its working in a sevenfold manner. He—
1. STEALS (Luke 8:14). He snatches away the Word from off the heart; the Word that is hidden in the heart is beyond his reach.
2. POLLUTES (Matt. 13:38). The tares are the children after his own heart. His object is to spoil the good by overcrowding it with evil..
3. SUGGESTS (John 13:2). In these two texts we have him dealing both with God and man. In Christ he found nothing; in Judas' heart the fiery darts found wood, hay, stubble.
4. PROVOKES (1 Chron. 21:1-14). A man is easily provoked when he thinks it will promote his own honour. His provocations are all to the dishonour of God.
5. SIFTS (Luke 22:31). The Devil's sieve rejects the good and preserves the bad.
6. DEVOURS (1 Peter 5:8). What an awful thought— to be swallowed by the Devil, food for a fiend.
7. RESISTS (Zech. 3:1). The Devil is quick to point out man's filthiness and God's holiness, and to forget the precious Blood.
4. His power. That the Devil has great power there can be no doubt (see Job 1). He is described as—
1. A LION (1 Peter 5:8). A stranger to mercy, and one whose nature is to destroy.
2. THE GOD OF THIS WORLD (2 Cor. 4:4). The object of the worldlings' worship, because the world lieth in his lap (Matt. 4:8, 9).
3. HAVING THE POWER OF DEATH (Heb. 2:14). As the author of sin he wields the power of death.
4. ABLE TO FILL THE HEART (Acts 5:3). It must be a sorry house when the Devil keeps the key.
5. His defeat. To the believer the Devil is a defeated foe. Christ, as our David, has destroyed this giant's authority by the power of His own sword (Heb. 2:14). And the God of peace, who hath given us peace, will shortly bruise him under our feet. It is our privilege now to be more than conquerors. We overcome him by—
1. THE ARMOUR OF GOD (Eph. 6:11). Put on Christ.
2. THE WORD OF TRUTH (Matt. 4:4). "It is written." It is by this power demons are to be driven out of the hearts of men.
3. THE RESISTANCE OF FAITH (James 4:7). Have the courage to stand in these backsliding days (Eph. 6:13).
4. THE INDWELLING SPIRIT (1 John 4:4). In the face of this there is no excuse for defeat.
6. His doom. The way of sin is ever downward. Satan fell from Heaven to the air, from the air to the earth, and soon from the earth to the bottomless pit, and again into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:1-10). Then our enemies will be seen no more for ever. The way of the transgressor is har

Consequences of a Moral Tumble
Whenever I feel particularly vulnerable to sexual temptation, I find it helpful to review what effects my action could have:
    • Grieving the Lord who redeemed me. 
    • Dragging his sacred name into the mud. 
    • One day having to look Jesus, the Righteous Judge, in the face and give an account of my actions. 
    • Following in the footsteps of these people whose immorality forfeited their ministries and caused me to shudder: (list names). 
    • Inflicting untold hurt on Nanci, my best friend and loyal wife. 
    • Losing Nanci's respect and trust. 
    • Hurting my beloved daughters, Karina and Angie. 
    • Destroying my example and credibility with my children, and nullifying both present and future efforts to teach them to obey God ("Why listen to a man who betrayed Mom and us?") 
    • If my blindness should continue or my wife be unable to forgive, perhaps losing my wife and children forever. 
    • Causing shame to my family ("Why isn't Daddy a pastor anymore?") 
    • Losing self-respect. 
    • Creating a form of guilt awfully hard to shake. Even though God would forgive me, would I forgive myself? 
    • Forming memories and flashbacks that could plague future intimacy with my wife. 
    • Wasting years of ministry training and experience for a long time, maybe permanently. 
    • Forfeiting the effect of years of witnessing to my father and reinforcing his distrust for ministers that has only begun to soften by my example but that would harden, perhaps permanently, because of my immorality. 
    • Undermining the faithful example and hard work of other Christians in our community. 
    • Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the enemy of God and all that is good. 
    • Heaping judgment and endless difficulty on the person with whom I committed adultery. 
    • Possibly bearing the physical consequences of such diseases as gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, herpes and AIDS; perhaps infecting Nanci or, in the case of AIDS, even causing her death. 
    • Possibly causing pregnancy, with the personal and financial implications, including a life long reminder of my sin. 
    • Bringing shame and hurt to these fellow pastors and elders: (list names). 
    • Causing shame and hurt to these friends, especially those I have led to Christ and discipled: (list names). 
    • Invoking shame and life-long embarrassment upon myself. 

See: Proverbs 5:15-20; 6:24-29; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 6:11

Stay Protected
Ephesians 6:11
August 20, 2002

My married daughter called from her home in another state to report some "bad news." She had two cavities in her previously flawless teeth.

I asked Lisa, "Does your city fluoridate its water?" A couple of days later, she called me to say that it did not. As a result, her teeth were more vulnerable to decay than when she grew up drinking fluoridated water.

Admittedly, this was not a great tragedy. Worse things can happen, but Lisa's dental problems can point us to a vital truth in our Christian lives.

We would be wise to do all we can to prevent tooth decay, but it's even more important that we do all we can to prevent Satan from harming us spiritually (1 Peter 5:8, 9). To ignore the prescribed protection that God has made available to us is to ask for trouble much worse than holes in our teeth.

In Ephesians 6, Paul said that to be protected from Satan's attacks we need to "put on the whole armor of God" (Eph 6:11). Ephesians 6:14-18 tell us we must put on the belt of "truth," "the breastplate of righteousness," the shoes of "the gospel of peace," "the shield of faith," "the helmet of salvation," and "the sword of the Spirit," along with "all prayer."

With God's armor we can stand and stay protected! —J D Branon —Dave Branon

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed,
His truth to triumph through us. —Luther

God's truth is the best protection against Satan's lies.

The Great Impostor
Ephesians 6:11
October 1, 1996

The arctic polar bear feeds almost entirely on seals. To enjoy such a meal, he sometimes resorts to a cunning bit of trickery. If the hole in the ice through which the seal gets his food is not too far from the edge of open water, the polar bear will take a deep breath, slip underwater, and swim to the seal's fishing hole. He will then imitate a fish by scratching lightly on the underside of the ice. When the seal hears this sound, he dives in for a quick supper, only to find himself suddenly caught in the huge, hungry embrace of his predator. 

The devil entices us in a similar way. He baits us with some seemingly harmless pleasure and disguises the ugliness of sin with something that looks or sounds appealing. Then, when we've succumbed to the temptation, he catches us in his trap. 

Christians have no excuse for being taken in by the deception of the enemy. We can put on the armor of God, and with the "shield of faith . . . quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Eph. 6:16). 

As we meditate on the truths of God's Word and rely on the Holy Spirit, we can know the difference between what is truly satisfying and what only appears to be. Don't let the great impostor fool you! --M R De Haan II

The devil is subtle, deceptive, and sly,
He cleverly tricks us to swallow his lie;
But his cunning methods we're sure to discern
By making God's warnings our daily concern. --D J De Haan

Satan may look like an angel of light,
but he has the teeth of a lion.

EVIL OR DEVIL?
Ephesians 6:11

Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. --2 Corinthians 11:14

Bible teacher William Evans wrote, "It is popular in some circles to day to spell the word devil with the letter "d" left off. This reduces the idea of an actual person called the devil to a mere influence called evil.

"If the devil can't mislead people that way," Evans continue, "he would have them think of him as a horrible, monstrous-looking creature with a forked tail, dressed in a fiery red suit, and with horns protruding from his head. If the devil can get folks to think of him like that, then when he comes as an 'angel of light', he will not be recognized, and so find it easier to beguile his unsuspecting victims."

When we trust Christ as Savior, we have peace with God, but at the same time we come into conflict with the devil. Our "adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). That's why the Bible says, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph 6:11).

We who know Christ can overcome the devil and the evil he creates by learning and obeying God's Word. And let's be thankful that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).-- Richard W. De Haan

The prince of darkness grim --
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure.--Luther

The devil may be out of fashion, but he's not out of business.

The Fruit Stealer
Ephesians 6:11
July 21, 1999

Four young men crept silently through the late-evening shadows toward the unattended farm market. One picked up a ripe watermelon and slipped to the edge of the darkness. He handed it to the second young man, who relayed it to the third. The fourth put it into the trunk of their car. In a few minutes they had taken a dozen watermelons, and they sped off. 

Fruit-stealing happens more often than we realize, not only with real fruit but also with what the Bible calls spiritual fruit. The apostle Paul told believers to develop the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22, 23). But Satan doesn't want that fruit to be on display in our lives. As soon as we begin to develop these spiritual virtues, the devil uses his wiles to "steal them away" from us by tempting us to sin. 

The next thing we know, Christlike character traits are replaced by un-Christlike ones. Our fruit is gone. To protect ourselves, we need to focus on the truths of the Bible, choose to do what is right, remember our purpose as God's redeemed children, trust God, and pray always (Eph. 6:13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18). 

As we do these things, we will be fruitful and not be victims of the fruit-stealer. --D C Egner

You can trust the Savior's power
To protect from Satan's snare;
But you must be ever watchful--
Of the robber be aware! --Hess

To bear the Spirit's fruit don't let sin take root.

Chuck Swindoll tells following story, which is one of the best I have ever heard on the subject of the indwelling Word:

  "I was in Canada, months ago. I had been away from home eight days, and there were two more to go--a weekend. I was lonely and having a pity-party for myself at supper-- alone. I bought a newspaper, thumbed through the sports section and found nothing but  hockey--the favorite of Canadians but not mine. I heaved a sigh and walked toward the elevator. En route, I heard a couple of young women talking and laughing as they used the hotel phone in the lobby. I smiled as I passed by and a few steps later punched the `up' elevator button. I got on. So did the two ladies. I punched `6.' They didn't reach for the row of buttons, so I asked, `What floor?' One looked at me rather sensually and said, `How about six?' Do you have any plans?

  We were all alone on an elevator. In Canada. I was flattered to be hones, since most folks don't usually mistake me for Robert Redford . . . These women were available, and I was lonely. On that trip from the lobby to the sixth floor, I had an extremely significant decision to make . . . the bait had been dropped.

  Do you know what immediately flashed into my mind? My wife and four children? No, not at first. My position and reputation? No, not then. The possibility of being seen or set up? No. God gave me an instant visual replay of Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. And Ephesians 6:11: Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. And Romans 6:11-12: Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts,

  During that elevator lift, the memorized Word flew to my rescue. Right on time. As I looked back at the two, I replied, `I've got a full evening planned already; I'm really not interested.' They looked at me like I was [a weirdo] as I stepped off the elevator (and they stayed on!). I walked to my room, suddenly grateful for the overcoming power of God's [Word]. [Swindoll, Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back, 100-101]

John MacArthur - STANDING FIRM

  “Stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

✧✧✧

Keep your spiritual armor on at all times.

Every battle has an offensive and defensive strategy. Paul outlines the Christian’s offensive strategy in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Our defensive strategy is to rely on Christ’s strength and put on our spiritual armor (Eph. 6:10–11). Paul was probably chained to a Roman soldier when he wrote to the Ephesians; so he had a ready illustration of spiritual armament at hand. But unlike Roman soldiers, who removed their armor when off-duty, Christians must remain fully protected at all times. That thought is captured in the Greek word translated “put on” in Ephesians 6:11, which carries the idea of permanence—putting it on once and for all.
“Stand firm” in verse 11 translates a military term that speaks of holding your ground while under attack. When properly employed, your spiritual armor serves as a lifelong companion that enables you to fight against the forces of evil and to do so without retreat. Just as Jesus personally instructed the churches in Thyatira and Philadelphia to hold fast until He returns (Rev. 2:25; 3:11), so He also instructs us to stand our ground without wavering.
Similar New Testament exhortations call us to hold fast to Biblical truth (1 Cor. 15:2), to that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21), to our confidence in Christ (Heb. 3:6), and to our confession of faith (Heb. 4:14). Those are marks of a strong and stable believer against whom the schemes of Satan have little effect.

✧✧✧

Suggestions for Prayer:  Is there an area of your Christian life in which you’re not standing as firm as you should—perhaps prayer, Bible study, or personal ministry? If so, confess it to the Lord, and begin to strengthen that area today. Don’t give Satan a weakness to attack.

For Further Study: Memorize 1 John 4:4 as a reminder of God’s power in your life.

John MacArthur - ATTACKS ON GOD’S CHARACTER  - Drawing Near: Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith

  “Stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

✧✧✧

One of Satan’s most effective tactics is to challenge God’s credibility.

Paul’s exhortation to “stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11) refers to the various tactics Satan employs in spiritual warfare. One of his tactics is to call God’s character and motives into question by raising doubts about His Word.
He used that approach in the Garden of Eden when he said to Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1). In one brief statement Satan disputed and distorted God’s Word. God didn’t forbid them to eat from any tree. They could eat freely from every tree except one—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:16–17).
Satan followed his distortion with an outright denial of God’s Word: “You surely shall not die!” (3:4). He implied that God lied when He said sin would result in death. Satan then went on to tell Eve that if she ate the fruit, she would in fact become like God Himself (v. 5). The implication is that God was withholding something good from Eve, and to keep her from seeking it, He had intimidated her with empty threats of death and judgment.
Do you see the insidious nature of Satan’s approach? Tragically, Eve didn’t. Rather than trusting and obeying God, she believed Satan’s lies and concluded that the tree was “good for food,” “a delight to the eyes,” and “desirable to make one wise.” Then “she took from its fruit and ate” (v. 6).
Satan deceives and spreads his lies from generation to generation (2 Cor. 11:14). Although he is subtle, his attempts to discredit God by disputing, distorting, and denying His Word should be obvious to discerning Christians.
Don’t be victimized by Satan’s attacks. Become strong in the Word through systematic Bible study. Yield to the Spirit’s control through prayer and obedience to Biblical principles.

✧✧✧

Suggestions for Prayer:  Ask God for the discernment to recognize Satanic deceptions, and for the wisdom to pursue truth. ✧ Pray for God’s enabling as you discipline yourself for diligent Bible study.

For Further Study: Read 1 John 2:12–14. How did John describe those who are strong in the Word?

John MacArthur - ATTACKS ON GOD’S PEOPLE - Drawing Near: Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith

  “Stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

✧✧✧

Satan wants to catch you off-guard.

Yesterday we saw how Satan attacks God’s Word. Today we will see how he attacks God’s people. Persecution, peer pressure, and preoccupation are three weapons he employs with great effectiveness.
Persecution should never take Christians by surprise, because Scripture repeatedly warns us that it will come. For example, 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Yet, such warnings are often overlooked in the health, wealth, and prosperity climate of contemporary Christianity.
As the greed perpetuated by such a movement continues its assault on Christian virtue, many professing believers have come to expect a pain-free, trouble-free life. When trials come, they’re caught off-guard and are often disillusioned with the church or with God Himself. Some prove to be phony believers, whom Jesus described in His parable of the four soils—people who initially respond to the gospel with joy, yet fall away when affliction or persecution arises because of the Word (Matt. 13:21).
Satan also uses peer pressure as an effective weapon. Many people never come to Christ for fear of losing their friends or being thought of as different. Even Christians sometimes struggle with peer pressure, compromising God’s standards to avoid offending others.
Another weapon is preoccupation with the world. Often the hardest place to live the Christian life is in the easiest place. For example, becoming a Christian in America isn’t the life-threatening choice it is in some parts of the world. Some who stand boldly against persecution or peer pressure might falter in a climate of acceptance. Often that’s when the danger of spiritual complacency and preoccupation with the world is greatest.
To guard against those attacks, remember that God uses persecution to mature you and bring glory to Himself. Also, make a conscious choice each day to please God rather than people. Finally, evaluate your priorities and activities carefully. Fight the tendency to become preoccupied with things unrelated to God’s Kingdom.

✧✧✧

Suggestions for Prayer:  Ask God to keep you spiritually alert throughout this day, so the enemy doesn’t catch you off-guard.

For Further Study: Read Matthew 26:31–56. What might the disciples have done to avoid being caught off-guard?

September 10
 John MacArthur - MAINTAINING SPIRITUAL EFFECTIVENESS  - Drawing Near: Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith

  “Stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

✧✧✧

Satan wants to render you ineffective for Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 16:9 Paul says, “A wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” That’s typical of spiritual warfare. The more opportunities you have to serve Christ, the more adversaries you’ll face. That’s because Satan seeks to hinder your spiritual service.
Often seminary students ask me if ministry becomes easier over the years. In one sense it does because you learn better study skills, time management, and the like. But in a greater sense it becomes more difficult because as you labor in the Word, contend for souls, and struggle against your own weaknesses, Satan opposes you at every turn.
You can sense something of the difficulty of ministry in Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: “Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thess. 2:8–9). To the Ephesian elders he said, “Be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears” (Acts 20:31).
Every sphere of ministry is important—whether you’re a pastor, homemaker, factory worker, or student. Consequently, every ministry encounters opposition as Satan attempts to cause friction and discouragement within families, churches, and workplaces. Thus, believers must be humble and gentle toward one another, “being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). When we do that, the Body of Christ is strengthened, and Satan can’t gain a foothold.
Ministry is hard work, and the obstacles are great, but the victories are even greater. So be faithful, knowing that God will reward you richly.

✧✧✧

Suggestions for Prayer:  Thank God for the privilege of serving Him, even during the hard times. ✧ Thank Him for the encouragement you receive from His Spirit, His Word, and your fellow-believers.

For Further Study: According to Romans 8:18, what was Paul’s perspective on difficulties?

John MacArthur -  STAND FIRM

Stand fast in the Lord. PHILIPPIANS 4:1

Today’s verse calls to mind a picture of a soldier standing his ground in the midst of battle. Paul used the same metaphor in Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Standing fast or firm spiritually means not compromising your Christian testimony in allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by trials or temptation.
It saddens me that many believers don’t take God and His commands seriously enough. Instead of wanting to know God, many prefer to be entertained. That kind of apathy regards His commands as mere suggestions. But our sovereign Lord commands us to stand firm. Inherent in that command is the capacity to obey.

Stand [and] Withstand - J D Watson 

histemi <G2476> [and] anthistemi <G436>

In that well-known verse about spiritual warfare, Paul instructs us, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). Stand against is stēnai pros, a military expression that means to stand in front of with a view to holding a critical position, to hold one’s ground. Further, “able” is dunamai (<G1410>, see Feb. 28), which can be defined as “that which overcomes resistance.” By putting on God’s armor, we are able to defeat any resistance Satan offers and overcome any obstacle he puts in our path.
The idea here, then, is a primarily defensive tone, that we just face the enemy and hold our ground. This is further indicated by the fact that God has given us five pieces of defensive (vv. 14–17a) armor while giving only one offensive weapon, the sword (v. 17b).
A basic military tenet is to hold the ground you already possess. One of the problems in the Vietnam War was that we held certain ground during the day while “Charlie” (the Viet Cong) held it at night. Also, terrain was often taken from the enemy only to be given back later when we pulled out of the area. This obviously caused discouragement and a sense of utter futility to many a soldier. Plus, the waste in men, material, and money in such folly was incalculable.
There is something else here, however. It’s extremely significant that Paul not only says that the armor makes us able to stand against Satan’s attacks (v. 11), but also to withstand Satan’s attacks (v. 13). The Greek is actually different here. The root behind “stand” is histemi <G2476>, while the word for withstand is anthistemi <G436>, which means “to set oneself against, oppose, resist.” This is the same word used in James 4:7, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” In light of the defensive word we saw earlier, this word seems to possess a more offensive tone. Not only must we be defensive, holding our present ground, but we must also be offensive, landing blows of our own on the enemy. Militarily speaking, no battle, no war, can be won by defense alone. God not only wants us to stand our ground, but He wants us to resist and oppose and land blows of our own with the Word of God.

Embracing Eternity - THE ARMOR OF GOD

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. Ephesians 6:11

DURING HIS LIFE, Harry Houdini had a standing challenge that he could escape from any jail cell within an hour. Several jails took him up on his offer, and he always succeeded—until one day a small town in the British Isles accepted Houdini’s challenge. They had just constructed what they thought was an escape-proof jail cell, and they wanted to put it to the test. Houdini entered the cell and immediately went to work. He pulled out the instruments he had smuggled in and began trying to trip the lock. An hour passed, and he still hadn’t got it open, but he didn’t give up. He worked feverishly on the lock as the clock continued to tick. After two grueling hours—an hour past his deadline—Houdini finally withdrew his file from the lock and leaned against the door in exhaustion. To his amazement, the cell door swung open.
He was ready to give up when he discovered that the door had been open the entire time. The jailors had tricked the great magician by closing the jail door but never bolting the lock. He was free all along; he just didn’t know it.2
Satan has the same strategy, doesn’t he? His greatest weapon is to make us think that we are trapped, when in reality the cell door is always open. The devil is a master of illusion, and his most effective trick is to dupe believers into thinking that they are ensnared, when in reality Christ has freed us from Satan’s deceptive locks. The only power he holds is the power we allow him to have.
“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil,” Paul tells us (Ephesians 6:11). The armor of God is not intended to shield the body from arrows but to shield the heart and mind from deception. This war is one not of the flesh but of the spirit. The battleground is within us, not in front of us. Satan can’t bind us, so he tricks us into making us believe the cell door is locked.
“We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms” (6:12). When you’re fighting against an unseen enemy, the battle can be tricky. And having the right armor in place is crucial.

REFLECTION
In what ways has Satan deceived you into believing you are bound to sin?
How can you work to free your heart and mind from this deception?

Jon Courson -  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.   Ephesians 6:11

The first step to being strong is to realize that life is not an encounter group. Life is not a bonding meeting. Life is not a playground. Life is a battleground. And the reason so many in the Church are weak is because they’re not armed for battle. 

If the men who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day did so dressed in their jammies, something would have been terribly wrong. Yet I believe we live in a day of ‘jammy Christianity.’ ‘Let’s put on our jammies and talk about how we feel,’ we say. ‘Let’s have a slumber party, and we’ll all bond.’ 

No. Paul tells us to put on our armor, to take advantage of the equipment God has given us to navigate life and negotiate the war which surrounds us. 

Dear saint, you can stand against the wiles of the devil—the cunning, clever attacks of Satan—only to the degree that you’re protected with the whole armor of God. 

Jack Hayford - Spiritual Armor—Part 1       September 21

    Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

It is unthinkable! No one would do it! No one in his right mind would leave the house for the day naked. Not only does it break social convention, but it leaves you unprotected from the elements.
Every day, however, Christians leave their homes unprotected from the spiritual elements they will face. And as surely as we are naked without our clothes, we are just as naked for spiritual combat without our armor. The armor of God is something we put on and keep on, because every day is a day of spiritual conflict. The unprotected are victimized or wounded.
The assault of the devil is unrelenting, cunning, and constantly searching for any place in our defenses that is uncovered. Whether to cause us to doubt God’s love for us, or compromise our integrity, or confuse us with doctrines of lies and half truths, our only defense is to dress for battle every day. Girded with truth, covered by righteousness, shielded by faith, and transformed by salvation, we are ready to face the day.

Jack Hayford - A Mighty Fortress       September 12

    Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

Spiritual warfare? The darkness of the demonic? The gifts of the Spirit? All new themes in the church today? Read on:

  A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; his craft and pow’r are great, and, armPUT DOWN THE HAMMER!ed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.
  Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing; were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God’s own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His name, from age to age the same, and He must win the battle.
  That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth; the Spirit and the gifts are ours thro’ Him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill. God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever. Amen.

To Martin Luther’s words from four and a half centuries ago, say “Amen!”

David Jeremiah - THE ENEMY OF GOD

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.EPHESIANS 6:11

A wealthy and godly farmer in the Middle East loses his home, his crops and livestock, his children, and his health. An Old Testament prophet prays to God for three weeks without hearing an answer to his prayers. A New Testament apostle suffers for years with a certain malady and finds no relief. These three individuals, though separated by time, were united by the common source of their problems: Satan.
In the cases of Job, Daniel, and Paul, Satan was allowed by God to enter their lives and bring pain, doubt, and discomfort. It is important for Christians to recognize that Satan is not an invention of Hollywood—he is a real being, intent on opposing God and His people at every turn.
But the Bible also clearly teaches that Satan is a troubler on a leash. He can go only as far as God allows and accomplish only that which fits and suits God’s plans and purposes. While Paul explains in detail the spiritual armor of the believer against Satan’s attacks, James summarizes it in just a single sentence: “Submit to God” (4:7).
The conscious choice to be under Christ’s lordship is the surest defense against the devil’s attacks.

David Jeremiah - PUT DOWN THE HAMMER!
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
EPHESIANS 6:11 NIV
In her “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters,” Portia Nelson wrote:
Chapter 1: I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2: I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again . . . but it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3: I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in. . . . My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter 4: I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
Chapter 5: I walk down another street.
Satan has his schemes and tactics, and we need to devise ours to defend ourselves from his temptations. If you know there is a temptation down one street, take a different one!
Clothing yourself in the armor of God is step one in devising strategies to resist the devil’s schemes.

David Jeremiah - WINNING THE BATTLE
     Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  EPHESIANS 6:11

Many people misunderstand the purpose of the spiritual warfare Job experienced (Job 1–2). The point of Satan’s attack was not to destroy Job or ruin his life by destroying his family and property. Satan’s desire was that Job would curse God for letting such bad things happen to him. Job’s wife became so exasperated that she fell right into Satan’s hands and said to her husband, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9). But Job kept his spiritual integrity and would not blame God for his troubles.
The point is this: Satan’s primary purpose is to make God, not us, look bad. But he attacks us in order to tempt us to attack God. And he will use any situation to test us —including our finances. If you become so anxious over money that you lose your faith in God, Satan has won the battle. We win by giving thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Don’t let anything —including finances —cause you to “curse God.” Rather, say what Job said: “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10, NIV)

     Scars are the price which every believer pays for his loyalty to Christ.    WILLIAM HENDRIKSEN

Prayer Protection - Charles Stanley 
  SCRIPTURE READING: Ephesians 6:11–18
  KEY VERSE: Ephesians 6:11

  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

It’s late in the evening. You sit down to enjoy God’s Word and pray. But soon after you bow your head, your mind wanders. An evil thought creeps in and won’t go away. Where did that come from? you wonder. You try once more to put your focus on the Lord. As the minutes go by, however, you feel sleepier and sleepier. Before you know it, you’re waking up the next morning.
This scenario is a familiar one, and for good reason. Satan is pleased when your attention is diverted, and you feel like a failure in your prayer life. He knows God can use you most effectively when you pray, and harming your prayer life is the fastest way to short-circuit your ability to serve Him.
That’s why God has given you special prayer protection. The spiritual armor that guards your faith is also designed to keep you firm and strong as you talk to God. The breastplate of righteousness will keep your mind pure; the shield of faith will help you put out “the flaming missiles of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16 NASB).
Ask God to fit you with His armor when you pray. Trust the Lord to guard your time with Him. If you fail, don’t be depressed. God still waits for you. The victory in the battle of prayer is yours.

  Almighty God, I claim Your prayer protection—the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the girdle of truth. Victory in the battle of prayer is mine!

A W Tozer - We Are Declared Not Guilty by the Highest Court

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

The Christian believer cannot be happy and victorious in the true liberty of the children of God if he is still quaking about his past sins.
God knows that sin is a terrible thing—yes, and the devil knows it, too! So the devil follows us around and as long as we will permit it, he will taunt us about our past sins.
As for myself, I have learned to talk back to him on this score.
I say, “Yes, Devil, sin is terrible—but I remind you that I got it from you! And I remind you, Devil, that everything good—forgiveness and cleansing and blessing—everything that is good I have freely received from Jesus Christ!”
Everything that is bad and that is against me I got from the devil—so why should he have the effrontery and the brass to argue with me about it? Yet he will do it because he is the devil, and he is committed to keeping God’s children shut up in a little cage, their spiritual wings clipped.
Brethren, we have been declared “Not guilty!” by the highest court in all the universe. It is good to know that on the basis of grace as taught in the Word of God, when God forgives a man, He trusts him as though he had never sinned.
The Bible does not teach that if a man falls down, he can never rise again. The fact that he falls is not the most important thing—but rather that he is forgiven and allows God to lift him up! That is the basis of our Christian assurance and God wants us to be happy in it.

WE’RE IN FOR A FIGHT by Ken Abraham

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” EPHESIANS 6:11
To be a Christian means that we are involved in a war, a spiritual war between God’s people and the forces of Satan. As is the case in any war, we are affected whether we want to be or not.
We are at war with evil, a personal evil, a supernatural evil, spearheaded by Satan himself. The devil is not some funny-looking cartoon character with horns sticking out of his head, dressed in red leotards, and carrying a pitchfork. No, the devil is real, and he is your enemy. He has sent his demonic messengers into the world to stand against you and do all they can to keep you from being the person God wants you to be.
The war is raging in cities and towns all across the land. Furthermore, the battle is not restricted to what we might be tempted to refer to as “the devil’s playgrounds”—bars, adult bookstores, and sorcery shops. The war has moved inside the doors of your church, school, and home.
Sadly, Satan is winning many victories. The devil and demonic cohorts are ripping apart friends and family relationships; they are splitting churches wide-open, sapping the life-blood out of many believers, and sucking some of your friends and family members right down into hell.
What are we going to do about it? It’s time to stand up and fight back! In the name of Jesus, by the power of His Holy Spirit working in us, and by the blood of the Lamb, it’s time for each of us to tell the devil where to get off. God is calling us out of our complacency to become warriors for Christ. He wants us to learn how to put on the full armor of God, to learn how to overcome the Evil One, and to challenge the demonic powers that have captured so many of the world systems, our churches, our schools, our friends, and our family members.

FAITHS COLLIDE - Christian History Devotional

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.     EPHESIANS 6:11

1949: Communism was and is a religion or at least a substitute religion. One who understood this clearly was Pope Pius XII who on this date told Catholics they had to make a choice: be a Catholic, or be a Communist—but not both. Catholics who “enlist in or show favor to the Communist party” would be excommunicated, cut off from the Catholic Church.
It sounds severe, and it was meant to be. The world had recently been through a horrible war where two forms of totalitarianism (Nazism and Communism) had fought each other. The Communists in Russia had been on the winning side, allied with the United States, Britain, and France—but the Communists were not “the good guys” just because of that temporary alliance. Since the war’s end they had lowered their “iron curtain” over most of Eastern Europe and were working to elect as many Communists as possible to political office everywhere, including Italy, the pope’s homeland.
In the same year that the pope excommunicated Catholic Communists, China came under Communist control—only three years after Pius had appointed the first Chinese cardinal. The Communist government announced it would guarantee religious freedom but soon began persecuting all religions, especially those (like Catholicism) controlled from outside the country. Many Christians were declared “enemies of the people” and treated abominably. The pope’s ambassador was expelled from China. Pius let it be known that a Chinese Catholic church independent from Rome would not be tolerated since it would inevitably become a tool of the government. He was correct: the so-called Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association aimed to “re-educate” Catholics and turn them into Communists, or at least sympathizers.
Before he died in 1958, Pius made Karol Wojtyla, a thirty-eight-year-old Polish priest, a bishop. Twenty years later, Karol would become Pope John Paul II, the first pope from a Communist nation. But he would live to see Communism fall in Europe.

John Butler - Soldiers for God

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)

WHEN this verse was written, Rome was in power, and military power and strategy and apparel was a subject well known in that day. So describing the Christian’s life in military language would be readily understood. From our verse comparing Christians to soldiers, we note the protection for the soldiers, the performance of the soldiers, and the peril for the soldiers.
Protection for the soldiers. “Put on the whole armor of God.” In order to be protected in battle, soldiers in the day of Rome wore considerable armor. This armor is detailed piece by piece in verses that follow our verse. This armor was often heavy and cumbersome to wear and would be restrictive in one’s movements. But the wise soldier never argued about the inconvenience of the armor. He knew it could be the difference between life and death in battle. Spiritually many complain about the armor saints must wear. Many complain that it is too restrictive not to go to certain places or associate with different people and to wear modest clothes which cover a person up in the summer is just too cumbersome. But these things like the armor of a soldier are only for your protection. Do not despise them; they will protect you from deadly blows by the enemy.
Performance of the soldiers. “Stand against the wiles of the devil.” God’s people are to stand against evil, not compromise with it or negotiate with it. There is much evil out there in our world today. Take a strong stand against it. That will not be popular, but it will purify. One of the problems of our churches today is their failure to take a strong stand against the evils of our day. That is disobedience, for God says to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Peril for the soldiers. “Wiles” means that which is deceitful and tricky. Evil is crafty. Sin does not advertise itself honestly. It pictures itself as attractive and beneficial. But in truth it is ugly and deadly. Sin tells us how much fun it is, but in truth sin brings great sorrow instead.

EQUIPPED TO WIN by Kay Arthur

“Put on the whole armour of God….” EPHESIANS 6:11
My daddy used to tell me that the best defense is a good offense! Beloved, God never intended for the Christian to constantly live on the defensive. The hymn writer so aptly put what our stance is to be, “Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war with the cross of Jesus going on before.” We are to storm the gates of hell and demand that Satan’s captives be set free. Ours is the victory; we are the ones who are more than conquerors…. God’s Word says that the gates of hell cannot prevail, cannot stand, against the church; they must give way!
When you read of the Christian’s warfare with the enemy in Ephesians 6, God clearly tells you that you are to put on the full armor of God. As you read this description of the Christian’s armor, you soon realize that it only covers the front of the soldier! It allows for full protection as long as you don’t turn your back! God never sounds retreat, nor do you ever have to wave the flag of surrender. Why? Because the soldier of Christ has the ultimate of weapons. It is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Thus, we come to the reason Satan would keep us from God’s Word. The Word of God is the Christian’s only offensive weapon. It is all he needs—nothing more! With it, the Christian is the victor, more than a conqueror; without it, all he can do is defend himself.
The shield of faith is that by which you ward off Satan’s attack upon you, but the Sword, the Word of God, is for conquering, for defeating the foe! It is the same weapon that is used by Christ at the battle of Armageddon. “From His mouth comes a sharp sword…” (Revelation 19:15 NASB).
When you begin to war in prayer, from your mouth must come His sharp sword. Are you prepared? Are you on the offensive or the defensive?

Charles Stanley - Preparation for the Battle
  SCRIPTURE READING: Ephesians 6:10–20
  KEY VERSE: Ephesians 6:11

  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Imagine how foolish it would be for a soldier to go out to battle without his combat gear—no provisions, no weapon, no navigational tools.
In the spiritual realm, being equipped for the battle is equally essential. God does not intend for you to deal with the attacks of the opposition completely unarmed.
He has already given you His spiritual armor; your job is to be aware of the equipment He has provided and ask Him to dress you in it every day.
The helmet of salvation. You are secure in the knowledge that the Lord has sealed you as His forever. Even in the worst skirmish, your identity in Christ can never be taken by the enemy.
The breastplate of righteousness. The holiness of God transforms your inner being, renews your mind, and changes your desires. This solidity of Christlike character is a sure defense.
The girdle of truth. No lie can stand up to the sheer power of God’s truth. Whether it’s a subtle idea or a bold, outright declaration of falsehood, God’s Word demolishes every stronghold.
The shield of faith. You have a shield that cannot be penetrated by even the most ingenious device. The strongest temptation can be repelled by the iron-clad fortress of belief in His power.

  Lord, I put on the spiritual weapons You have provided for my battles today: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the girdle of truth, and the shield of faith.

Rick Renner - The Devil’s Destination Ephesians 6:11

What I am about to tell you is so simple—yet it is also life-changing and revolutionary I want to help you understand how the devil tries to work in the realm of the mind and emotions. If you grab hold of these truths, they can set you free from the devil’s lies forever!
In Ephesians 6:11, Paul explicitly tells us how the devil operates. He writes, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” I want you to especially pay attention to the phrase “the wiles of the devil.”
The word “wiles” is taken from the word methodos. It is a compound of the words meta and odos. The word meta is a preposition that means with. The word odos is the word for a road. When the words meta and odos are compounded into one word, as in Ephesians 6:11, it literally means with a road. You’ve probably already figured out that the word methodos is where we get the word “method.” Some translations actually translate the word methodos as the word “method,” but the word “method” is not strong enough to convey the full meaning of the Greek word methodos.
Let me make the meaning of this word real simple for you. As I said, the most literal meaning of the word “wiles” (methodos) is with a road. I realize this seems strange, but when you connect this to the devil as Paul does in Ephesians 6:11, it means that the devil is like a traveler who travels on a road. He is headed in one direction and has one destination.
Let me give you an example of what I mean. If you’re going to take a trip, the logical thing for you to do is get a map and chart your journey to your destination. You don’t take just any road; rather, you strategize to find the best and fastest way to get where you’re going. Right? It would be pretty foolish for you to jump in the car and take off with no sense of direction. Taking any road could lead you in a multitude of wrong directions. It’s just better to use a map and stay on track. Correct?
This is precisely the idea of the word methodos. The devil isn’t wasting any time. He knows where he wants to go. He has chosen his destination. Rather than mess around on a bunch of different routes, he has mastered the best way to get where he wants to go. He is not a mindless traveler. And when he arrives at his place of destination, he has one main goal he wants to accomplish: He wants to wreak havoc and bring destruction. Therefore, we must ask: “Where is the devil traveling, and what does he want to do once he gets there?”
Paul answers the question about Satan’s destination in Second Corinthians 2:11 when he says, “… we are not ignorant of his [Satan’s] devices.” Pay careful attention to the word “devices” in this verse. It is the Greek word noemata, a form of the word nous. The Greek word nous describes the mind or the intellect. Thus, in one sense Paul is saying, “… we are not ignorant of the way Satan schemes and thinks.”
But the word noemata also denotes Satan’s insidious plot to fill the human mind with confusion. There is no doubt that the mind is the arena where Satan feels most comfortable. He knows if he can access a person’s mind and emotions, he will very likely be able to ensnare that individual in a trap. One writer says that the word noemata not only depicts Satan’s scheming mind but also his crafty, subtle way of attacking and victimizing others’ minds.
I personally like this because it identifies the primary destination of the devil—to get into a person’s mind and fill it with lying emotions, false perceptions, and confusion. It was for this reason that Paul urged us, “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” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The words “bringing into captivity” are from the Greek word aichmalotidzo, which pictured a soldier who has captured an enemy and now leads him into captivity with the point of a sharpened spear thrust into the flesh in his back. The captured enemy knows that if he tries to move or get away, the Roman soldier will shove that spear clear through his torso and kill him. Therefore, this captive doesn’t dare move but remains silent, submissive, and non-resistant.
However, when Paul uses the word aichmalotidzo in this verse, he writes in a tense that describes the continuous action of taking such an enemy captive. This is not a one-time affair; it is the lifelong occupation of this soldier. He constantly has a spear in his hand, and he is always pushing it against the flesh of an enemy’s backside as he leads him away to permanent captivity.
Because the devil loves to make a playground out of your mind and emotions, you must deal with him like a real enemy. Rather than fall victim to the devil’s attacks, you must make a mental decision to seize every thought he tries to use to penetrate your mind and emotions. Rather than let those thoughts take you captive, you have to reach up and grab them and force them into submission! You must take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ!
But if you’re going to beat the devil at his game, you have to put all your energy into taking every thought captive. If you’re not really committed to seizing every thought the devil tries to inject into your mind and emotions, he’ll strike you again! So once you make the decision to do it, stick with it. It’s time for you to take charge of your thoughts and drive his lying insinuations right out of your brain!

David Jeremiah - BODY ARMOR

  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.EPHESIANS 6:11

Jeff O’Dell, a graduate of the University of Virginia, had a personal interest in his undergraduate research. During his time at the university, the biomedical and mechanical engineering student, who is also a soldier, worked on a new type of body armor for American soldiers. Most body armor can be damaged by a single bullet, but the vest designed by O’Dell and his fellow students should be able to withstand as many as thirty-two rounds per plate. When interviewed by the Richmond-Times Dispatch, O’Dell said, “It could not only save American lives, but my own life, too.”[1]
Even the best body armor won’t help the soldier who doesn’t wear it. Every day we need to wear the breastplate of righteousness, the boots of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and the other essential pieces of soul armor in the arsenal of our God.
We have the best armor in the universe, if we’ll just wear it.

  You live in that armor. You wear it like a T-shirt.  JEFF O’DELL

Shining Armor

Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies.Ephesians 6:11

Imagine a skier whooshing down the slopes with no coat, gloves, or ski boots. She would suffer weather damage. What if your friend was a police officer or a soldier, but refused to wear a bulletproof vest while rushing to stop an armed robber or an enemy attack? You’d probably think she was foolish and asking to get hurt. After all, injuries can occur when people aren’t completely protected against the outdoor elements or on the job.
The same is true for the Christian. The devil is a powerful, conniving enemy who constantly battles against believers. Thankfully God supplies protection: spiritual armor. This includes God’s truth and approval, the gospel message and a believer’s willingness to spread it, faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit—God’s Word (Ephesians 6:13–17). The apostle Paul also suggested prayer as an important part of your battle strategy. With His armor, you can stand up to your soul’s adversary.
Some Christians go through life’s battles partially clad with protective gear and needlessly suffer war wounds. Are you fully protected? It’s never too late to admit you need help to stand against your enemy. Ask for that help and put on your full armor.
 

Billy Graham - Fit for the Battle

  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  EPHESIANS 6:11 NIV

Don’t doubt for a moment the devil’s existence, and don’t doubt for a moment that he is your Enemy. Forget the cute cartoon images of an impish figure with a pitchfork and a red suit. Satan is absolutely malicious and evil, and he has great influence over this world. The Bible says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV). Satan is strong, and he is determined to make you stumble. He is also clever and scheming, bent on deceiving and outmaneuvering us at every turn.
But we are not defenseless! God has provided us with all the armor we need—armor so strong that Satan and his servants cannot penetrate it. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, prayer—every one of these has a role in defeating our adversary. (You can read Paul’s full description in Ephesians 6:10–18.)
What pieces of God’s armor are missing in your life? Don’t let another day go by without putting on “the full armor of God.”

Adrian Rogers -   Our Adversary (Excerpt from Spiritual Warfare, Part 1 - see page 703 for full sermon)

First of all, I want you to notice our adversary in verse 11: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”—and then, verse 12—“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.” (Ephesians 6:11–12) What do we learn about our adversary, the devil?

    A.      He Is Subtle

Well, first of all, we learn that he’s subtle. For the Bible says, “to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11) Do you remember in Nehemiah’s time when they said, “You won’t know where we’re coming from. We’re coming suddenly, swiftly, secretly”? That’s the way the devil is. He’s very wily; he’s very subtle. And, your imagination, and your ingenuity, and your intellect is no match for the subtlety of the devil.

    B.      He Is Spiritual

Not only is he subtle, but look at this scripture—he’s also spiritual, for it says, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood” in verse 12. (Ephesians 6:12) You … Have you ever thought about the devil being spiritual? It’ll be a great day in America when we learn that everything that is spiritual is not righteous. The Bible says, “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they [be] of God … many [spirits] are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1) The devil is spiritual. Everything spiritual is not righteous.

    C.      He Is Strong

Not only is he subtle and not only is he spiritual, but he is strong. Look in verse 12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, [and] powers … [and] against the rulers of darkness.” (Ephesians 6:12) That word powers means “authorities.” Here is Satan, who has great power. And, as Martin Luther said in “A Mighty Fortress,” “His power and craft are great.” Don’t you ever make the mistake of underestimating the devil. I see some people who try to laugh the devil away. They try to act like the devil is some sort of a joke, some medieval superstition, some little fellow in a suit of red underwear with horns and a pitchfork trying to catch somebody bending over. Oh, no—he is powerful, and he is malevolent, and he has great authority and great power. And, the Bible says that he “deceiveth the whole world.” (Revelation 12:9)

    D.      He Is Sinister

But, not only is he subtle, and spiritual, and strong; he is sinister—he is sinister. Look in verse 12: “we wrestle … against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Now, that’s the kind of an enemy you have, and it would be tragic if you underestimated him. Satan’s real war, however, is not with you; it is with God. Evil persons have always known that, if you cannot harm someone directly, harm someone that that someone loves and you harm that one anyway. And so, Satan is trying to get at God. His real warfare is with God, but his attack is upon you, because God has set His affection upon you. So, we notice, first of all, our adversary.

A Bullet-Proof Armor (Ephesians 6:11)

  A United States marshal had an encounter with “moonshiners,” in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, and though struck by eighteen bullets fired at him by the outlaws, he escaped unharmed because he was wearing a bullet-proof vest and other protective clothing that shielded him from enemy fire. The Christian has the best coat of mail ever invented. We need never to go into battle without knowing that the darts of the enemy have no power to harm us. Christians everywhere need to have emphasis put on Paul’s earnest appeal: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

Moldy Bread
They did not ask counsel of the Lord. So Joshua made peace with them. —Joshua 9:14-15
Joshua had just won two astounding victories, destroying both Jericho and Ai through the power of the Lord. The Gibeonites knew they would be next, so in fear they resorted to trickery to save their lives. They put on old clothes, took moldy bread with them, and made their way to the camp of Israel.

Joshua and the elders were completely taken in by the ruse. Without consulting the Lord, they entered into a covenant with the enemies of Israel whom God had told them to destroy.

I see several spiritual lessons in this account. If we put human reasoning before divine guidance, walking by sight rather than by faith, we are sure to err! We should dread the “moldy bread” of Satan’s deceptive strategies much more than the “lion’s roar” of his frontal attacks. Even though we have met the more obvious assaults of the enemy with victories like those of Jericho and Ai, overconfidence can lead us into a trap. If we are governed by the authority of the Word and put our total dependence in the power of the Spirit, we will not be easily caught in Satan’s web.

Remember to “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). And watch out for moldy bread!

Leave no unguarded place,
No weakness of the soul,
Take every virtue, every grace,
And fortify the whole. —Wesley

To avoid sin's tragedy learn Satan's strategy.

EPH. 6:11.  Put on the whole armor of God.
In putting on your armor, don’t forget that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Not content with merely reading your Bible, study it. Instead of skimming over whole acres of truth, put your spade into the most practical passages, and dig deep. CUYLER.

Horatius Bonar - THE ARMOUR AND THE BATTLE

‘Put on the whole armour of God.’—EPH. 6:11.

JERUSALEM was the city of armour for Israel; for her captains and her mighty men there was ‘the tower of David, builded for an armoury, whereon there hung a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men’ (Cant. 4:4). There were ‘Solomon’s three hundred shields of beaten gold’ (1 Kings 10:17). There was Hezekiah’s ‘house of armour’ (2 Kings 20:13). There was ‘the armour of the house of the forest’ (Isa. 22:8). There were Solomon’s ‘valiant men, of the valiant of Israel, who held swords, being expert in war: every man having his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night’ (Cant. 3:7, 8).
The heavenly Jerusalem has her armoury too. Of this the prophet spoke: ‘The Lord hath opened His armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation’ (Jer. 50:25). It is to this heavenly armoury that Paul so often points, when reminding us of the conflict and the triumph. He speaks of ‘the armour of light’ (Rom. 13:12), of’ the armour of righteousness’ (2 Cor. 6:7), and, in the passage before us, of ‘the whole armour of God.’
It is to battle that we are summoned the moment that we believe. All at once we are translated, not to paradise, but to a battle-field, and there placed face to face with our hellish foes. ‘Fight the good fight of faith,’ is the war-note with which our Captain cheers us on.
For this battle strength is the first thing needed. But where is it to be found? Not in us, nor in the creature; not in human wisdom, or fleshly sufficiency. Only in Him who hath bought us, and called us, and washed us. ‘Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.’ Here is the source and secret of our strength. Here is a fulness truly divine and heavenly, and yet as accessible, as much within our reach, and at our disposal, as if it were our own; for it is at the disposal of One who loves us better than we love ourselves.
But strength is not all we need. We require weapons and armour; for the battle is no common one, and the enemy is the leader of the principalities and powers of darkness, who himself needs no armour, seeing he is invisible and invulnerable; who is not only powerful and skilful, but has every kind of weapon at command,—the snare, the wile, the sword, the dart, the fire. His object in the present day is to persuade us that he does not exist, that we have to fight no such battle, that we need no sword nor shield, that we can do without anything beyond our own human power and skill. But the divine warning assures us that our enemy still lives and rages and deceives; that he is most to be feared when most invisible; that his last delusions will be his worst, when, as an angel of light, he comes into the Church to mislead by falsehoods, so beautiful, so attractive, so intellectual, so like the truth,—it may be, so evangelical,—that, if it were possible, the elect shall be deceived.
It is the ‘whole armour’ or panoply of God that we are to put on, that we may ‘withstand’ and also stand. ‘For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal’ (2 Cor. 10:4). Flesh and blood, beings or things of earth, may be sometimes alarming foes; but these are nothing to the principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, the spiritual wickednesses in high places. A girdle we need, and this is given us,—the girdle of truth. A breastplate is provided,—the breastplate of righteousness. A shield is required, and here it is,—the shield of faith, to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. A helmet we must have, and that is not lacking,—the helmet of salvation, which covers our head in the day of battle from the fiery strokes aimed at this vital part by the spirits in ‘high places.’ A sword we must have, and it is presented to us,—the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Shoes (or sandals) we must have, to protect the feet in the rough, slippery battle-field, and they are at hand,—‘the preparation of the gospel of peace.’
Here are some of the weapons and pieces of armour which we find in the tower of our David, builded for an armoury; and we take down these from among the thousand bucklers, the shields of mighty men, according to our need. With these shields of gold provided by our Solomon, we cover ourselves, girding our swords upon our thigh (like our Captain, Ps. 45:3). Our ‘Leader and Commander’ teaches our hands to war, and our fingers to fight; so that a bow of steel is broken by our arms; nay, and we become ‘expert in war;’ we are strong, and do exploits (Dan. 11:32). We become as the ‘valiant in Israel;’ ever girded, ever armed, ever watchful, ‘because of fear in the night’ (Cant. 3:8).
For this is our night,—the world’s day, but our night,—and we are exposed perpetually to ‘fear in the night,’ from the god of the night, the ruler of this world’s darkness. Night is full of fear. Again and again we ask (in our weariness and long waiting), ‘Watchman, what of the night?’ And as yet the answer has only been, ‘The morning cometh, but also the night;’ the morning will come, but the night must first be exhausted. Then the day shall break, and the shadows flee away. Then Satan shall be bound; the battle finished; the victory won; the conquerors crowned (Rev. 3:21); our weapons laid aside; the sword turned into a ploughshare, and the spear into a pruning-hook; the bow broken, the chariot burned in fire.
I. We must fight.—There is no choice here. Whether we will or not, we must fight; for we are thrown upon a battle-field, and if we fight not, we perish. Woe be to the man that thinks there is no need of fighting now; that there is no danger and no enemy. Fight the good fight of faith.
II. We must know our enemy.—Not flesh and blood. Not the world merely, but the god of this world, Satan with all his legions. Him we have to encounter face to face. Let us not mistake the foe, nor undervalue either his skill or his strength. He has been the Church’s enemy from the beginning; he is so still; he will be till he is bound. The field on which we fight is strewn (as Bunyan says) with the shivers of Apollyon’s broken darts. We may know it by this to be the old battle-field.
III. We must fight with God’s weapons and armour.—Nothing less will do. Satan in his subtlety would provide us with armour against himself,—paper shields, wooden swords, spears of reed. He persuades us that we can combat evil by the appliances of modern intellect and science and civilisation. Let us beware. To try to suit religion to the spirit of the age, is to play into Satan’s hands. Only divine weapons will avail in a battle with the powers of darkness.
IV. We must fight in faith.—By faith we fight, and by faith we stand (2 Cor. 1:24). As men believing in Him who died and rose again, we fight. As men believing in the power and love of our Captain and King, we fight. As men who know that they are to be made more than conquerors, we fight. It is the fight of faith.
V. We must fight bravely, and to the end.—We must not turn back in the day of battle. We have no armour for our back. We must face the foe. ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ And this must be to the end, however long the warfare may be. The prize is not to the conqueror in one field, but to the conqueror at last.

Dr. Miller’s Duck Story

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.—Eph. 6:11.

The late Dr. Miller, of Princeton, as all his students will remember, abounded in anecdotes, which he related to his classes from year to year, to illustrate the points made in his lectures. One of them occurs to us, just now, as specially applicable to the new converts which have recently come into the churches within the bounds of our circulation.
A celebrated judge in Virginia was, in his earlier years, skeptical as to the truth of the Bible, and especially as to the reality of experimental religion. He had a favorite servant, who accompanied him in his travels round his circuit. As they passed from court-house to court-house, they frequently conversed on the subject of religion, the servant, Harry, venturing at times to remonstrate with his master against his infidelity. As the judge had confidence in Harry’s honesty and sincerity, he asked him a great many questions as to how he felt and what he thought on various points. Amongst other things, Harry told his master that he was often very sorely tempted and tried by the devil. The judge asked Harry to explain to him how it happened that the devil attacked him (Harry), who was so pious a man, so sorely whilst he allowed himself, who was an infidel and a sinner, to pass unnoticed and untempted. Harry asked, “Are you right sure, massa, dat he does let you pass widout troubling you?” “Certainly I am,” replied the judge; I have no dealings with him at all. I do not even so much as know that there is any such being in existence as the devil. If there is any such being, he never troubles me.” “Well,” said Harry, “I know that there is a devil, and that he tries me sorely at times.”
A day or two afterwards, when the judge had finished his docket, he concluded to go on a hunt for wild ducks on one of the streams which lay across his road homeward. Harry accompanied him. As they approached the river they espied a flock of ducks quietly floating on its surface. The judge stealthily crept up the bank and fired upon them, killing two or three and wounding as many others. He at once threw down his gun, and made strenuous efforts, with the aid of clubs and stones, to secure the wounded ducks, while he permitted the dead ones to float on, for the time, unnoticed by him. Harry, as he sat on the seat of the carriage, watched his master’s movements with deep interest, and when he returned said to him, “Massa, whilst you was a splashin ‘in de water after dem wounded ducks, and lettin de dead ones float on, it jist come into my mind why it is dat de debil troubles me so much, whilst he lets you alone. You are like the dead ducks; he’s sure he’s got you safe. I’m like de wounded ones, trying to git away from him, and he’s afraid I’ll do it; so he makes all de fuss after me, and jist lets you float on down de stream. He knows he can git you any time; but he knows it’s now or neber wid me. If you were to begin to flutter a little, and show signs like you were agoin’ to git away from him, he would make jist as big a splashin’ after you as he does after me.”
The illustration struck the learned judge with great force, and led him to reinvestigate the grounds of his skepticism; and, through Harry’s instrumentality, he was finally brought to sit with him at the feet of Jesus, and to learn of him. The illustration is a homely one, but it sets forth a great truth in the experiences of those who set out in the Christian course.

HOME SECURITY - Billy Graham

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. EPHESIANS 6:11

Is your home built on a solid foundation? Is your home secure? Or is it filled with tension? Is it about ready to break up?
The family is the most important institution in the world. It was God’s idea in the first place. It was not the idea of sociologists who thought it might be a good way to deliver the mail!
Families existed before cities and governments, before written language, nations, temples, churches.
In the home, character and attitudes are formed, integrity is born, values by which we live are made clear, and goals are set.
These last a lifetime.
Many people today are wringing their hands with fear and insecurity because far more than what they see happening on Wall Street or in Washington, D.C., is happening to our families and our homes.
The prophet Nehemiah said, “There is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall” (Nehemiah 4:10).
We see rubbish everywhere—rubbish on television and in films and magazines making fun of the home, making fun of marriage, one of the holiest of all institutions. (A well-known woman was asked on a national television program whether she believed in the institution of marriage. “Sure,” she said, “but who wants to live in an institution?” This is typical of the ridicule now being heaped on the home and on marriage, particularly by those who are divorced or live together without being married.)
Today, Satan is attacking the family as never before. But what are our defenses against such attacks?
As always, our best defense is the Word of God, referred to by the apostle Paul as the “sword of truth.” Put on the whole armor of God. Read the Bible together as a family. Have family devotions. Pray for one another daily by name. And most importantly, commit your marriage to Christ and make Him the center of your home.

  Our Father and our God, I lift up to You my family and my home. Please build a solid wall of protection around us, Father, so that Satan cannot break through and steal our unity and joy. I commit myself, my marriage, my children, and our home to You. Keep us in Your care through Christ our King. Amen.

John MacArthur - THE EXTENT OF SATANIC OPPOSITION

  “Stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

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Satan opposes everything God does.

The believer’s conflict with the forces of darkness is rightly called spiritual warfare since Satan and his evil world system are hostile toward everything God does. By nature they are anti-God and anti-Christ.
Satan is the antithesis of every godly attribute. God is holy; Satan is evil. God is love; Satan is the embodiment of hatred. God redeems His children; Satan damns his. Jesus reveals grace and truth (John 1:17), but Satan “does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
God gives life, whereas Satan breeds death (Heb. 2:14). God produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23). Satan produces “immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envyings, drunkenness, carousings, and things like these” (vv. 19–21).
God uses trials to prove the genuineness of your faith and to increase your joy and spiritual endurance (James 1:3). Satan uses temptation in an attempt to destroy your faith and silence your testimony. God grants freedom from the bondage of sin, while Satan wants to enslave you to sin for all eternity (2 Tim. 2:26).
Jesus is your “Advocate,” pleading your cause before the Father (1 John 2:1). Satan is an “accuser,” blaming you incessantly for things God has already forgiven (Rev. 12:10).
Because Satan opposes everything God does, he’ll also oppose God’s children. When he does, don’t be overly concerned or think of it as odd or unfair. Expect trials, be prepared, and rejoice, because they show you’re a threat to Satan’s system and an asset to Christ’s Kingdom.

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Suggestions for Prayer:  Thank God for the joy of knowing Christ and being free from sin’s bondage. ✧ Ask Him to use you today in a powerful way for His glory.

For Further Study: Read Romans 14:17 and 1 John 2:16–17. What characterizes the Kingdom of God? The evil world system of Satan?

No Place For The Devil 
Ephesians 6:11-18
April 8, 1997

A teacher in a Bible school gave his students an hour-long exam. They were to spend half their time writing about the Holy Spirit and the other half about the devil. 

One student wrote steadily for the whole hour on the first subject, the Holy Spirit, and then wrote at the bottom of his manuscript, "I had no time for the devil." 

That wasn't the way to get a good grade on an exam, but his comment does point us to the only way we can resist and overcome Satan. If we fill ourselves with God's Word, pray, and submit to the Holy Spirit, we will not "give place to the devil" (Eph. 4:27). 

The word place in that verse is significant. The devil cannot gain a foothold in an area of our life that the Holy Spirit controls. When we are saved, we receive the Holy Spirit, yet it is possible for a true believer to "give place" to Satan. The only remedy is to be "filled with the Spirit" (Eph 5:18), which means to be completely surrendered to the will of God. 

Before you launch out into the world today, have you stopped to read the Scripture suggested at the beginning of this article? Have you prayed? Are you filled? If so, go forth to conquer with the shield of faith and quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one (6:16). --M. R. De Haan, M.D.

There's victory o'er Satan and sin's dark shame,
Look only to Jesus, there's power in His name;
The devil can't harm you nor cause you to sin,
When you trust the Savior, the victory you'll win. --Anon.

The Christian who wields the Sword of the Spirit yields no ground to Satan

Weight Loss
Ephesians 6:11-17
March 8, 2005

The army of Alexander the Great was advancing on Persia. At one critical point, it appeared that his troops might be defeated. The soldiers had taken so much plunder from their previous campaigns that they had become weighted down and were losing their effectiveness in combat.

Alexander commanded that all the spoils be thrown into a heap and burned. The men complained bitterly but soon saw the wisdom of the order. Someone wrote, "It was as if wings had been given to them—they walked lightly again." Victory was assured.

As soldiers of Christ, we must rid ourselves of anything that hinders us in the conflict with our spiritual enemy. To fight the battle effectively, we must be clad only with the armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17).

The Bible also likens Christians to runners. To win the race, we must "lay aside every weight" that would drag us down and rob us of our strength and endurance (Hebrews 12:1). This weight may be an excessive desire for possessions, the captivating love of money, an endless pursuit of pleasure, slavery to sinful passions, or a burdensome legalism.

Yes, if we are to fight the good fight of faith and run the spiritual race with endurance, the watchword must be: Off with the weight!—Richard De Haan

Fight the good fight with all thy might!
Christ is thy strength and Christ thy right;
Lay hold on life and it shall be
Thy joy and crown eternally. —Monsell

If your Christian life is a drag, worldly weights may be holding you back.

Matthew Henry -Armor and Faith
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 
Ephesians 6:11
Make use of all the proper defenses and weapons for repelling the temptations and stratagems of Satan – get and exercise all the Christian graces, the whole armor, that no part be naked and exposed to the enemy. Those who would approve themselves to have true grace must aim at all grace, the whole armor. It is called the armor of God, because he both prepares and bestows it. We have no armor of our own that will be armor of proof in a trying time … Faith, as relying on unseen objects, receiving Christ and the benefits of redemption, and so deriving grace from him, is like a shield, a defense every way. The devil is the wicked one. Violent temptations, by which the soul is set on the fire of hell, are darts Satan shoots at us, as are hard or difficult thoughts of God and as to ourselves. Faith applying the word of God and the grace of Christ quenches the darts of temptation. Salvation must be our helmet. A good hope of salvation, a Scriptural expectation of victory, will purify the soul, and keep it from being defiled by Satan. To the Christian armed for defense in battle, the apostle recommends only one weapon of attack; but it is enough, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It subdues and mortifies evil desires and blasphemous thoughts as they rise within; and answers unbelief and error as they assault from without. A single text, well understood, and rightly applied, at once destroys a temptation or an objection, and subdues the most formidable adversary. Prayer must fasten all the other parts of our Christian armor

No See-ums
A famous explorer in South America was once driven back and forced to abandon his journey by an almost invisible foe. He was equipped to meet leopards and serpents and crocodiles. They proved to be no threat, but he had failed to reckon with the little fellows—the million of "chigoes" better known as "chiggers." They are so tiny that in North America we call them the "no see-ums."
Someone has composed the following ditty about these tiny invaders:
    Here's to the chigger, the bug that's no bigger
    Than the end of a very small pin;
    But the itch that he raises simply amazes,
       And that's where the rub comes in!
Today, watch the tiny things which may spoil your testimony. Remember, "he that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much." Be on guard against the "little foxes"—that evil thought, that hasty word, that burst of temper, that snap judgment which may bring defeat. Put on the whole armor of God by prayer, Bible study, and spiritual exercise, and you will be able to ward off enemies both large and small.
 

Satan's Discouragement
There's an old fable that says the Devil once held a sale and offered all the tools of his trade to anyone who would pay their price. They were spread out on the table and each one labeled. Hatred, malice, envy, despair, sickness, sensuality—all the weapons that everyone knows so well. But off to one side lay a harmless looking wood-shaped instrument marked "discouragement." It was old and worn looking but it was priced far above all the rest. When asked the reason why, the Devil replied, "Because I can use this one so much more easily than the others. No one knows that it belongs to me, so with it I can open doors that are tightly bolted against the others. Once I get inside I can use any tool that suits me best."

See: Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8

Envy
The MacLeods of Dunvegan on Scotland's Isle of Skye had a lovely castle, greatly envied by a related MacLeod of Assynt. He made a deal with the devil to provide for himself a finer castle, but the devil was in turn to receive MacLeod's daughter to be his wife. When the girl discovered that she was married to the devil, she pined away and died. Since her soul had not been promised to the devil, she was free. But legend says that her ghost still haunts the ruins of Ardvreck Castle on Lock Assynt. Legend, of course, but in real life many a person has sold himself or herself to the devil for far, far less.
 

My Achilles Heel  Ephesians 6:10-18  July 17, 2001

Nobody is temptation-proof. Even mature Christians have weaknesses in their spiritual armor that make them vulnerable to a wounding attack by the enemy of their souls. Our pride can provide the very opening needed for the sharp thrust of a satanic dart. So can the love of money, a quick temper, a critical tongue, or chronic impatience.

What, after all, is temptation? It's any enticement to think, say, or do something contrary to God's holy will. It may be a weak impulse or a powerful urge. It's anything that's against what God approves or desires for us.

The ancient Greeks told a story of a warrior named Achilles. His mother had been warned that he would die of a wound, so she dipped him as an infant in the river Styx. That was supposed to make him invincible. But she held him by one heel which the protective waters didn't cover. And it was through that heel that he received his fatal wound.

Each of us must ask: What is my Achilles heel? We need to know our weaknesses, where we could easily be wounded spiritually. Then, as we rely on the Lord for His help, we will be protected from "the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16). —V C Grounds

Leave no unguarded place,
No weakness of the soul;
Take every virtue, every grace,
And fortify the whole. —Wesley

Our greatest weakness may be our failure to ask for God's strength.

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