The Weapons of Our Warfare

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

Eph. 6:18 Amp. Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

This is a powerful passage about the spiritual conflict we are all involved in. There are obviously dark forces at work behind the scenes of our world which is apparently spinning out of control. Drug addiction, immorality at epidemic levels, unchecked crime rates, and political leaders manipulating our society deeper into the mire. The solution to our dilemma, as Paul said, is not carnal but spiritual. The weapons of our warfare are not natural talents or brilliant plans of reclaiming the glory days long passed by. Our weapons, or our armor is spelled out by Paul as Christ Himself. Putting on Christ is our only defense as well as our only effective weapon in this cosmic battle. In this verse Paul brings the passage to a striking conclusion, we put on Christ by praying in the Spirit. That is our defense, that is our weapon. Here is how Simpson explains it.

“The artillery of prayer is important. “And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me” (Ephesians 6:18-19). This brings into play all the armor already described, and best of all, brings God into the action and covers us with His presence and almighty power. It will be noticed that the moment He gets us to pray, the devil disappears from the scene. The battle seems to be over, and we even stop praying about ourselves and our conflict. But the whole scene ends in prayer for others, and a high and holy unselfishness that loses itself in the cause of God and the needs of others. This is literally true. Satan runs away from a saint upon his knees; and when we become occupied with God in prayer, we are lifted to a sphere where the dragon cannot reach us. This is not so much the act of occasional prayer under some emergency, but it is the habit of prayer that is here described, a life encased in prayer, the spirit armored in God’s overshadowing presence, so that it is impenetrable and unapproachable by the devil’s wiles or wicked assaults.”

This is what The Lord told Moses, the battle is not yours, the battle is the Lord’s. Our struggle is to put on Christ in prayer, after we accomplish that, it is a piece of cake. The devil has never been a match for The Lord. He is a fallen, created being relying on trickery for his victories. When we pray in the Spirit we are being equipped with the supernatural power of God, it then becomes impossible to be defeated.