In these verses our attention is first attracted by the word “finally” in verse 10. The final words of this epistle remind us of those spoken at the beginning. As we are enlightened concerning our “spiritual blessings in heavenly places” in verses 3 to 14 of the opening chapter, so are we warned concerning our spiritual enemies “in high places” in these verses of the closing chapter.

The members of the church, which is Christ’s body, are seated “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6); therefore, both our blessings and our warfare are in the heavenlies. This position we have in our risen Lord gives us a clear title to all spiritual blessings in the realm of glory, and it also gives us free access to all the strength, power, and might of our Lord, who has triumphed over our enemies, “made a shew of them openly” (Colossians 2:15), and is now seated “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion” (Ephesians 1:21). Such divine provision makes its entirely possible for every saved person of this age to fight a good fight, finish his course, and keep the faith.

Let us meditate upon verses 10-13, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

These words of instruction are given to every member of the body of Christ. We are warriors and God expects us to fight. He wants us to be daring in battle for His glory. Like David of old, we should discard the armour of Saul and “put on the whole armour of God.” Above all things, we are to remember that our enemies are not “flesh and blood;” but principalities, and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Such enemies are too much for the arm of flesh and for carnal weapons. It takes the “whole armour of God” to enable us to “stand against the wiles of the devil” in this “evil day.”

The whole armour of God is defined in verses 14-17, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:”

Each piece of the armour, referred to in the above quotation, is defined elsewhere in the Word of God as being Jesus Christ Himself—

  • The girdle of TRUTH about our loins (verse 14) is the One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).
  • Our breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS (verse 14) is none other than “Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (I Corinthians 1:30-31). We can say with Jeremiah of old, He is “The Lord our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).
  • Our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of PEACE” (verse 15) is suggestive of our walk in Christ, who is spoken of in Ephesians 2:14 as being “our peace.”
  • That shield of FAITH, wherewith we are able to stop anything thrown at us by Satan (verse 16), is “the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8), none other than “Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
  • Our helmet of SALVATION (verse 17) is clearly defined in the words of the Psalmist, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalms 27:1).
  • Our sword, the WORD OF GOD (verse 17), is the Word who was “made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Thus we see, that to “put on the whole armour of God” is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the full meaning of Paul’s admonition to the Romans in chapter 13, verse 14, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

It is one thing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is entirely another thing to put Him on and wear Him in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation, using Him as the whole armour of God to give you victory in the day of battle. How foolish to try to live without Him when we are privileged to put Him on. The reason so many do not put on Christ is because it is impossible to put Him on until you have put off self. This truth is clearly set forth in Ephesians 4:22-24where we are told to, “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” God requires us to put off the old man as we put on the new man, and He stands ready to furnish the sufficient grace for the full accomplishment of the change.

Those who have put on Christ, the whole armour of God, are admonished to engage themselves in constant “prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (verse 18). Paul coveted the prayers of this group for himself and his ministry, “that utterance” would be given unto him that he might open his mouth boldly, “to make known the mystery of the gospel,” for which he was an ambassador in bonds (verses 19-20).

Paul loved Israel, his kinsmen according to the flesh, so dearly that he could wish himself “accursed from Christ” for his brethren (Romans 9:3). “The hope of Israel” was so precious to him that he was willing to be bound with a chain in order to make it known to his people (Acts 28:20). He was, indeed, one of the “able ministers of the new testament” (II Corinthians 3-6), which God made “with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Hebrews 8:8), but never with the Gentiles nor the body of Christ. As a minister of the new covenant, he “expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets” (Acts 28:23). At that time, he was preaching “the hope of Israel” which was to be realized under the new testament, or covenant.

Upon Israel’s final rejection of the new testament kingdom and after Paul passed judgment upon them (Acts 28:23-27), he said, “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it” (Acts 28:28). This verse marks the setting aside of National Israel and the beginning of Paul’s heavy burden concerning the church, which is the body of Christ. Up to Acts 28:28, he was bound with a chain “for the hope of Israel.” After Acts 28:28, he was “an ambassador in bonds” for the “mystery of the gospel.”

This explains why Paul urged the believers at Ephesus to pray for him, that utterance might be given unto him “to make known the mystery of the gospel.”

Only those who have on the whole armour of God, and who are constantly praying, and who “love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” will be numbered among the warriors who preach “the mystery of the gospel” and Scripturally practice “the fellowship of the mystery.”

The benediction, recorded in verses 23 and 24, is indeed comforting—”Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.”