Ephesians 6:11

To be strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10) the Christian must "put on" (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:8) the full armor that is God’s. He supplies it for the believer (cf. Isaiah 11:5; Isaiah 59:17).

"Both commands are conspicuous examples of the balanced teaching of Scripture. Some Christians are so self-confident that they think they can manage by themselves without the Lord’s strength and armour. Others are so self-distrustful that they imagine they have nothing to contribute to their victory in spiritual warfare. Both are mistaken. Paul expresses the proper combination of divine ennabling [sic] and human co-operation." [Note: Stott, p. 266.]

The purpose of accepting the equipment that God provides for waging spiritual warfare is essentially to withstand all of Satan’s attacks. In the context of this epistle the aim of Satan in view primarily has been the disunity of the body of Christ. However what Paul said here doubtless applies to all of Satan’s aims and attacks. These offensives come to us from a very intelligent and experienced strategist, and they are frequently deceptive (cf. Ephesians 4:14).

From other Scripture we know that Satan is behind many of our temptations, having received permission to assail us from God (e.g., Job 1-2). He uses the world system and our flesh (sinful nature) as his tools. He also attacks us directly himself and through his angelic emissaries. God has given us specific instruction in Scripture about how to combat these attacks. We are to resist the devil (1 Peter 5:8-9), flee the temptations of the world system (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22), and deny the flesh (Romans 6:12-13; Romans 7:18-24; Romans 8:13). How do we know the source of a given temptation so we can respond to it appropriately?

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. Genesis 3; Matthew 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 (Romans 7). [Note: See J. Dwight Pentecost, Your Adversary the Devil, and C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, for further insight into the devil’s strategies.]

"A thorough knowledge of the enemy and a healthy respect for his prowess are a necessary preliminary to victory in war. Similarly, if we underestimate our spiritual enemy, we shall see no need for God’s armour, we shall go out to the battle unarmed, with no weapons but our own puny strength, and we shall be quickly and ignominiously defeated." [Note: Stott, p. 263.]