appears to refer back to Eph. 2: 15 and 4: 3.  Anything that breaks the unity of the

Spirit, or that introduces the first element of faction, will trip us up in the conflict, and

well the evil one well knows it.

The girdle and the shield (under and over all).--To an Eastern whose garments were

loose and flowing, the girding of the loins was the initial act of preparation for service.

We preserve the figure in our saying "buckle to" when we would urge anyone to

diligence. The wiles of the devil can be met only by absolute sincerity. A secret doubt,

a double heart, anything outside the single eye entertains a traitor within the camp who

will betray us to the enemy. This feature has been brought forward in Eph. 4: 14, 15.

The "wiles (methodeia) of the devil", "whereby they lie in wait to deceive", are met by

"speaking the truth", or as the margin reads, "being sincere". The reference in Isa. 11: 5

speaks of righteousness and faithfulness in connection with the girdle, and we have

observed before that practically every word translated faith and faithful in the O.T. is

derived from the Hebrew amen, which also means truth. We have already alluded to the

LXX translation, and there is no doubt that truth, sincerity and faithfulness are absolutely

essential to the soldier of Christ.

The shield of faith.--Is this our faith or the Lord's faithfulness? The reference to

Psa. 91: not only indicates that our shield and buckler is the Lord's faithfulness, but

describes some of the "fiery darts":--

We are exhorted to "put on" the armour of God, to "take" the armour, the shield, the

helmet and the sword. Like the foolish virgins, it will be too late to start looking for

armour in the evil day. How ridiculous young David must have looked with the armour

of Saul upon his youthful limbs. David "assayed to go" for he had not proved them, and

wisely put them aside. Smooth stones taken from the brook he had proved, and with the

help of God they were more than sufficient. David's example should urge us to realize

that if we are going to "withstand in the evil day" we must "stand" now. How shall we

quit ourselves in the day of battle if we are strangers to the sword of the Spirit? How can

we hope to quench the fiery darts of that fight if we have never proved the efficacy of the

shield of faith? Our Lord, when tempted by the Devil in the wilderness, proved for us the

power of that sword and the reliability of that shield. We can only be more than

conquerors "through Him that loved us".

The present contest, though not the final battle, is not by any means a mere spectacle.

The word "wrestle" comes from pallo, "to shake", and the word wrestle itself means

"dust of meal", "ashes", "fine powder", etc. It is a wearing, grinding endurance, rather

than the brilliant charge. Patience and unquestioned sincerity are demanded and that