people of Israel (12: 1). From this and other places, including Eph. 6:, we can see

something of the great battle that is being fought between God and Satan and the powers

of darkness. It would appear that Satan has his emissaries over every nation, affecting

their policies and actions, and so has the Lord. Three times the Lord Jesus referred to

Satan as the "ruler (prince) of this world" (John 12: 31; 14: 30; 16: 11) and Paul calls

him "the god of this age" (II Cor. 4: 4). There is no doubt that the present world system

is being run by him, for "the whole world lieth in the evil one" (I John 5: 19 R.V.). As

the instructed Christian looks at world affairs all this throws light on what he sees going

on around him.

Now it is with this flood of evil spiritual rulers that Eph. 6: tells us that our wrestling

engages, not with our fellow man. Satan appears to have malignity against the Body of

Christ, for he sees in the heavenly destiny of this church a rival to his high ambitions in

the heavenlies. The more we appreciate the whole of this situation, the more we can see

the danger we are in "of ourselves", and how utterly hopeless it would be for us to try and

meet it in our own puny strength. However, we need not fear if we avail ourselves of the

armour which God has provided for our complete protection; and with this and Calvary's

work in mind, our final victory, through Him Who loved us is assured (Rom. 8: 37-39).

As we study this spiritual armour in detail, we note it consists of five pieces for

defence and one for offence. We might have expected seven, but we must remember we

are in a very imperfect age, and not until God's perfect kingdom is realized will the

spiritual meaning of "seven" be realized. The Apostle goes on to describe each piece of

the armour and its uses. It is significant that the first is truth and without this all the rest

is ineffective. This constant seeking for truth, the understanding of the rightly-divided

Word of God, must be the continued quest of the believer, if he wants to count in this

great struggle. Satan is the liar and the father of lies, some of which have permeated

Christendom today and the wise Christian will constantly check all he hears and reads by

the great Divine standard of the Word. There is no other way that he can be proof against

the deception of the evil one, and Christian witness and activity is fruitless divorced from

the truth of God. Of what can we be witnesses, if it is not God's truth?

Righteousness is to be the believer's breastplate.  In Isa. 59: 17 God Himself is

represented as putting on "righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon

His head", so Paul probably had these symbols in mind when he was writing this part of

the Ephesian letter. Righteousness in action, as well as imputed righteousness, is meant

here. These items of the spiritual armour are really the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5: 22, 23),

and unless these are manifested in our lives, we are in a dangerous position indeed, for

we are right open to the enemy's attack with his "fiery darts".

The feet, which speak of our walk, are shod with the "preparation of the gospel of

peace" (6: 15), not only that good news of peace with God which comes from being

justified by faith in Christ (Rom. 5: 1), but that God-given peace between each member

of the Body (Eph. 2: 15) which should constantly be manifested. In addition to these (not

above all these [A.V.], as though faith was more important than the foregoing graces) the

shield of faith, like the large body-shield that the Romans used, must be constantly used