So far Paul has been dealing with conduct, relationships and situations which are

common to all. But what of situations peculiar to the individual? It is here that so often

difficulty is experienced in knowing the Will of God. He continues (6: 10) "Finally, my

brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might". "Finally" is literally `of

the remaining': of those matters which are individualized and to which he has made no

reference. Nor can he do so, he can only say "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of

His might". Yet what more can he say? "Be empowered (or enabled) in the Lord", he

has already exhorted "Be clothed with (put on) the new man". But this is not all, for the

enablement is also "in the power of His might". The word translated `power' is the one

from which our democracy, theocracy are derived (kratos), and has the significance of

`power of mastery, or government', and in His might is the power to `master' any

situation which can arise; power to govern our every situation and action. Small wonder

then, that he continues "Be clothed with (put on) the whole armour of God". The

`armour' we need is Christ Himself, `that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the

devil'. Here the word translated both `that' and `against' is the little word pro which has

the general significance of `towards'. There are sometimes situations from which we

would choose to flee, to take `the line of least resistance', but Christ has the mastery in

such situations, and we should face `towards' them in `the power of His might', for in

them the devil is cunningly scheming for our downfall.

Paul reminds his readers (and us) that often, when personalities are involved, and,

perhaps, we fear to give a friend offence, we struggle not against flesh and blood, but

against spiritual beings, both of the highest and lowest orders, who are seeking our

undoing. On account of this, says the Apostle, take up the whole armour of God, the

panoply (the equipment of the heavy-armed soldier) of God. Once this equipment has

been taken up, every weapon of defence is at hand in order that ye may be able to stand

against in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. It has been pointed out that in

the inventory of the equipment which follows there is no protection for the back.

As we look in detail at the equipment available for us the whole panoply can be

summed up in the Lord Jesus Christ. First on the list is the girdle of truth; without the

Truth we have no prospect whatsoever of dealing with these difficult situations, yet the

One in Whose power and might we are to stand against(?) is the One Who claimed "I am

. . . . . the Truth". The breastplate of righteousness, what is this but Christ living in and

through us? The sandals of the preparation (or readiness) of the Gospel of the peace are

provided for us through `the blood of His cross' (Col. 1: 20); the shield of the faith, it has

been suggested, is Christ Himself (Jehovah said to Abraham, `I am thy shield',

Gen.xv.1); the helmet of salvation can come from none other than Christ Himself, and

the spiritual sword, which is the Word of God, speaks to us of Christ Who is Himself the

Living Word. When each member of the Body takes up the whole armour of God

`Praying always . . . . . with all prayer and supplication . . . . . for all saints' (18) a

formidable and invincible phalanx is formed. It is said that when Roman soldiers formed

close order with their long, oblong shields overlapping, no chariot was capable of

breaking their ranks; rather the chariot would be driven over them without harming