Defeating Darkness | Insights from Ephesians

Grasping the heights of Ephesians 5 and 6 presents to us all the divine institutions of God. Paul emphasizes the importance of divine institutions and that each would be filled with the Spirit in us. These include the church, marriage, family, labor, and government. Each institution echoes eternal truths. Yet, Ephesians chapter 6 unlocks a profound understanding of spiritual warfare provoked by rulers in “high places”. These rulers, undoubtedly, seek to corrupt each institution by filling and influencing with its own spirit. As we consider other texts on the divine institution of government, we include Romans 13. We read in Romans 13 of the earthly authority and “higher powers.” The chapter also introduces “the works of darkness.” The dual perspectives of Romans 13 and Ephesians 6 invite believers to view the battlefield differently. They should see it as a deeply spiritual arena, not a physical one. Recognizing where to fight—against spiritual adversaries influencing earthly powers—and where to refrain from conflict against flesh and blood. Such texts guide us to stand firm in doing good. We are called to and granted to stand fast. We are equipped with the armor of God. When we put it on we are strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Truly, we put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Engaging in this good fight with spiritual tools aligns our battle strategy. We focus not on physical adversaries. Instead, we concentrate on spiritual darkness, seeking to corrupt and influence.

The Nature of the Fight

We are called to a spiritual battle as Christians. It is not a fight against flesh and blood. Instead, it is against spiritual wickedness in high places. The true battleground is our mind and heart. The enemy seeks to influence and corrupt our thoughts with darkness. The enemy tries to deceive our attitudes. Our adversary uses the world’s course to lead us away from God. Satan and his cohorts promote ideas and philosophies contrary to the truths of the gospel. Hence, our primary weapons cannot be of this world. Instead, they are mighty through God. These weapons consist of spiritual armaments like truth, righteousness, faith, and hope. It is through taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ that we engage effectively in this good warfare. Understanding this battle’s nature strengthens us. We stand firm by not conforming to the world. Instead, we transform by renewing our minds in God’s Word. It also informs us of what our enemies don’t do. They don’t fight. They are skilled with their father, the devil’s influence in their life. They act as the offspring, holders, and propagators of his course and affluence. This is the reality for all before Christ. Before Christ, we were not just in darkness, but “darkness” itself.

In the spiritual realm, the nature of fighting is profoundly distinct from the battles we envision in the physical world. It’s easy to get caught up in images of armor and weaponry, like the breastplate, shield, and sword. Yet, in Ephesians 6, Paul reveals that our true adversary can’t be confronted with mere physical strength or steel. This fight is unique—it’s spiritual warfare. Paul masterfully contrasts the familiar with the divine. He shows us that while external armor protects the body, the armor of God safeguards the spirit. Here, Paul once again provides the answer to his Ephesians 3 prayer. This answer is that Christ would dwell in your hearts by faith. As a result, you should be strengthened in your inner man. The breastplate we wear is not of metal but of righteousness, protecting our hearts from the wiles of the adversary. We must grasp the spiritual nuances. We must recognize that our battle is against darkness, principalities, and powers. This requires us to stand by faith. Rather than relying on the might of man, we are armed with the might of Christ. As we don this divine armor, we aren’t just preparing defensively. We are also equipped with an offensive arsenal. God’s truth is to be embedded in our hearts. It assures us that no spiritual power can penetrate His defense for us. When we truly put on Christ, we know that no angel can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. No principality nor power can either. We are called not just to know these truths. We must also wield them as we engage in this spiritual battle. Our understanding is not born of flesh but of faith.

We become good soldiers of Christ when we believe the gospel. By doing so, we join the good fight. Yet, the warfare didn’t start upon our salvation. The origin of the spiritual fight dates back to a time before us. It began before our salvation. It started with an ancient, cosmic rebellion. Lucifer initiated this rebellion. He was the once-illustrious cherub who let pride swell within his heart. Ezekiel 28 paints a vivid picture of Satan, who was once a beautifully created cherub. He was filled with wisdom and beauty. His heart became corrupted by reason of his brightness. This pride didn’t stay a personal flaw, but became a viral deceit spreading through the heavens and onto the earth. Satan’s “trafficking” involved spreading corrupted wisdom to all creatures in heaven and on earth. These ungodly ideas and deceptions captivated principalities and powers in the heavenly places and influenced the earthly domain through its co-regents, Adam and Eve. Satan mastered the art of beguilement, first deceiving Eve with subtlety, thus corrupting her mind. This foundational deception was not just a moment in Eden. It served as a blueprint for his future schemes against mankind. His enduring method lies in his ability to manipulate truth craftily, presenting lies disguised as enlightenment. In Ephesians 6, Paul identifies this slyness as “wiles.” This is a strategic cunning, a cunning craftiness. It can only be countered by putting on the whole armor of God. The adversary’s world is one of darkness. He uses methods like philosophy, vain deceit, and alluring ideologies. These are used to blind the minds of the unbelieving and get the Christian to fall asleep and walk in darkness. The result is a world filled with those who embrace his corrupted wisdom and even Christian’s in his snare. Many unwittingly become carriers of this spiritually lethal deception. They are swayed by its promises and pleasure while stepping further from God’s truth.

This notion of spiritual deception highlights the essence of the struggle. The devil and his angels are not merely individual entities sowing chaos. They are part of a larger system of spiritual wickedness. This system manipulates, invades, and often evades flesh and blood. These spiritual combatants thrive on blinding the minds of the unbelievers and entrapping believers in spiritual complacency. The battle is not just against visible enemies. It is also against the philosophical and spiritual falsehoods deeply rooted in darkness. Satan has meticulously spread these falsehoods throughout the world. Throughout history, he has cleverly repackaged lies and errors. These tactics lead the world to think there is some new issue. In reality, nothing is new under the sun. It’s the same old lie he manufactured, developed, and refurbished in some new guise.

Recognizing Satan’s trafficking is crucial in understanding why believers are urged to “put on the whole armor of God.” It emphasizes the profound spiritual nature of this battle, which requires spiritual defenses—truth, righteousness, and salvation. While the dominion of darkness strives to ensnare hearts and minds, believers are called to stand firm against these broader spiritual onslaughts. The victory lies not only in overcoming personal temptations. It also involves maintaining clarity in the truth of the gospel. This must be done amid an environment steeped in deception.

In this spiritual warfare, the combatants are clearly defined. They are those on the side of the Lord and those aligned with the adversary, the devil. We, as believers, stand strong in the Lord. We are united with our brethren. We are equipped with spiritual armor. This helps us withstand the cunning strategies of the devil. This battle is not against flesh and blood; rather, it is against principalities, powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The devil and his angels use the tactics of darkness, weaving spiritual deceit and corrupting wisdom to ensnare and bewilder. This opposition not only seeks to engage us in direct confrontation. It aims to deceive us subtly. It tries to pull us away from the simplicity and truth found in Christ.

On the other hand, the devil’s forces work through flesh and blood. They manipulate the children of disobedience according to his malevolent purposes. It’s crucial for us to recognize that when we encounter individuals spreading darkness and false wisdom, we’re not merely dealing with humans. We are confronting their own deceit or intricate spiritual influences. Both are vain. These are unconsciously or consciously embraced. And yet, while this battle is deeply personal, given that it involves people we ultimately wish to reach with the gospel, it isn’t personal in the sense of harboring animosity. Instead, our approach is permeated by love. For those on the side of the Lord and with the Lord, we aim to guide, persuade, and reveal the truth and the light of God. We stand against their evil, are not overcome by it, but overcome it with good. We extend an invitation for them to switch sides from serving the adversary to following the Father. The herald a message and embody a life characterized by truth, meekness, and sacrificial love.

In the spiritual battle we face, our response must be anchored in the understanding that this is not a struggle against flesh and blood. Instead, it is a struggle against principalities and powers that have set themselves against God. We are called to equip ourselves with the whole armor of God. This helps us stand our ground. It also enables us to discern and combat the deceptive wiles of the devil. When we recognize the spiritual nature of this warfare, it compels us to engage not through physical might but through faith, strength, and power in the Lord. In this fight, our thoughts and intents must align with God’s truth. They should be rooted deeply in the Gospel and enlightened by the Spirit from God’s Word. This alignment allows us to confront the lies of the adversary with the light of divine understanding.

In our spiritual walk, the battle we face is not a sporadic skirmish. It is a relentless and ongoing conflict. This battle demands our attention every single day until our final breath or Christ’s return. These rulers aim to darken our hearts. We fight not with earthly weapons but with the whole armor of God, wielding truth, righteousness, and the Word in a warfare that targets our thoughts and challenges the very fabric of our convictions. The measure of our fight is found in the steadfastness of our faith and resilience in applying God’s Word to life’s circumstances. The ultimate goal and purpose of this struggle are profoundly significant: not only to stand firm in Christ but to be a beacon of light, drawing others from the shadow of sin into the saving grace of the gospel. In this way, our battle is not only for personal victory. It is also for the salvation of souls. We bring glory to God through the transforming power of the gospel.

As believers, we are entrusted with the Gospel of peace. It is the very tool we wield to transform not only our own hearts but also to reach those trapped in darkness. This fight demands that we be vigilant and conscious of our spiritual condition, continuously renewing our minds through prayer, meditation, and Spirit-intentional obedience to God’s Word. Our response, then, should be proactive. We must take every thought captive. We should evaluate our actions and motivations in light of God’s righteousness. In doing so, we illuminate the path for others. We invite them to switch allegiances from darkness to light, from death to life. We embody the truth that in Christ, we don’t merely survive but thrive as overcomers. So go fight the good fight within the good warfare as a good soldier of Jesus Christ!