This verse is very important to every Christian because we are reminded that in ALL circumstances, faith will get us through. The question is, faith in what? Verse 10 says, "..be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might." Again, it is not our strength that gets us through tough times, it is our complete dependance on the Lord. We all need to remember, but not be afraid of verse 11, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
This last verse can be confusing but it is there to let us know that there are forces that are against us, which is the opposite of God who is for us. Evil exists and it hates us the opposite of how God loves us. Evil wants us to deny God. It masks itself so that we blame God and are mad at him when it was not his doing. What in the world was that last sentence about?
Read for yourself Job 1:6-12. This verse is the reason for the book of Job which has been called the most depressing book in the bible. We are told that Satan was before the throne of God (yes, he was then and is today) God ALLOWS Satan to test Job, but God is not the one who does the evil. Job looses everything but his life. Even his "friends" say to curse God and die. Job was tempted but in the end praises God. The last paragraph in this book says that in the end the Lord restores Job's fortune and his health, and "Job died, an old man, and full of days".
I know that God did not give me cancer, but he has allowed it. Am I upset or mad at God for this? May it never be so! Cancer has brought he even closer to him. We were made so that we can love him. Heaven will be, well... heaven, because we are with the one who loves us dearly and the way we go through life here on earth will bless us when we see him face to face. Our reward for our trials. I do not want to be one who deserts the only one that will give me relief.
Back to Ephesians 6. My pastor of 20 years would refer to this passage as the "most misunderstood" passage in the bible. There really are "spiritual forces of evil" but there are also angels who's jobs are to minister to us. The whole point of what I am saying today is what my pastor said about Ephesians 6 and it is this: Satan attacks us in two ways: Affliction and/or deception. If we do not know what God says, do not read the bible, do not pray, Satan can easily deceive us. He is also the one who can cause affliction, in other words, can afflict our health. This is why I know without a doubt, my cancer is not from God, it is from Satan. Think about cancer. It hides in the dark and grows without our being aware of it, until for many, it is too late. It is death. It is fear. Just as cancer is death, so is Satan. He does not want anyone to believe God. Verse 13-17 tells us how to resist Satan.
One last thing. I had a hard time understanding "spiritual forces" and could not get a handle on what was being said until I read a Christian fiction book by Frank Peretti called "This Present Darkness". I suggest this book. See for yourself, but read it as fiction, using the Bible as the foundation for truth.
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