Why Most Men Get the Armor of God Dead Wrong – And How Standing in Christ’s Finished Victory Changes Everything for Your Fight as a Man

1,796 words, 10 minutes read time.

Brother, let’s cut straight to it. I’ve sat through more sermons on Ephesians 6 than I can count, and almost every one painted the same picture: you’re a spiritual Rambo, strapping on God’s armor to go toe-to-toe with the devil, swinging the sword to finally defeat him and claim your victory. It pumps you up, gets the blood flowing—like suiting up for the big game or heading into a tough job site where everything’s on the line. But here’s the hard truth I’ve come to grips with after digging deep into the text: that’s not what Paul is saying. Not even close.

The real message of the full armor of God isn’t about us gearing up to win a battle that’s still raging. It’s about standing firm in a war that’s already been decided—at the cross. Jesus disarmed the enemy, shamed him publicly, and triumphed over every dark power (Colossians 2:15). We’re not fighting for victory; we’re fighting from it. And as men—leaders, providers, protectors—this truth hits different. It frees us from the exhausting grind of trying to prove ourselves strong enough and calls us to rest in the strength of the One who already crushed the head of the serpent.

In this study, I’m going to walk you through three key truths that flip the script on how we’ve often heard this passage taught. First, we’ll look at the Old Testament roots showing this armor belongs to the Messiah Himself. Second, we’ll unpack Paul’s repeated command to “stand”—not attack, not conquer, but hold the ground Christ has taken. Third, we’ll see the prison context where Paul wrote this, staring at a Roman guard’s gear, and how he turned the empire’s symbol of domination into a declaration of Christ’s ultimate rule. By the end, you’ll see why so many of us have been wearing ourselves out swinging at shadows when we could be standing unshaken in the Conqueror’s strength.

I’ve wrestled with this myself. There were seasons when life felt like constant hand-to-hand combat—marriage strains, work pressures, temptations hitting from every angle. I’d pray harder, fast longer, quote more verses, thinking if I just armored up better, I’d finally knock the devil out. But exhaustion set in. Burnout. Doubt. Until I saw what Paul really meant: the armor isn’t for us to forge victory. It’s Christ’s own, handed to us because we’re in Him. That changed everything. No more striving like a lone wolf. Just standing like a son secure in his Father’s win.

The Armor Isn’t Ours to Build—It’s the Messiah’s Victory Gear Shared with Us

Let’s start where Paul draws his imagery: not primarily from the Roman soldier chained to him (though that’s coming), but from the Old Testament portraits of God as Warrior. Go back to Isaiah. In chapter 59, verse 17, the Lord Himself arms up for battle against injustice and evil: “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head.” Chapter 11:5 adds, “Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist.” And Isaiah 52:7 describes the feet bringing the gospel of peace. Sound familiar? Paul isn’t inventing this gear list. He’s echoing how the prophets described Yahweh coming to rescue His people, clad in divine armor to crush oppression.

Think about that for a second. The armor of God is first and foremost God’s armor—the equipment the Messiah wears when He rides out to defeat His enemies. Paul, writing to a church steeped in Jewish Scripture (even the Gentiles knew these texts), wants them to see: this isn’t generic battle kit. It’s the very armor Jesus wore when He went to the cross and turned the tables on every spiritual tyrant. Colossians 2:15 nails it—He disarmed the rulers and authorities, paraded them in shame, triumphing over them in His crucifixion and resurrection.

As men, we love the idea of suiting up ourselves, forging our own strength. It’s like rebuilding an engine from scratch—satisfying when it roars to life because you did it. But Paul says no. The belt of truth? That’s Jesus—”I am the truth.” The breastplate of righteousness? His perfect record credited to us. The shoes of peace? The reconciliation He bought with His blood. The shield of faith? Resting in His faithfulness. Helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit? He is our deliverance and the living Word. We’re not manufacturing this armor through more discipline or willpower. We’re putting on Christ Himself (Romans 13:14 echoes this).

I remember a time when I was leading a men’s group, guys pouring out struggles with porn, anger, fear of failure. We prayed warfare prayers, bound demons, declared victory. Some breakthroughs came, but many guys just burned out. Why? We were treating the armor like tools we wielded in our power, instead of clothing ourselves in the Victor. When we grasp that this is Messiah’s gear—proven in the ultimate battle—we stop striving like orphans and start standing like sons. The pressure lifts. You’re not the one who has to disarm the enemy; He already did. Your job? Abide in Him, let His victory flow through you.

This Christ-centric view anchors everything. The original audience—Christians in Ephesus facing pagan pressures, emperor worship, spiritual darkness—needed to know their God wasn’t distant. He had come in Jesus, won decisively, and now shared His triumph. Same for us. In a world screaming at men to hustle harder, prove yourself, this says: rest in the finished work. Lead your family, work with excellence, resist temptation—not to earn the win, but because the win is already yours.

Paul’s One Command: Stand—Because the Ground Is Already Taken

Now zoom in on the Greek. Paul hammers one verb four times in verses 11-14: “stand.” Not “charge,” “overcome,” or “destroy.” Stand. Withstand in the evil day, having done all, still stand. The word is histēmi—hold your position, don’t budge, remain firm. It’s defensive posture, like a lineman anchoring against a blitz, refusing to give an inch.

Why this emphasis? Because the decisive victory happened at Calvary. Satan isn’t an equal opponent still duking it out for supremacy. He’s a defeated rebel throwing tantrums, firing parting shots, trying to bluff us off the territory Christ claimed. Our struggle (verse 12) is real—against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers—but it’s asymmetrical. Like mopping up resistance after D-Day. The beachhead is secured; now hold it.

Men, we hate passivity. Standing feels weak, like surrendering the initiative. We’d rather go on offense—declare, bind, advance. I’ve been there, leading prayer walks, shouting decrees. Powerful in moments, but unsustainable. Paul says the real strength is disciplined restraint: submit to God, resist the devil, and watch him flee (James 4:7). Not because we’re tougher, but because the Stronger One lives in us.

Look at the original audience. Ephesus was magic central—Acts 19 shows books of sorcery burned, riots over Artemis. These believers faced real spiritual opposition: fear, temptation to compromise, pressure to bow to idols. Paul doesn’t tell them to launch crusades. He says stand—clothed in Christ’s armor—because the powers are disarmed. Their schemes (methodia—cunning tricks) can’t ultimately prevail.

Practically, this hits our male battles hard. Pornography ambush? Don’t scramble to fight harder in your flesh. Stand in the truth that you’re dead to sin, alive in Christ (Romans 6). Anger flaring at work or home? Hold ground in His peace. Fear of failure as provider? Helmet of salvation reminds you: secured eternally. The enemy wants you reacting, chasing shadows. Standing says: I know who won. I know whose I am.

One anecdote sticks with me. A buddy, former Marine, shared how combat taught him the power of holding a position. Advance too far without support, you get cut off. Dig in where command says, you win the day. Same here. Christ advanced to the cross, secured salvation. Our orders: hold that line in daily life.

Written in Chains: Paul’s Bold Reversal of Roman Power

Finally, the context that seals it. Paul pens Ephesians from prison—likely house arrest in Rome, chained to a Praetorian guard (Philippians 1:13). Scholars widely agree: as he dictates, he’s eyeing a Roman soldier’s full kit. Belt holding the tunic, breastplate gleaming, hobnailed sandals, massive shield, crested helmet, short sword. Symbols of Caesar’s unbeatable might.

Paul takes that image—the empire’s tool of control—and flips it. The real panoplia (full armor) belongs to God. Rome thinks it rules; Christ has triumphed over every authority, including the spiritual ones backing empires. The prisoner declares: I’m not bound by Rome. I’m clothed in the Conqueror’s gear.

This irony would’ve hit the original readers like a freight train. They lived under occupation, tempted to fear Caesar’s power. Paul says: look at your guard. His armor is impressive, but temporary. Christ’s is eternal, victorious.

For us men, it’s the same gut punch. We face “empires”—corporate ladders, cultural pressures to conform, personal demons whispering inadequacy. We feel chained: bills, expectations, past failures. Paul, literally chained, writes from victory. His circumstances scream defeat; his theology roars triumph.

I’ve felt chained—depression hitting hard, questioning my manhood. But staring at this text, I see: the armor turns weakness to strength. Prisoner Paul stands freer than his guard. So do we.

Wrapping It Up: Live as Men Who Know the War Is Won

Brother, the full armor of God isn’t a call to become super-soldiers defeating Satan through grit. It’s an invitation to stand in the Messiah’s finished triumph—His armor on us, His victory ours.

We saw the Old Testament roots: this is God’s own gear, worn by Jesus to crush evil. We unpacked Paul’s command: stand, because the ground is taken. We felt the prison irony: even chained, we’re clothed in unbreakable power.

This changes how we fight as men. Lead without fear-mongering. Love without striving to prove worth. Resist sin without white-knuckling. Rest in Him, and the enemy flees.

If this hit home, drop a comment—share where you’re standing today. Subscribe to the newsletter for more raw studies like this. Reach out if you need a brother in the foxhole. We’re not alone.

Stand firm. The Victor lives in you.

Call to Action

If this study encouraged you, don’t just scroll on. Subscribe for more bible studies, share a comment about what God is teaching you, or reach out and tell me what you’re reflecting on today. Let’s grow in faith together.

D. Bryan King

Sources

• 
  Enduring Word Bible Commentary on Ephesians 6 – David Guzik
• Ephesians 6:10-20 Commentaries – Bible Hub (Multiple Scholars)
• Ephesians 6 Commentary – Precept Austin
• Commentary on Ephesians 6:10-20 – Working Preacher (Clinton E. Arnold)
• Ephesians (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary) – Clinton E. Arnold
• Ephesians (Baker Exegetical Commentary) – Frank Thielman
• Ephesians (IVP New Testament Commentary) – Walter L. Liefeld
• Colossians 2:15 Commentaries – Bible Hub
• What is the full armor of God? – GotQuestions.org
• Are You Dressed in the Whole Armor of God? – Rick Renner
• The Armor of God in Historical Context – Roman Military Equipment
• The Armor of God: Stand Firm – The Gospel Coalition
• Put On the Armor of God – Desiring God (John Piper)
• The Armor of God – Ligonier Ministries (R.C. Sproul)
• Biblical Hermeneutics Discussion on Ephesians 6 Armor Context

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.

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Psalm 84:9-11 For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. For Abba  God is both sun and shield; God will give grace and glory…

Introduction

The author of Ephesians begins their final thoughts, weaving together all that has transpired. The Ephesians are reminded, once again, to remember and have hope and thus to pray standing firm on the ground of remembrance of Christ and hope in God fort hey are sealed unto God and Christ by the power the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1). There is great unity and wholeness for this sealed body of believers who are united together through memory and hope and prayer; the Ephesians are asked to look again at the absence of the division wall of the fence, of enmity and hostility, of laws that keep some in and some out (Eph 2). The exhortation to grow (Eph 3) echoes, the arduous task of bringing the outer person in line with the inner person is not a one-and-done thing; it is daily arising and intentionally (re)learning about God’s love made tangible in Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirt. The movement from doxology to praxis and ethics is once again solidified as our praise of God informs our activity in the world to the well-being of the neighbor which returns our ethical activity into doxology and the praising of God‘s name and bringing God glory because God’s love pro nobis (for us) is the bedrock and the source of our power in the world before God (coram deo)and before humanity (coram hominibus) (Eph. 4). The emphasis on the truth is affirmed again as the Ephesians are given real ways to participate in the cosmic battle between the truth of the reign of God and the untruth of the kingdom of humanity through keeping track on how their words and deeds toward and about others either builds up or tears down, being reminded that our words (especially) and our deeds (generally) participate in the sacramental nature of the communication of God’s grace to others (Eph. 4-5).

And now in these final exhortations, Paul describes the believer as a warrior, but not one laden with the weaponry of the kingdom of humanity with the intent to harm and destroy flesh and blood, but a warrior of the reign of God, clothed in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and absolutely, positively, dependent on God and God’s love, ready to go out, divine orders in hand, to participate in God’s mission in the world.

Ephesians 6:10-20

For the remaining time, be filled with power by Christ and in the strength of his ability. Be clothed in the complete armor of God so as to be able to stand firm against the wiliness of the devil. For the struggle against blood and flesh is not for us. Rather, [we are to struggle] with the kingdom of humanity, with authorities, with the ruler of this world of darkness, with the spiritual hosts of iniquity in the heavenly speres. (Eph. 6:10-12)

Paul begins these final remarks for this remaining time by exhorting the Ephesians to press into Christ, to find themselves empowered not by their own will power but by the power of Christ and in the strength of [Christ’s] ability.[1] Everything comes from God: it starts with God and it ends with God,[2] so goes Ephesians. [3] For what the Ephesians are going to stand to do in remaining times cannot be done by human strength alone, but only by the will and power of God through Christ by the Holy Spirit—the same power that turned death into life on Easter morning.[4],[5]

Following the exhortation to be strong in and by Christ, is: be clothed in the complete armor of God so as to be able to stand firm against the wiliness of the devil. This is the adversary against which the Ephesians must contend; this is why they are to press into the strength of Christ and his ability so that they can follow in Christ’s footsteps and refute the devil’s advancements at every point. Thus, they are to put on/be clothed in the offensive and defensive equipment of God;[6] this means they must take off the offensive and defensive equipment of the kingdom of humanity. Just as one cannot have two masters, one cannot be dressed in two version of complete armor. Just as the Ephesians are exhorted to ditch the lies and the untruths of the kingdom of humanity and adhere to the truth of the reign of God (contending with the old Adam within themselves so that the new Adam may be born anew[7]), so are they to be dressed appropriately in the panoply of God.[8]

Clothed as such, the Ephesians can confront the devil and his craftiness and not other human beings. For Paul writes, Because the struggle for us is not against blood and flesh. Rather, [we are to struggle] with the kingdom of humanity, with authorities, with the ruler of this world of darkness, with the spiritual hosts of iniquity in the heavenly speres. In other words, the Ephesians are neither to take up real weapons to fight against other human beings (uh oh, Church History) nor are they to take it upon themselves to defend God and legislate God’s will (uh oh, Christian Nationalists);[9] rather, they are to wrestle like athletes[10] against the advancements of the “devil” and the powers antagonistic to the divine revolution of love, life and liberation. I could say it another way, the Ephesians are to combat untruth with truth, light with not light, love with not love (etc.). This is a wrestling/boxing match that will last until Christ comes again, and not something human beings—no matter how well intended—can do of their own power. With this preparation, clothing, and orientation in the world, the Ephesians, says Paul, should be able to withstand in the toilsome day and stand accomplishing everything. What God has set out to do—reconcile the beloved to God’s self, bringing love, life and liberation to the cosmos—God will do; the Ephesians are invited in and encouraged to participate and stand firm during these dark days (today and tomorrow[11]),[12] fully dependent and made able by God.[13]

Then Paul lists the different elements of the complete armor of God: putting on the belt[14] of truth, putting on the cuirass of justice, binding under the feet the solid foundation of the good news of peace, and with all [this] taking up the large shield of the faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming javelins of the evil one, receive the helmet [of victory] of salvation and the dagger from the Spirit, which is the word of God. The Ephesians are exhorted to gird themselves and be led by God and God’s truth; they are not to be girded and lead away by someone else or untruth.[15] They are to be fully covered in protective armor by God’s righteousness which is God’s justice; not only do they have God and God’s justice on their side, they stand on and have truth binding them, being conformed to God’s will, to pursue what God pursues. This does not mean doing things in God’s name by baptizing human action as God’s will. Rather, it is to be the clay vessels through whom God brings God’s justice: life, love, and liberation. The Ephesians, thusly, stand on the gospel that is the proclamation of Christ and the work of Christ that brings peace—the elimination of dividing walls, enmity, and laws of division—the word that makes humanity one.[16] The Ephesians are to put out the flaming arrows of the evil one with their shield of faith, thus faith—see rightly by the power of God—can put out the destructive untruths of the kingdom of humanity; here, the Ephesians do not fight fire with fire,[17] but extinguish the lies by faith by speaking the truth in love.[18] They are to wear their helmet of victory because what God started God will finish and victory is already God’s; thus the Ephesians can enter their spiritual battles knowing their victory is secured.[19] Last, they are to use the one weapon they have, the word of God; [20] the goal is not to tear down but to defend the lives of others with the word of God, to build up, to protect, to advocate, to resist on behalf of the neighbor, to, ultimately, proclaim the good news that brings liberation to the captives.[21]

Paul closes with an(other) exhortation to prayer. Throughout the letter of Ephesians, prayer has been the backbone concept throughout the text.[22] Now it comes out full force, through all prayer and supplication, pray in the Spirit in all seasons, and toward this being awake with all steadfastness and entreaty on behalf of all the holy ones, and on behalf of me… Prayer is both the way the believer is clothed in the complete armor of God and is the seizing of the sword of God, the word—not purely scripture, but the living breathing word of life, love and liberation that ushers forth from God’s lips anew every day.[23],[24] It is the core of the life of the believer in the world who, facing both good and bad times, is the representative of Christ, thus of God among and with the beloved of God—thus, the exhortation to be awake[25] and with all steadfastness and entreaty on behalf of all…[26] The faithful representative of God brings God close the neighbor and, through prayer, brings the neighbor close to God.

Conclusion

So, beloved, Ephesians leaves us drenched and soaked in the presence of God. What started off with remembering and hoping and prayer, ends with them. We are, according to Ephesians, part and participant in this great cloud of witnesses that not only sees God’s glory but also gets to share in bringing that glory further and deeper into the world. You may feel insignificant for such a cosmic task, but you are the perfect and most precious breakable vessel spreading God’s mission in the world. Together here, through our minds and our hearts, we see, hear, and experience in the proclamation of Christ the destruction of the dividing walls, the elimination of enmity, and the rendering obsolete oppressive laws. Each week, according to Ephesians, we grow in this knowledge of divine equity and we grow more mature in our knowledge and love of God and as a community eager to reach out and support each other, to stand in solidarity together, to have compassion, and to care. Then we bring this very reality out into the world—each of us—as God’s representatives, charged with an invaluable charge to participate in God’s divine revolution of love, life, and liberation. And this brings us back here, again, to remember, to hope, and to pray. Our doxology becomes our praxis that comes back again as our doxology.

[1] Barth, Markus, Ephesians: Introduction, Translation, and Commentary on Chapters 1-3, The Anchor Bible Series (Garden City: Doubleday, 1971), 760. “…a power which comes to man from outside is meant, rather than an increase in strength flowing from internal resources.”

[2] Allen Verhey and Joseph S. Harvard, Ephesians, Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible, eds. Amy Plantinga Pauw and William C. Placher (Louisville: WJK, 2011), 249-250. “…’Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.’ The ‘in the lord’ signals the solidarity with the Lord, and ‘in the strength of his power’ displays that we have been made alive together with him (2:5). We have been raised with him; we are seated with him above the principalities and powers (2:6) it is not our own strength upon which we rely; it is God’s strength. But we must live in it! We mut perform our baptism, our being raised with Christ, our being united not only to Christ but to those who are different from us to those the culture of enmity has trained us to despise…”

[3] Barth, Ephesians, 760. “…no strength other than God’s own can fortify the saints…”

[4] Barth, Ephesians, 760. “They are ‘citizens…in the kingdom of the Messiah and God’ (2:19, 5:5); they live from the incomparable power that was demonstrated in the past through the resurrection of Christ and the subjugation of all other powers (1:19-21), and that will now and from day to day strengthen the heart of each individual. (3:16-19).”

[5] Barth, Ephesians, 760-761. “The strength available to them is the resurrection power; more briefly, God is their power in person. They can and shall rely on it, that is, on Him.”

[6] Barth, Ephesians, 761. Panoply “…often the term means the full and complete equipment of a soldier with weapons of offense and defense. …It can also serve as a summary description of all the apparel with which a woman ‘dresses up’ to show herself in public.”

[7] Verhey and Harvard, Ephesians, 250-251. “This is a cosmic conflict that is as old as sin. To be sure, it is a battle that is fought on the turf of every soul. A battle rages between ‘the old self’ and the ‘new self,’ a battle between our inclination to hate and despise and our participation in the peaceable difference of our creation and renewal. From the beginning the vision in Ephesians has been cosmic in scope and social and political in its implications. Here it would enlist us in a battle not only or our own souls but especially for the renewal of the cosmos and humanity.”

[8] Barth, Ephesians, 762. “The saints are ‘able’-bodied men not by nature, nor by one act of ordination in the past (e.g. by their baptism), but only inasmuch as again and again they take up the special armor given to them.”

[9] Verhey and Harvard, Ephesians, 251. “The final struggle is not ours to win; that is already sure and in God’s hands. But in the interim we are to resist the resistance to God’s cause. We are not called to defend God, not even called exactly to defend our own souls; we are called to defend the beachheads God’s cause has made, they displays here and there of a renewed creation and a new humanity, the places and times that bear the primes of God’s good future.”

[10] Barth, Ephesians, 763. “No doubt Eph 6 describes a ‘spiritual war’ and ‘spiritual weapons’; but rather than use the term ‘war’ (polemos) Paul chooses a concept that originally denotes the activity of an athlete.”

[11] Barth, Ephesians, 765. Darkest day may be just a reference to evil days in a regular life or “may indicate that even now is the last time.”

[12] Barth, Ephesians, 765. “….’taking up’ is sometimes a a technical military term. It describe the last preparation and final step necessary before the actual battle begins.”

[13] Barth, Ephesians, 766. “In Eph 6 far more emphasis is placed on readiness and firmness in the struggle than upon any actual human accomplishment during the battle. The good works which they will do according to 2:10 are prepared by God’ long beforehand.”

[14] Barth, Ephesians, 767. “girdle” belt “…the special belt or sash…designating an officer or high official.”

[15] Barth, Ephesians, 767. “For the strength of God’s power is promised to each of them, and the expression ‘gird one’s loins’ …is synonymous with the idiom, ‘gird with strength.’ The opposite is to be girded by someone else and to e led away involuntarily…or to be girded with a. rope or with sackcloth…”

[16] Barth, Ephesians, 771. “The ‘peace’ and the ‘gospel’ to which Eph 6:15 refers can only be the ‘peace made’ and ‘proclaimed’ by the Messiah which is described in 2:13-18. It is not a victory of men inside God’s kingdom over men outside it that make the saints stand ‘steadfast.’ Rather the Messianic ‘peace’ which has united and will further draw together ‘those far’ and ‘those near’ gives the strength to resist non-human, demonic attacks however spiritual their origin.”

[17] Verhey and Harvard, Ephesians, 255. “Compared to the armor of the Zealots and the Roman soldiers, this list of items—truthfulness and righteousness and the proclamation of the gospel of peace, faithfulness and the gifts of salvation and the word—is deeply countercultural. There is no confidence in the ordinary weapons of war; there is confidence in God. it is as deeply countercultural as peace and unity in the midst of the cultures of enmity that marked the life of the first century.”

[18] Barth, Ephesians, 774. “Instead of flame throwers and napalm-canisters by which the opponents and their strongholds might be burned, they are given shields which ‘enable them to quench’ (only) the fire thrown at them. The fiery attacks endured now are unlike the fire of the last judgment of God who which all men and all the creation will be exposed…”

[19] Barth, Ephesians, 775. “Most likely, a ‘helmet of victory’ is in mind which is more ornate than a battle helmet and demonstrates that the battle has been won: the saints are to ‘take’ this helmet as a gift from God. they go into battle and stand the heat of the day in full confidence of the outcome, with no uncertainty in their minds; for they were the same battle-proven helmet which God straps on his head…and which is defined by ‘impartial justice’ in…”

[20] Barth, Ephesians, 777. “Whether a traditional or a freshly inspired ‘word of God’ is in mind, this ‘word’ can be called the cutting edge of the Spirit—but it must be maintained that the word itself, not the Spirit, is the sword.”

[21] Barth, Ephesians, 777. “Therefore it is probable that the ‘word of God,’ which he calls a ‘sword,’ has to do mostly directly with the preaching of the gospel and with prayer, or is identified with them.”

[22] Verhey and Harvard, Ephesians, 258. “We are not surprised to find that the last world of the exhortation is an exhortation to pray. Prayer here, finally, is a form of watchfulness, of waiting and hoping for God’s good future. It is a way to ‘stay alert.’ But here too this form of attention to God, this waiting and hoping, is not simply passivity. Attentive to God, we are attentive to the one who makes us agents in God’s cause, the one who invites us to bless God, the one who invites our lives and our common life to be doxology, to be for ‘the praise of [God’s] glory’ (1:12,14).”

[23] Barth, Ephesians, 777. “In consequence, persistent ‘prayer’ can be the essence and modality of the whole process of arming oneself, or only of the seizing of the sword.”

[24] Verhey and Harvard, Ephesians, 255. “The Spirit’s sword is not simply identical with Scripture, at least not as an artifact that we can hold in our hand. It is rather the powerful and creative Word of God.”

[25] Barth, Ephesians, 779. “The purpose of staying awake is ‘praying,’ rather than putting on arms.”

[26] Barth, Ephesians, 778. “Nothing less is suggested than that the life and strife of the saints be one great prayer to God, that this prayer be offered in ever new forms however good or bad the circumstance, and that this prayer not be self-centered but express the need and hope of all the saints.”

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