The Battle of Spiritual Warfare

Within this paper, I will be looking closer into the purpose of Ephesians 6:10-20, the Armor of God. Ephesians was written to both Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing unity within the Church through Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul wanted to encourage them to know God personally, the depth of His love, knowledge, and power, which came through His son Jesus. Paul illustrates this repeatedly throughout the letter of Ephesians so that the believers could be strengthened to act in what they know is true. Stated clearly, the main idea was that if believers realize the depth of God's love, they can stand firm in it. Upon Paul's ministry in Ephesus, many Ephesians had been worshippers of the goddess Artemis. Through this goddess Artemis, they believed she would provide for their protection. However, as some converted to Christianity, they were unaware of who would protect them. Paul writes to them to encourage the Ephesians amongst the Spiritual warfare present, urging them to seek God's protection and stand firm in Him. Ephesians 6 expresses ultimately how the Church is called to be a soldier with the Armor of God to stand against the Enemy's schemes. Those saved may use the power and wisdom of the Word and reliance on God's grace to bring them victory over Spiritual warfare for Christ's glory and for the sake of the mystery of the Gospel.[1]

Main Idea and Outline

Within Ephesians 6, three main points establish what summarizes the purpose of Paul's writing to Ephesus. The first main point we can address begins within verse 12 of Ephesians; it becomes evident that a powerful army wants to destroy Christ's Church. Therefore, believing in Christ makes Satan the Enemy. While Satan cannot take away our salvation, he can do whatever it is in his might to distract us from our purpose to further the Kingdom. Though we are promised victory, we will struggle until the day Christ returns during our time on earth. Within verse 12, Paul is bringing to our attention what our battle is against in this world. In the 21st century, our western eyes are not affected by our religions. We see our most outstanding issues driven by our physical relationships, financial burdens, work stress, etc. However, Paul emphasizes that our problems are not influenced by our circumstances but by the spiritual realm. In due course, what seems appealing to our society is certainly not an accident, and Satan wants to do everything he can to destroy Christ's Church.

The second main point is that Christ's Church has always been called to build each other up to withstand the Enemy, and it is the whole Church that is commanded to put on the Armor of God. (10-11) Each piece of Armor is given to stand against the schemes of the Enemy. We put on the Armor of God by first knowing the Truth (V.14), God's Word, and the person of Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Secondly, by living a life of Righteousness (V.14), we are not righteous on our own, but we can follow the example of the one who was. Thirdly, with readiness to share, letting the foundation of our life be the Gospel (V. 15), and fourthly, remaining steadfast and faithful in the promises of God as trials arise (V. 15)(Psalm 119:11). Fifthly, we are standing on the confidence of our salvation by placing in our mind the things above (V17)(Colossians 3:2). Finally, utilizing the Word as a weapon when attacked (V. 17).

The last main point is that our battle is fought through specific and fervent prayers as we are commanded to pray at all times. Within verse 18, we see the key to all of this in fighting the Enemy's schemes. Paul pleads for us to "pray at all times with our Armor on." As we experience spiritual warfare, our response should be strategic, exact, zealous, and personal to the event. We should be on our knees praying strategically over the discourses in our life. Praying with this fervency enables believers to use the Armor of God with the most impact. Therefore, we pray confidently and utter boldly in the name of Christ. We do so to understand the mystery of the Gospel. Our fight, prayers, and bold speech are all for the sake and glory of Christ Jesus. Consequently, even if we pray for God to change our event, we should also ask that we trust that God will use our trials for His eternal purpose, knowing that His plan will be accomplished

Historical and Cultural Context

While in prison in Rome (Acts 28:30) around AD 60-62, the letter of Ephesians was written by Paul (Ephesians 1:11). According to Ephesians 6:21, Tychicus was the one who delivered it to the churches in Ephesus on behalf of Paul. Based on Asia Minor, it is presumed that it was written for the churches there because of Paul's history of serving on mission (AD 53-36).[2] In Ephesus, Paul lived sharing the Gospel for two years. Many chose to follow Christ while Paul was ministering to them. Paul wrote a letter to them to encourage unity within the Church and stand on guard against the Enemy.

For 400-500 years, Ephesus was a renowned and prosperous land centered on a hub of business and trade. Immigrants from many countries flocked to this land because of its wealth. They introduced their worldviews, cultures, and religious beliefs to the Greek culture. Specifically, around 1100 BC, the Ionians came to the land and established with the Greeks. Their Ionian goddess called it their own, Artemis (Acts 19).[3] Artemis' was in massive effect during the ministry of Paul.

The believers within the Church were significantly affected by these practices, which explains Paul's determination in Ephesians 6 to be soldiers against spiritual warfare. Even though many converted to Christianity through Paul's witness, many carried old beliefs into their walk with the Lord. They lived in great turmoil of spiritual warfare and carried the weight of an old identity. While these false religions were apparent, Paul was persistent in reminding them that the love of God always overcomes evil. Overall, Paul points out that while only God can defeat evil, He has still equipped believers with the tools necessary to be strong and stand amidst spiritual warfare. He responds specifically to their needs in Ephesians 6:10-20.

Literary Context

Within some of the history already discussed, it is found that Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote Ephesians as a letter to the churches in Ephesus. The letter is written not as a narrative but to edify and admonish believers to strengthen their faith. We see Paul's traditional, Hellenistic writing in the opening and closing.[4] When viewing the structure of Ephesians is broken down into a few different parts, instruction (1:3-3:21), paraenesis (4:1-6:20), and commendation (6:21-22), each of which contains several genres, namely, didactic materials (2:1-22), a eulogy (1:3-14), prayers of thanksgiving (1:15-23), a doxology (3:20-21), and even hymnic materials (5:14).[5]

In Ephesians 6, we see a direct command to the believers. Before this command, Paul has written repeatedly about the power and love seen through the Gospel. He does this uniquely to strengthen the believers and unify them within the Church. Having been encouraged by the Gospel, believers could confront their fears and learn to rightly stand against the spiritual warfare corrupting their city, relationships, and beliefs. By rightly utilizing the Armor of God that Paul illustrates to them, the Church can stand against the Enemy's schemes and be unified with one another. There are certainly more genres and styles to be explored within the letter of Ephesians. However, for this paper, the literacy of Ephesians 6:10-20 will be further demonstrated.

Putting on the Armor of God

Within verse 10, Paul gives his final words to the Church, "Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength." we are immediately prompted to consider how only through the strength of the Lord can we persevere. To view these verses, we see right away that in the Lord, we are strengthened. Therefore, we must rely on the Lord as our source if we want to put on the whole Armor of God. Paul was not just writing to the individual but the entire Church. The Church as a whole is commanded to be armed. Because of this command, Paul says, "Put on the Full Armor of God." As the Armor of God is put on, we must keep it. The letter of Ephesians was written because Paul was calling the Church to unity so that together they could withstand the Enemy's schemes and push forward for the maturity of the Church.

Additionally, 1 Peter 5:8-9 tells us that Satan "Prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." However, Peter encourages the believers to be strong in our faith by encouraging them to stand firm "so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil." Therefore, from the beginning, we can know that the Church is called to build each other up to withstand the Enemy, and it is the whole Church that is commanded to put on the Armor of God.

Within this section of Ephesians 6, we see three times Paul commanding the Ephesians to "stand." With its following preposition "against" in verse 11, the Greek verb "stand" is a command to "hold your ground."[6] Holding our ground is a precise but valuable command of God. This command is not commissioning us into battle but instead commanding us to stand firm on what is already ours. The ground that we stand on is the Lord's. Therefore, we do not need to struggle to gain victory when we are already standing in it.[7] We know this to be true through Christ. His death, burial, and resurrection have claimed victory over all sin and death. As a result, we do not need to fight this battle. Because we have the Armor, we can stand firm in the victory that has been given to us. Knowing that this is not a battle we are trying to fight for success, we can note that each Armor piece is used explicitly for defense. Even though it can be used for offense, even the sword is a means of protection from an attack. Therefore, we know that by standing firm God will go before us. Additionally, we are not fighting for the battle, but we are fighting from the claimed victory.[8]

Within verse 12, Paul is bringing to our attention our battle in this world by stating, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens." Specifically, the original Greek translation for "forces" is defined as a ruler of this world.[9] Paul points out that while Christ has conquered sin and death, there is still an Enemy who inhabits this world and will do everything in His might to manipulate and scheme against us. However, to understand the text rightly, we must remember who Paul was writing to versus how we interpret the passage in our everyday lives. Ephesus was filled with pagan religions and mystical beliefs, and understanding the spiritual realm was a more accessible reality because it greatly influenced their culture.

In the 21st century, we are not affected by our religions. We see our most outstanding issues driven by our physical relationships, financial burdens, work stress, etc. Therefore, Paul emphasizes that our problems are not influenced by our circumstances but by the spiritual realm. With our own Western eyes, we tend to underestimate Satan's power. "Flesh and blood, skin and bones are not where your real struggles lie."[10] Even if we know the Truth, sometimes it is still difficult for us to remember where these attacks originate. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that the Enemy "disguises himself as an angel of light." In other words, he will use worldly situations to make our common and tangible reactions be every additional and not Him. The Enemy will influence us to worship what our culture deems as worthwhile. Whether that is our worth, money, or appearance, all of it appears attractive, but it is the arrangement of the Enemy. In due course, what seems appealing to our society is certainly not an accident.

The Enemy has a powerful army that wants to destroy Christ's Church. Therefore, believing in Christ makes Satan the Enemy. Though we are promised victory, we will struggle until the day Christ returns during our time on earth. While Satan cannot take away our salvation, he can do whatever it is in his might to distract us from our purpose to further the Kingdom. We can overcome it through the Holy Spirit, given to the Church (Matthew 16:18).

Verse 13 demonstrates that what has been expressed is the exact reason we need the Armor, "For this reason take up the full Armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand." The result must be to put on the Armor of God. The Enemy is not your family, friend, issues of this world, but your Enemy is the one who has come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). As a result, we waste our energy and time focused on worldly problems utilized for the Enemy. We cling to our resources, new diets, jobs, top tips in People's Magazine, or taking on family advice from Dr. Phil. We must stop fighting these spiritual forces with weapons that do not harm the source. We must put on a new lens to avoid misinterpreting the Enemy's schemes. We see the second " stand within the last portion of verse 13 and the second "stand." Paul urges us to stand against the Enemy, yet we can only stand in opposition to the Enemy's deceit once we have put on the Armor of God.

Preparing For What is Ahead

The Training: Belt of Truth (6:14)

The final "stand" is expressed at the beginning of the description of the Armor of God, reminding us that putting on this Armor is standing on the victorious ground. 2 Chronicles 20:17 again affirms this, "You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you."[11] Therefore, we hold our position first, "with Truth like a belt around your waist."

On a Roman Soldier, the belt was an essential piece. The belt had the purpose of holding everything together, all other pieces of his Armor are held together by this piece. Additionally, it strengthened their core. Because of their belt, they could stand firm, upright, and strong. It was the foundation, the first piece of Armor that a soldier would put on before going into battle.[12]

Paul was not praying that we would receive the Truth, but he already knew we had full access to it. The Church must know the Truth about who they are by understanding first who they are. Additionally, they must know where their identity lies. "God's standard and viewpoint about us must come first in our hearts and mind if we want to be effective in the battle against the enemy."[13] We know that Satan is the father of lies. For that reason, we have to be on guard about how Satan is misleading our perception of reality. Therefore, when they understand where their identity lies, they will no longer be persuaded by the Enemy's schemes, as verse 14 explains. Instead, they will stand confidently on the Word of God, which will propel them to be an agent of God's story.[14] At our core, we will stand firm, upright, and strong. When the Church is taught rightly, naturally, they will be exposed to absolute Truth. Paul later indicates this in Ephesians 6, where he describes the Belt of Truth which is seen as what holds everything together. Truth is the foundational piece. If the Church wants to participate in Christ's work actively, then our words and actions should reflect Truth. Those obediently walking in the gifts distributed to them will rightly guide the Church in that Truth (Proverbs 3:5-6). However, it is necessary to live in obedience to Christ rightly.

The Chest: The breastplate of Righteousness

Next, we stand with "Righteousness like Armor on your chest." The breastplate of a Roman Soldier was to protect the heart and other vital organs. In the Greek translation, the breastplate is thoraka, which specifically guards the thorax or chest.[15] This breastplate was usually made of bronze and was essential for the soldier as it protected him from a hit that could mean life or death. Just as the breastplate guarded the soldiers' hearts, our Righteousness also guards our hearts against the Enemy.

Proverbs 4:23 encourages us to guard our hearts above all else. We know that it is essential to defend it because our heart is the source of life or death. Its function in our body is vital, and anything that harms it could be detrimental. In the same way, just as our physical heart, we must know its physical health, so our spiritual heart is the center of our spiritual health. Therefore, Paul is calling us to righteous living to guard our hearts. By living in unrighteousness, we are feeding the desires of the flesh and allowing the Enemy to take root in our life. To protect ourselves from these schemes, we need to live in Righteousness. Righteousness is living by God's standards. Therefore, while we attain the Belt of Truth, the Breast Plate of Righteousness calls us to align ourselves with the Truth. We do this by living rightly according to the commands that God has laid out for us (Ephesians 4:1). Practically, we can incorporate spiritual disciplines in our life that will deepen our relationship with God and protect our hearts from the Enemy.

Additionally, we must hide God's Word in our hearts so that His Word can be the propelling component against the Enemy's lies. We also see how God Himself wears Righteousness like a breastplate according to Isaiah 59:17. We can see how our hearts are covered by Righteousness (Psalm 119:11).[16] By our relationship with the Lord, He has made us righteous.

The Feet: Gospel of Peace

Verse 15 tells us, "and your feet sandaled with readiness for the Gospel of peace." The soldier's shoes were vital for their foundation, and they even had nails across the bottom of the shoe to provide for them steadiness as they walked. Without their shoes, the foundation for their battle would not have been sturdy enough to keep them rooted. The literal Greek translates it clearly by emphasizing our need for peace, "for shoes, put on the readiness to preach the Good News of peace with God."[17] This peace with God is necessary if we want to persevere through the trials in this life. Satan knows that we cannot properly function without peace when troubles arise among family, friends, relationships, health, or financial stressors. We no longer walk in the victory handed to us when he steals our vacation.

Yet Jesus shows us in Mark 4 that He is perfect peace amid the most significant storm, and His peace is available to obtain at any time. Galatians 5 reminds us that through the Holy Spirit, we are given the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is peace. As believers, we have full access to this peace. Therefore, with these shoes on, no longer should we be paralyzed by discord or anxiety, but we will have the leisure to move forward. The soldier's shoes specifically were made so that it was challenging to walk backward.

In the same way, our faith is to move forward consistently.[18] We do so through Philippians 4:6-7, which states, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." We are to seek peace through prayer and supplication, and the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf and provide the peace that we need through His Spirit. Overall, our shoes offer protection and give us stability when we walk. Allow us to walk in rocky areas, mountains, or rain. When we are firmly rooted in our faith and walk in the peace of the Holy Spirit, we have created for ourselves a firm foundation and readiness to carry the Gospel.

The Body: Shield of faith

Next, Paul urges us to stand against the battle, "In every situation, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." A Roman Soldier's shield was about four feet high and made of leather. These shields were necessary to protect them against arrows shot at them. The attacked arrows had a flame lit at the end of them. When fired at a soldier, the breastplate would often protect them from the arrow but the flame with light them. Therefore, the shield can protect the soldier from the arrow and the flame. In the same way, our faith will help us withstand the Enemy schemes that may try to distract us. Our faith can resist temptations.[19]

Faith is when we make our every decision based on the belief that what God says is true. Our faith exposes in us if we truly trust God. Therefore, our actions must work together with our faith (James 2). If it is not, we will never see the benefits of our faith in our relationship with God. As a result, we know that because God is faithful to us, we too can actively live by taking up our shield of faith.[20]

Yet, we find affirmation and encouragement in our faith as we are united in the Church. The soldiers would often connect their shields when their opposing team would attack, and by joining together, they could withstand these schemes. As the Church, we are called to be united and come together with our faith connected to stand against the Enemy. Paul continuously reminded the Ephesians of the importance of unity within the Church. When we can encourage one another in our faith, we will find agreement and protection from the evil one.

The Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit

The final Armor pieces are described as the Word of God, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the Word of God." Specifically, the helmet for a soldier was a Skull cap made with iron and covered with bronze. The helmet is essential to protect the head. Like anyone who rides their bike, a helmet is necessary and riding without one, many would see it as ignorant. Therefore, the simple command is to put it on!

The helmet of our salvation represents our security. Once we know the Lord, we are secured in our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). While the helmet protects the head, our salvation also protects our mind. We can not live foolishly as those who do not wear helmets, and we cannot leave our minds exposed. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that the Enemy is after our minds. As previously mentioned, the Enemy will distort Truth and make us believe a lie. He does so by attacking us where we are vulnerable, our minds. Our thoughts often impact our feelings which then dictate our actions. Thus, if the Enemy convinces us to believe a lie that is not true, we will be making decisions off on deceit. Therefore, the helmet is to protect us from the Enemy's attack on the mind, and we can combat it by wearing the Word of God like a helmet. We can do so by meditating and memorizing Scripture. Scripture tells us to think upon noble, true, right, and pure (Philippians 4:8). We can do this by guarding God's Word in our hearts. Doing so encourages us to take every thought captive and replace it with the Truth of Scripture if we see it does not align with the Word of God.

The Key

Within verse 18, we see the key to all of this in fighting the Enemy's schemes. Paul pleads for us to "pray at all times with our Armor on." In the original Greek translation, the Word used is "Kairos," which can be defined as a specific and precise time for a particular event.[21] Therefore, our battle is fought through prayers. Paul then tells us how we should pray, "times in the Spirit with every prayer and request and stay alert." As we experience spiritual warfare, our response should be strategic, exact, zealous, and personal to the event. We should be on our knees praying strategically over the discourses in our life. Praying with this fervency enables believers to use the Armor of God with the most impact. Therefore, a strategic prayer is seen as praying "with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." In other words, our prayers are to be for ourselves and one another. We are to fight this battle alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will be able to live with a clear lens, knowing thoroughly and well where the Enemy may be tempting us.

Paul concludes in verses 19-20 with his request, "Pray also for me that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make the mystery of the Gospel with boldness. 20 For this, I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should." Paul did not ask for the Ephesians to pray that His chains would be removed, but instead, he asked that even in His circumstance, he boldly speak the name of Jesus. "One reads Paul poorly who does not recognize that for him the presence of the Spirit, as an experienced and living reality, was the crucial matter for Christian life, from beginning to end."[22] God will use every occasion for His glory, purpose, and will. Therefore, even if we pray for God to change our event, we should also ask that we trust that God will use our events for His eternal purpose, knowing that His plan will be accomplished even in our suffering. By calling on the name of Jesus, we will be able to walk confidently and freely, knowing that He has given us full access to the whole Armor of God. Satan has no authority over our lives when we call upon the name of Jesus. Therefore, we pray confidently and utter boldly in the name of Christ. We do so to understand the mystery of the Gospel. Our fight, prayers, and bold speech are all for the sake and glory of Christ Jesus.

Application

After studying the Armor of God, we must be ready to see how we can take what is learned and apply it to our lives. First and foremost, the Armor of God teaches us that we need to be in a community with God at all times. If we are not aware of the Holy Spirit, we will not know how the Lord is actively engaged in our lives. Therefore, we must make our life focused on God's teachings and desires. We need to allow Him to become the focus and center. We can do this by implementing spiritual disciplines in our life. Practically, this may mean spending time reading Scripture daily and being obedient to apply what we learn in our everyday lives. As our mind focuses on the things above, our life in itself will become a prayer. We can see this happen when we make a habit of having quick brief prayers in response to every situation. Remember that prayer does not have to be done in isolation. We can pray amid everyday circumstances.

We can practice specific and strategic prayer by writing it down so we do not forget. Write down on sticky notes detailed and strategic prayers. Pray for family members, relationships, friendships, ministry, work, etc. Put them in places you often go—a bathroom mirror, car steering wheel, folder, etc. When you see the sticky note, use it as an opportunity to pray for that person or situation. Another practical application is to journal your prayers. Write them down that way, and you can keep track of what you are praying for and see how God is working through that specific prayer. By doing these steps, we will begin to see what it looks like to sit in the Lord's presence, walk confidently in a life that honors Him, and stand firmly on the Word of God as the Enemy tempts us.[23]

Conclusion

Within this paper, we looked closely at Paul's message to the Church in Ephesus. Through this message, we were able to navigate how the Church should respond to Spiritual Warfare by standing firm on the Word of God. Specifically, when the Church puts on the Armor of God, it can stand against the Enemy's schemes. The good news is this, when it comes to the schemes of the Enemy, we as believers can overcome his allure through the power of God that works mightily in us. The challenging news is for non-believers. The Scripture contains no promise of help in overcoming these schemes for the unsaved. Indeed, until one repents of his sin and accepts by faith Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, he has no access to the Armor of God. But those who are saved may use the power and wisdom of the Word to stand and rely on God's grace to bring them victory over Spiritual warfare. Even over Satan's most subtle and compelling temptations, we can say no, not today, I am a child of God, and I can put on the Armor of God and live to bring Him glory.

Bibliography

Coekin, Richard. Ephesians for You. New Malden: The Good Book Company, 2015.

Eckel, Paul T. "Expository Articles: Ephesians 6:10-20." Interpretation 45, no. 3 (1991).

Fee, Gordon D. Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic,

2011.

Hoehner, Harold W. Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker

Academic, 2009.

NLT Study Bible. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.

Nee, Watchman. Sit, Walk, Stand: The Process of Christian Maturity. Fort Washington, PA:

CLC Publications, 2015.

Padfield, David. "'Soldiers of Christ, Arise.'"

https://www.padfield.com/acrobat/sermons/gospel_armor.pdf. Accessed November 12, 2021.

Shirer, Priscilla Evans. Fervent. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2016.

Shirer, Priscilla Evans. The Armor of God. Nashville, Tenn: Lifeway Press, 2015.

Smith, Johann O. "The Whole Armor of God: Commentary on Ephesians 6." Active Christianity,

October 25, 2017. https://activechristianity.org/whole-armor-of-god.

Zodhiates, Spiros. Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: Key Insights into God's Word: NASB,

New American Standard Bible. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2008.

[1]Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), pp. 81. [2] Richard Coekin, in Ephesians for You (The Good Book Company, 2015), pp. 8. [3] Harold W. Hoehner, Ibid. . [4] Hoehner, pp. 70. [5] Ibid, pp.76-77 [6] Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: Key Insights into God's Word: NASB, New American Standard Bible (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2008). [7]Watchman Nee, Sit, Walk, Stand: The Process of Christian Maturity (Fort Washington, PA: CLC Publications, 2015). [8] Shirer, Ibid. [9] Spiros, Ibid. [10] Priscilla Evans Shirer, Fervent (Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2016). [11] English Standard Version [12] Goheen, Ibid. [13] David Padfield, “‘Soldiers of Christ, Arise,’” https://www.padfield.com/acrobat/sermons/gospel_armor.pdf, accessed November 12, 2021 [14] Goheen, pp. 5 [15] David Padfield, Ibid. [16] David Padfield, Ibid. [17] Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: Key Insights into God's Word: NASB, New American Standard Bible (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2008). [18]NLT Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008). [19] Carol Steam, Ibid. [20] Richard Coekin, Ibid. [21] Priscilla Evans Shirer, Fervent (Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2016). [22]Gordon D. Fee, Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 1996), xiii, emphasis original. [23] Watchman, Ibid.