“ Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil." Ephesians 6:11 AMPC
God always makes it clear and unambiguous what we are in for. He does not leave us in any doubt what His call upon a man's life means. God had made it clear through all the ages that His call on a man's life will demand something which the natural man is unable to initiate, produce, or sustain. The natural man cannot submit to the things that the spiritual man is subject to by nature. The natural man cannot contend with the things that the spiritual man has to contend with. This is why both the natural man and the spiritual man have different pursuits and priorities, and also answer to two different masters and authorities.
That is the foundation of the verse above. Paul was writing to the church in Ephesus, and this was a church that knew well what opposition looked like. This was a town that was steeped in idolatry, with a lot of places for idols dotted all around town. This was a town where a riot was instigated because Paul's teachings were now a danger to the commercial viability of these idolatrous practices. Paul had stayed in this town for some time, teaching about the principles and practices of God's kingdom, and he had also left a young man named Timothy there, to continue to teach and entrench the principles of God's kingdom.
It is not a wonder, then, that Paul wrote to the church, informing and warning it that this call of God on their lives was not a call to earthly comfort and convenience, but a call to the consciousness of the conflicts that they would need to deal with on a daily basis. Nowhere does God ever promise that the life He calls us to will be free of tough times and trials. He also does not leave us ignorant or unaware of who we are and what we have been given. One of the critical things He has done for us is to give us the information and tools we need to succeed in this race we have been called to, and these are the parts called the armour of God.
As noted in the verse above, there is the whole armour provided by God. There are no half-measures when it comes to what God offers. You cannot take what you think you need and ignore the rest. You cannot pick and choose the parts that make you comfortable, and then choose to take off the ones that seem burdensome. The Omniscient God knows what is ahead; therefore, all His provisions are eternal in scope, impact and relevance. If I will successfully stand up against the strategies and deceits of the devil, I need the help and provisions of the God who has defeated him. Intellect and acquisitions cannot help me if God does not help. He has done His part by providing; how would I respond? God's time of favour is here.
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