“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph 6:11-12.

We need armour, strength and training for this battle and that for the very good reason that we face a most formidable foe. Verse 12 begins with the word “For”.

That word introduces a reason for the statements that went before. Here is a description of our enemy. It is stated in the negative first of all. Banish all thoughts of an earthly opponent whose power and abilities are  of the earth. No, we wrestle not against such but rather against . . . ! The Christian has need of more than strength in his battles. He has need of arms with which to stand against the devil. He needs arms of a most superior sort for the devil will employ all his wiles against the believer. If we could but realise what awaits us then we would not venture forth without the armour of God. 

I. A CHRISTIAN IS A RESISTER OF THE DEVIL

The devil stands between us and where we wish to go. He is the opponent of all who wish to obey God. When Peter speaks of him he calls him, your adversary the devil, 1 Peter 5:8. 

1. That was not always the relationship we had with him.

We were once the enemies of God and the allies of the devil. How far from God we were when we were in the camp of the devil.  We were RELATED to him, John 8:44.  We were OBEDIENT to him, II Tim 2:26.  We were heading for the same eternal DESTINY, Matt 25:41.

2. Conversion changed that relationship.

Being enlightened, we saw what a folly it was to be an ally of the devil, Titus 3:3-6. By the power of Christ we were delivered and changed, Luke 8:35, Acts 26:18.

3. We are now the chief enemies of the devil.

We have motive to fight him, I Cor 6:11.  We feel for those trapped by him, Acts 26:18, II Cor 4:3-4.  We pray against his cause.