^^Very well put, but may I add to it this From once again the NIV Bible Commentary:
11 The call to "put on" (GK G1907) God's armor recalls a similar appeal in 1Th 5:8. This accoutrement is provided by God and modeled on what he wears himself (Isa 11:5; 59:17). It is a complete outfit ("full armor," also v.13). The soldier must be protected from head to foot, and his armor is made up of all the various pieces, both defensive and offensive.
"Stand" is a key word in this passage (cf. vv.13-14). It is a military term for holding on to one's position. The equipment enables the soldier to ward off the attacks of the enemy and to make a stand against him. Before any offensive can be launched, one must first of all maintain his own ground. The fourfold use of "against" stresses the determined hostility confronting the Christian soldier. The commander-in-chief of the opposing forces is the devil himself, the sworn enemy of the church. He is a master of ingenious stratagems and his tactics must not be allowed to catch us unawares. These stratagems probably reflect his deliberate attempts to destroy the unity of Christ's body (3:14-22; 4:1-16, 21) through the invasion of false doctrine and the fomenting of dissension (4:2, 21, 31-32; 5:6).
12 In military strategy one must never underestimate the strength of the enemy. Paul is certainly not guilty of such fatal misjudgment but gives a realistic report of its potential. The "struggle" (lit., "wrestling") is not merely against human foes but a war to the death against supernatural forces.
Four aspects of the corporate menace are presented here. The particular terms used are in themselves morally neutral, though in Paul they invariably indicate something sinister (1:21; 3:11). "Rulers" (GK G794) are "cosmic powers." Until the end of this age these demonic forces, already defeated by Christ on the cross (4:9), exercise a certain limited authority (here "authorities"; GK G2026) in temporarily opposing the purposes of God. The title "powers" (GK G3179) denotes those who aspire to world control. It was attached to savior gods in the ethnic religions and identified with the sun. The expression "the spiritual forces of wickedness" suggests the heavenly bodies, which were regarded as the abode of demons who held human lives in their grip. Pagans had no option but to resign themselves to an unalterable destiny. But Christians can fight against such malign influences. "The heavenly realms" probably denotes the unseen world in general, including both good and evil forces.
13 Because the warfare in which Christians are engaged is on the scale described in v.12, the command to take advantage of the "full armor of God" is reiterated from v.11. The verb, though translated "put on," is a different one from that in v.11; here it means "take up, assume" (GK G377). Thus, when the battle is at its fiercest, the soldiers of Christ will still be able to hold their line even against the most determined attack (i.e., "the day of evil"). When the emergency is over, it will be found that not an inch of territory has been yielded. Christians will "have done everything," not only in preparing for the conflict but also in pursuing it.
14 The exhortation to "stand" repeats the emphasis in vv.11, 13 on the need for immovable steadfastness in the face of a ruthless foe. In v.13 Paul talked about standing firm in the midst of battle. Now he writes at greater length about standing ready in anticipation of it.
The several items of the soldier's armor appear in the order in which they would be put on. Together they comprise "the whole armor" worn before taking the field. First, the "belt" tied tightly around the waist indicated that the soldier was prepared for action. A soldier slackened his belt only when he went off duty. It served to gather in the short tunic and helped keep the breastplate in place when the latter was fitted on. From it hung the scabbard in which the sword was sheathed (v.17).
In Isa 11:5 the Messiah is depicted as wearing the belt of righteousness around his waist and faithfulness as the sash around his body. Here "truth" (GK G237) is said to be the soldier's belt. "Truth" is to be interpreted both objectively as the truth of the gospel (1:13; 4:15) and subjectively as truth in one's inward being. Because Christians have accepted the truth of revelation and are now indwelt by the risen Lord, who is himself the truth, their lives have truth as its basis, and they display the consistency of character that springs from it.
The "breastplate" covered the body from the neck to the thighs. Usually it was made of bronze, though more affluent officers wore a coat of chain mail. The front piece was strictly the breastplate, but a back piece was commonly worn as well. In Isa 59:17 we are told that Yahweh himself put on righteousness like a breastplate. "Righteousness" (GK G1466) stands for uprightness and integrity of character--a moral rectitude and reputation for fair dealing that results directly from the appropriation of Christ's righteousness (see comment on 5:9). Christians should not seek protection in any works of their own but only in what Christ has done for them and in them.
15 Once the breastplate has been fitted into position, the soldier puts on his strong army boots; these ensured a good grip. The military successes both of Alexander the Great and of Julius Caesar were due in large measure to their armies being well shod and thus able to undertake long marches at incredible speed over rough terrain. What does "readiness" suggest (GK G2288)? It signifies a prepared foundation; that is, "the gospel of peace" with God through which believers have already been reconciled to God (2:17) affords them a sure foothold in the spiritual campaign in which they are engaged.
16 "In addition to all this," the Christian soldier is to "take up the shield of faith." The shield is the large oblong or oval scutum that the Roman soldier held in front of him for protection. It consisted of two layers of wood glued together, covered with linen and hide, and bound with iron. Soldiers often fought side by side with a solid wall of shields. But even a single-handed combatant found himself sufficiently protected.
For the Christian this protective shield is "faith" (GK G4411). We should regard faith here both as our faith in action and as the objective content of faith. Believing cannot be divorced from what is believed, and no rigid line should be drawn between these two aspects. Here only does Paul indicate the effect of a particular piece of armor. With such a shield believers can extinguish all the incendiary devices flung by the devil (v.11). In ancient warfare cane darts were sometimes tipped with tow, dipped in pitch, and then ignited. The Christian's shield effectively counteracts such diabolical missiles not merely by arresting or deflecting them, but by actually quenching the flames to prevent them from spreading.
17 Two more items remain. The "helmet" covered the head. It was made of bronze with leather attachments. In Isa 59:17 the Lord wears "the helmet of salvation" along with the "breastplate of righteousness." Christians share that divine equipment. The verb "take" reflects that the helmet and sword were usually handed to a soldier by his armorbearer. This verb is appropriate to the "givenness" of salvation. In 1Th 5:8 the helmet is identified with the hope of full salvation; this may well be the inference here (Eph 1:18).
The final weapon is the "sword," the short two-edged cut-and-thrust sword wielded by the heavily armed legionary. The "sword of the Spirit" is the Christian's only weapon of offense--meaning either the sword that is supplied by the Spirit or that is used by the Spirit. "The word of God" is the divine utterance or speech. In Isa 11:4 the Messiah is portrayed as one who strikes the ruthless with the rod of his mouth (i.e., by the authoritative impact of what he says).
But what specifically is this utterance of God? Some suggestions are the recorded words of Scripture in the OT, the remembered sayings of Jesus, or apostolic sayings that were incorporated into the NT. Others regard it as words given by the Spirit to meet the critical need of the moment (cf. Mk 13:11), or as prayer in which the Spirit speaks through the Christian (v.18). The best interpretation is probably the most obvious; it refers to those words that the Spirit has inspired so that Christians may use them to drive away Satan. It is significant that in Matthew's temptation narrative Jesus himself (quoting Dt 8:3) refers to "every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Mt 4:4) and employs relevant Scriptures to defeat the devil's stratagems.
18 This verse effectively rounds off the preceding verses. It commands believers with their full armor on to "be alert" by praying. "On all occasions" suggests that they will be in constant prayer in preparation for the battle as well as in the engagement itself. But it is in the critical hour of encounter that such support is most required (cf. "the day of evil" in v.13). "In the Spirit" means in communion with the Spirit or in the power of the Spirit. "Prayers" represents the approach to God in general and "requests" a special form of such prayers (supplication). Every avenue of such praying is to be thoroughly explored.
