Quote:
Originally Posted by berkeley
We wrestle not against flesh and blood... ok. What does that mean?
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Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (11) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) 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. (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (19) And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (20) For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
We are to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. This is accomplished by donning the whole armour of God, which is truth, righteousness, supporting the propagation of the Gospel, faith, our salvation, and the anointed Spirit-directed speaking of the Word. This is helped by (and largely takes place during) the praying and supplicating for all saints, said prayers being prayed "in the Spirit". And especially for Paul (and by extension all other preachers) that they might be empowered by God to boldly proclaim the Word at all times and every where.
The reason all this is needed is because "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. This is not talking about demons, but magistrates, religious leaders, religious ideas, secular persecuting governments and mass antichristian hysteria. The context of the verse you asked about is not about demons, but apostolic preaching and propagation of the Gospel in the midst of a hostile secular environment.
Powers and principalities are secular governments and magistrates:
Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
Paul is saying our warfare or contest is not a physical contest like a typical wrestling match, but an ideological, spiritual war against the powers that be, which are magisterial positions (government positions, whether secular or religious) which are occupied and dominated by wickedness. As he says also here:
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (6) And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
We do not war according to the flesh (in the power or might of mere flesh, as unregenerate men) but our weapons are Divine and are designed to: pull down strongholds ( a metaphor taken from siege warfare, a stronghold is a fortress or castle) which strongholds are "imaginations... every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God... every disobedient thought". Biblical spiritual warfare is not about demons or anything else star wars related, it is all about the conflict of worldviews between God's Word and Truth on the one hand, and the darkened imaginations of unregenerate, rebellious, sinful society on the other hand.
Since we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities, and since the weapons of our warfare are designed to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ while tearing down every imagination and disobedient thought, etc, it follows that our wrestling against powers and principalities has to do with ideological conflict between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of unregenerate man. See
Daniel 2 for a bird's eye view of that conflict in prophecy.