Consider these well-known verses from Ephesians 6.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-11).

Who is to be strong in the Lord? Who is to put on God’s armor?

Our American individualism and the English language can cause us to miss an important part of what Paul is saying here. We tend to think he is saying, “I personally am in a battle with spiritual forces. I must put on God’s armor so that I might stand.”

Surely that is true. But the Apostle is emphasizing a different point.

For Paul is writing to the church; he is using the image of the church as an army. We are all individually part of that army.

Imagine that the alarm sounds, alerting an army that enemy forces are drawing near. But only one soldier takes up his weapons and is ready to fight. What would happen? He would be destroyed, and the army would be wiped out.

Paul is sounding the alert so that the entire army of God will be ready for the opposing forces of “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

So try reading the passage through verse 18 as Paul wrote it, as plural commands to “you all,” and not simply to individuals. Here are a few of those commands:

• “You all be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
• “You all put on the whole armor of God, that you all may be able to stand.”
• “You all fasten on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness.”
• “You all take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
• “You all pray at all times in the Spirit.”

When we all take up our defensive armor and our offensive weapon – the Word of God – then we together will be able to stand firm against these spiritual forces.

For the war raging around us is not a set of individual encounters with the enemy. There is one big battle. And that battle is not mine or yours; the battle is the Lord’s (see 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, especially verse 15). So may we fight this fight together, holding our formation, helping each other to fasten on that belt of truth, assisting each other to wield the Word of God well, ensuring that each is helmeted rightly with salvation, encouraging each other that the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness is strong and impenetrable.  May we do this together with our brothers and sisters in Christ across this city, across this country, across this world, among all ethnicities and nationalities – and so defeat Satan’s minions as we together show God’s love and grace and mercy in the Gospel to those who have been duped and taken captive to do the Devil’s will (2 Timothy 2:26).