What does it mean that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12)?

TL;DR:

Ephesians 6:12 identifies the real enemy of believers as spiritual forces, rather than people. Later in that chapter, Paul explains how spiritual darkness must be fought with the spiritual tools God gives believers.

what does the bible say?

Ephesians 6:12 explains that a demonic realm exists and opposes God’s children. That chapter also presents how to defeat such evil spiritual forces: through the Lord’s strength and the resources He has provided for us. Paul metaphorically depicts these as the “armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13–18). Both the Old and New Testaments teach that the only way to defeat spiritual darkness is through the Lord. First Samuel presents a concrete example of this: David had no physical armor when he battled Goliath. His motivation was to defend Israel against the presumption of the Philistines who opposed God’s chosen people, which was akin to opposing God. David acted fearlessly in the face of a giant because he knew God would empower him to defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45). In the New Testament, the enemies of God’s people were those who opposed the gospel message, foremost of which were the Jewish scribes and Pharisees and Roman authorities. The Lord gave Paul the insight to recognize that Satan is behind such enemies (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:12). The Bible teaches that even when it seems like the world is winning, God is in control, and ultimately, He has already won (Revelation 3:21). And because God is the victor, we, like Paul, can look forward to our heavenly home with the Lord (2 Timothy 4:18).

from the old testament

First Samuel 17:45 provides a good example of how we fight spiritual darkness: “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’” With God’s strength on our side, we can defeat the spiritual darkness surrounding us.

from the new testament

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul explains the real enemy of believers: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This passage helps us understand we aren’t struggling against an evil power within ourselves or against evil and wicked people, but against the demonic realm. The word wrestle suggests an ongoing conflict with evil, which means we must “put on the whole armor of God” (v. 11), which Paul describes later in Ephesians 6 (v. 13–18).
Second Corinthians 4:4 explains the methodology of the demonic influences who oppose us in proclaiming the gospel message: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Sometimes, our opposition can seem like “flesh and blood,” but Satan is behind the resistance. Knowing this can make us more willing to pray that those who oppose the gospel will see the truth.
According to 2 Corinthians 10:3–4, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” In other words, believers are engaged in a perpetual spiritual battle that must be fought with spiritual weapons.

implications for today

The Bible tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. We must realize that there is a spiritual battle going on in the world and in our lives. Sin and spiritual forces are at work, vying for our attention and affection. Although not every argument, conflict, issue, mistake, or misunderstanding is a result of a spiritual battle, we must recognize its role in these situations, even if it is just a result of sin or living in a sinful, broken, and fallen world. For example, having difficulties with others is natural this side of eternity. None of us are perfect, and sin impacts our relationships. We get into misunderstandings, we make mistakes, we are selfish, among other things that cause relational issues. When people act against us, we might think, "They are the source of my problems." Maybe we’ll shun that person or say something we’re ashamed of later. However, the real enemy is masked behind the flesh and blood person we’re facing. This enemy is sin or Satan. Our eyes may not see the demons who oppose us or the sin that is taking place in ourselves or others, but if we’re discerning, we can recognize what is impacting the situation. Maybe a friend accuses you of “changing” to encourage you to go out partying like you used to. Or it could be that your workplace wants you to participate in a “pride month” event. Satan cleverly and subtly opposes God’s people, hoping to get us to turn our backs on Christ or compromise our faith. Our flesh, sin, and Satan win when we give in to responding to these situations in ungodly ways or when we compromise what is right and true. However, through His Word and by His Spirit (Galatians 5:16–17; Ephesians 6:11, 13; James 4:7). And the best part is that because God is the victor, so are we.

understand

Our main enemy is spiritual, not human.
Spiritual battles require spiritual tools.
God’s victory guarantees ours.

reflect

How can recognizing that our real enemy is spiritual, not physical, change the way we respond to challenges and people in our lives?
Where in your life do you need to rely more on God’s strength and spiritual tools to overcome spiritual opposition?
How does the reminder of God’s ultimate victory encourage you when facing spiritual battles?

engage

What are some practical ways we can "put on the whole armor of God" to protect ourselves from spiritual forces at work in our world?
How can we help each other recognize when spiritual forces are influencing our attitudes or actions in subtle ways?
What role does prayer play in our fight against spiritual opposition, and how can we encourage one another in prayer?