What Are The “Wiles Of The Devil” & The “Fiery Darts Of The Wicked?”

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The Apostle Paul exhorts the Ephesian saints to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” This begins an education to the saints to warn them about the opposition to their Spiritual growth, the opposition’s objective in warfare, he details the weapons used by them, and and also God’s powerful provision that He has made for the saints as we “wrestle.” The saint also is taught earlier in the epistle about the “sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,” he is also told that “the days are evil,” and the damaging effects that this world has on the sanctified lives of the saints. But the saints are also told about the “wiles of the devil,” and the “fiery darts of the wicked” in chapter 6, so lets first take a look at the “wiles,” and what they are; and if we don’t know what they are, how do we know if we have fallen victim to them?

The first objective of the “wiles of the devil” is to counterfeit The Word of God
The next objective of the “wiles of the devil” is to counterfeit The Will Of God

And some of the “doctrines” of these wiles is to teach that a man can produce his own salvation from the debt and penalty of Sin. And when he sins (and he will), that he no longer possesses “the gift” given to him by God. (Justification unto eternal life)

And another ‘wile’ that Satan’s ministers teaches is that your sanctified “Walk” in Christ consists of God physically doing things for you like:

Giving you ANYTHING of a earthly, physical nature that we can see.
God physically delivering us from ANY circumstance.
God will give you knowledge, or insight, or talk to you outside of what is already written.
Praying about physical carnal things like healing someone from sickness or a dire life-threating circumstance.
Giving “praise,” “honor,” and “glory” in the flesh, by worshipping God in the flesh, and not in the “Spirit.”
God’s ‘blessings’ are physical and are deserved by some who are the “highly favored.”
God will pave the way for your success, in all you do, He will see that your “heart’s desires” are fulfilled.
Good Health, Good wealth, Good relationship and Family= The Blessed Of God.

Eph 6:12 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.

Eph 6:13 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.

Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Now to identify the “fiery darts,” we have to first identify “the wicked” that Paul is referring to. Verses 11, and 12 refer to “the devil,” and the “principalities,” and “powers,” and the “rulers of the darkness of this world,” these beings are the “wicked” that propagate the “darkness of this world,” and their “spiritual wickedness” is in opposition against the Word of God, and the Will of God, and especially God Himself. And these beings, have a doctrine that their ministers preach their will, they teach their way, and the propagate the counterfeit doctrine of them, and their words, and doctrine that Paul refers to as the “fiery darts.” So what are the “Fiery darts of the wicked” today? Well, we will see that these ‘saying’ refer to the blasphemous sayings, and counterfeit teaching done today’s religious system today:

‘God will make a way:’ this insinuates that whatever we do, or whatever we need; Weather in our time of need, or not, God will ‘come through’ for us to make our physical circumstance turn out for the better.
“Put it in God’s Hands”: when things over whelm us, people will say things like this, as if God will make things work out for them, when in fact it is an ungodly thing for us to not want the sufferings! (yea, all that WILL live godly will suffer persecution)
“Blessed and highly favored:” this blasphemous remark comes from those who are high minded, and thinking of themselves more highly than they ought to think! They get this from Luke 1: Luk 1:28: “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”
“Have a blessed Day” As if God will physically bless them in their daily life, as if this is how He operates among the saints, that some are blessed, and some-not so much! But because someone says have a blessed day, this will bring God’s favor unto them! Some say “what’s the big deal, I don’t think that makes a difference, what does it hurt!” but we will see verses that talk about the damage that it causes like “and their words will eat as doth a canker”
“Never try to go ahead of God, wait on your blessings” this is taught to the saint who is has been promised physical blessings from the Lord, and time has passed, but their asking has not came to pass! So people say these things to reason with why things aren’t being fulfilled just like the preacher says, and what they carnally believe!
“God will never allow you to take on more than you can handle” this verse is misused by many to assume that when things get so bad where you can’t deal with these problems-God will take them out of the way, this is a feel-good type of doctrine

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Eph 6:19 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,

Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

We have to view these verses with the same attitude that Paul, and God the Father views, and understand the danger that there is to the saints, and this contrary doctrine is the darkness of this world that ‘work’ to ‘dim the Light’ of the knowledge of His word. But there has been a provision made for us to defend us against ALL that the “night” has produced in this world, and it is done by our taking his word, and standing by that ALONE, without this world’s Influences and ways, but standing by his word alone in our decision making and how we view his will is being done today. As you seen in verse 18, our prayers ought to be “in the Spirit,” not in our will, or our wants, or what we see this world prays for, and about!

2Ti 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1Ti 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

1Ti 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1Ti 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. (contrary doctrine)

Notice the word shipwreck use for what can happen to a saint who has had his education stalled! And when a person is physically “shipwrecked,” his intended journey comes to an end, and he faces a dire fate that he might not recover from, he is facing life-threating circumstances! And death! And in the saint’s case, there is a ‘functional death’ that we can face if our godly edification is ‘shipwrecked,’ and this would be because we are ignorant to “the wiles of the devil,” and ignorant of “the fiery darts of the wicked.” But the sad part is; if we are ignorant to this “spiritual wickedness,” and the “wiles of the devil,” then we would have no need to “put on the whole armor” as protection, because we would be saints who ‘wrestle NOT’ against the the spiritual wickedness, and the rulers of the darkness of this world.

Rod Jones