We saw this back in Ephesians 4:17 where the understanding of the unsaved has been darkened. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. 5-8 Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. – Ephesians 6:12. He is reminding them that their true enemy is a spiritual enemy. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. In most of Chapter 6, Paul is reminding the church at Ephesus to be spiritually-strong. Read verse in The Message Bible This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. And in Ephesians 6:12, Paul describes them as the rulers of the darkness of this age. In Ephesians 5:8 we read that before we were Christians, we were in darkness. Ephesians 6:11 So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:13 Be prepared. Prayer is a privilege and powerful work that can be rightly done only by the Christian. Ephesians 6:12-13. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. God is strong, and he wants you strong. He is reminding them that their defensive armor, as well as their offensive weapons, are both spiritual. Ephesians 6:10-12-10-12 MSG. Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon, as he sent all three letters by the hand of Tychicus, accompanied by Onesimus (Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7–9; Philemon 1:10–12). And that about wraps it up. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. Ephesians 6:12 This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. MSG 12 This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Read verse in The Message Bible This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. This age is described as darkness because of the spiritual blindness and ignorance that is upon all who follow the ways of this world.