The struggle with spiritual forces (v. 12). The word translated “struggle” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament and is not frequent in other writings. It refers primarily to wrestling, but can be used more generally of a fight or battle. “Flesh and blood” is a Semitism for “human.” What Paul means, therefore, is: “Our struggle is not with human beings, but with evil spiritual forces.” This is the only place in the New Testament where the Christian life is described in this sort of language.

Of the four expressions used for spiritual forces in verse 12 only “rulers” and “authorities” appear in the earlier list of five terms for spiritual forces in 1:21. We are not to conclude that seven categories of demonic spirits exist; rather, both passages pile up terms for emphasis and rhetorical impact. The two new terms do add detail linking these forces to darkness and evil. “Powers of this dark world,” if translated more literally, would be “world rulers of this darkness” and is reminiscent of 2:2 and 5:8–11.

As indicated in our discussion of 1:21, precise identification of the various expressions is impossible because of the ambiguity and paucity of the terms. Attempts to rank spiritual forces is groundless and fanciful speculation. All four of the expressions in 6:12 point to the same reality; the fourth is perhaps the most descriptive and helpful“the spiritual forces of evil.”

The use of the term spiritual for evil forces is somewhat surprising. This is the only time in the New Testament that this word has a negative connotation, but a negative use is understandable given the frequency with which the word “spirit” is used for evil spirits in the Gospels and Acts or occasionally for a spirit contrary to God’s purposes. Paul even used the word “god” in reference to Satan in 2 Corinthians 4:4.

More surprising still is that the struggle takes place “in the heavenly realms.” This does not mean a struggle in heaven, even though Job 1–2 and Revelation 12:7–17 could provide a background for such an idea. Nor should we think of an area lower than heaven but higher than the earth. Rather, as elsewhere in Ephesians, this phrase refers to the reality that encompasses life in relation to God, including both what God has given and what believers are called to do.

Those who live in Christ have been given every spiritual gift and are made alive and enthroned with Christ (1:3; 2:6) in the heavenly reality. His own enthronement in the heavenly realityGod’s realityincludes the subjection of every power (1:20). Believers have the task in this unseen reality to make God’s wisdom known to the spiritual powers (3:10) and to stand against them (6:10–13). Our enthronement with Christ above the powers determines how we live on earth. Our struggle reflects the heavenly reality, which means we struggle against subjected powers. The powers may rule darkness and evil, but we as Christians no longer live there (5:8, 16).

Since verse 12 explains standing “against the devil’s schemes” in verse 11, Paul was surely not thinking about structures of evil such as government, law, or social conventions. Rather, he thought of personal spiritual beings seeking to disrupt life as God intended it.