your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?” (Luke 12: 20) The one who is attentive to things such as ignorant negligence and backsliding into evil deems Satan’s brightness to be great darkness, but in the parable the rich man’s eyes were shut by the praises of the world and were only opened by the torment and agony of hell. And the ruler of the darkness does all of that. He lulls people to sleep, and in their sleep they dream of the enticement of the flesh, heaping up its profits, and disregard all understanding and awareness of their Creator. Therefore, when we are familiar with such great evil, when people are so blinded by the devil and we cannot remedy that, then let us have in mind to escape the ruler of much cunning darkness ourselves so that our own eyes are not darkened and he does not deprive us of the good God has promised to give us.
And the apostle further says:
“Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist …” When the apostle spoke about such great spiritual peril that righteous people have from the malicious devil, he therefore gave counsel and admonished them to put on the armor of God. Though it is unlike a weak person to defy such cruel and cunning things, nevertheless it is possible for a very simple person because he will be kept from such things when he has a willing heart for the fulfillment of God’s will. He can inquire of the will of God in faith, and the power of the devil is powerless to move a person further to the breaking of God’s commandments and corruption of his faith. When a person learns of that, it is sufficient for his protection against the devil. A simple person can also stand against the devil more easily than the very intelligent, because that kind of thing cannot find a place in a simple person like in a very intelligent person. The simple person will not be needed on a council or in a position of authority, nor is he able to figure out many things–in scripture or other cleverness–or make excuses when he is disciplined for something. And being without those things, when such a person would learn of God’s commandment, he is safer against the devil than the very intelligent person who has these things, which are the devil’s inroads to him. If a person does not have great faith and God’s wisdom, he will soon be deceived.
That is why the apostle talks about Satan’s immense cunning. He does not say about his cunning that no one could be saved because of it or overcome it through God’s gift, but a simple person without God’s gift does not stand up against the devil, nor can he oppose him. And of course I say with the gift that is worthy against the power of the devil, and the apostle now calls that the armor of God. But that is why I said earlier that Satan spreads gold out under his feet like mud. Gold is good people of good and pure lives, devout and otherwise honorable. The devil can spread them out under his feet like mud nevertheless, just like those who are soiled with great sins. This is said because they do not have another more ample gift beyond that which the apostle calls the armor of God–God’s wisdom and strength so that a person has the knowledge for understanding those things in which he could be deceived by the devil, and he ought to have God’s strength in order to be able to bear violent things. While many people work to attain virtue, not many take care that they not lose what they have attained. But the devil does not quickly allow a person to attain to virtue and is always vigilant to lead the person who has it away from the side he is not expecting. That is why the apostle first of all leads people in faith and truth and then gives them these teachings about the spiritual battle and the devil’s great cunning, knowing that their faith will not be effective if there are not spiritual defenses so that they can oppose the devil in his cunning temptation.
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