The "finally" that kicks off this passage links it–unbreakably–to everything that Paul has written up to this point.

Since the Apostle Paul used the word “finally” to begin this portion of his letter, we should ask ourselves what came before—what has brought us to this closing?

Sometimes things get so hard and go on for so long that we simply don’t have any fight left in us. Sometimes the burdens of this life are just too heavy for us to carry on our own.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against...

Before I embraced the sovereignty of God over all things, I lived in fear of the "spiritual forces of evil."

We are not passive. The Bible pictures the Christian life as a war, a race, and a fight.