"THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS"
Standing Strong In The Armor Of God (6:10-24)
I. THE SOURCE OF THIS STRENGTH (10-11a)
A. THIS STRENGTH COMES FROM THE LORD, NOT OURSELVES...
1. Note that Paul says...
a. "be strong IN THE LORD"
b. "in the power OF HIS MIGHT"
2. Thus Paul states that there is "strength" and
"power" available
for the Christian beyond their own!
a. Which Paul already referred to earlier in this epistle -
“and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
believe, according to the working of his mighty power,”
“and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the
cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”
“and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”
b. Which Paul refers to in his epistle to the Philippians -
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure.”
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
B. THIS STRENGTH COMES FROM "THE ARMOR OF GOD"...
1. It is "armor" that GOD supplies
2. It is "armor" that we must "put on", i.e.,
it is not something
we have in of ourselves
[The point is, we are not left to our own feeble strength, but
there is
"divine strength" that we can "put on" to
protect us in the "battles" we
must face.
Speaking of "battles", we next consider...]
II. THE NEED FOR THIS STRENGTH (11b-13)
A. TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL...
1. Satan has various "wiles" (lit., cunning arts,
deceit, craft,
trickery), but Christians need not be ignorant of his
"devices"
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: we are not ignorant of
his devices.”
2. For example, some of Satan's "schemes" are:
a. Blinding people via false doctrine –
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in
whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine unto them.”
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath
created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the
truth.”
b. Enticing people to indulge in illicit desires of the flesh
and mind –
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:
wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times
past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
c. Bringing persecution upon those who try to do right –
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast
in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your
brethren that are in the world.”
3. Only with the Lord's help can we overcome the wicked one -
“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you
from evil.”
“I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from
the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked
one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I
have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the
beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the
word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”
B. TO WRESTLE AGAINST "SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS"...
1. Not only Satan, but we battle against:
a. Principalities and powers
b. Rulers of the darkness of this age
c. Spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places
2. I.e., there are demonic forces at play
b. ...there are certainly demonic "influences", such as
"doctrines of demons" –
[We may not fully understand how the "rulers of the
darkness" operate,
but clearly we see the need for all the strength God provides us
in
order to "stand" against such forces.
explains...]
III. THE NATURE OF THIS STRENGTH (14-20)
A. IT IS THE "WHOLE" ARMOR OF GOD...
1. Note verses 11 and 13
2. To be able to...
a. "stand against the wiles of the devil"
b. "withstand in the evil day"
...we need, not part, but the WHOLE armor God provides the
Christian!
3. I.e., EVERY element Paul now describes is essential to be
"strong in the Lord and in the power of His might"
B. THE "WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD" INVOLVES...
1. TRUTH, which serves like a belt
a. It will hold our life together with a sense of direction and
purpose
Ephesians 6:10-17
“Finally, brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might. Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. 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. 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. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God:”
b. Truth can free us from sin, which can easily 'beset' us -
“and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man:
how sayest thou, ye shall be made free?”
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
2. RIGHTEOUSNESS, which guards like a breastplate
a. Doing that which is good and right will guard our hearts
(emotions)
b. Otherwise, ungodly living brings on emotional guilt as well
as judicial guilt
c. Paul may also have reference to the "righteousness of
Christ", that "justification" found only in Him
that
protects us from the accusations of Satan - cf.
“and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith:”
3. THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, which is crucial to our ability to
"stand"
a. The gospel is God's power unto salvation –
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
b. Armed with the gospel, we can have "beautiful feet"
that
enables us to take the glad tidings to others –
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring
glad tidings of good things!”
4. FAITH, which is like a shield
a. A strong conviction in God can protect us from every
"fiery
dart" that Satan can throw at us (false doctrine, lusts of
the flesh, persecution)
b. This faith comes only from the Word of God –
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
5. SALVATION, which is like a helmet
a. In
“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”
Paul speaks of the
"hope of salvation" as our
helmet
b. Thus it is the "hope" that salvation provides that
can
protect our minds against things like despair and fear
6. THE WORD OF GOD, which is the "sword of the Spirit"
a. Here is the "offensive" weapon that Christians must
use in
their battles, and it is a powerful one! –
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart.”
b. With this "sword" it is possible for the Spirit to
"cut to
the heart" those who hear the Word - cf.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God
hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.Now
when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and
to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
“when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and
they gnashed on him with their teeth.”
7. PRAYER, the means by which we remain "watchful"
a. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus taught that we must
"watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation" –
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
b. The sort of "watchful prayer" that is effective, is
one that
is with...
1) "all perseverance" - as Jesus taught in His parable
of
the persistent widow –
2) "supplication for the saints" - especially those with
special needs, even as Paul asked the Ephesians to pray
By Dinah Ramos
www.fghconline.com
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