Ephesians 6:10-24

Opening:

Good morning Connection Church. I am so glad that you have decided to join us this morning for worship. It is beautiful thing to gather together to worship our great God and King, Jesus Christ.

Introduction of the Text:

This morning we will be wrapping up our study of Ephesians. We have been walking verse by verse through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and this morning we will be in the final verses. We will be in chapter six, verses ten through twenty four. This is the closing of Paul’s letter to the church. In this passage, Paul warns of the real spiritual war we are a part of, and commands us to be equipped and ready for the fight. We also see Paul’s closing greetings and his blessing on the church. With this in mind, I would ask you to stand with me for the reading of God’s Word.

Reading of the Text:

Ephesians 6:10-24.

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength.11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.16 In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,17 also receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,18 praying at all times with all prayer and petition in the Spirit, and to this end, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,19 as well as on my behalf, that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel—20 for which I am an ambassador in chains—so that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.21 But that you also may know about all my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you.22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know our circumstances, and that he may encourage your hearts.23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.

Behold, the Word of God. Let’s pray.

Prayer:

Our good God and Father, we come to you this morning and ask that you would open your word to us. Help us to obey these final commands you have given us through your holy apostle Paul. May we recognize the war we are actively engaged in. May we stand strong in your strength, and may we everyday put our armor on and fight the fight you have placed us in. May we polish and care for each peace of this sacred armor you have given us. May we stand firm in you and resist the Devil. May we pray for each other and all the saints. May we uphold our spiritual leaders and may we be sustained in the day of evil by your love and grace. We ask these things in Jesus name, amen.

Opening Illustration: Being Armored and ready for the fight.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love stories of brave knights acting in valor and honor. The fiction side of my bookshelf is filled with books like “the Chronicles of Narnia”, “Pilgrim’s Progress,” “The Lord of the Rings”, “Beowulf,” “King Arthur”, and the like. There is something I love about fantastic tales of knights fighting dragons and wicked kings and triumphing due to honor and bravery.

One of the series I enjoy called “The Stormlight Archive” contains an interesting inclusion. In this story, there are several princedoms within a kingdom who have banded together to fight a common enemy. Within these various princedoms are contrasting views of combat, honor, readiness, morality, and the like. One of these differences is that of following a code of war. The honorable princedom follows a strict code of war and combat. This means that soldiers are to always be in uniform, their armor always polished and ready to wear, their swords cleaned and sharpened and more. They are at war and are to be always ready for an enemy attack.

Due to the fact the war had drug on for many many years, many of the other princedoms began to let these codes slide. Their soldiers were seldom in uniform unless they were fighting. Their armor was poorly cared for and their swords were only sharpened right before they would go out on campaign. Obviously, in the story, there came surprise attacks and betrayal. When this happened, the honorable princedom was prepared while the lazy and wicked princedoms were unprepared and faced much higher causalities. This is the obvious outcome. But one thing the author noted, was not just the state of readiness for attack, which is enough reason to be always ready and in uniform, but the author also noted a change in the mannerisms of the honorable soldiers who were in crisp and clean uniforms. These men would act much more honorably and with greater righteousness and dignity. Why? They acted this way, because they were always in uniform.

When you are in uniform, you are wearing something representing the kingdom you belong to. You are representing your kingdom and therefore will act differently. Likewise, when you press a suit, and polish the shoes, and wear a regal garb, you will act differently. Your conduct will be different in an intentional dress uniform than it will be in sweats and a baggy t-shirt. The soldiers of the wicked princedoms were still representing their kingdom, they were merely doing it poorly. The honorable soldiers were ready to fight and took pride in their uniforms. This made them act out their honorable uniform.

Paul, in this passage, is giving us the list of not just the combat we are engaged in, but also is giving us the uniform and armor we are to wear as Christians. The goal is for us to read this and take our uniform and armor seriously. We as Christians ought to cultivate, polish, press, and wear this armor proudly. We are soldiers of the King of the Kingdom of God. When we go out, we are representing the Kingdom of Heaven. The questions for all of us are these:

Are we ready for the combat we are engaged in?

Do we take pride in the uniform of heaven?

These are our questions this morning. So let us now dive into the text.

Commands: 10-20.

Paul opens the text by giving a series of closing commands in verses 10-20. The first command he gives is to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.

Command 1. Be Strong in the Lord, and the Strength of His Might.

Explanation:

Let’s look at verse 10. Ephesians 6:10, 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength.

Paul starts by saying “Finally.” Paul has given the church multiple commands in this letter. He opened by giving three chapters explaining the beauty of the theology of salvation. His closing three chapters have been filled with the practical application of our salvation. Some of these commands have been hard and somewhat rough. But this is his final set of commands. Paul is hoping that this word “finally” will prick up the ears of his audience. Here is the final set of commands. Pay close attention. This is important.

So what is the first command. Be strong in the Lord, and in the might of His strength. This is such a beautiful command. Paul does not tell us to merely to be strong. He is not commanding us to be strong in our own strength but in the might of God’s strength. Were we required to stand on our own, we would be hopeless to stand. We would crumble like sand. No, we are to be strong in the Lord. The Lord is our strength. Remember, Paul labored for three chapters to help us understand our salvation. This is what it means to be in the Lord, to be saved from His wrath by Christ our redeemer. In this act, we are brought into peace and unity with God. He is our Rock and Salvation. He is the one in whom we trust.

Paul is also quoting from a very famous Old Testament passage. Paul is using the exact same phrasing as Isaiah 40:26, which says, “Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His vigor and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.” But in all likelihood, Paul is referencing the whole section. This whole section in Isaiah is the perfect picture of what it means to be strong in the might of God’s strength. Listen to this.

Isaiah 40:26-31,

Lift up your eyes on high

And see who has created these stars,

The One who leads forth their host by number,

He calls them all by name;

Because of the greatness of His vigor and the strength of His power,

Not one of them is missing.

27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from Yahweh,

And the justice due me passes by my God”?

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth,

Does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weary,

And to him who lacks vigor He increases might.

30 Though youths grow weary and tired,

And choice young men stumble badly,

31 Yet those who hope in Yahweh

Will gain new power;

They will mount up with wings like eagles;

They will run and not get tired;

They will walk and not become weary.

Likely you know at least parts of this passage. But it is very likely that Paul, Jew of all Jews, would be directly referencing this passage by quoting part of it here. This is what it means to rely on the strength of the Lord. It is not standing alone, but it is trusting in God and in His salvation. Remember, we as believers are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead raised our souls from the dead and lives within us. Rely on the power of Christ, not on your own strength in the spiritual war we are engaged in.

Transition:

But what is Paul’s next command? Paul commands us to put on the full armor of God.

Command 2. Put on the Full Armor of God.

Verse 11 tells us this, “11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”

We will get more into what the armor of God really is later, but Paul is telling us to armor up. Why? We would not be required to wear armor if there was not a real fight we were engaged in. And this is what Paul says. Put on the armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the Devil.

A. So that you will be able to stand firm against the Schemes of the Devil.

We are to stand firm in the strength of the Lord, but we are not to do this in blue jeans and a polo shirt. We are to wear the armor of God. This is because without this armor, we would be no match for our enemy. Our enemy is the Devil and Paul warns us that he is a schemer. He is crafty. This reminds us of Peter’s words to the church in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be of sober spirit, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Satan is a crafty enemy. He is prowling around seeking ways to destroy his enemies. And who are his enemies? We are. Without the armor that God has given us, our soft flesh would be vulnerable to his sharp teeth and claws. But our armor is strong and will enable us to stand against this foe.

And Paul now gives us the target of our war. He says we ought to put on the armor of God, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood.

B. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood.

Verse 12 says, “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

We are not making war against flesh and blood. If we were, physical armor would be enough. But this is not a merely physical war. This is a cosmic war waged in the spiritual places. Yes it clearly has physical ramifications, but we do not take up physical armor for this fight. We are not waging war against fellow humans. They are not the enemy, but merely occasional pawns of our real enemy.

What Paul is saying is that we are not to follow Peter’s example in the garden when Jesus was arrested. We are not to take up the sword for the expansion of the Kingdom. This does not mean we do not fight for the Kingdom. On the contrary, our war is more real than any war on earth. Earthly conflicts may have great consequences, but none of them extend into the Spiritual world. Our war however, is spiritual in nature and breaks out in real ways into the physical world.

We are called to disciple the nations, but we do not do this by threat of nuclear annihilation. This is clearly a balance. Our war is here on earth, but our enemies are not flesh and blood. The Kingdom of God grows through the gospel going out into the world. And we know that as the gospel goes out, nations are discipled. This means, that nations as a whole will begin to bow the knee to Christ as King. This picture is everywhere in Scripture. It is the Great Commission. As I was reading my Bible plan this week, I came across 1 Chronicles 16:31, “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns.”” This is part of a prayer of David. David under the inspiration of the Spirit is calling the nations to cry out that Yahweh Reigns. I guess David was a Christian Nationalist.

The point is, that as the gospel goes out, it affects everything. As rulers come to faith in Christ, and as the populous comes to faith in Christ, righteous laws are passed. The nation begins to obey Christ. Evils are outlawed and righteousness is rewarded. This is the fruit of the gospel going out into the world. But it is all too easy for us to begin to view our flesh and blood opponents as THE enemy. It is far too easy for us to point at the men and women opposing the spread of the gospel and it’s fruit and say, “ah, there is my enemy!” It is easy because we can see them. But Paul is warning us that the true enemy is the Devil and his minions. This is why he says our enemy is not flesh and blood but we war against...

C. But against...I. Rulers. II. Powers. III. World forces of this darkness. IV. Spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Look again at verse 12, ““12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Many throughout church history have attempted to dive into each of the evils listed here and divine some kind of hierarchy of demonic evil. Is a ruler a greater demon than an authority? Is the world force of this darkness some kind of chief demon?

This is not Paul’s point and it is foolish to try to guess at this. The basic meaning of this passage is that our enemy is not individual flesh and blood humans. Our true enemies are Satan, demons, and the forces and powers here on earth that are enacting evil. So how do we differentiate these things? Well, satan and demons are pretty clear. Demons and the Devil are real. In our day we have attempted to relegate the Devil and demons to mere cartoon figures. We treat them as if they were mere fictional beings. Nothing could be further from the truth. Satan is real. He is defeated in Christ, but he is still real. Demons are also real. There are actual spiritual beings out there that hate us and desire our harm.

We live in a very “spiritual” community. There are many in our town who are avid practitioners of the New Age. They seek out spiritual wisdom and enlightenment by opening themselves up to the spiritual forces of the universe. They seek experience with spiritual beings. And many of them claim to have met beings and had experiences with this supposed spiritual forces. If we aren’t careful, we can tend to wright these experiences off as mere fantasy. We can tend to think, “Oh these people are smoking something funny and its just part of some bad trip on drugs.”

But the reality is, many of these supposed experiences are not fake. Some probably are, but not all. Paul is warning here of real enemies. The New Age is connecting with real spiritual forces. That statement ought to make us very uncomfortable. It ought to make us very uncomfortable because we know what spiritual forces there are. There are angelic beings in the presence of God, occasionally sent out on mission by Him. But every other spiritual being described in Scripture is demonic and is aimed at destruction of humanity and godliness. They are our enemies. They seek our harm. The idea of opening oneself up to these forces that can disguise themselves as beings of light is terrifying. And we ought to warn people of this. There is only one protection. That is being in Christ and wearing His armor.

But this list is not all ethereal forces of Satan and demons. While our enemies are not flesh and blood we must recognize that some of the things Paul listed are here on earth. Powers and authorities would obviously be those authorities that are resisting and trying to destroy the gospel. This is any organization or authority that is wickedly trying to destroy the spread of the gospel or it’s fruit, or Christians. This could be wicked tyrannical systems of government like that of communism in China. This could be heretical movements within the church. And in these situations, Christians must be armored up and ready to make spiritual war with these forms of wickedness. We must remember it is not physical war, but spiritual. But it is real warfare.

This is why John Knox said, “Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God.” There are real powers on this earth that hate Christ, hate the church, hate the gospel, and we must be ready to resist and fight. But how do we do this? Paul gives us detailed commands.

Transition:

He reiterates his second command in verse 13.

Command 2 Reiterated. Therefore, take up the full armor of God.

Verse 13 says, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” Again Paul calls us to put on the armor of God. Only in this will we be able to resist our enemies. But we must also stand firm. It is not enough to merely wear the armor. We must be resolute and firm. We must be brave and strong. The armor is not enough. We must be resolved as soldiers to stand strong. Evil is coming. We must fight. We have the armor, but we must stand strong. We must do everything to stand strong. Only in a stout hearted warrior does armor do it’s full work. So stand firm in Christ, and put on your armor!

Transition:

So now we come to it. The Armor of God.

The Armor of God.

The armor of God is one of the most familiar pictures in Christianity. It is one many Christians know by heart. And if you have spent any time in the church, you have likely heard multiple sermons on it. But still one question we must ask is, what is the armor of God?

What is the Armor of God?

Have you ever wondered this? Often, we can become so familiar with something that we miss what is really being said. We can become so familiar with a picture that you can miss something very obvious and important. So let’s look at the armor of God very carefully in order to catch what is so important about it.

The first thing we notice is that it is allegorical. It is a picture.

Picture of the Armor. (Roman Armor)

Angels do not descend from heaven at the moment someone is saved to give them physical armor. That would be very incredible, but it is not what happens. It is a parable. It is an image of something physical to represent something. So what is it a picture of? Paul is using the image of armor. Specifically, Paul is using the pieces of armor of a Roman soldier. This is an image the ancient Ephesians would have instantly recognised. Roman soldiers were everywhere. And Romans soldiers took great pride in their armor. They cleaned it and polished it. It was an incredible sight to see. The Roman armor was so iconic that even to this day, if I were to say, “Picture a Roman soldier,” most of you would have a pretty accurate picture in your mind.

So this is what Paul is using as his illustration. But the illustration of armor in Scripture is not just unique to Paul. It is a common Scriptural picture.

Common Scriptural picture.

In Isaiah 59:17, Isaiah says of God, “He put on righteousness like a breastplate,

And a helmet of salvation on His head;

And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing

And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.

Again in Isaiah 11:5, Isaiah says of God, “Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,

And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9, Paul says “But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.9 For God has not appointed us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

The author of Hebrews (Paul) says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

So we see, that this is a common picture. Though Paul and Isaiah use it more often than most. But the question still remains, what does this picture mean?

Transition:

This is a picture of Spiritual realities.

Spiritual Realities.

If we look at each piece of armor, and we will, we see that each one represents a spiritual reality. Righteousness is not something physical. It is metaphysical. You cannot reach out and touch righteousness. You cannot run a blood test and find truth in a person’s veins. But they are real. Righteousness, truth, peace, faith, are all real. They are very real. They fall into a category of metaphysical realities along with things like the laws of logic. These things are not flesh and blood. However, they are not fake. Righteousness is a real thing. Truth is a real thing. They are very real and have real affects.

Transition:

And this is the other thing we notice about these pieces of armor. They represent spiritual realities, but each of these spiritual realities affect the physical world. They all have a physical expression.

Physical Expression.

What do I mean? Each of these spiritual things affect who we are and how we live in the real world. These spiritual truths are not lost in the ether somewhere. Just because we cannot touch them does not mean they do not affect reality. Truth is real and can either be acknowledged or suppressed. It can be confessed to our blessing or rejected to our damnation. These spiritual truths affect the physical. They each have a physical expression.

Transition:

Finally all these things are fully realized in Christ.

All of these are realized fully in Christ.

What do I mean? Each piece of armor teaches us something about Christ and our relationship with Christ. We see the truth of each piece only in Christ.

Transition:

We will look at these four aspects of each piece of the armor of God. The picture Paul uses, the spiritual reality, the physical expression, and how they are realized in Christ. So let’s dive in and look at these holy armaments. Let’s read verses 14-17 again.

Ephesians 6:14-17, “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.16 In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,17 also receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,"

1. The Belt of Truth.

The first piece of armor is the belt of truth. So what was the belt for? What is the picture Paul uses.

Picture of the Armor: Belt.

A belt was a pivotal piece of armor to the Roman soldier. It wrapped around your middle and protected your genitals and legs. It also bound up your cloak. The soldier would pull up his tunic so that he was free to run, and then would bind his protective belt that hung to the knees around everything. It enabled movement and mobility, two vital things in battle.

Transition:

So what is the spiritual reality that is represented by the belt? Truth.

Spiritual Reality: Truth.

Truth is a real thing and we are to metaphorically bind it around our waist. We are to gird our loins with truth. Paul has already spoken several times in this letter about the importance of the truth and living in the truth. It is clear it is important. However, what seals the truth as one of the most important things in the Christian life is the fact that it is one of the six pieces of armor we are given. For the spiritual life of the believer, few things are as central as the truth.

Transition:

So how is the truth expressed physically in the life of the believer?

Physical Expression: Honesty.

To bind the belt of truth around our waste is to live an honest life. It is to refrain from lies. Every word you say ought to be true. Remember how in Matthew’s gospel, Christ said every idle or empty word would be judged? The Christian ought to stop and think about every word he or she says. Is this true? Do not lie. Lies corrupt and warp you. Do not consent to lies. Do not be somewhere where lies are spoken, accepted, or taught. Live your life in the truth. Speak only the truth. Determine each day, “I will be honest and speak only what is true.”

Transition:

And how is this realized in Christ?

Realized in Christ: Certainty in the Truthfulness of God’s Word.

First and foremost, in John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” Jesus is the truth. He is THE truth. Outside of Him there is no truth. Because of this, we as Christians can have certainty in the truthfulness of Christ and His Word.

Transition:

The second piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness.

2. The Breastplate of Righteousness.

So what is the picture Paul uses?

Picture of the Armor: Breastplate.

A breastplate is the physical center of the armor. It guards the heart and vital organs. Without a strong breastplate, you will not last long in a battle.

Transition:

And Paul uses this picture to show the spiritual reality of righteousness.

Spiritual Reality: Righteousness.

Righteousness is obedience to God. To be righteous is to live a life in accord with what God commands. It is to do and be what God desires. It is morality and holiness. This is the spiritual breastplate we wear. Every Christian ought to determine every day to wear this piece of armor.

Transition:

So how is righteousness expressed physically?

Physical Expression: Holy Living.

The physical fruit of the spiritual reality of righteousness is holy living. A righteous person will act righteously. A person wearing the breastplate of righteousness will live righteously. They will hate sin in their lives and love obedience to God. They will love God and love their neighbor. They will not desire to sin but live good lives. Righteous men will love their wives. Righteous women will submit to their husbands. They will obey God. Set out, each day to obey God and you will be putting on the breastplate of righteousness.

Transition:

How is this realized in Christ?

Realized in Christ: Christ’s Righteousness Imputed to Us.

Christ is our righteousness. We have no righteousness of our own. It must be given to us. We must be taught by Christ to live righteous lives. Our righteousness is as filthy rags to Him. But He gives us His righteousness. At the cross, our sin was placed upon Him as if it were His own, and His righteousness was placed upon us as if it were our own.

Transition:

Third, we have the shoes of the gospel of peace.

3. Shoes of the Gospel of Peace.

Picture of the Armor: Shoes.

The picture Paul uses is that of shoes. I seldom think of the importance of shoes. But shoes are vital and important, especially in war. Stepping on a sharp rock could end your fight and cost you your life. Good boots are a must for any challenging environment, especially war. One thinks of the soldiers in WW2 who had terrible boots in the winter. Poor quality boots literally turned the tide of some battles.

Transition:

So what is the spiritual reality presented?

Spiritual Reality: Gospel of Peace.

Our spiritual boots are the gospel. The gospel of peace is the gospel. It is what gives us peace with God. And it is to be bound around our feet. We are to always have the gospel everywhere we walk.

One instantly thinks of the words of Isaiah 52:7, “7 How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”” And this should tell us exactly what the physical expression of this is to be.

Physical Expression: Evangelism.

The physical expression of the gospel being bound on our feet is evangelism. We are to be messengers of the good news. We are to bring the good news everywhere we go. A person who understands the gospel will take it everywhere they go.

Realized in Christ: Christ Brings us Peace With God.

It should also be obvious how Christ is the full realization of this. Christ is our peace with God. He is the good news of peace. Through Him we have peace. This should fill us with joy and excitement to share this hope everywhere our feet go.

Transition:

Fourth is the shield of faith.

4. Shield of Faith.

Picture of the Armor: Shield.

The picture Paul uses is that of a shield. This was a Roman shield. It was not a small shield. They stood nearly as large as a man. Roman soldiers would use these shields in their famous tactic of a shield wall. Roman soldiers would link their shields and form a wall nothing could break. As they approached a wall, they would lift their shields over their heads to protect from arrows. These shields were strategic and strong. So also must a Christian’s faith be strategic and strong.

Spiritual Reality: Faith.

Paul is using this picture of a shield to represent faith. Faith is our shield against the attacks of the enemy. Faith is a spiritual reality. It is not merely an emotion, but is a real thing. Faith is a stalwart trust in Christ. When the attacks, the fiery darts of the enemy are raining down on us, faith is what protects us. Faith is weighted trust. This is why a shield is such a good picture of faith. When the attacks are pouring in, we hold up the truth of Christ, and we place the weight of our lives on that. It is our shield.

And this is why the physical expression of this is stalwart faithfulness.

Physical Expression: Stalwart Faithfulness.

Have you ever met someone who is truly faithful? They are the kind who will not abandon you in a fight. They have your back. They believe you and trust you. They lift you up. They strengthen you. This is faithfulness. Faithfulness can be challenged but it stands strong. This is the physical expression of this spiritual reality. Our faith is often challenged, but it must stand strong. I think of those faithful older saints. You know those people who are old, near the end, but they stand firm. They have run the race. They have been proven faithful. Their shields held firm in the midst of attack.

Realized in Christ: Christ Gives us Faith and Is Our Shield.

And this is realized in Christ, when we understand that Christ gives us faith. Earlier in this very letter Paul says faith is a gift from God. If any lack faith, ask of Him who gives it. Christ gives us faith, and He guards us like a shield.

Transition:

Fifth, is the helmet of salvation.

5. Helmet of Salvation.

Picture of the Armor: Helmet.

The picture Paul gives is that of a helmet. Perhaps the most important piece of armor. The helmet protects the head.

Spiritual Reality: Salvation:

And what is our principle armor, salvation. This is the spiritual reality. Salvation is real. We have been saved by a real savior, from a real hell, to a real heaven, to do real good works. Our principle armor is the salvation from our sins that we have been given. Never ever forget this. Bind it on your mind. Wrap your mind always in the knowledge that you are saved.

Physical Expression: Know Your Salvation.

And this is the physical expression. Know your salvation. Bind it always on your mind. Ponder it, marvel at it, learn about it, study it. Always, day in and day out be wondering at the fact that Christ has saved you.

Realized in Christ: Christ Has Saved Us, He is Our Salvation.

And this is how it is realized in Christ. He has saved us. He is our salvation. He is the one who saved us. Salvation is nothing we earn. It is nothing we do. It is all of Christ. He is our salvation.

Transition:

Sixth and finally is the Sword of the Spirit.

6. Sword of the Spirit.

Picture of the Armor: Sword.

The Picture Paul uses is that of a sword. It is the only offensive weapon. It alone is the tool of offensive combat. Swords are to be sharp and well trained in. A soldier trains for thousands of hours with his weapon until it is an extension of his arm. He knows every inch of it. He knows every nick in the blade and he sharpens it until it can shave.

Spiritual Reality: The Word of God.

This is the picture Paul uses for the Word of God. Our only offensive weapon is the Word of God. And this is the Spiritual reality. We do not fight with physical weapons. We fight with the word of God. It is our weapon. We do not make war against evil in any other way. It is only the Word of God.

Physical Expression: Sacred Scripture.

And there should be a very obvious physical expression. We have the Word of God bound up for us to read. God has blessed us by giving us His Word. Now the real question is this, do we know the Scriptures like a soldier knows his sword? Are we well trained or are we a novice who will likely cut his own leg off? We must train day in and day out in the Scriptures. We must know them in and out. It is a shame on the current state of the church that our swords are all so neglected. They are in poor condition and we are ill trained in them. This ought not be. We are at war! Know your weapon and know how to use it!

Realized in Christ: Christ is the Word Revealed to Us in Scripture.

And yes, this too is fully realized in Christ. In John 1, John calls Christ the Word. Jesus is the divine Logos. He is the Word become flesh. Therefore, we ought to use the Word that the Word has Given us to be our Sword.

Transition:

These are the spiritual, physical, and Christological truths of our armor. We could go much much further into detail on each, but time does not permit. We must move on to Paul’s third command.

Command 3. Pray at all times in the Spirit.

Verses 18-20 say, “praying at all times with all prayer and petition in the Spirit, and to this end, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,19 as well as on my behalf, that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel—for which I am an ambassador in chains—so that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” We are commanded to pray at all times in the Spirit.

Some clarification, in our day, the term “praying in the Spirit” is viewed as synonymous with the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues. This is not what this means. First, we know only some were given the gift to speak in various languages through the Spirit. Yet, Paul commands all Christians to pray in the Spirit. Therefore, it cannot be the same thing. Beyond this, the gift of speaking in various languages was a gift given during the time of the Apostles that Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians would pass away, and indeed it has. Yet, we are still able and commanded to pray in the Spirit.

So what does this mean? It means we are to pray under the power of the Spirit of God. It is to pray, not our will, but God’s will. Practically, this is why we pray in Jesus name. It is according to His name we pray. This is to pray according to the will of God.

So, we are to pray in the Spirit, making petition for Saints.

With this in view, petition for the saints.

We are to pray for fellow believers. This means believers locally and around the globe. We are at war, and we are to pray for one another. This is vital. We are to be constantly praying. I fear, too often we neglect this. We pray for our needs, but we so seldom pray for others, especially the saints around the world. But we must.

Transition:

Paul also asks for prayers for himself.

Prayer for Paul.

Paul is not shy in this request. He asks them to be praying for him. Specifically, Paul is asking for prayer to be bold.

Paul asking for prayer to be bold.

This is somewhat surprising isn’t it? Paul is currently in prison for preaching boldly. He was arrested for boldly preaching the gospel. But he is here afraid that his boldness will wain. He is being punished for being bold. He is worried this may make him less bold. He fears he may give into the punishment and become less bold.

So also we ought to pray for boldness in our spiritual leaders. We live in a time where truth is oppressed. You are punished for boldly speaking the truth, We ought to uphold our pastors and preachers in prayer. Pray they are bold enough to get arrested and then pray they are even more bold.

Transition:

But now we are at the closing of the letter. Look with me again at verses 21-24

Closing of the Letter. 21-24

Verses 21-24 say, “But that you also may know about all my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you.22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know our circumstances, and that he may encourage your hearts.23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.”

We could spend another week on all of this, but we will quickly cover it. Paul mentions a man named Tychicus who is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, a comforter, and someone who was bringing news. Tychicus comes up in multiple letters. He was Paul’s delivery man. Tychicus was the one who delivered many of Paul’s letters.

But Paul mentions several closing desires. He has labored to declare the bold truth in this letter, and he desires that there be peace to the brothers. He desires for them to have love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. But then he ends the letter in an interesting way. He says, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.”

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus with Incorruptible Love.

Explanation: Persecution and Apostasy coming.

Paul says under apostolic authority that grace is to those who love Jesus with an Incorruptible love. Why do I bring this up? Because in a mere few years, a horrible persecution would arise in the early church. There would be many who abandon the faith, and this would shake the church to the core. But God was not surprised by this. This great tribulation was known and planned from before time began. Many left the church, but as John says in 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be manifested that they all are not of us.” They did not love Christ with an incorruptible love. But the grace of Jesus rests on those who love Christ with an incorruptible love.

So be watchful. We live in a day when many are leaving the church. We live in a day where the church is seemingly going into an era of persecution. Be at ease. We are well armored and we love Christ. Do not be discouraged.

Application:

Do not be afraid. Be strong and courageous. Stand firm in the strength of the Lord.

Stand Firm in the Strength of the Lord.

Do not stand in your own strength. Stand in Him.

Recognize that we are at war.

We have a real enemy. Know this. We are at war. But Christ is King, and He has already won the war. Our enemy is in his death throws. The snake has been beheaded, he is merely writhing around.

Daily Put on the Armor of God.

Do not neglect your uniform. We are at war people. Take pride in the care of your armor. Cultivate this armor. Live as soldiers at war. Armor up.

Live a Life Where your Loins are Bound up in Truth.

Do not live by lies. Live an honest and truthful life. Speak nothing you do not believe to be true. Be nowhere lies are propped up or taught. Love the truth.

Live a Life Where your chest is bound up in righteousness.

C.S. Lewis described the problem of our day as being men without chests. He meant a lot by this statement, but primarily it is that men have become hollow and empty. May the church be filled with men with righteousness bound round their chests.

Live a life where your feet carry the gospel everywhere you go.

Everywhere you go, take the gospel with you. The fruit of the gospel ought to grow in your footprints.

Live a life where you shield yourself and family with faith.

Be faithful. Be strong and stalwart. Be faithful to the God who is ever faithful to you.

Live a life where your heads is filled by your salvation.

Study your salvation. Know it, love it, learn it. Be protected by it.

Live a life where you are well trained in wielding the Scriptures.

Be well trained in the Word. Know it inside and out. Train in it every day. Treat it like your lifeline, because it is.

Pray for the saints.

Pray for one another, and the saints around the world

Pray for boldness in me.

Pray for me, please pray for me. Pray I am bold in the truth.

Do not let your love for Christ become corrupted.

As we enter a time of hatred toward the gospel and the truth, do not let your love become corrupted. Love Christ and His Word first, above all else. Do not let anything corrupt this.

Prayer:

Communion:

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 “23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

From the Didache:

Concerning the Bread pray:

“We give you thanks, our Father, for the life and knowledge which you made known to us through your Son Jesus. Yours is the glory unto ages of ages.”

25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Concerning the Cup Pray

“We give you thanks, our Father, for the holy vine of your son David, which you made known to us through your Son Jesus. Yours is the glory unto ages of ages.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

After being filled, pray:

“We give you thanks, holy Father, for your holy name, which you have made to dwell in our hearts,e and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which you have made known unto us through your Son Jesus. Yours is the glory unto ages of ages.

You, Almighty Master, created all things for your name’s sake, and gave food and drink to men for their enjoyment, that they might give you thanks. And you have given us spiritual food and drink and eternal life through your Son. Most of all, we give you thanks that you are powerful. Yours is the glory unto ages of ages.

Remember, Lord, your Church, and deliver it from all evil and to perfect it in Thy love. Gather it— the sanctified one—together from the four winds into your kingdom which you have prepared for it. For yours is the power and the glory unto ages of ages. May grace come and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. Come Lord, Amen.”

Closing Hymn:

Closing Benediction:

Ephesians 6:23-24, Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.