Be Strong In the Lord

Ephesians 6:10-12

Ephesians 6:10 NASB95

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

“Be strong in the Lord” presents the idea of clothing ourselves with strength as we put on our clothes. (Be continually strengthened.)

“In the Lord” means we are in union with the Lord.

To be strengthened is to depend on the supply of the Lord for that strength (NOT ourselves).

The word to “be strong” or “strengthened” denotes at least 3 principles:

This improvement is consistent.

It has to come from God because we are no match for the devil in our own strength.

It is a command to participate in the spiritual strength that we inherit from Christ.

This comes about strictly by our faith in the Cross and resurrection. Our faith must rest in the finished work of Christ.

When we allow this to take place then we can expect the Holy Spirit to use His power to do what He needs to do.

We can know all the Word in our minds, but still not be strong in the Lord.

We must rely on the finished work of Jesus Christ.

satan will always try to be on the attack, especially the closer we walk in Christ.

It is only the Spirit-filled that will give the devil any trouble.

“And the power of His might” refers to manifested power.

In the conflict with demonic powers Christians must draw immediately and continually upon Christ’s power if we can know victory.

Ephesians 6:11 NASB95

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

What’s great is that this armor is modeled by God and He wears it Himself.

Isaiah 11:5 NASB95

Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

Isaiah 59:17 NASB95

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.

The soldier must be protected from head to foot which is made up of both defensive and offensive pieces.

“Stand” is the key word in this passage.

The equipment enables the soldier to ward off the attacks of the enemy and make a stand against him.

Before any offensive be launched, one must first of all maintain his ground.

“Put on” in the Greek is “enduo,” which means “to develop in, to hide in, to clothe with.”

This means that such armor is not supplied immediately to the new convert, but the believer must take it upon himself to see to it the armor is put on.

“Stand against the wiles of the devil”—the strategies of satan.

“Wiles,” in the Greek is “methodeia,” which means cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery.”

devil means “slanderer.”

Ephesians 6:12 NASB95

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

2 common attacks from the devil:

He wants to rob the Christian of victory in his everyday walk for God. We must know our place and position in Christ.

He attempts to hinder our progress in our work for the Lord, bringing obstacles in our way, doing everything he can to discourage us.

“Flesh and blood” means humans.

“principalities” represents the rulers or beings of highest rank and order in satan’s kingdom.

The Greek word is “archas.” These are powerful fallen angels—angels who threw in their lot with lucifer at the revolution some ages past (Daniel 10:13-20).

Ephesians 6:15 (NASB95)

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

“And your feet shod,” speaks of our standing in Christ and Him alone. This refers to what He did on the Cross and the resurrection.

We can only stand firm if we have a proper foundation.