Ready for A Winning Battle

Read Ephesians 6:10-23

PRAY

Introduction

This is our final week in the book of Ephesians. I hope and pray that you’ve gained a lot from our time in this book. I hope you’ve been encouraged by the work and purpose of God saving His people. I hope you’ve been convicted and called to action from that truth.

And I hope the same for tonight’s sermon in these last few verses in Ephesians.

I came across this story in an article on Desiring God’s on the armor of God. It goes like this:

“It was the boy’s first day of junior high. All was going well until three older kids took his lunch, ruffled his hair, and stuffed him in a locker. They snarled at his squeals and high-fived one another as they walked away. What the bullies didn’t know, though, was that the kid in the locker was the little brother of the football team’s starting middle linebacker.

After lunch, the boy told his brother what happened. His brother looked him in the eyes. “Let’s go.” As the boy came to his locker, the bullies were waiting for him, grinning. But he hadn’t come alone this time. He came in the strength of his older brother. That was the last day they messed with him.”

Now you’ve heard stories like this before I’m sure. I’m pretty sure Mr. Justin even shared a similar story last week. What this story gives us a small look into is the relationship we as Christians have with our Savior, the Lord Jesus.

By faith He is our brother, our friend, and our protector…against this world and against the person and schemes of the devil!

The title of my sermon tonight is Ready for A Winning Battle. We’ll be taking a look at this text in two sections: Battle Essentials and The Final Words. What I hope we see is that we are called to a battle that we actually participate in, with the absolute confidence and assurance that we win at the end…because Christ has won and overcome the world.

Battle Essentials

We begin in verse 10 with Paul calling Christians to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. What we’ve been looking at previously is a couple of different calls from Paul considering how we are to live. The beginning of chapter 5 deals with be imitators of God. Then he details what that looks like in some of our different human relationships.

And now we’re brought to a spiritual reality, which we must be strong in the Lord to face.

There are all sorts of things that make us realize just how truly weak we are. Grades, trouble with kids at school, dysfunctional family life, loss. Often times we go through incredibly hard moments in life and they help remind just how much in need we truly are.

Honestly, it doesn’t even take incredibly hard moments. My daughter couldn’t find her box full of Toni’s this morning and I felt like my whole world was collapsing because I couldn’t find them either.

The reality is, you’re not as strong as you think you are. You’re in need of a Savior because of your sin, because you’re a sinful being. So, if you’ve been feeling weak, lacking, missing something…the call for you tonight is to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

HE is the One who possesses all strength, He is our safe retreat, He is full of power and might, the only all sufficient One.

We’re then given the the way that we can be strong in the Lord…putting on the armor of God! And for what purpose? To stand against the schemes of the devil! A scary reality here is that some of you don’t stand against the devil, the enemy’s, schemes.

This is either because you’re not putting on the whole armor of God…or you actually desire the devil’s schemes. Both are terrifying realities! You either don’t believe the enemy is scheming against you or you don’t know Christ!

The devil is real and He is really against you, Christian. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Pay attention to Paul’s answer to being strong in the Lord here!

Christ is real, He’s better than anything the devil has to offer, and He’s demolished the enemy for eternity unbeliever! Repent of your sins and trust in Christ alone for your salvation.

Notice verse 12: Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This is why we must be strong in the Lord, because we’re in a battle. And not just any battle, we’re wrestling with rulers and authorities, against cosmic powers!

Does that mean that we don’t ever battle against flesh and blood? Look at Ephesians 2:1–2 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—”

As John Piper says, the question is not an either or but a both/and. The enemy is at work spiritually and in the sons of disobedience, in unbelievers.

Now, how are we wrestling with cosmic powers, against spiritual forces of evil? It’s more common than you think. All sorts of temptations to sin are used by the enemy and his minions: homosexuality, lying, bullying, cheating, just to name a few. These spiritual forces know how to tempt us.

If that’s true…how do we fight?! How in the world can we win the battle? The Armor of God!

Paul says we are to take up the whole armor of God so that we may withstand the evil day and to stand firm. This means to persevere, to press on, to keep going in Christ.

If you’ve grown up in church you may have the armor memorized…but what are the pieces?

The belt of truth: we are to wrap ourselves in truth, found in the word of God, being held up by God’s word.

The breastplate of righteousness: our hearts are guarded by the righteousness of Christ. We are also to pursue holiness, living holy lives for the glory of God.

As shoes, the readiness given by the gospel of peace: we are to be always ready to preach the gospel to this lost world (explain briefly the gospel).

The shield of faith: we are protected by our faith in Christ, our ultimate strength and shield.

The helmet of salvation: maybe the most important piece of armor, protecting our brains. Our salvation in Christ is our ultimate defense against the enemy.

Finally, the sword of the Spirit: the word of God. The only offensive piece, which we are to use like Christ did in the wilderness to correct and defeat Satan and His lies.

Now, just two things I want to highlight for us regarding the armor. 1) Maybe you’ve heard it taught that these are all disconnected pieces of armor, especially the sword of the Spirit. But that’s simply not true. These all over lap each other in some way. And, they are all revealed to us BY the sword of the Spirit, the word of God!

Paul is being incredibly creative here to paint a picture for us, that we can more clearly understand just how we’ve been equipped by God Himself for spiritual battle!

2) That leads me to my second point: who’s armor is this? Do we each get our own separate set of armor individually made for us, so that we can all go by ourselves and try to survive and win the spiritual war? Look at a few verses with me from the OT…

Isaiah 11:1–5 “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.”

Isaiah 52:3–8 “For thus says the Lord: “You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.” For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord, “and continually all the day my name is despised. Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.” How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.”

Isaiah 59:17 “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.”

Isaiah 49:2 “He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.” (Jesus as the promised servant in Isaiah).

Genesis 15:1 “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.””

I hope you see here that Paul got this imagery not from a Roman solider but from God and His word! So, to answer my own question: the armor in view is God’s!! And Paul is not setting up some type of individual battle we all face, but rather he’s giving this charge to the church as a whole.

We are to, together, put on the whole armor of God, that God gives us, and fight in this winning battle together!

We put on this full armor by faith in Christ. As we seek to put on Christ and put off our old sinful self, we do so by faith and we are to do it every single day.

Be encouraged believer!! How much does God love you that He would give you His own armor, Himself, to protect you against the cosmic powers and evil spiritual forces!

And make no mistake about it, if you do not put on the armor of God, you will go to hell. By faith we are eternally secure in Christ. It is by our faith that Christ then leads us to put on this armor, in order to win the battle, because Christ has overcome!!

When Shiloh our daughter was born, we put clothes on her almost immediately so she wouldn’t be cold. We continue to dress her to this day because this is right and protective. In the same way, the Lord clothes His people with the armor they need for battle.

Paul also calls us to pray at all times in the Spirit. That means praying constantly, led and influenced by the Holy Spirit of God. He also gives what we should be praying for: all the saints. Christian, do you pray for your fellow Christians?

Paul clearly connects this battle with the importance of prayer. Are you praying at all times or only when your life is a mess? Are you praying for other or only for yourself?

We also see Paul asking the church to pray for boldness for Him to continue preaching the Gospel…we need the same prayers.

The Final Words

We end with the final words of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. He’s sending Tychicus, a beloved brother and minister to update them and encourage them. This should encourage us of the truth of the Scriptures, as they deal with real people and real interaction.

He then ends with a benediction (a blessing). A declaration of the truth of God over God’s people. For peace and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, for grace to be with all who love the Lord Jesus.

Paul says here that peace and love with faith only come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ here. He then ends with a promise of grace for all those who love Christ with love incorruptible. And this love is for Christ is only incorruptible, it wont decay or stop, because its given by God Himself.

Conclusion

Spiritual warfare is a winning battle because Christ has won over all. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might by putting on the full armor of God, which is God’s, praying at all times. Believer, you win at the end of this thing.

Receive this benediction, this blessing, from Paul at the end of this letter tonight: Read eph 6:23-24.

PRAY