Ephesians 6:10-24

After 13 weeks in Ephesians, we should be on the same page about some terms. Paul has been teaching us that authentic believers have a grace-filled position and we are called into grace-powered practices.

Back in chapters 1 and 2, we learned that we are chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed and called. In chapter 3, Paul continued teaching about our grace-filled position. He ended the first half of his letter with Ephesians 3:20–21, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

In chapter 4, we learned how to maintain the unity of the Spirit. We are all part of the team that God has assembled to advance the gospel. Chapter 4 also challenged us that we choose to maintain the unity of the Spirit lest we fall into maintaining our unity with sin. Grace-powered practices do not allow a person to maintain both.

Chapter 5 told us ~ be imitators of God. Paul also began a conversation about relationships that concludes in verse 12 of chapter 6.

Be imitators of God…submit to one another out of reverence for Christ…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.

By this time in his life, I wonder if Paul would have liked a do-over with Barnabas. In Acts 15:36-40, Paul and Barnabas were doing ministry together and the whole thing blew up over previous actions of John Mark. At the end of 2 Timothy 4:13, Paul asked Timothy to bring John Mark because “he is very useful to me for ministry.” Of course, God’s grace prevailed and the gospel spread throughout the world, but I wonder if Paul wished he treated Barnabas differently.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. 

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. 

Loved ones, beware that you do not engage a spiritual civil war. Other Christians in our life are not the enemy. There are times when repentance is necessary because previous actions give us reason to believe other Christians are the enemy. Owning your past and repenting of it is key if you want other Christians to believe you are different than those actions. Paul and John Mark provide an example. Those submitting to one another because of Jesus are not the enemy. Our family is not the enemy. Our employer isn’t the enemy either.

Church, believe with certainty, there is an enemy. You and I live on a great battlefield that must endured.

How do we resist the enemy and have victorious grace-powered practices?

Do not engage in a spiritual civil war

Ephesians 6:10–12 ESV

10 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 the schemes of the devil. 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.

After all that Paul has written, after all the encouragement and all the instruction, verse 10 is of the utmost importance. Be strong in the Lord.

Commit to the Lord’s strength in your life.

Four times in Exodus 13 we read, “with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Three times in Deuteronomy 31 we read about Joshua being told, “Be strong and courageous.” He needed to hear those words three more times in Joshua 1 and he told them to Israel in Joshua 10 and Joshua 23.

In 1 Chronicles 28, David told Solomon to “be strong and courageous”

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 31:24 says the same thing.

Isaiah 35:4 says, “to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.””

1 Corinthians 16:13 says, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Realize that self-sufficiency is one of the devil’s schemes.

If we’re not strong in the Lord, it’s because we’re attempting to be strong in our self. Sometimes, our brain is the great battlefield. Sometimes, the quietness of our own thoughts becomes the UFC octagon and ‘the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers’ are tag-teaming against us. We believe relying on our own strength for all five championship rounds will get the job done. For 25 minutes, the enemy beat the snot out of us when the Lord was waiting to get tagged in, because his strength will actually get the job done.

Self-sufficiency, perfectionism and pride are equally the devil’s schemes and will convince us we don’t need to be strong in the Lord. There is not one person in this room that scored 100% on every spiritual gift. Because that is true, self-sufficiency is not just a sin ~ it is anti-gospel. I know that I can’t do better than Jesus. I can’t save myself. Some days, we enjoy sin enough that we wouldn’t want to save ourself if it meant deleting sin from our life.

Live like you’re protected by the king’s armor

Ephesians 6:13–17 ESV

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

We’re chosen, called, adopted, redeemed and sealed. We are invited into the mission of blossoming where we are planted so the gospel is advanced. God’s sovereignty plans, provides and sustains the mission. God’s sovereignty also equips the mission. I have a picture of a Roman soldier in full detail that will help us understand the five pieces of armor.

Before that, I was thinking about David and Goliath this week. In 1 Samuel 17, David was visiting his brothers when he heard Goliath talking trash about Israel and God. David said he would fight Goliath. After some interviewing, Saul said, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 1 Samuel 17:38–40 says, “Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.” The rest of the story is that David defeated Goliath.

If we back up to 1 Samuel 8, we see the elders of Israel came to Samuel and demanded a king like all the nations. The Lord’s words to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.”

Church, we need to be very careful that we don’t engage the great battlefield with the armor of a pseudo-king because our actions have rejected the true king of our life.

Let’s look at this picture. We will talk more about the armor of God on Wednesday night. These five specific pieces of armor would have been seen every day by the citizens of Ephesus. They understood what Paul was talking about, but I want us to consider that a Roman soldier was unable to dress in his battle gear alone.

If we’re going to live like we’re protected by the king’s armor, if we want to resist the enemy, if we want victorious grace-powered practices, isolation and independence cannot be on the radar of our life.

Condition your spiritual posture to proclaim the gospel

Ephesians 6:18–24 ESV

18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. 21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, 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 who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

Paul’s final words to the Ephesians is to pray always, to remain alert and the persevere ~ so the mystery of the gospel may be boldly proclaimed. Our grace-filled position and our grace-powered practices ought to proclaim the gospel. If we don’t proclaim the gospel ~ if people aren’t introduced to Jesus Christ ~ if people aren’t maintaining unity of the Spirit ~ if we never experience the ‘far more abundant than all we could ask or think’ ~ if there is no urgent mission on the great battlefield, all that’s left is a huge WHY?

Our grace-filled position and our grace-powered practices have the opportunity to answer WHY every day of our life.

Present the path to salvation concisely and clearly!!!

Today can be your day to know Jesus personally.