Strong in the Lord

Ephesians 6:10-13. "Strong in the Lord". IDOP 2020. Safe Haven Community Church. Sunday November 1at, 2020. Ephesians 6:10-13 [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[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. (ESV) ` Today, more than 260 million Christians are suffering and persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Here in Canada, while our beliefs face increasing marginalization, we still enjoy the freedom to hold and live out those deeply held beliefs. Our different circumstances and our geographical location can leave us feeling separated and unsure of how to help these, our brothers and sisters. Around the world, Christians in more than 130 countries stand in prayer with our persecuted sisters and brothers through the Canadian International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) every year. Persecution because of our faith cuts to the core. It is painful. In some parts of the world, choosing to follow Christ can be dangerous, and even life-threatening. Simply practicing one's faith can lead to physical harm, loss of livelihood, arrest or even death. Persecuted believers live with the added burden of feeling isolated and cut off, possibly even from friends and family. Maybe with the small taste we have had of those kinds of restrictions with Covid-19, we can empathize even just a little bit more with our brothers and sisters isolated and living with persecution. Yet, even through difficulty, the true Christian described in Ephesians 1-3 who live the faithful life described in 4:1-6:9 can be sure that they will be involved in the spiritual warfare described in 6:10-20. The faithful Christian life is a battle; it is warfare on a grand scale-because when God begins to bless, Satan begins to attack. In this letter, Paul explained the need for unity in the body of believers; here he further explained the need for that unity-there will be inevitable clashes with evil, and the church must be ready to stand and fight (Barton, B. B., & Comfort, P. W. (1996). Ephesians (p. 127). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.). You cannot afford to be ignorant of this war, for to be ignorant is to be unprepared. You cannot afford to try to be neutral, for those who do that will suffer the most. And this message this morning is a call to arms. The church is not a showboat; it is a battleship. And we need to learn this morning some truths about "The Christian's Warfare." (Rogers, A. (2017). The Christian's Warfare. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Eph 6:10-22). Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust.) Why are we in this battle? If we are walking worthy of our calling, in humility rather than pride, in unity rather than divisiveness, in the new self rather than the old, in love rather than lust, in light rather than darkness, in wisdom rather than foolishness, in the fullness of the Spirit rather than the drunkenness of wine, and in mutual submission rather than self-serving independence, then we can be absolutely certain we will have opposition and conflict. Given the reality of all of these threats, we must recognize Satan's schemes. Paul closes his letter to Ephesus by giving his brothers and sisters here both encouragement and warning, much as Jesus did in His letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor over 30 years later in the first few chapters of the book of Revelation. In Ephesians 6:10-13 the apostle introduces the reality and necessity to do battle in the sphere of Spiritual Warfare. In Order to be "Strong in the Lord", believers must be ready in terms of five things: 1) The Preparation (Ephesians 6:10), 2) Armor (Ephesians 6:11a), 3) Enemy (Ephesians 6:11b), 4) Battle (Ephesians 6:12), thereby experiencing: 5) The Victory of the Believer's Warfare (Ephesians 6:13). In order to be Strong in the Lord, believers must be ready in: 1) The Preparation: Strength in the Lord Ephesians 6:10 [10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. (ESV) Our own strength is never strong enough to oppose Satan, but when we are strong in the Lord, even a little of His strength is sufficient to win any battle. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me," Paul said (Phil. 4:13). It is not the amount of the strength we have that is important-only its source. Furthermore, he says, not 'by the Lord', though that would be true enough, but again in the Lord. When life is lived in union with him, within the orbit of his will and so of His grace, there need not be failure due to powerlessness (1 John 2:14). Apart from him the Christian can do nothing (John 15:1-5), but there is available all the strength of his might (Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, pp. 175-176). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). Basic to the effective Christian life is preparation. The unprepared believer becomes the defeated believer who seeks to serve the Lord in their own wisdom and power. The strength of the Christian life is dependence on God. We are to be strong: in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. In the ultimate sense, the church's battles with Satan are already won. In his crucifixion and resurrection Jesus destroyed Satan and his power of sin and death (Rom. 5:18-21; 1 Cor. 15:56-57; Heb. 2:14). Trust in Jesus Christ initiates a person into that victory. To the extent that a Christian is strong in the Lord, their victory over the worst that Satan has to offer is guaranteed. We are in a war-a fierce and terrible war-but we have no reason to be afraid if we are on the Lord's side. Appropriation of that strength comes through the means of grace-prayer, knowledge of and obedience to the Word, and faith in the promises of God. The cardinal reality presented in the book of Ephesians is that, as believers, we are in Christ and are one with Him. His life is our life, His power our power, His truth our truth, His way our way, and, as Paul goes on to say here, His strength is our strength. The Lord's strength is always more than sufficient for the battle. When Jesus told the church at Philadelphia, "I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name" (Rev. 3:8), He was affirming that even a little power was enough to preserve them, because it was the Lord's supernatural power. Any other strength proves to be impotent. To 'be strong', is best understood as a passive, meaning 'be made strong, be strengthened' (O'Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (p. 460). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.). Please turn over to 2 Timothy 1 After several years of ministry, Timothy became fearful and timid. He faced stronger temptations than he had expected and considerably more opposition. His reaction is the normal human reaction when facing difficulties: We become fearful and timid. The obstacles seem bigger than our strength. This happens because we focus on the trouble and not the solution. That is why Paul wrote to him: 2 Timothy 1:6-8 [6]For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, [7]for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. [8] Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, (ESV) * Spiritual gifts from God tend to fade in strength when they are not used and encouraged. We are commanded here not to be fearful or cowardly by fleeing the battle but use the weapons provided for us by God. Illustration: The story has been told of a psychiatric hospital that many years ago devised an unusual test to determine when their patients were ready to go back into the world. They brought a candidate for release to a room where a water faucet was left on so that the sink overflowed and was pouring water all over the floor. Then they handed the patient a mop and told him to mop up the water. If the patient had enough sense to turn off the faucet before mopping up the water, he was ready to be released. But if, as in the case of many, the patient started mopping while the water was still flowing, they kept the patient for more treatment. As Christians, all of us face the world in which we live and are confronted with the need to do battle with the evil that dominates it. But, like the patients in the psychiatric hospital, until we realize where the source of that evil is, we will make no real contribution. To see less evil in the world means that we must conquer the evil that is pouring forth from our own heart. That is conversion. Then, to deal with the evil around us, we need a "mop and bucket," the spiritual armor that God has provided for us (Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 357). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.). In order to be Strong in the Lord, believers must be ready with: 2) The Provision: The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:11a) Ephesians 6:11a [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand (against the schemes of the devil). (ESV) In order to take advantage of the strength of God's might, a believer must also put on the whole/full spiritual armor. Put on (Enduō) carries the idea of once and for all, of permanence. The whole/full armor of God is not something to be put on and taken off occasionally but is something to be put on permanently. It is not a uniform to wear only while playing a game and then to remove when the game is over. The armor of God is to be the Christian's lifelong companion. It provides believers with divine power from "Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy" (Jude 24). The 'armour of God' can be understood as the armour that God supplies, his own armour which he wears, or even the armour that is God himself (cf 2 Cor. 10:3-5). (O'Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (p. 463). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.). Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10 Paul was probably chained to a Roman soldier when he penned the words of Ephesians. Although the guard guarding him would not likely have on his battle armor, Paul would have a physical reminder of one who would wear armor in battle always in his presence. Considering the soldier's armor, he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to see in it the analogy of God's spiritual provision for our battle with Satan and his angels (vv. 14-17). What is this war that Christians are in? Paul explains to the Corinthians: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 [3] For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. [4] For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. [5] We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (ESV) * As he just explained in Eph. 6:10, believers battle through the means of grace-prayer, knowledge of and obedience to the Word, and faith in the promises of God. As we study, mediate on and proclaim the word of truth, we use the God provided spiritual weapons to destroy false teaching that wage war on the truth and cloud the mind of the deceived. As the apostle explains, the believer's armor equips them beyond the initial facts of the gospel. It is living the obedient, Scripture-dominated, Spirit-empowered life that enables us to stand firm. To stand firm (from histēmi), when used in a military sense, had the idea of holding a critical position while under attack. The intent of the exhortation here is not unlike that of our Lord to the embattled church at Thyatira, whom He commanded, "hold fast until I come" (Rev. 2:25). This is a PRESENT PASSIVE INFINITIVE followed by an AORIST ACTIVE INFINITIVE which refers to the daily struggle, not one decisive "battle" or temptation (Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound: Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, then later, Philippians) (Vol. Volume 8, p. 138). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.) Believers are not summoned to attack the powers but instead to defend themselves. Thus, the equipment God supplies for the struggle is essentially defensive. In keeping with this, believers are not ordered to advance but to stand firm, that is, they are to hold the position which had been won for them. While they live there is no end to the need to hold their position (Best, E. (1998). A critical and exegetical commentary on Ephesians (p. 588). Edinburgh: T&T Clark International.). The imperatives throughout this section are plural. We usually interpret them as if they were addressed to individuals, but without denying their relevance for individuals, we should understand them as Paul's instructions for the church collectively to put on God's armor and stand as one person (cf. Phil. 1:27). (Snodgrass, K. (1996). Ephesians (p. 339). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.) Quote: Richard Foster personally articulates the responsibility that every maturing believer assumes: "Through the Holy Spirit's guidance and strength, I will order my life according to an overall pattern that conforms to the way of Christ. Over time this process will develop deeply ingrained habits in me so that, at the moment of crisis, inner resources to act in a Christlike manner are available." (Richard Foster, "The Daring Goal: What to Expect When We Accept Christ as Our Life," in 1997 Seminary and Graduate School Handbook (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1997), 47.) * Our habitual godliness is a means that the Holy Spirit uses to increase our faith, inform our minds, and strengthen our wills for God's purposes. We cannot neglect the daily disciplines of holiness and expect to be well muscled for spiritual warfare (Chapell, B. (2009). Ephesians. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (pp. 342-343). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.). In order to be Strong in the Lord, believers must be ready stand firm against: 3) The Enemy: Satan (Ephesians 6:11b) Ephesians 6:11b [11] (Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand) against the schemes of the devil. (ESV) The enemy against which we need God's strength and armor is Satan, the devil. Because he is God's enemy, he is our enemy, and the only way he can attack God is through us. We can therefore be sure that he will seek us out and attack us with his schemes. Methodia (schemes), from which comes the English method, carries the idea of craftiness, cunning, and deception (see also 4:14). The term was often used of a wild animal who cunningly stalked and then unexpectedly pounced on its prey. Satan's evil schemes are built around stealth and deception. Satan uses many schemes: (1) disunity; (2) personal sin; (3) false teachers; (4) discouragement; (5) apathy; (6) suffering. The schemes of the devil include the propagation of individual beliefs and life-styles that corrupt and damn. They include evil national and international policies and practices that deceive and destroy. They include the doubts placed in believers' minds to lead them away from trust in their holy and loving Father. They include temptations of God's children to immorality, worldliness, pride, self-reliance, and self-satisfaction. They include slander, ridicule, and persecution of His saints. These are just some things that the recipients of this letter faced. However, believers cannot attribute all sin and problems to angelic temptation or attack. (Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound: Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, then later, Philippians) (Vol. Volume 8, p. 138). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.). Please turn to 1 John 2 Scripture is clear about the devil, Satan's very real and personal existence. He was once the chief angel, the anointed cherub, the star of the morning, who sparkled with all the jewels of created beauty-until he rebelled against his Creator and tried to usurp His power and glory (see Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:1-10; Rev. 12:7-9). He first appears in Scripture in the form of a serpent, as he tempted Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:1). Jesus not only spoke about Satan (Luke 10:18; John 8:44; 12:31) but spoke with him (Matt. 4:3-10). Paul, Peter, James, John, and the writer of Hebrews all speak of him as a personal being (Rom. 16:20; 2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Thess. 2:18; Heb. 2:14; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:9). We see him opposing God's work (Zech. 3:1), perverting God's Word (Matt. 4:6), hindering God's servant (1 Thess. 2:18), hindering the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4), snaring the wicked (1 Tim. 3:7), appearing as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), and fighting with the archangel Michael (Jude 9). He brought sin into the world and the whole world now lies in his power (1 John 5:19). We do have a physical, visible struggle. But over and above that, over and above what we see, there is an invisible spiritual struggle going on against the devil and his forces. We cannot see the devil or his legions... If we are to be successful in this battle, we must be alert to it and equipped to use the armor that is needed (Boice, J. M. (1988). Ephesians: an expositional commentary (p. 226). Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.). The apostle John summarizes the attack points of the devil with the exhortation in his first epistle: 1 John 2:15-17 [15] Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. [17] And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (ESV) * History is not an endless cycle but is speeding toward a conclusion willed by God (cf. v. 8). Human desires are part of God's creation and therefore not inherently evil, but they become twisted when not directed by and toward God (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2432). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.). Illustration: In her autobiography, Agatha Christie described a trip she made in northern Iraq where she came across some conclusive evidence of the Yezidee people. She described them as a people who worshipped the 'peacock angel Lucifer'. That is a marvellous name for him because it emphasises his strutting arrogance and theatrical attractiveness with which he has deceived so many. That is how he comes to us today-his breathtaking beauty is a major part of the charm offensive technique of deception. The devil's ability to imitate and impersonate many of the gifts God gives to his children is something we need to also take into serious account when we find ourselves battling against him (Gordon, S. (2003). The Genius of Grace: The Message of Ephesians (p. 386). Belfast, Northern Ireland; Greenville, SC: Ambassador Publications.). In order to be Strong in the Lord, believers must be ready in: 4) The Battle: Against Demons (Ephesians 6:12) Ephesians 6:12 [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. (ESV) Paul's purpose in this section is not to explain the details of the demonic hierarchy but to give us some idea of its sophistication and power. We are pitted against an incredibly evil and potent enemy. But our need is not to specifically recognize every feature of our adversary but to turn to God, who is our powerful and trustworthy source of protection and victory. Wrestle/struggle (Palē) was used of hand-to-hand combat. It was characterized by trickery and deception. The fights in ancient Rome were real and often a matter of life for the winner and death for the loser. Though Satan and his minions know they are sentenced eternally to the bottomless pit prepared in hell for them, they seek desperately to change that fate if they can-warring ceaselessly to break the power of God and destroy the things of God, especially the church. Paul here reminds his readers , that Christians wrestle/struggle not only against Satan himself but also against a host of his demon subordinates, a vast array of adversaries who, like the devil, are not flesh and blood. Our greatest enemy is not the world we see, corrupt and wicked as it is, but the world we cannot see. Awareness that we are involved in a cosmic battle which is supernatural, personal, and futile if fought with natural weapons is the beginning of conquering wisdom (Hughes, R. K. (1990). Ephesians: the mystery of the body of Christ (p. 214). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.) The Apostle Paul here describes the battle against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil. These describe the different strata and rankings of those demons and the evil, supernatural empire in which they operate. Satan's forces of darkness are highly organized and structured for the most destructive warfare possible. Like the unfallen holy angels, demons do not procreate and their number is fixed. But they are a great and ancient multitude and constitute a formidable and highly experienced supernatural enemy. The demonic categories are not explained, but rulers no doubt reflects a high order of demons (linked with "authorities" in Col. 2:15), authorities/powers are another rank (mentioned in 1 Pet. 3:22), and cosmic/world powers/forces over this present darkness perhaps refers to demons who have infiltrated various political systems of the world, attempting to pattern them after Satan's realm of darkness (Dan. 10:13; Col. 1:13). We have no way of absolutely identifying the networking of the various schemes of Satan and should be wary of those who claim to do so. But we can be certain that he is active behind the scenes of Christless human endeavors-both in the overt, obviously evil works of people as well as in the many covert and seemingly innocent and good works of humanistic endeavors. The spiritual forces of evil/wickedness are possibly those demons who are involved in the most wretched and vile immoralities-such as extremely perverse sexual practices, the occult, Satan worship, and the like. The picture of warfare here implies that we do not face a physical army. We face a spiritual army. Therefore, our weapons must be spiritual. (Anders, M. (1999). Galatians-Colossians (Vol. 8, p. 190). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.) * It should be obvious that if we face an adversary of "spiritual forces", this is not battle that should be undertaken alone. It is the isolated foe that these forces find easy prey. In the animal kingdom, the hunters go after the isolated from the herd. Satan's use of COVID is to get the saints of God alone and vulnerable. Depression, loneliness, temptations, anger, frustration and the like are the vehicles that Satan uses to defeat the isolated saints of God. To battle these "spiritual forces", we are not equipped to fight alone. Please turn to Colossians 1 Dealing with demons in one's Christian life is not a matter of finding the technique to send them away, but of being committed to the spiritual means of grace that purifies the soul, so that there is no unclean place that demons could occupy or by which they might gain advantage. James gives the only formula for deliverance from the demons or the devil himself: "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Paul prayed for the Colossians: Colossians 1:11-13 [11]May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, [12]giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (ESV) * No Christian is any longer in Satan's domain, and every Christian has the resources of God's own Holy Spirit within them to free themselves from any demonic entanglement, no matter how severe. Where sin is confessed and put away, Satan and his demons are expelled. In this battle, "the spiritual forces of evil" are described as being "in the heavenly places" This is a battle of cosmic proportions ("in the heavenly realms"), but that needn't (discourage) us, for the help on our side is cosmic also. Recall that the apostle opened this letter with this glorious sentence: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). The help is there; we need only avail ourselves of it. (Panning, A. J. (1997). Galatians, Ephesians (p. 216). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.) Hymn: Thank God, there is victory in Jesus. Paul says elsewhere that 'we are more than conquerors through him who loved us' (Romans 8:37). Martin Luther, in his hymn, "A Mighty Fortress", reminds us: "The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure; One little word shall fell him". Even though we may be caught in the crossfire, it is quietly reassuring to know that the battle is the Lord's. Sure, there are times when it is extremely hard to tell who the real enemy is and where he is firing from but, even then, our hopes and our sights are pinned on Jesus (Gordon, S. (2003). The Genius of Grace: The Message of Ephesians (p. 382). Belfast, Northern Ireland; Greenville, SC: Ambassador Publications.). Finally, in order to be Strong in the Lord, believers must realize: 5) The Victory: In Standing Firm (Ephesians 6:13) Ephesians 6:13 [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. (ESV) God gives no deferments or exemptions. His people are at war and will continue to be at war until He returns and takes charge of earth. But even the most willing and eager soldier of Christ is helpless without God's provision. That is Paul's point here: take up the whole/full armor of God. The verb in "take up" is aorist imperative... a command to be obeyed at once and once for all. Thus, the Christian is to take up and put on all the armor of God as a once-for-all act and keep that armor on during the entire course of their life, not relaxing the discipline necessary for the constant use of such protection (Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Eph 6:13). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.). The command to take up the whole/full armor represents a single Greek word, panoplia, that word is itself a compound of two words: all or whole + tool or weapon. Its common meaning is "the full equipment of the heavily armored foot-soldier." The English term that is derived from this, panoply, can refer to full protective covering, ... having total protection, .... The effectiveness of ancient armor depended not only on the resistance of the individual sections to various types of weaponry but also on the extent to which the combined pieces covered the vital parts of the body. One reason Christians have sometimes found one or another method of spiritual warfare deficient is that the method we choose may be effective in some areas of spiritual battle but not comprehensive enough to protect us against all areas of temptation and attack (Liefeld, W. L. (1997). Ephesians (Vol. 10, Eph 6:10). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). In this Armor, we have God's continual provision in being His children, in having His Word, in possessing His indwelling Holy Spirit, of having every resource of our heavenly Father. God is our strength, but His strength is appropriated only through obedience; His mighty armor must be put on (v 11) and taken up (v 13). We must remember that the first "real enemy" in your life is always your own unsubmitted self-life (James 4:1-10). To struggle against your own agendas and passions is at the heart of spiritual warfare. The second "real enemy" is Satan. The one who hates you without compromise is always the power of darkness (Eph. 6:12). Wherever there is self-praising pride the Devil has much, much influence (Rose Marie Miller, From Fear to Freedom: Living as Sons and Daughters of God (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1994), 116.). Every day since the Fall has been an evil day for humanity, and every day will continue to be evil until the usurper and his forces are thrown forever into the bottomless pit. In the meanwhile, the Lord makes us able to withstand/resist in the evil day as we take advantage of the armor He supplies. Our responsibility is to withstand/resist and stand firm. Every believer who is faithful to God's Word cannot do otherwise than stand firm. A Roman centurion, according to Polybius, had to be the kind of man who could be relied upon, when hard-pressed, to stand firm/fast and not give way; and the same quality is necessary in the spiritual warfare. "Having done everything" is explained by J. A. Robinson as "having accomplished all that your duty requires." When all that has been accomplished, the one thing needful is to stand one's ground. ( Bruce, F. F. (1984). The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (pp. 406-407). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) * Countless men and women have faithfully taught Sunday school for years, led many people to Jesus Christ, pastored a church, led Bible studies, ministered to the sick, and done every sort of service in the Lord's name-only to one day give up, turn their backs on His work, and disappear into the world. The circumstances differ, but the underlying reason is always the same: they took God's armor off and thereby lost the courage, the power, and the desire to stand firm. Please turn to 1 Peter 5 In the great spiritual warfare in which we do battle, we are only called to withstand/resist and to stand firm. As noted earlier, James says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Peter counsels us to: 1 Peter 5:8-9 [8] Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. [9] Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (ESV) Satan is hoping that believers will be terrified in their hardship and persecutions, or that they will be deceived and fall into sin. The greatest joys come in the greatest victories, and the greatest victories come from the greatest battles-when they are fought in the power and with the armor of the Lord. We are called to be spiritually vigilant, watching for attacks. With trusting in God's promises, believers know that suffering is not the final word and that ultimately, they will be exalted (cf. James 4:7) (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2413). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.). (Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1986). Ephesians (pp. 331-345). Chicago: Moody Press.) Closing Hymn - John Bije Onward Christian Soldiers (3v) 018 Benediction May the Lord send you help from His sanctuary; And grant you support from on High, May grace and peace be to you from the God, Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. In Christ we Pray. AMEN. (cf. Ps. 20:2; Gal. 1:3) 3