‎Our Protection Of The Mystery

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 42: Ephesians Form/Structure/Setting

From 5:15, the appeal to the readers to conduct themselves in the world in a way that is worthy of their calling has been in terms of living wisely in their household relationships. Now in conclusion, the appeal is for believers to preserve and appropriate all that has been done for their salvation and their conduct by God in Christ, and to do so in the face of evil, seen from the perspective of its ultimate transcendent source. This is not, of course, the language the writer himself uses. Instead, he pictures this appropriate Christian living in terms of a battle against cosmic spiritual powers in which believers must put on the armor which God supplies in order to withstand and prevail.

Our Continuance Relies In

Ephesians 6:10–11 KJV 1900

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The Bible makes it clear in these verses that our goal as Christian soldiers is that of standing. This word refers to something that is firmly fixed. It speaks of people who do not waiver. If we are to stand in this the day of battle, then we must not only know our enemy, but we must possess energy for the battle.

If we are going to be victorious in the spiritual battles we face, we are going to spiritual power. The problem is, none of us possess spiritual power within ourselves. We are weak, frail, fallible, foolish creatures, and we are often on the losing side of the battles of life. If we hope to achieve victory, we must have true spiritual power. This verse tells us where that power originates.

The Person

“Be strong in the Lord” - The word “strong” means “to be empowered; to be strengthened.” It was used to speak of “a deathbed patient recovering from an illness.” It is the picture of someone who is “weak being made strong.” That sounds like what we need.

We are weak creatures! We are weak emotionally. We are weak in the way we think. We are weak in our spirits. We are weak when it comes to temptation and sin. We are weak in our ability to control our own wills. We are simply weak and we need someone to help us. The strength we need to walk in victory in the battles of life will never come from within ourselves. The strength we need can only come from the Lord.

This verse says, “be strong in the Lord.” That means that any spiritual strength we can ever hope to possess must come from Him. Spiritual power can only be ours through a relationship with Jesus Christ. This means that just as we trust Jesus and His death and resurrection to save us, we must trust Him to give us the spiritual power we so desperately need. Just as we need His righteousness to enter into God’s Heaven, we need His power of we are going to stand against the attacks we face in life. Just as we need His blood to take away our sins, we need His power to defeat Satan.

His Provision

“In the power of His might” - The word “power” refers to “dominion.”

It speaks of the power to “complete and perfect” something.

The word “might” has the idea of “force and strength.” It speaks of someone who possesses “absolute ability.”

These two words describe the kind of power we need if we are going to experience victory in the spiritual battles we face.

How do we get this power? We get it the same way we have our sins forgiven. We get it the same way are given His righteousness. We get is the same way we are saved. We get it simply by trusting Him, and not ourselves. If I try to stand against Satan and his forces in my own power, I will fail. If I can ever learn to lean on the Lord, confess my own weakness, and place my faith in His power alone, I become a candidate for victory.

One of the truths Paul has been trying to teach us that when we are saved, we are made one with Jesus. Thus, His life becomes our life. His truth becomes our truth. His way becomes our way. His power becomes our power. His strength becomes our strength.

Here is what we forget: When Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead, He defeated Satan and all his works. That means this war is already over, and Jesus has already won it! We are not fighting for victory; we are fighting from victory. If we can come to the place where we understand that our Lord has already defeated Satan, and that when we are in Jesus, we are partakers of His victory, it will help us walk in that victory in the day-to-day battles we face in life.

So, again, I ask the question, where do we get this power? It comes from simply being “in” Jesus! When you are “in” Jesus by faith, saved by His grace, you become a partaker of His power, His strength and His ability!

If there is to be any spiritual power, any spiritual victory, it must come from Him. It must be given to us by the Lord. True spiritual power will only come to those who are “in the Lord.” So The Source Of Spiritual Strength is Jesus Christ, and His power is only given to those who are in a faith relationship with Him.

This verse reminds us that we are foolish when we trust in ourselves, and in our own power. We are foolish when we think we can fight the devil, his demons, sin, temptation, the world, and the other enemies of life in our own strength. We are foolish when we think we can handle it on our own. We must realize that we cannot handle it. We must realize that we are weak. We must realize that, if we try to do it on our own, we will be defeated. We must trust not ourselves, but in Jesus Christ Who has promised His power and His victory to His people.Our Stand

Our Contender Revealed

Ephesians 6:11–12 KJV 1900

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

His Name

This name is the Devil! This is a word that means "slanderer, accuser." We get our word diabolical from it.

The enemy is Satan, and all the spiritual forces he controls. We don’t need to get hung up on the individual classifications and ranks mentioned here. What we need to know is that there is a real Devil. He hates God and is doing everything he can to steal God’s glory and undermine God’s kingdom. He commands a vast army of demonic spirits that are actively seeking to destroy, defeat, demolish, and dismantle the kingdom of God.

Satan has power, but he does not have all power, 1 John 4:4.

Satan is the “god of this world,” 2 Cor. 4:4, but he must bow before the God of the universe! Satan has a vast kingdom, but God’s kingdom is infinite.

2 Corinthians 4:4 KJV 1900

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

His Nature

Shrewd Enemy

So, Satan is our enemy. He is out to destroy everything God is and everything God is doing in the world. One of the ways he does this is by attacking the children of God. Verse 11 talks about “the wiles of the devil.” As we have already mentioned, that phrase refers to “deceptive tricks.” Satan wants to defeat you, and one way he does that is through deception. Let me mention a few of the ways Satan deceives us.

• He deceives us by lying to us about the consequences of our sins.

For instance, he will tell you that it’s OK to experiment with sex, but he doesn’t tell you about venereal diseases, unwanted pregnancies, broken homes, and broken hearts. He does this in any area where sin in involved. That’s what he did to Eve in the Garden of Eden. “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die,” Gen. 3:4.

• He deceives us by casting doubt on the Word of God.

He will tell you that truth is a lie. He will also tell you that lies are truth. He will introduce you to false doctrine. He will cause you to believe good things and trust those good things to save your soul. That’s what he did to Eve in the Garden of Eden. “Yea, hath God said…,” Gen. 3:1. “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die,” Gen. 3:4.

• He deceives us by causing us to doubt God’s goodness.

He will tell that there is a better way than serving the Lord. He will make you think that God is holding out on you. Again, that’s what he did to Even in the Garden. “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil,” Gen. 3:5.

Genesis 3:5 KJV 1900

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

• He deceives us by causing us to think that we achieve salvation or victory on our own. He will cause you to try to be good enough to be saved. He will cause you to try and earn salvation through good works and self-righteousness. Even after we are saved, he will deceive us into thinking that we don’t need God any longer. He will cause us to think that we can do it on our own. That’s what he did to Eve in the Garden.

Genesis 3:6 KJV 1900

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Our enemy is deceptive. He is smart. He is powerful. He is after you, and he will destroy you if he gets an opportunity. Here is how the Bible describes him. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” 1 Peter 5:8.

1 Peter 5:8 KJV 1900

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Spiritual Enemy

Too often, we are guilty of fighting the wrong foe! We will get at odds with our fellow believers, when the real enemy is the devil! He is a master at sowing discord among the brethren. We need to remember that our fight is a spiritual battle.

“we wrestle not against flesh and blood” - Our enemy is never another human. People hurt us. People lie to us. People are mean to us. People do us wrong. But that does not make them the enemy. They may be doing the work of the enemy, but they are not the enemy. They may want to see our destruction, but they are not the enemy. They may hate us, but they are not the enemy.

When other humans act against us, we have two choices. We can become angry, hold a grudge and try to get even, or we can forgive them and move on. If we take the first option and seek our pound of flesh, we are really no different than the person who has wronged us. If we hate, hold grudges, and grow bitter toward others, damage our testimony and we dishonor the Lord we claim to love.

However, if we forgive the offending party, we act like Jesus, because that is what He did when He was crucified, Luke 23:34.

Luke 23:34 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

We act like Him, because that is what He did when we came to Him for salvation, and when we have returned for cleansing time after time. He does not hold our past against us. He forgives us and He restore us. That is the same kind of love and grace we are to extend to others.

So, the enemy is never another human. One of the greatest tricks of the devil is to focus our attention on other people and what they do to us. He uses them to distract us from walking with the Lord. When we take that bait and focus our attention on what people do, we lose sight of Jesus Christ and the will of God. When that happens, the enemy wins battle and we are defeated.

• When we fight one another, Satan simply takes what he wants, because we are not in a position to stand against him.

• When we fight one another, we give up the high ground of love and grace in action.

• When we fight one another, we shed the amor of God and walk in the flesh.

• When we fight one another, we tell everyone who sees it that the Gospel is a lie.

• When we fight one another, we always lose and Satan always wins.

Our Coverings Rendered

Ephesians 6:13 KJV 1900

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

“put on the whole armor of God” - God has equipped us for the spiritual battles we face by giving us His armor. This armor is listed for us in verses 14-17. Every piece of “the armor of God” is designed to protect the people of God from the attacks of the enemy.

“that ye may be able to stand” - Through the Lord, and what He provides us, makes us “able to stand.” The word “able” has the idea of “power, permission, ability.” We are “able to stand” not through our own power, but through the work of God in our lives. His power gives us the “ability” to “stand.” The word “stand” is a military term. It means “to hold a critical position during a time of enemy attack.” It is the image of “a soldier refusing to yield even one inch of ground to an attacking foe.” It is not the image of someone on the offensive, but rather, it is the picture of a soldier on the defensive, protecting the ground that has already been won.

The image that is given here would have been familiar to every person in the Ephesian church. Paul is describing the armor of the average Roman soldier. Note: This was not the armor of the super-soldier, but the common, run of the mill, every day soldier. For these soldiers to be effective in battle, they need to be protected on the battlefield. Paul uses the image of their armor to teach us about how we need to dress up for the day of battle.

Defensively

Ephesians 6:14–17 KJV 1900

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

1. V. 14a The Girdle Of Truth -

This girdle encircled the waist and served to stabilize the body, protect the mid-section and provide the soldier with a place to restrain his garments so that his movements in the heat of battle would be unhindered.

(Ill. For the believer, this refers to knowing the "truth" of the Bible. Jesus promised us that the truth had the power to make us free, John 8:32.

John 8:32 KJV 1900

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Knowing the truth will stabilize us, protect us and prevent us from being tripped up in the battles of life. This reminds us that we are to walk in the truth!)

2. V. 14b The Breastplate Of Righteousness

-This refers to the leather body armor that was worn to protect the vital, tender areas of the body. Specifically, the heart is in mind here.

(Ill. For the believer, this refers to righteousness of life. We are declared righteous when we trust Jesus as Savior, 2 Cor. 5:21,

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV 1900

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

but we are commanded to practice righteousness as a habit of life, 1 Pet. 1:16.

1 Peter 1:16 KJV 1900

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

When we live holy, consecrated lives before the Lord, we are less prone to attacks from the devil. Our hearts are guarded and protected from his slings and arrows. This reminds us that we are to live in righteousness!)

3. V. 15 The Shoes Of The Gospel

- Roman soldiers wore sandals that had nails driven through the bottoms to provide the soldier with the surest of footing on the battlefield. He did not have to worry about his feet slipping in the heat of the battle, for he was always well-grounded.

(Ill. For the believer this reminds us that we are to be well grounded in the things of God. We are to be sure of our own conversion and of the fundamentals of the faith. We need to now what we believe and why so that we will be on a sound foundation when the battle comes against us. Such a sure-footed stand would serve to give us peace in the battles of life. This also pictures the soldier being ready to mach into battle. His feet were shod in preparation for service. So too, the child of God must be ready to march forward at the Commander's order, 2 Pet. 3:15.)

2 Peter 3:15 KJV 1900

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

4. V. 16 The Shield Of Faith

- This is not the little round shield, but it refers to the large, rectangular shield behind which a soldier could be safe from the fiery darts of the enemy. Often, Roman soldiers would soak these leather shields in water before battle. This enabled the shields to be more effective in quenching the flaming missiles of the enemy.

(Ill. The believer is reminded that when he goes into battle, he must have in his possession the shield. Our shield is not leather, but our shield is faith. It is a shield that is able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. It is a shield that is well soaked in the water of the Word, Rom. 10:17.

Romans 10:17 KJV 1900

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It is a shield that will never fail nor expose the carrier! Why? Because faith allows us to stand in the battle and receive the victory regardless of the odds we face, Heb. 11:1-2!)

Hebrews 11:1–2 KJV 1900

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

(Ill. Note its importance: We are told that we are to have this article "above all". Without faith we cannot serve God, nor can we please Him. Even when some of the other articles of our armor are missing or damaged, let us be sure that faith is always at hand!)

5. V. 17a The Helmet Of Salvation

- The helmet was given to the Roman soldier to protect his brain. Regardless of how well the rest of him was protected, a blow to the brain rendered the entire soldier ineffective.

(Ill. If we are to be effective in the battle for the glory of God, then we must first be saved. Salvation provides the helmet that is necessary to protect our minds from the attacks of the enemy. When we are saved, we are transformed! It is this transformation that allows us to think right thoughts and wage holy war. The mind must be protected! As we fight the battles, we must never forget what the Lord did for us and in us when He saved us by His grace. The fact of our conversion will be like a helmet protecting the mind from the devil!)

Offensively

Not all the armor was designed to protect the soldier. Sometimes, the soldier was required to take the battle to the enemy. Therefore, the soldier possessed two offensive weapons that allowed him to strike back when he was attacked.)

Ephesians 6:17 KJV 1900

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

1. V. 17b The Sword Of The Spirit

- This refers to the short, straight sword carried by every Roman soldier. It was very effective in hand to hand combat and was essential to the survival of the soldier.

(Ill. Of course, we are told that our sword is the Word of God. It is the Bible that we are to use to attack the enemy and see him fall. It is the Word of God that enables us to conquer him in every battle we face. It is essential for the Christian soldier to be proficient in the use of this weapon. How? By study! By hard work! By putting it to use!)

(Ill. The primary Greek word for the Word is "logos". This refers to the totality of the Word of God. However, the word used here is the word "rhema".

While "logos" refers to the entire armory of the Bible, "rhema" refers to just the right sword for that battle. This is seen in the life of Jesus, Matt. 4:1-11. When He faced the devil on the Mount of Temptation. Jesus strolled into the armory of the Word and entered the weapon room labeled Deuteronomy. From that room, he selected three weapons to use on the devil and He defeated him! So it is with us, when we go into battle with the enemy, there will be just the right sword for that particular battle. Let us become so familiar with the armory that we can select the precise weapon to use in each battle we face. As the Word of God is used as the sword of the Spirit, we will see the enemy sliced to shreds in every battle we fight!)

Ephesians 6:18 KJV 1900

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

2. V. 18 Prayerful

- Another advantage we have is the ability to be in direct communication with our commanding officer at all times. This has always been a problem on battlefields.

However, in the spiritual realm, this problem has been forever solved. The greatest offensive weapon we have is the ability to call on the Lord our God when we are in the thick of the battle. He is able to communicate His orders to us on the spot and we can implement them immediately. I am convinced that it gives us a decided advantage over the devil!

Never be guilty of neglecting the awesome power of prayer! Prayer brings you into the presence of God and it allows the Lord to work through you in a remarkable way. Prayer unleashes the power of God in the life of the believer!

3. V. 18b Protective

We have to look out for ourselves and each other. Again, are you willing to take the pledge and help protect Kentucky MBC from the wiles of Satan.

Revelation 2:1–7 KJV 1900

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.