Mother’s Day

There’s a saying that goes, “A person who does not understand the nature of the problem he or she is confronting is a person who is already doomed to failure.”

That saying is true for moms as well. I’ll let you all in on a little secret. There’s a spiritual battle going on over the home. That’s right. Every spirit-filled parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, are engaged in a great spiritual battle over the kind of home God’s designed for us.

Ephesians 6:10-12 teaches us that every Christian is engaged in a great spiritual battle.

I think it’s so appropriate that we’ve come up to verses 10-12 as our text this morning in our series through the letter to the Ephesians here on Mother’s Day.

It takes great courage and faith to raise a godly family. And Satan will unleash everything at his disposal to dismantle the family.

We’ve talked about the husband being the head of the home. But let’s get real. Wives and mothers are the heart and glue that hold everything together. We need to understand the nature of the battle that is raging over our family. Otherwise we’re doomed to failure. Let’s read out text this morning.

Ephesians 6:10–12 NKJV

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

I. Our Preparation (6:10)

First, let’s look at our preparation.

No soldier goes in to battle unprepared.

Paul writes in verse 10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” It is vital that we understand what Paul is saying here.

Don’t look in the wrong place for strength. Our strength is not in our resources and ability, in how long we have been Christians, in how much we know about the Bible, or in how long we have been in ministry. Our strength is in our union with Jesus Christ and His mighty power (1:19). This is key to our preparation for our spiritual warfare.

Many think they can fight the devil in their own strength. How wrong they are!

Paul does not say, “Finally, be strong and rely on the strength of your might.” No, he says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”

The primary 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.

It is important also to remember that Jesus’ war with Satan has already been won by Jesus. To be sure, there are ongoing battles, and there will be until Jesus returns.

But, the ultimate victory has already been won by Jesus by his crucifixion and resurrection (see Romans 5:18-21; 1 Corinthians 15:56-57; Hebrews 2:14).

When a person becomes a Christian, he is united with Jesus in his victory. Knowing that he will be ultimately defeated, Satan continues to wage warfare against the people of God, and the battles are fierce, sometimes very fierce. But, believers—who are united to Jesus by faith alone in Jesus alone by God’s grace alone—have no reason to be afraid.

So how do we appropriate that power? The Lord’s strength comes through the means of grace—prayer, knowledge of and obedience to the Word, and faith in the promises of God.”

So, our preparation means that we understand our union with Christ and that we appropriate his strength in our spiritual warfare.

II. Our Provision (6:11a)

Ephesians 6:11 NKJV

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

One commentator says that while Paul was writing (or, more likely, dictating) his letter to the Ephesians he was chained to a Roman soldier. That gave him the imagery for our spiritual warfare. And so he wrote in verse 11a, “Put on the whole armor of God….”

The Greek word for “put on” (endusasthe) carries the idea of putting on, once and for all. In other words, believers put on the whole armor of God when they become believers and never take it off again.

The armor of God is to be the Christian’s lifelong companion. A soldier puts down his body armor when he’s back in the compound and getting rest. But for the follower of Christ, we never take off the protection that is ours through the power of Jesus Christ.

Just like a law enforcement officer who has sworn to serve and protect others. He is sworn to carry out his duties whether in uniform or not.

I’m reminded of the story one of the deputies told me about one of their embarrassing moments. They were fast asleep in the middle of the night and were awakened by banging at their front door.

Peeking out, he noticed it was his next door neighbor and his wife. Opening the door just a crack, he was about to chastise the neighbor for getting him up in the middle of the night. Before he could get a word out, the neighbor was screaming that someone had broken into their house and he and is wife had gotten out through the back door.

He told them to get in the house and dial 911. Without even thinking, the deputy ran out the house with his weapon in his hand and ran next door. By the time he got there, the burglars were exiting the house. He identified himself and ordered them to stop at gunpoint and to get on the ground. They complied. He then waited for responding officers to arrive and take over.

It was only then that he looked down to see … that he was still only in his underwear.

So moms… and dads… you’re never off duty.

Paul will describe in detail in the upcoming verses the whole armor of God that must be put on. Suffice it to say here that Jesus has provided us with the whole armor of God which he has enabled every believer to put on and to use in our spiritual warfare.

III. Our Enemy (6:11b)

Third, let’s observe our enemy.

Paul writes in verse 11b, “…that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Our enemy is the devil, also known as Satan.

It is helpful to keep in mind that all people in the world are born into Satan’s army, as it were. Of course, people do not know it, but all people are initially under the dominion of Satan.

No one, you see, is born a Christian. However, at some point in a person’s life, God convicts that person of sin, righteousness, and judgment. That person realizes that in his present state he is bound to spend all eternity in hell. He cries out to God for mercy. And, in God’s amazing grace, he regenerates that person, and enables him to repent of his sin and to believe in Jesus.

Jesus then rescues that person from Satan’s army and drafts him, as it were, into his own army. He enables that new believer to put on the whole armor of God so that he is now able to stand against the schemes of the devil. And because the believer has switched sides, the devil is furious and immediately engages in a lifelong battle against the believer.

In fact, the Greek word for “wiles” or sometimes translated “schemes” (methodeias)——carries the idea of craftiness, cunning, and deception. “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.”

In his preface to his classic book titled The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis makes the following oft-repeated observation, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”

The fact is that the devil is a real being. He was originally an angel, but, along with a number of other angels, he rebelled against God. So, God cast out of heaven all these rebellious angels, and they are now known as demons. The chief of these demons is simply here called “the devil.” In Scripture, the devil is called “Satan” fifty-two times, which means “adversary,” and is called “the devil” thirty-five times, which means “slanderer.”

Keep in mind, that the devil is a created being. Some people mistakenly think that the devil has equal power to God. That is simply not true. It is not true that there are two equal and opposite deities in the universe: God and the devil. As a created being, the devil is subordinate to God and only has as much power as God grants him. True, he has great power, but it is a derived power and it is nowhere near the sovereign and supreme power of God.

We should never be preoccupied with the devil nor be deceived that he does not exist. He does exist, and he is engaged in spiritual warfare against believers.

IV. Our Battle (6:12)

And fourth, let’s examine our battle.

The devil is not omnipresent. That is, he is not everywhere at the same time, as God is. The devil is only in one place at one time. That is why he uses his vast army of subordinate demons to carry out the battle against believers. So, Paul writes in verse 12,

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

“Our greatest enemy is not the world we see, corrupt and wicked as it is, but the world we cannot see.”

As followers of Jesus, we must wake up to the truth that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. It is serious, and it is intense. In fact, the Greek word for wrestle carries the idea of grappling, wrestling, and hand-to-hand combat.

Next time we shall explore in greater detail who are the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places against whom we are engaged in our spiritual warfare.

Conclusion

Mom’s, you’re in a spiritual battle.

The apostle Paul recognized the reality of spiritual warfare. That is why he wrote about it at the conclusion of his letter to the Ephesians. No Christian is exempt from spiritual warfare. No Christian gets a deferment from spiritual warfare. No Christian gets a furlough from spiritual warfare.

Sabine Baring-Gould wrote a hymn text in 1865 for a children’s procession in the village of Horbury Bridge, England. It was published later that year in Church Times under the title “Hymn for Procession with Cross and Banners.” However, we know the hymn as “Onward, Christian Soldiers.” The hymn captures the imagery of believers engaged in spiritual warfare that is described in Ephesians 6:10-20. Listen to the words of the hymn:

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

with the cross of Jesus going on before:

Christ the royal Master leads against the foe;

forward into battle, see, his banners go.

[Refrain]

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

with the cross of Jesus going on before.

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;

on then, Christian soldiers, on to victory:

hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;

brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

[Refrain]

Like a mighty army moves the church of God;

brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod;

we are not divided, all one body we,

one in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

[Refrain]

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise

and wane,

but the church of Jesus constant will remain;

gates of hell can never ’gainst that church prevail;

we have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

[Refrain]

Onward, then, ye people, join our happy throng,

blend with ours your voices in the triumph song;

glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King;

this through countless ages men and angels sing.

[Refrain]

Believers in Jesus, you are in Christ, and you have his strength for our spiritual warfare. Let us understand what our equipment is for the battle in which we are engaged.

If you are not a believer in Jesus, know that you are presently a soldier of Satan. If you do not change sides, you will perish with the devil and all his demons, and be condemned to hell for all eternity. I urge you to repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus alone. Do it today and join our happy throng, and blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.