Ephesians 6 In Him

Opening…I don’t want to play if I can’t win!

Have you ever played a new game with someone who was an expert? You feel defeated before you even start! Gaming with my kids - Video games, I used to have to take it easy…chess this summer they quit playing with me.

Recap

Series recap:

A Believer’s Blessings

In Him/Christ - mentioned 27 times in the whole book

A Believer’s Behavior

We struggle with the Do because We don’t know the Who we are in Him!

God wants us to know WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST before focusing on WHAT WE ARE TO DO FOR CHRIST.

The reality is it is not what we do for Christ but what we let Christ do through us.

It’s not about living for Christ, rather Christ living through us!

It can feel like we can’t win sometimes when we look at the world around us. We want to quit, give up. We don’t have the strength or the necessary tools to do win.

As we finish Ephesians we are going to see 3 things: In Christ we are strong, In Him we are guarded and In Him we are victorious

In Christ, We Are Strong

Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Paul writes these words, in literal chains for Christ!

Look what he wrote just 7 years earlier to the Corinthian Church

2 Cor 12:9-10 “9 But he [Christ] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Life in this often hostile world requires endurance and strength, but not the kind we give ourselves. Rather, to resist at a spiritual level requires the strength supplied by God rooted in his might

This is a recurring theme throughout scripture, especially in Paul’s writings.

Joshua 1:7 (ESV)

7 Only be strong and very courageous

Romans 4:20 (ESV)

20 No unbelief made him [Abraham] waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,

Philippians 4:13 ESV

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

1 Timothy 1:12 ESV

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,

2 Timothy 2:1 ESV

1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,

2 Timothy 4:17 ESV

17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

Woody Hayes, the legendary coach of Ohio State, often told how he came to that giant university to coach after gaining experience at two small colleges. The first time Hayes stood in the middle of the empty OSU stadium, he saw those 86,000 seats and began having second thoughts. Woody’s young son was holding his hand. He must have sensed his father’s anxiety. With wisdom far beyond his years, the little boy said, “But, Daddy, the football field is the same size.” Wherever we do battle with the enemy, the Lord’s power can bring him down to manageable size.

Christ doesn’t just fill our life He is our life. He doesn't just make us stronger, He is our strength

In Christ, We Are Guarded

Eph 6:11-12 “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.”

A Spiritual battle requires spiritual resources!

The goal in life is not to arrive safely at death...

Who is the enemy? It’s spiritual war...

The vessel of evil is not evil itself.

Evil rarely looks evil until it accomplishes its goal;

it gains entrance by appearing attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate. It is a baited and camouflaged trap.”

He’s literally been doing this for millenniums

Deception (see last week) - Garden

Anger

Division

Lack of forgiveness

How can we hope to win against supernatural forces when we are not supernatural??? In Christ, who guards us!

God’s Armor - Put it ALL on

If you are going to be guarded in Christ, then you can’t just put a piece or two on…has to be everything.

The armor guards our soul against the schemes!

The Belt of Truth - See week 3 in this series…it’s what ties it all together.

The Breastplate of righteousness

Righteousness cannot exist without the righteousness Jesus has given to us

Guard your heart/soul

Gospel of peace - your walk

Is 52:7 “7 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.””

Rom 12:18 “18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

Shoes were sometimes reinforced with hobnails to give them an ability to grip the ground

The goal of the gospel is not conflict and vengeance, but peace.

Shield of Faith

Faith in God is a comprehensive protection against the flaming shafts of evil which are aimed at the souls of the people of God

It is not self-confidence, but reliance on God, as these are spiritual resources tied to what God has done for us in Christ

Helmet of Salvation

Salvation is Hope - Hope is powerful for the mind!

Written 10 years earlier...1 Thes 5:8 “8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”

Romans 5:3–4 ESV

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Romans 12:12 ESV

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Sword of the Spirit

This is the one weapon of attack in the collection of God’s armor; against It there is no defense, “for the word (logos) of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12).

Memorize bible

I have found that when i’m in the word regularly when I need a word from God either for myself or someone else, the Holy Spirit brings it to memory

PE’s ability to use Bible in any situation

Digital Download???

Prayer - long range missile

Prayer is to be our mode of existence, a constant feature in facing the conflict

In Christ we have victory…God wins!

It feels more like suffering than winning???

Suffering is a reality, but in the end He wins!

Romans 5:3–5 ESV

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Philippians 3:10 ESV

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

The Victory Manifesto

Paul writes at the end of his letter in a way that is meant to inspire the Ephesian Church. In our context think of it like a half-time speech from coach, knowing victory is in site.

We are going to worship together as we close, because it focuses our hearts and minds on Christ! In the present life, worship that focuses on God’s worthiness is our nearest foretaste of heaven.

Stand with me I’m going to read a manifesto I put together from Paul’s writings as we close today.

It is in Christ that we have victory. It is His power, His strength, His abundant grace and mercy that we can live victoriously.

Therefore be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. 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.

If God is for us, who can be against us?...37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:31, 37-39)

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57)