Ephesians-The Battle
[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. [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, [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.
Ephesians 6:10–24 ESV
I don’t know about you, but being a Christian doesn’t give me an easy life. In fact, those who are most faithful often go through the most difficult trials. In a recent discussion, I was dialoging with some friends about how people come to Christ. One well-meaning believer argued that to bring someone to Christ, you should highlight the benefits of belief, while another emphasized that one must see their need for Christ. I would say that sharing the gospel includes communication of both truths-the benefits of our great salvation-- forgiveness, peace with God, eternal life, only comes though the declaration that we are in need of a Savior, as our sins separate us from God without His atonement.
A fake gospel, often called the prosperity gospel, claims that if you work hard enough, you can please God and be saved. Fundamentally this is starkly opposed to the clear teaching of Scripture that we can’t earn our salvation. We can never be good enough so by the grace of God, Jesus has given Himself as a substitute in my place. This lie appeals to us because we live in a world that is constantly earning and we want to come to God the same way, with our pride intact. Instead, our loving Father gives us grace when we repent, declaring our need for Him and believe.
These same false teachers promote a misguided idea about the life of a Christian. They propose that if we follow God’s law, He is beholden to give us health, wealth, and happiness. Falsly, they claim that one who is living a life as God commands will never encounter suffering, pain, or disappointment. Previously in my Ephesians series in the post By Grace, I covered the nature of man as one of the enemies of the Christian. In Romans 7:13-20, Paul describes how we must continue to fight our sin nature. 1 John 2:15-16, describes another enemy, the world as opposed to the things of God. Our passage today outlines Satan and His attempts to harm us in the spiritual realm. Our faith is constantly opposed but God gives us tools to resist.
v10-13 Who we fight
Simply put, warfare is the state a Christian finds themselves in when facing pressure to turn away from God by their enemies: the flesh, the world, and the devil. Verses 10-20 is a foundational passage in Scripture that describes the Christians ability to resist.
To be strong in the Lord when faced with the enemy means to draw your strength from Him, empowered by Him, drawing on your union with Him in prayer. We fight against spiritual forces, not humans, so our weapons are also spiritual in nature. The majority of the weapons we have are defensive, so we don’t attack Satan. Remember through His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus battled Him and won! Instead we are to stay put, relying on the truth of the sufficiency of Jesus on our behalf. As we cover the defenses God has given us, our mandate is to stand firm, as it is repeated four times in our passage.
As we rely on God as we encounter our enemy, we must put on all the armor or we will be vulnerable somewhere.
v 14-20 How we fight
The benefits God gives us act like armor to protect us. I love The Message rendering: these weapons are more than just words, learn how to apply them. Truth, righteousness, salvation are not just ideas but actually concepts that protect us from harm. Here is a brief synopsis of each one:
Belt of truth: This means to be ready, prepared and sober minded, fixed on Jesus and His return. Soldiers at this time used their belt to tuck in any loose garments so the belt was essential for being able to provide movement. As Christians we need to be prepared to encounter opposition and agile to respond.
Breastplate of righteousness: This is the righteousness of Christ, not us. We get this armor at salvation because no sin can ever be counted against us as Christ has paid for every sin past present and future. We can’t be wounded by our enemies if we keep this in mind because Christ’s sinless life on earth covers us. A lie you might face is that you have to have a certain amount of your own righteousness to please God. That when you sin you stop having access to God and can’t come to Him.
Shoes/gospel of peace: This gives us traction and stability, which is essential if we are to stand. These shoes on a Roman solder had hobnails at the bottom, kind of like track shoes today. Our stability comes from understanding that because of the gospel, we are always at peace with God. When the enemy suggests He is at odds with you, you can reject that lie.
Shield of faith: The shield protected the entire body and was soaked in water before a fight to extinguish fire. Vs. 16 compares the devil’s lies as “fiery arrows.” Knowing God’s word is part of the shield, faith means trusting to the point that you put your weight in something, and trust that God protects all of you fully. A lie that you might encounter is that you have to protect yourself but this shield is large enough to leave nothing exposed. Trusting in God’s words is how to employ your shield.
Helmet of Salvation: Our salvation protects us in the present and in the future because it can never be taken from us. The lie you may battle with this armor is that you are His forever. Many people question if they are saved or can lose your salvation but scripture teaches our connection with God is permanent. That’s because God saves us and keeps us, replacing our sin with the righteousness of Christ. Our salvation never depended on us so it can’t be taken away.
The last protection we have about the enemy is the sword of the spirit--the word of God. Our only offensive weapon, it’s how you respond to Satan’s lies with God’s truth and is connected to alert and persevering prayer. You might be tempted the same way Adam and Eve were in the garden-- did God really say? If you know scripture you can rebuttal with what God said and let your feelings and actions follow. That is the key to resisting the battle for our faith.
v 21-24 Who we fight with
God not only clarifies the identity of the enemy, and gives us tools to resist, He also gives us people to fight with and for. In the final greetings section of the letter, Paul mentions Tychicus as a beloved brother and faithful minister. You can read more about him in Colossians 4:7 where he is also called a brother, minister, and fellow servant. Commentators believe he probably brought the letter to the Ephesian church. Notice that Paul sent him to encourage the hearts of the people.
When the enemy tempts you to despair, sometimes you may stand firm because you have partners in the work like Paul had Tychicus. Paul also had great love for the people he wrote to. In the benediction which closes the chapter, Paul proclaims his wishes that they receive peace, love, faith, and grace from the Father and Christ. When the enemy tried to break Paul, his spiritual concern for the members of this church helped him to continue to be the “ambassador in chains” of verse 20. The people around us can increase our capacity to engage in warfare and lean on the Lord for our victory.
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ever realized that when challenges come your way you haven’t failed as a Christian? Have to been prey to the ideas of the prosperity gospel?
2. What armor do you most need to strengthen in your faith?
-being ready and prepared to encounter opposition
-counting on the righteousness of Jesus not yourself
-knowing you are at peace with God
-allowing God to cover you completely
-trusting your salvation can’t be taken away
-knowing scripture so you can counter lies
3. Who partners with you in spiritual battle? Who do you fight for in the spiritual realm?
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