Ephesians 6:10-20
All believers should know about the importance of wearing
their full suit of armor every day so that they will be able to stand firm
against the schemes of the devil.
I. Be strong in the Lord and get dressed for the battle.
A. Our fight
is not against flesh and blood
B. It is
important to know what we are fighting against.
1.
Rulers
2.
Powers
3.
World forces of this darkness
4.
Spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places
II. How a believer is to dress daily in order to stand firm
against the evil day.
A. Loins to
be girded in truth.
B. Hearts to
be protected by the breastplate of righteousness
C. Feet
prepared with the Gospel of Peace.
D. A shield
of Faith
E. Our Heads
are covered by the Helmet of Salvation
F. Our only
weapon is the sword of the Spirit (the word of God).
III. Be alert and pray in the Spirit at all times.
A. Pray for
all things in the Spirit.
B. Petition
for all the saints.
C. Always be
alert and aware.
D. Pray for
boldness and courage for all who share the gospel.
There is not a single person, outside of Christ, who has lived a full life and not felt like the world was against them at some point. This is the exact reason why all of us who believe in Christ should be fully aware of the spiritual armor that God has blessed each one of us with, for as Paul warns us in Ephesians 6:12 (NASB), our struggle is not against flesh and blood. If it were, we would be more capable of dealing with things in our own strength. Rather, our fight is against things that can only be defeated by the implementation of all the spiritual weapons that are provided to us by our Heavenly Father. It is in the verses that follow that we will discuss just how all of us can protect ourselves against the fiery arrows that the evil one launches toward the children of God, as well as how we can best help our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t be fooled, there is not one of us that does not come into battle with the dark side. It is only in learning how to dress for battle daily that we can be assured of standing firmly in our faith no matter what this world and the dark forces within it have to throw our way!
Professor’s notes: The main theme of Ephesians is, of course,
the disclosure of God’s eternal divine purpose, which is the uniting together
and reconciliation of all things in and through the person and work of Jesus
Christ. In God’s plan of reconciliation, Jesus Christ is at the heart and
center of all that the Father wills. And at the heart and center of Christ’s
work is his church. Christ as its Head has given the church an awesome
responsibility and role as the redeemed organism by which he brings unity to
this alienated, fragmented and fallen world. As the body of Christ, the church
is to live out the purposes for which it was called. The church’s calling is to
exemplify before the world the unity and love of reconciliation for which
Christ died and rose. The gospel of God’s grace has bestowed upon believers a
higher calling in Christ. Therefore, believers as a body and as individuals are
to conduct themselves in this fallen world accordingly “in Christ” to his
glory.
Paul, who once was Saul, is the author of Ephesians. Paul
was formerly Saul until he had an encounter with Christ Jesus. Saul truly
believed that he was a defender of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob until
that fateful day when he encountered Christ on the road to Damascus.
There are many interesting details regarding Saul who became
Paul that I believe add flavor to all of his letters as well as his personal
story. “Saul of Tarsus was born in approximately AD 5 in the city of Tarsus in
Cilicia (in modern-day Turkey). He was born to Jewish parents who possessed
Roman citizenship, a coveted privilege that their son would also possess. In
about AD 10, Saul’s family moved to Jerusalem. Sometime between AD 15—20 Saul
began his studies of the Hebrew Scriptures in the city of Jerusalem under Rabbi
Gamaliel. It was under Gamaliel that Saul would begin an in-depth
study of the Law with the famous rabbi.” (http://www.gotquestions.org/Saul-of-Tarsus.html)
It is Paul’s extensive knowledge of the Old Testament
combined with his persecution of the first believers that makes his preaching,
his ministry, and his letters so passionate. Paul truly desired for people of
all kinds to come to understand the message of grace and then continue to grow
from that foundation.
It is obvious that Saul loved God by his devotion to
studying the law and his willingness as well as eagerness to travel in order to
bring followers of ‘The Way’ (One of the first names given to the early church)
to court and to what he felt was justice. After Saul’s transformation into Paul,
he considered himself to be the worst among sinners and the very least of all
saints.
He is credited with writing a major portion of the New
Testament and was recognized as an Apostle of Christ by the other Apostles even
though he never walked with Jesus while Jesus was here on earth. Paul truly
longed for the Jews and the Gentiles to understand that they were all now part
of the same promise and should to act accordingly.
[6] to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and
fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus
through the gospel, (Ephesians 3:6, NASB)
On Paul’s third missionary trip he ended up staying in
Ephesus and ministering to the church there for almost three years.
This particular letter was written by Paul while he was
being held as a prisoner in Rome. I think the most interesting thing about
Paul’s time as a prisoner in Rome was the prison he was held in. As I mentioned
earlier, Paul was a Roman citizen. This citizenship allowed him the opportunity
to be held in a private room instead of a prison cell and he was watched over
by a Roman soldier. Paul wrote this epistle (letter) somewhere between the year
A.D. 60-62 and due to Paul’s captivity while it was written, it is often
referred to as a prison epistle. One can almost envision Paul glancing at his fully
dressed guard, realizing how referring to a Roman soldier’s full suit of armor
would provide him with the perfect outline for all believers to fully
comprehend how a warrior for Christ need to dress each day to stand firm in
their faith.
The Epistle to the Ephesians truly highlights everything
that a believer needs to know and understand in order to stand firm and grow in
their faith. The first three chapters of Ephesians emphasize New Testament
doctrine; that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. The last
three chapters walk us through the ways Christians should behave; to always be
thankful for their immeasurable blessings in Jesus Christ which should also
produce a desire to live in a manner worthy of such blessings. All Christians
will go through various trials, tribulations and temptations of Satan. It is
for this reason that Paul shares with believers the full and sufficient
spiritual armor supplied to them through God’s Word and by His Spirit.
Be strong in the Lord and get dressed for battle
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His
might. (Ephesians 6:10, NASB)
This verse alerts the reader that Paul is finishing up his
letter by opening with the word finally. He has one last important piece of
advice to give his readers. He wants to prepare them all for the battle he
knows full well from his own experiences, we all will face. “We have one
important need as we fight this war. It is the power of God. We ‘must be strong
in the *Lord’. You cannot make yourself strong. God must give you strength. He
must give it to you more than once. He must give it to you all the time. The
*Greek word means ‘continue to let God make you strong’. Then Paul says ‘in the
*Lord’, not ‘by the *Lord’, although that would be true. The strength comes
from being united with Jesus. It comes from being ‘in Christ’. This is what
Jesus taught (John 15:1-5). Apart from Jesus, the Christian can do nothing. So
the strength that we have is in ‘his great power’. You could also say, ‘in the
strength of his great power’.” (1997-2005, Wycliffe Associates (UK). http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/eph-lbw.htm).
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to
stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ( Ephesians 6:11, NASB)
Paul uses the armor worn by Roman soldiers as an analogy
that the readers of his day would be familiar with. He wants them to fully
grasp how necessary this armor is for one to hold their position while under
attack. The Greek word for schemes carries the idea of one who is clever,
cunning and deceitful. The evil ones schemes include all sins, the lure of
false idols, the teaching of false theology and religion as well as all worldly
enticements.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness,
against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians
6:12, NASB)
Some translations use the word “wrestle” in the place of
struggle. Both of these words paint the picture of a type of hand-to-hand
combat. Satan and his hosts often attack with trickery and deception. While
these types of attacks are not truly hand-to-hand, they can truly make you feel
like you are in a physical battle. I call these types of attacks “crocodile
rolls” for the enemy comes at you swiftly with your greatest fears and if you
are not prepared, you are sure to be taken under. Being prepared, you will have
to use all of your armor to stand firm. Not many escape from a crocodile roll
in real life!
The struggles we face, we are told will not be of flesh and
blood, there are unseen spiritual forces at work. “If we do not guard our
hearts, Satan has the ability to fill them with evil thoughts (Acts 5:3). If we
do not “gird up the loins of our minds,” then Satan can blind our eyes and lead
us astray (II Corinthians 4:4; 11:3). The Bible warns us that through some
“snare,” Satan can take us captive to do “his will” (II Timothy 2:26). This
snare is evidently the devil's allurement (temptation) to do evil. Of course,
this does not teach us that Satan can force us to do his bidding against our
own free wills, only that if we are not careful he can fool us or snare us
through the “deceitfulness of sin” and the “deceivableness of unrighteousness”
(Hebrews 3:13; II Thessalonians 2:10). Finally, the Bible clearly informs us
that Christians, even in the 20th century, must not be ignorant of Satan’s
“devices” (II Corinthians 2:11)” (A Study Of Ephesians, 2002 by Allan Turner,
Allanita press, http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html)
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you sill
be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
(Ephesians 6:13, NASB)
Paul simply reiterates the need for Christian soldiers to be
prepared in their full armor so that when the evil day arrives, they will be
ready and able to resist. The girdle, breastplate and shoes were items that the
Roman soldiers wore at all times on the battlefield. The shield, helmet and
sword were readily available should fighting begin. Every day since the fall of
man has been evil. Our every day goal should be to stand firm against the
enemy. The only way we can accomplish that is to be fully armed.
How a believer is to dress daily in order to stand firm
against the evil day.
Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH,
and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, (Ephesians 6:14, NASB)
This is the third time that Paul has called believers to
stand firm. It is here that he begins giving more details on how we are to use
our spiritual warfare. A Roman soldier dressed in a tunic of loose-fitting
clothing that required a belt to be worn to cinch up the hanging material.
(Exodus 12:11; Luke 12:35; 1 Peter 1:13) Often our lives can become loosely
raveled and this is a reminder to stick to the truth, refraining from
hypocrisy. The breastplate that the Roman soldiers wore covered their entire
torso, sufficiently protecting their heart and other vital organs. This is a
great analogy of how the righteousness of Christ protects the believer in
spiritual battles. Without this righteousness, we are left vulnerable to the
enemy of our souls, Satan himself.
And having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL
OF PEACE; (Ephesians 6:15, NASB)
The boots that the Roman soldiers wore had nails in them so
that they had a better grip in the ground while in combat! The Gospel of peace
allows the believer that same type of grip. When you are prepared with the
Gospel of peace, you standing on a firm foundation. It is in our confidence of
divine support that we are able to stand firm understanding that we are at
peace with God and have nothing to fear. God is our strength and power. (Romans
8:31, 37-29)
in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which
you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
(Ephesians 6:16, NASB)
This Greek word usually refers to a shield that is 2.5 x 4.5
ft. This shield was large enough to cover the entire soldier. It also had hooks
on it so that the soldiers could stand together, locking their shield in place
forming an invincible wall. In the same way, Christians can stand in faith
together and move mountains. Our faith is a vital component as we are reminded that
we are saved by grace through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“As faith is the grace by which all others are preserved and
rendered active, so it is properly represented here under the notion of a
shield, by which the whole body is covered and protected. Faith, in this place,
must mean that evidence of things unseen which every genuine believer has, that
God, for Christ's sake, has blotted out his sins, and by which he is enabled to
call God his Father, and feel him to be his portion. It is such an
appropriating faith as this which can quench any dart of the devil.” (Clarke,
Adam. "Commentary on Ephesians 6:1", “The Adam Clarke Commentary".
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/view.cgi?bk=48&ch=6. 1832.)
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17, NASB)
As mentioned earlier, Satan schemes. He is not opposed to
trying to destroy the believer’s assurance of their salvation. In battle, a
helmet is worn to protect your head. A helmet of salvation is meant to be worn
so that you never forget that you are saved and therefore have nothing to fear,
including the loss of your salvation!
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is an
amazing part of our armor. It is by the word of God that Jesus battled Satan in
the desert. (Luke 4:1-13) As far as the readers of this book would have
understood the analogy of the sword being used for the word of God, one only
has to take a look into the training of the sword for all Roman soldiers. “The
Spanish gladius, a two-edged sword which was used by the Romans during Paul's
lifetime, was two feet long and two and one half inches wide, and was designed
primarily as a thrusting weapon. With it, the Roman legions were successful in
conquering the world. A great deal of skill was needed to master the gladius
sword. It has been reported that the Roman authorities thought it needful for
their soldiers to train for up to five years before they ever saw combat. Often
the sword the soldier practiced with was twice as heavy as the one he would
actually use in combat. Developing the strength to wield the heavier practice
sword enabled the soldier to use the gladius sword very effectively.” (A Study
Of Ephesians, 2002 by Allan Turner, Allanita press, http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html)
“Likewise, “the word of God,” which is actually “sharper
than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), requires practice if it is going to
be used effectively. Therefore, in his instructions to Timothy, Paul wrote: “Be
diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). The skillful
use of God's Word “belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”
(Hebrews 5:14). When used skillfully, the sword of the Spirit pierces the heart
(cf. Acts 2:37; 7:54). In order to defeat the enemy, the Christian soldier must
learn to use the sword of the Spirit expertly.” (A Study Of Ephesians, 2002 by
Allan Turner, Allanita press, http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html)
Be alert and pray in the Spirit at all times.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the
Spirit, and with this in view, be on alert with all perseverance and petition
for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:18, NASB)
This verse reminds all believers of the importance of
prayer. We aren’t simply to pray, we are to use all forms of prayer and we are
to pray at all times. Giving thanks to God is a form of prayer. Talking to God
about the troubles you face is a form of prayer. We are also informed here that
it is okay and expected to present petitions before the Lord. It is by being
alert to the battles we face against unforeseen evil forces that we learn to
pray in the Spirit. We are to not only pray for ourselves, we are to pray for
all the saints and others as well.
[19] And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to
me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the
gospel, [20] for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in proclaiming it I
may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:19-20, NASB)
Paul doesn’t ask for the believers of his day to pray for
his physical comfort or well being. Rather he asks for them to pray for his
boldness and faithfulness. It is truly his desire to continue proclaiming the
gospel even to his own detriment!
“Observe, Paul had a great command of language; they called
him Mercury, because he was the chief speaker (Acts. 14:12 ), and yet he would
have his friends ask of God the gift of utterance for him. He was a man of
great courage, and often signalized himself for it; yet he would have them pray
that God would give him boldness. He knew as well what to say as any man; yet
he desires them to pray for him, that he may speak as he ought to
speak. The argument with which he enforces his request is that for the
sake of the gospel he was an ambassador in bonds, v. 20. He was persecuted and
imprisoned for preaching the gospel; though, notwithstanding, he continued in
the embassy committed to him by Christ, and persisted in preaching it.” (Matthew
Henry's six volume Complete Commentary, 1706, http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/ephesians/6.html
Application for Ephesians 6:10-20
In today’s world it is vital that believers get up each day
dressed in their full suit of armor. The battles that Paul spoke of to the
church in Ephesus are the very same battles we face today. Without being fully
dressed, our fast paced world is certain to take us under.
When Paul speaks of the shrewdness of Satan, he is leaving
nothing out. At all times, we must be alert and we must pray in times of duress
as well as in times of blessings. Our faith is something that is meant to be
shared for by sharing we strengthen one another much like the Roman soldier’s
strengthened their defense by sharing their shields to form a formidable wall.
In recognizing the training that the Roman soldiers went
through in order to use a sword, we should understand that we simply cannot
read the bible here and there and be prepared in battle. As the Roman soldier
had to train, so must we. Not a day should go by that we don’t pick up the word
of God, described in this letter as the sword of the Spirit and do a little
reading. It is in reading the word of God that we begin to hear God himself.
Our armor is designed to keep us focused on the truth,
having confidence in our salvation and always being prepared to share the
gospel with the world.
It is in discovering that we have been set free that we
should share the glory of God with all who come into our lives. By being alert
and always praying for others, we should be able to discern evil for evil and
recognize where our light needs to shine.
Bibliography
A Study Of Ephesians, 2002 by Allan Turner, Allanita press,
http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Ephesians 6:1", “The Adam Clarke Commentary".
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/view.cgi?bk=48&ch=6. 1832.
Duvall, J. Scott; Hays, J. Daniel (2012-05-08). Grasping
God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the
Bible (pp. 229-230). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Got questions ministry, 2002 - 2015, http://www.gotquestions.org/Saul-of-Tarsus.html
Matthew Henry's six volume Complete Commentary, 1706, http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/ephesians/6.html
The MacArthur Study Bible, 2006, Thomas Nelson
Wycliffe Associates (UK), 1997 - 2005, http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/eph-lbw.htm
© Wendy Glidden 2015
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