The Church: Strength in Christ
Ephesians 6:10-20
Introduction.
This is our final lesson for this series in Ephesians.
We have talked about how great the church is.
It is predestined and powerful, saved and solid, & founded on wisdom.
We see how we ought to conduct ourselves in the world and in the home.
Now we will look at Paul’s final words of encouragement to these brethren.
The encouragement He gives us is to be strong and fight!
Whose strength? Why do we need it? How can we be strong? What are the results?
Body.
Whose strength are we to possess? (6:10).
We are to be strong in the Lord.
Paul knows that when we are weak, He is strong (2 Cor. 12:10).
We are to rely on His power and might and not on our own.
This is a common refrain in Scriptures.
God wants His people to rely on Him.
We just saw that in Joshua 10, the Lord fought for them with hail, even making the sun stand still so they could fight longer—the “Lord fought for Israel.”
Later we see how the Lord delivered Judah from the Assyrians (2 Kgs 19:35).
Throughout history God has fought for His people—it is no different for us today.
David wrote, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psa. 20:7).
Why do we need to be strong? (6:11-12).
Because of the enemy we fight: the devil.
We do not wrestle against all those things in vs. 12, but it often feels like it.
Paul is urging them to see that, while we may appear that we are fighting against men (Jews and Romans), they have their true enemy.
His weapon is his wiles, along with his fiery darts (6:16).
His wiles are cunning, crafty, and deceitful.
Jesus calls him a liar and the father of it (John 8:44).
It was through his lies he became a “murderer from the beginning.”
His fiery darts attempt to penetrate our shield of faith.
If our faith is strong enough, his fiery darts have no power.
These darts are his attacks against our faith and will lead us to a fiery end.
How can we be strong in the Lord? (6:13-18).
Put on the whole armor of God (6:13).
This will help us to withstand the devil.
This will also allow us “having done all, to stand.”
We can stand tall knowing we did all we could, knowing the Lord is with us.
Defenses (6:14-17a).
Belt of truth.
A belt holds things together—without it, the armor would fall apart.
If we understand the truth, we will be able to see through the devil’s lies, his wiles.
Breastplate of righteousness.
The breastplate protects the heart and the other vital organs.
If we can identify the devil’s lies, the breastplate of righteousness will help us to avoid them.
It’s not enough to know the truth, you must act on it, too—do what’s right.
It will guard your heart from the pain of sin.
Shoes of the gospel of peace.
Shoes protect your feet and help you get where you need to go.
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace” (Rom. 10:15).
This is the gospel, the good news, and it brings peace to your souls.
This is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7).
Shield of (the) faith.
A shield protects everything else, but also protects the armor.
Sometimes fiery darts and other arrows could get through breastplates.
It might get partially through a shield, but the shield ultimately stops it.
Our faith protects us from the fiery end that this darts might bring about.
Helmet of salvation.
Helmets protect the head, deflecting blows from swords, etc.
Our salvation protects our heads by which we understand the gospel.
Offensive weapon: sword of the Spirit – the word of God (6:17b).
The sword was often the only offensive weapon one carried into battle.
It struck blows against the enemy, beating him back or killing him.
The Spirit has inspired (breathed out) the word of God (2 Tim. 3:16).
This word is a double-edged sword, living and powerful (Heb. 4:12).
It is not our own words or thoughts that protect us, but the word of God—recall we are to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (6:10).
The oft-forgotten element: prayer (6:18).
Let us never forget the power of prayer, to call upon God for help.
Let us never neglect this amazing resource.
We are to pray and make supplications, meaning we are to ask God for what we need, what’s weighing on our minds, for help against the devil
Remember the Model Prayer: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:13).
We are to do this “always” and “will all perseverance,” not only for ourselves but for “all the saints.”
What are the results of this strength? (6:19-20).
Paul also asks for prayers on his behalf as he continues to preach from prison.
The results of donning the whole armor of God will set you free from sin.
The truth sets us free from sin (John 8:32-36).
It does this by protecting us from the devil’s tricks so that we are not enslaved again.
We will not worry about ridicule or harm if we feel protected by His strength.
This will embolden us to share the gospel with others more readily.
This is what Paul was praying for through a divine utterance, but ours comes through study and getting to know the prospect.
We do not know his heart, but we can get him to open up and share.
The results of donning the whole armor of God will not free you from your physical predicaments.
Paul was an ambassador in chains.
He was desiring these prayers so he could preach from jail—what’s our excuse for not sharing the gospel with others?
He was persecuted as a prisoner even though he was an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).
As an ambassador, he implored that men be reconciled to God.
Conclusion.
Will you be reconciled to God this evening?
We have talked about putting on the whole armor of God, about being strong in the Lord, but it does not mean anything if we are not first in Him, reconciled to Him.
Our strength can only come from Him—Paul stood before kings and emperors telling them about Jesus, that they need to repent (righteousness, self-control, judgment).
Paul was armed only with the whole armor of God.
They may have killed his physical body eventually (2 Tim. 4:6).
But he knew he had lived a faithful life (2 Tim. 4:7).
And he knew what was waiting for him (2 Tim. 4:8).
This awaits us all if we also don the whole armor of God and protect ourselves through Christ from the wiles of the devil.
The strength lies not with us, but with the Lord—let us rely on Him.
Let us be reconciled to Him and then be strong in the power of His might.