Stand Firm in the Real Battle

Text: Ephesians 6:10–24 ESV

Introduction

Welcome back! We are so excited to be gathered again as a body of Christ with one another. It felt like a long time, and it should have felt that way. Like a loved one being away on a long trip or deployed with the military, no matter how many Zoom conferences someone does or how many letters and care packages you exchange, you can never replace the feeling and connection you get from being in person with others. This is why we tried to find ways to shore up our time apart from one another in different ways, but we also admitted from the beginning that nothing would replace gathering together. We all knew this conceptually, but we are now relearning that there will be moments where this gathering is challenged—sometimes by our own schedules, our frailty in sickness, and sometimes by competing interests (camping, family time and family needs, work, and others). I pray this season will make us value our time together more, encourage us to do what we can to make this gathering important in how we prioritize time, and that we would find ourselves excited for God’s provision of friends and fellow Christians to walk out this life together in praise and worship.

While COVID has definitely disrupted our gathering together, it has been an occurrence that has challenged us in many other ways. We have been reminded that so much is always happening around us that we don’t see or notice—like small germs and diseases spreading across continents. We have been reminded that there is only so much we can do and that there is much outside of our control. Governments make decisions we don’t always like or sometimes don’t go as far as we would want. People get sick and die no matter what we do. Other people have opinions that are different than ours and we have to remember to work together with grace and understanding. We find ourselves today in the position of waiting for a cure or vaccine for a disease that just six months ago none of us were concerned about.

There are great parallels in this season of COVID to what we have seen throughout the first half of Ephesians in chapters one through three. Paul reminded us that we had a terminal problem—we were sinners, completely dead, apart from God. And he also reminded us of the amazingly good news that there was a cure in Jesus Christ himself. In Jesus we have been rescued (1:3–10), we have been adopted (1:5), we have been given God’s very Spirit to guide us (1:11–14). Not only has he done this for the remnant of Israel who continued to wait for Messiah, but he has graciously brought us gentiles into this new life with them. We are now one new man, together, worshipping our God for his glorious grace in Jesus Christ (2:11–22).   

Like with COVID, the only real solution comes with a cure. Christ is the cure for our dead hearts and the return to normalcy—a life walked out with our God forever more—that we all have been longing for. In fact, not only did Christ deal with our sin problem and our dead hearts, but he also gave us more than we could ever have imagined with his life by adopting us, giving us his Spirit, and making us a part of a people—his family.

If we are going to stick with this analogy (and like it or not, pastors are going to be drawing from COVID for a while now), as Christians we know we have been cured and that is assured. We pray something similar can be true for us in this moment as well, soon. We are inoculated from the permanent effects of sin in the blood of Jesus Christ. We have a new life now in Christ Jesus, but sadly, we still show symptoms of our past disease. We live in an already–not yet state. We are saved and cured decided, but not completely today. We cough, projecting spit and other grossness toward others—a good picture of our tendency to still sin against others. We at times run fevers—a good image of when we get overworked, overheated and headed in the wrong direction and need to rightly reorient our understanding to love what God loves. It is in the second half of Ephesians that Paul takes a helpful turn for our practical living. If in the first half he was describing our illness and our cure in Jesus Christ and the amazing benefits and graces we are given by Christ, it is in the second half that he reminds us what it looks like to walk (live) in light of this new reality. We can’t just ignore what God has done—we have to take our part in walking out this truth. We shouldn’t run back to enticing sin and the sin others are waving in front of us at times, rather, we should remember who we are now in Christ and walk accordingly.

That word, walking (Greek: paripateo) is used again and again in Ephesians 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15. How we “walk” becomes emblematic of the new life we have in Jesus. We are to be united in love and humility with other believers (4:1–16), holding fast to this new life and putting away everything from our old sinful life (4:17–32). We are to walk in love and avoiding anything that is not loving or lovely, and most importantly, walking with love through submission to one another (5:1–21). We saw how this played out for husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and slaves (5:22–6:9).

In comparison to COVID, Ephesians 1–3 is like our current situation describing the problem, how severe it is and then the hope we too will soon have when we see the cure. Ephesians 4–6 is like the life we need to live as those who have this cure amidst our fellow friends and brothers and sisters who have this cure and a world that doesn’t want to accept the hope they have.

Obviously, we needed to review where we had been in Ephesians to help get everyone up to speed after a long time away. I hope by connecting it with our COVID experience that it helps to make Ephesians memorable and perhaps, years from now, you will come back to Ephesians and always remember that this was the book you were studying with your church as you went through that COVID-19 (hopefully never confused with future versions). What I pray we all remember most is how Paul starts with God’s sweet grace and love for us in Jesus Christ in both saving us and gifting us with more than we could have ever imagined (in the first half of the letter), and his call for us to “walk” out our faith in loving ways for one another and for a watching world (in the second half of the letter).

This morning we are looking at the last section of Ephesians. I can’t help but come to the conclusion that Paul had this last section of Ephesians 6:10–25 in his mind when he started writing all of Ephesians. Many of his statements here are echoed throughout Ephesians, so much so that he seems to have been just waiting to get here, to Ephesians 6:10–20 in particular, to be able to connect it all for us. While Paul has been calling us to walk throughout this last half of Ephesians, here he talks our “walking” to a completely different level. Here he expands our concerns beyond this world and into the cosmic realm.

This last section of Ephesians that we are looking at today has four main parts, and we are really only going to focus on the first three of them. 

• In verses 10–13 Paul encourages the Ephesians to be strong in the Lord and to put on the armor of God in their warfare against evil supernatural forces.

• In verses 14–17 Paul encourages them again to stand firm, and lists the armor that they (and we) need in this battle.

• In verses 18–20 he encourages constant prayer and watchfulness, even for him in his present condition.

• And in verses 21–25 Paul gives some closing remarks to the Ephesians and leaves them with a benediction.

Section 1: Be Strong in the Lord

Here is how Paul begins with his first section: 

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.” (Ephesians 6:10–12, ESV)

Paul starts with “be strong in the Lord in the strength of his might”. We have seen that phrase before, “his might”. In Ephesians 1:19–20 we are told Paul is praying that we would know God’s might and in particular he prays that we might know his might “that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” (1:20).

Paul also prayed that we would be “strengthened with power through his Spirit in [our] inner being” in Ephesians 3:16 and affirmed again in Ephesians 3:20 that we do have his “power at work within us.”

What is happening here in Ephesians 6 is that Paul believes the prayers he has prayed for the Ephesians in the first half of the letter have now become true in their acceptance of the gospel. They now know about the wonderful deeds God has done, and as they have accepted them as true and wonderful. They now also have God’s power. Paul believes Christ has triumphed and divinely empowered the Ephesians.

For us as fellow believers, this means that this entire part of 6:10–20 is application for us. Just like the previous parts of Ephesians 4-6 have been ways we now walk out our new identity in Jesus, this is our application in how to take this battle beyond our flesh, beyond those who come against us here on earth, beyond any earthly circumstance, and into the unseen battle that rages around us all the time.

As we move forward, both verse 11 and 13 are descriptions of what Paul thinks it looks like to be “strong in the Lord”. Specifically, he says to put on the whole armor of God, and he gives us two reasons we should put on this armor:

1. that we may be able to withstand the schemes of the devil, and

2. that we may withstand in the evil day.

Paul seems to have in mind here being ready for the ongoing attacks of the devil that come often and at unforeseen moments and being ready for each specific battle. Soldiers on the front line don’t ever take off their war gear—or at least are never far from it—because you never know when the fight will happen. The armor of God is not something that we just periodically think about—it should part of the daily preparations we make and how we think because it is happening all the time. That is part of Paul’s motivation for using the imagery of war. He is reminding us that in this life we are always in need of our gear in our battle with the evil one.

Paul tells us the reason we are to be ready both in general and for each specific attack is because (or for) “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Paul expands our need to walk in the truth of our identity in Jesus Christ because he must. This battle is occurring all the time. Paul lists these three images not to remind us that there are three specific groups we are fighting with (four if we go all the way back to Ephesians 1:21 and add in “dominions” as Paul uses there), but rather that these are all “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” These are the very real and personal spiritual forces of Satan who come against us in a myriad of ways. Sometimes directly, sometimes through evil cultural and humans systems, sometimes in their persuasion of those who listen to them. Paul’s concern here is to describe all the types of evils under Satan’s control nor to describe how they work. His goal is to give us the common solution to it all—the armor of God. 

Section 2: The Armor of God

As we turn to Paul’s description of this armor in verses 14–17, I think there are several people in this room who already have an image running through their head. They have likely had a preacher or teacher at one point in time put up a drawing  of a Roman soldier, showing all his armor, each piece and how it works, and tying that in with each piece that Paul mentions here. There is a lot to learn from that imagery, because it is such a foreign concept to us. Belts that fasten pieces of armor to the boy and one another, breastplates to stop glancing blows, shields as tall as a man to stop flaming arrows, helmets with metal pieces across your cheek to help maximize movement and protection, and double-edged swords for both defense and offense.

But I think we can often miss the most important comment about this armor. It is “of God.” In verse 10 our strength is “of his [God’s] might.” In verse 11 it is the “armor of God” and again in verse 12 it is the “whole armor of God.” We should be asking the question, how then is this God’s strength and armor? Is it literally the armor he wears that he is giving to us? Is it armor that he made for us (like saying ‘present of Gabe’ can mean ‘the present Gabe gave me’)? Is the armor God himself (like saying ‘armor of steel’)?

Paul is remembering his Old Testament here. Throughout Isaiah we see again and again images of God’s Messiah. Listen with me as I look at several spots. In Isaiah 11:4–5 it says this about the Messiah: 

“[W]ith righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth, and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” (Isaiah 11:4–4 ESV)

 In Isaiah 49:2 the Messiah (Israel) says: 

“He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.” (Isaiah 49:2 ESV)

In Isaiah 59:17 it says the Messiah:

“Put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” (Isaiah 59:17 ESV)

And again of the Messiah it says in Isaiah 52:7

“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.” (Isaiah 52:7 ESV)

More important than how all these pieces would work on a soldier is that the armor is God’s. All these images in Ephesians 6:10–24 are pointing to Jesus. This is literally the same way that our Messiah—Jesus Christ—came and was prepared for the life he was to live here on earth amongst us. In that way it is God’s armor—the same very armor he used. Jesus came with Truth, Righteousness, Peace, the good news of the Gospel, the very Word of God himself, a message of salvage and the hope of faith.

And in our faith in Jesus it also becomes the armor of God that was given to us, like a present. In our faith in the work of Jesus Christ we are also putting on that same armor and putting on God himself through his Holy Spirit. This armor is entirely God’s in every possible way, from head to toe.

Again, as we look at verses 14–17, more important than the imagery is what the image is made of. Listen to this description again:

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,” (Ephesians 6:14–17, ESV)

More important than it is a belt is that it is “truth”. Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the word of God, salvation, faith. In using the image of war with these cosmic forces Paul has also used the image of armor to remind us all the characteristics and graces we need to survive this war.

I have been amazed at how often I have seen people teach and preach from this passage, and jump off to many other verses in the Bible to describe what it means to have truth, righteousness, etc. when Paul is using this image to summarize his own message here in Ephesians. You are meant to see this list and realize that everything Paul has been talking to us about already is exactly what we need to fight well.

Each one of these aspects of what we need to fight Satan and every evil that comes against us Paul has described already throughout Ephesians, and we have talked about through this series. We see truth and should be remembering Ephesians 1:13, 4:15–25 and 5:9 where Paul talks about how Jesus the truth we need and the true fruit in love that comes from knowing him. We saw righteousness in Ephesians 4:24 and 5:9 that we now have as Christ’s very righteousness. We saw peace in Ephesians 1:2, 2:14–18, 4:3, and 6:23—Jesus himself that is our peace and the one to reconcile us with God and with one another. We saw the good news of the gospel in Ephesians 1:13, 2:17, and 3:6–8. Salvation in Ephesians 1:13, 2:5–8 and 5:23. Faith in Ephesians 1:1, 13, 19, 2:8, 3:12–17, 4:5 and 13. This picture is pointing us back to all the glorious truths that Paul shared about our life in Jesus and his glorious work for us and in us as also being sufficient and necessary for our daily preparation and each and every attack from him.

If something would make you go back and reread Ephesians again now that we are done, I pray this would. To realize what Paul has been saying, what we have been preaching and teaching about, is not only for your salvation but for your protection in this cosmic war should make us even more desirous to absorb it well. Your very identity in Jesus Christ is your answer to fighting well against Satan. Know the truth of what God has done in Jesus, know where your righteousness comes from, find joy in the gospel of peace and spreading it near and far, find your faith deflecting any challenge Satan may throw your way, and see your very salvation and God’s word as your protection and your offensive attack against every lie that comes your way.

It is in all these encouragements from Paul that we find we can simply “stand firm” as he says in verse 13. The battle has been won friends. We are just called to stand in the grace of God’s victory and not retreat back to our old life or old ways. To fight not only our flesh and those around us who would entice us back, but to find ourselves equipped to take on even the cosmic forces of evil.

Section 3: While Praying

And behind all of this is a heart of prayer.

“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.” (Ephesians 6:18–20, ESV)

When we realize this is a not just a battle against our own desires, nor a fight against those who try to persuade others around us, but that this is a cosmic fight between evil forces and our very good God, prayer is what grounds us in where our hope really lies. Without this armor of God—God himself interceding for us—we could not win. Prayer is our way of acknowledging that we need God himself to step in. So we pray. We pray for ourselves, we pray for the saints, we pray that in every place and in every way God might be honored and glorified. We pray, as Paul asks, that we might have courage to spread this good news from Ephesians and all of Scripture to others. To be ambassadors for God no matter our situation.

Application

Just like Paul tells the Ephesians in 6:22 that he has sent Tychicus for their encouragement, that is what I pray you walk away with from our Ephesians series—encouragement. Know that your identity is as one who has been saved by God himself. Who has been adopted, been made part of God’s family, and is now part of the very people of God himself.

Walk wall in that new identity now, in love. The same love that Paul tells the Ephesians here in 6:24 is “incorruptible”. Your salvation is secure and the love that Christ gave you in saving you will never end nor be destroyed. Know the power and strength of God in your salvation and faith is enough to fall back on in any situation you face—with friends, family, loved ones, work—even the very forces cosmic forces at war in all around us.

Come back to Ephesians and Scripture again and again to be reminded of God’s identity for you now in Jesus Christ and to see how you are called to walk out that reality now. Never walking to earn your salvation but walking because you now know who you are.

And pray. Pray and realize your life is more than what you can see. Like COVID has made us aware that we are not as indestructible nor do we have as much power as we would like, so too remember that prayer brings us back again and again to the only one who has control over all things and has equipped us in every way we need, Jesus Christ

Benediction

Peace be to [you] brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all [you] who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.