For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ~Ephesains 6:12-13
Paul comtinues in Ephesians to explain the "why" behind the armor of God.
He explains that "our struggle (refering to our temptations, seens in 'schemes of the devil' in verse 11) is not against flesh and blood" but against something far greater.
We battle against the authorities of the evils realm, the rules and against the powers. Now, think, who are you?
This reminds me of the account in Acts 19, where several people tryed to take on these powers alone.
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. ~Acts 19:13-16
I think sometimes when we try to overpower these forces on our own they begin to ask the same question, "Who are YOU?" Who are too beat these forces on our own? We need He who overcomes, Jesus Christ. We need to as, Ephesains 6:13 says, "put on the armor of God" and why? So we "may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
Not only so we can stand our ground in battle, but stand even we've doen everything we can do. This is essential in our battle against the kingdom of darkness, and in our struggle for holiness.
Next post we will begin to look at each piece of the "armor of God". God Bless!
Showing posts with label Ephesians 6. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ephesians 6. Show all posts
Monday, July 16, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
The Armor Of God.
As Paul is composing the end of his letter to the Ephesians, he begins to write about the unity in the body of the Christ (4:1-16), living a holy, Christ-imitating life (4:17-5:21) then goes on to apply the Truths of the Gospel to marriage (5:22-33), parenting, (6:1-4), and servitude (6:5-6:9) and finally he writes about those facing temptations from Satan. God has really used this passage in my life recently in regards to my fight with sin, so I thought we’d walk through what Paul has to say about the “Armor of God”. Let us begin today with verses 10 & 11.
”Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. “
When we see a word like “finally” in the Bible (much like therefore and many other phrases) we need to consider the context. We see the importance of the words to following because of how general the statement is. In the passages before he refers to wives (5:22), husbands (5:25), children (6:1), fathers, (6:4), slaves (6:5) and masters (5:9), but this “finally seems to have a unifying effect as he gives the command “be strong in the Lord and his mighty power.”
He is making statement about the power of those receiving his letter. It doesn’t say, “be mighty in your power!” or “You can do it guys! I believe in you!” This seems to carry a much different effect. He is saying, “Guys, you can’t do this on your own, don’t even try.” Much like Jesus statements through out the Gospel, but especially in John 15 where He says, “Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
Then Paul gives the command, “Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. “
Paul seems to carry with him two reasons why this command is given.
1) So they can be “strong in the Lord”
2) So they can “take there stand against the devil’s schemes.”
How much more is this important for the Christian of today? Don’t realize that Satan seeks to destroy you (John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8)? We need to be on alert.
The only question left too ask is, “Are you ready for Battle?”
Most of the Church is too caught up in the world to worry about the war, which is just where the enemy wants them, in a comfortable Christianity that makes no advance in the kingdom of God and makes no assault on the kingdom of Darkness.
Over several posts, we will look at what Paul supscribes in the Armor of God to help us fight Satan, our temptations, and to kill personal sin in our lives.
”Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. “
When we see a word like “finally” in the Bible (much like therefore and many other phrases) we need to consider the context. We see the importance of the words to following because of how general the statement is. In the passages before he refers to wives (5:22), husbands (5:25), children (6:1), fathers, (6:4), slaves (6:5) and masters (5:9), but this “finally seems to have a unifying effect as he gives the command “be strong in the Lord and his mighty power.”
He is making statement about the power of those receiving his letter. It doesn’t say, “be mighty in your power!” or “You can do it guys! I believe in you!” This seems to carry a much different effect. He is saying, “Guys, you can’t do this on your own, don’t even try.” Much like Jesus statements through out the Gospel, but especially in John 15 where He says, “Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
Then Paul gives the command, “Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. “
Paul seems to carry with him two reasons why this command is given.
1) So they can be “strong in the Lord”
2) So they can “take there stand against the devil’s schemes.”
How much more is this important for the Christian of today? Don’t realize that Satan seeks to destroy you (John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8)? We need to be on alert.
The only question left too ask is, “Are you ready for Battle?”
Most of the Church is too caught up in the world to worry about the war, which is just where the enemy wants them, in a comfortable Christianity that makes no advance in the kingdom of God and makes no assault on the kingdom of Darkness.
Over several posts, we will look at what Paul supscribes in the Armor of God to help us fight Satan, our temptations, and to kill personal sin in our lives.
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