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Ephesians Chapter Six
10. final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
12. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
14. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
15. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
16. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
17.Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
19. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So, pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
21. To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.
23. Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24.May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
As I was reading this chapter today it got me doing some really deep thinking about how we see things in our world. We are just certain that no one has it worse than we do and our problems are more serious than anyone else could ever imagine; and then comes this chapter in the bible.
Paul wrote this from prison. Not from the kind of prison we have in America, yes, they are awful, but Paul was in a dark, cold prison that was detestable. Not a place where they guarantee you food every day. No showers and toilets and bunks. Basically, if you didn’t have someone to provide for you then you starved to death in those places, if the rampant disease didn’t kill you first.
In all of this Paul’s focus was still on the church and how to spread the gospel. He didn’t cry about his conditions or agonize over his situation. He accepted that even in chains he was still God’s ambassador to preach the gospel. We should remember this point. Just because you are having problems in your life doesn’t mean you set aside the preaching of the gospel. Just because we are wounded or struggling doesn’t mean that we are disqualified from our mission.
Paul understood that he wasn’t fighting with flesh and blood people but with an unseen enemy that we were commissioned to defeat. We should realize this too. Far too many times we see people, our situation or even our Father as our enemy and this is never the case. Evil didn’t originate in people. People who do evil things are influenced by evil entities that we can’t see.
Surely if Paul could keep his focus on preaching the gospel and encouraging the saints even though he was locked up in prison then surely we can manage to do the same in our situations.
Let’s think about this a moment. Paul was locked in prison and the letters he wrote are still affecting the world two thousand years later. If he hadn’t been locked up would we have these letters? Only God knows for sure, but my point is that when the enemy thinks he has you locked up is when God does his greatest work through you.
Paul was locked away in prison but his focus was on encouraging others in spite of his situation. We should do the same. Many of us are struggling with pain and lack and broken relationships, but that shouldn’t stop us from encouraging others. As long as we have breath then we should use that breath to encourage and not discourage.
We must remember to take this chapter to heart. The way that Paul was able to withstand his situation is in the letter he wrote. He was locked away but he still had God’s armor on.
So, let us remember to put on God’s armor also. Let’s gird ourselves in God’s truth like a belt. Let’s put on the righteous breast plate we were given by Christ. Let’s stand strong in the peace that comes from above. Don’t stand quaking in the shoes of fear. Stand in the shoes of the peace that comes from Christ.
Let salvation be our helmet. In other words, get it through your head that you are safe in Christ no matter what your situation is.
Let’s take up that shield of faith. It is his shield not ours. Paul taught us that we no longer live by our faith but by the faith of Christ who loves us and gave himself for us. Let’s hold up that shield of faith and laugh at the enemy we can’t see. This enemy is shooting fiery darts that have no chance of making it through our armor.
If we could only see what we really look like wearing the armor of God. It must be like sitting in a tank being attacked by an enemy that only has a bow and some arrows that he set on fire. We would have to come out of our armor before he even had a chance to do any real damage.
Don’t forget we also have the ability to pray and connect instantly with headquarters. This is something our enemy doesn’t have. His communication is all jacked up and sitting on blocks because Jesus kicked his wheels off at Calvary. He has no one to pray to that will help him, and we have our heavenly Father who is listening for our every sigh and even hears our thoughts and desires.
We also have the sword of the Spirit. This is Holy Spirit’s very own sword. That is why it’s called the sword of the sprit. It is the very word of God. It is God’s promise that we will win the battle if we just stand in peace and use the weapons he gave us.
Don’t forget that God used words to create all things that exist both in the physical realm and the spiritual realm. When Father gives you a word to declare about your situation then speak it out. It will be filled with his Spirit and creative power. It will change things in this realm and all others. In every realm that exists in this age and all ages, God’s word is absolute.
Now my brothers and sisters, be encouraged. Are we in a fight? Of course we are. We were put here to finish off the enemy forces that Jesus obliterated when he rose from the dead. He stripped our enemy of his power and might and left him with only his fiery darts to shoot at those of us who are clothed in Christ and fully loaded with the weapons of truth. How frustrated our enemy must be.
So my loved ones, don’t give up. Put on God’s armor and don’t focus on your problems but focus on encouraging others. We will win this fight and every fight. We are more than conquerors. We are inheritors of the world he already conquered, and if we are willing to stand we are more than able to see victory.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael
Ephesians Chapter Six
10. final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
12. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
14. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
15. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
16. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
17.Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
19. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So, pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
21. To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.
23. Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24.May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
As I was reading this chapter today it got me doing some really deep thinking about how we see things in our world. We are just certain that no one has it worse than we do and our problems are more serious than anyone else could ever imagine; and then comes this chapter in the bible.
Paul wrote this from prison. Not from the kind of prison we have in America, yes, they are awful, but Paul was in a dark, cold prison that was detestable. Not a place where they guarantee you food every day. No showers and toilets and bunks. Basically, if you didn’t have someone to provide for you then you starved to death in those places, if the rampant disease didn’t kill you first.
In all of this Paul’s focus was still on the church and how to spread the gospel. He didn’t cry about his conditions or agonize over his situation. He accepted that even in chains he was still God’s ambassador to preach the gospel. We should remember this point. Just because you are having problems in your life doesn’t mean you set aside the preaching of the gospel. Just because we are wounded or struggling doesn’t mean that we are disqualified from our mission.
Paul understood that he wasn’t fighting with flesh and blood people but with an unseen enemy that we were commissioned to defeat. We should realize this too. Far too many times we see people, our situation or even our Father as our enemy and this is never the case. Evil didn’t originate in people. People who do evil things are influenced by evil entities that we can’t see.
Surely if Paul could keep his focus on preaching the gospel and encouraging the saints even though he was locked up in prison then surely we can manage to do the same in our situations.
Let’s think about this a moment. Paul was locked in prison and the letters he wrote are still affecting the world two thousand years later. If he hadn’t been locked up would we have these letters? Only God knows for sure, but my point is that when the enemy thinks he has you locked up is when God does his greatest work through you.
Paul was locked away in prison but his focus was on encouraging others in spite of his situation. We should do the same. Many of us are struggling with pain and lack and broken relationships, but that shouldn’t stop us from encouraging others. As long as we have breath then we should use that breath to encourage and not discourage.
We must remember to take this chapter to heart. The way that Paul was able to withstand his situation is in the letter he wrote. He was locked away but he still had God’s armor on.
So, let us remember to put on God’s armor also. Let’s gird ourselves in God’s truth like a belt. Let’s put on the righteous breast plate we were given by Christ. Let’s stand strong in the peace that comes from above. Don’t stand quaking in the shoes of fear. Stand in the shoes of the peace that comes from Christ.
Let salvation be our helmet. In other words, get it through your head that you are safe in Christ no matter what your situation is.
Let’s take up that shield of faith. It is his shield not ours. Paul taught us that we no longer live by our faith but by the faith of Christ who loves us and gave himself for us. Let’s hold up that shield of faith and laugh at the enemy we can’t see. This enemy is shooting fiery darts that have no chance of making it through our armor.
If we could only see what we really look like wearing the armor of God. It must be like sitting in a tank being attacked by an enemy that only has a bow and some arrows that he set on fire. We would have to come out of our armor before he even had a chance to do any real damage.
Don’t forget we also have the ability to pray and connect instantly with headquarters. This is something our enemy doesn’t have. His communication is all jacked up and sitting on blocks because Jesus kicked his wheels off at Calvary. He has no one to pray to that will help him, and we have our heavenly Father who is listening for our every sigh and even hears our thoughts and desires.
We also have the sword of the Spirit. This is Holy Spirit’s very own sword. That is why it’s called the sword of the sprit. It is the very word of God. It is God’s promise that we will win the battle if we just stand in peace and use the weapons he gave us.
Don’t forget that God used words to create all things that exist both in the physical realm and the spiritual realm. When Father gives you a word to declare about your situation then speak it out. It will be filled with his Spirit and creative power. It will change things in this realm and all others. In every realm that exists in this age and all ages, God’s word is absolute.
Now my brothers and sisters, be encouraged. Are we in a fight? Of course we are. We were put here to finish off the enemy forces that Jesus obliterated when he rose from the dead. He stripped our enemy of his power and might and left him with only his fiery darts to shoot at those of us who are clothed in Christ and fully loaded with the weapons of truth. How frustrated our enemy must be.
So my loved ones, don’t give up. Put on God’s armor and don’t focus on your problems but focus on encouraging others. We will win this fight and every fight. We are more than conquerors. We are inheritors of the world he already conquered, and if we are willing to stand we are more than able to see victory.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael
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