Instructions On Living The Christian Life

Ephesians 6:10-19

Verse 10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Our strength doesn't come from ourselves, but from the Lord, from the power of His might that He gives to us.

Verse 11, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Put on - This is a deliberate act.

This is done to protect ourselves because we know what the battle is about.

Wear the right kind of clothes for the right kind of job so the body will be protected.

Verse 12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

I. Wrestle not.

A. The wrestling match is compared to the Christian's struggle against evil.

B. This verse confirms verse 11.

1. We stand against the wiles of Satan.

2. Our battle is not against any person.

3. For a Christian to strike out against another human is wrong.

4. We are to fight the disease, not symptoms.

C. Flesh and blood - Christians have no quarrel against any human being.

II. Our battle is against.

A. Principalities.

1. The beginning, origin, the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader

2. That by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause.

3. the first place, principality, rule, magistracy

4. Our battle is with Satan, the beginning of sin and the one most active in causing sin to continue.

B. Powers - authority, right, liberty, jurisdiction, strength.

1. Power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; leave or permission

2. Physical and mental power; the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises

3. Everybody ought to do what God commands, because He is the total sovereign of the universe.

4. We disagree with the philosophy that everybody should do what they want to do.

C. Rulers of the darkness of this world.

1. Ruler, lord of the world, prince of this age: the devil and demons are called this.

2. darkness.

a. Of night darkness; of darkened eyesight or blindness

b. Metaphor of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery; persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway

D. Spiritual wickedness in high places

1. Spiritual.

  1. relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ; that which possesses the nature of the rational soul.

  2. belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God

2. Wickedness.

a depravity, iniquity, wickedness, malice, evil purposes and desires

3. High - heavenly, celestial, in heaven, high.

a. existing in heaven, things that take place in heaven.

b. the heavenly regions, i.e. heaven itself, the abode of God and angels, the lower heavens or the heavens of the clouds

c. the heavenly temple or sanctuary

d. of heavenly origin or nature

Verse 13, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

I. The whole armor of God.

A. This is not the armor of flesh.

1. Not like the "Waco Cult", because we are not a cult, but a church.

2. We believe in the imminent return of the lord, not the imminent destruction of the world.

3. We do not believe in "survivalists", those "religious zealots", who depend on concrete bunkers and are "armed to the teeth" to survive when governments crumble.

B. The armor of God is spiritual and is described in verses 14-18.

Verse 14, Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I. Stand therefore.

A. God doesn't expect us to walk, or run, trot, or jog ahead.

  1. Don’t be running around like a chicken with your head cut off.

  2. Activity doesn’t mean you are following God’s will.

  3. Psalms 46:10 - Be still and know that I am God.

B. God doesn't expect us to sit down, or lay down.

C. We are to stand up on our own two feet, ready to do whatever God calls us to do.

II. Loins girt about with truth.

A. Truth is the Word of God.

B. John 18:38 - Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?"

1. It is a shame that some people in authority do not know what the truth is.

2. They might have the opinion of a lot of "authorities", but if they don't have the answers from the Bible, they don't have the truth.

III. The breastplate of righteousness.

A. This is a personal righteousness that is given by Jesus Christ.

B. It is not a personal righteousness because of the "goodness of the believer".

1. Rev. 19:8 - The fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.

2. This righteousness is given to them because of the righteousness of God.

Verse 15, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

I. We must be prepared.

  1. Every person must know what the gospel of peace is before they can declare it to anybody.

  2. It is good to have teachers and pastors who teach the truth of God’s Word.

  3. All their teachings won’t do you any good if you don’t know what they are talking about.

  4. If you don’t personally study your own Bible, you’ll never learn anything.

B. It takes personal time in the Word of God.

1. It is not enough to hear somebody else and follow that person.

  1. It is enough to learn for yourself what God’s Word says, so you personally know it.

  2. The gospel of peace is not the peace of this world.

  3. It is the peace that comes from Christ when the gospel message is accepted and God is trusted.

  4. John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Verse 16, Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

I. The shield of faith.

A. This is nothing else but believing the promises of God.

1. A lot of people don't have any faith because they don't know any promises of God.

2. II Peter 1:4 - God has given us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature of God.

B. Faith is believing what God will do before He does it!

1. You don't have to see He is doing anything.

2. Just believe what He said.

II. The fiery darts of the wicked.

A. Satan is out to destroy God's people.

B. The only thing that can save them is the shield of faith.

Verse 17, And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

I. The helmet of salvation.

A. We must know we are saved before we will be able to do anything else.

1. There are those who believe you can't know you are saved.

2. I feel sorry for those folks, because they can never be really settled in their love and service for God.

3. They are always uneasy because they are afraid they will do something and God will "throw out their salvation."

Verse 18, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I. Praying always.

A. If there was every anything lacking in "Christians" today, it is prayer.

1. Luke 18:1-8 - The story of the stern judge who answered the request of the widow woman because she troubled him. Jesus asked, "When the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

2. I Thess. 5:17 - Pray without ceasing.

3. Luke 11:1-13 - When God's disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, he explained the importance of praying, knowing that they have no other place to turn.

4. Faithful men who continually prayed.

a. Daniel was cast into the lion's den because he wouldn't stop praying, but God kept the lions from eating him.

b. David prayed three times a day, and received much strength from God.

II. Watching.

A. Watch for the good things of God.

1. These are the things you will try to achieve.

B. Watch out for the fiery darts of the wicked.

C. There is never a time to stop doing what you ought to do.

D. Things to watch for.

1. Matt. 26:41 - Jesus commanded Peter, James, and John to watch and pray so they wouldn't enter into temptation.

2. Acts 20:31 - Paul warned the elders of Ephesus to watch because Satan was going to send false teachers among them.

3. I Cor. 10:12 - If you think you are standing, take heed because you may be about to fall.

4. I Cor. 16:13 - Watch, and stand fast in the faith, quit like men.

5. Col. 4:2 - Continue in prayer and watch with thanksgiving.

6. I Peter 5:8 - Watch because Satan, as a roaring lion, is seeking whom he may devour.