Ephesians | Chapter 6 – Scripture Supply

Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6:1-9

“A Walk in Wisdom (part c)”

Introduction
Vs. 1-4 Wisdom for the family
Vs. 5-9 Wisdom for work

Introduction

I personally can think of no greater area in my life that needs to be empowered by the Holy Spirit than my relationship with other people. Paul outlines for us four areas in which we need to apply the Spirit’s power (walk in wisdom) as it relates to these relationships:

5:19-21 Church
5:22-33 Marriage
6:1-4 Family
6:5-9 Work

In each of these areas, there is an order that is established by God that ensures harmony for the differing relationships. Paul gave us these his words in 5:21: “submitting to one another in the fear of God”; the voluntarily relinquishing of our rights to each other out of our love for God is the key.

It was interesting to hear what swayed the election in the hearts of the voters of Tuesday; according to all exit polls, the reason why Bush was chosen instead of Kerry was morality-based. Of greater interest in the minds of most Americans than the war in Iraq, our economy, or the threat of terrorism is the continual slide of our society morally, and quite obviously the American people felt that President Bush offered more answers along these lines.

My point is that most people recognize that our society is slipping away, and if it is not soon redirected as a nation, we will implode from moral corruption long before outside invasion. It is here that the Bible speaks to literally the heart of the issue as God gives His citizens a “new heart,” which attacks the reason for moral corruption in society, the “self-centered” life.

Vs. 1-4 Wisdom for the family

Looking at these 9 verses considering the historical context reveals two very interesting points:

Paul was introducing something that was completely foreign to what society was.
Take the family unit; fathers had absolute authority over their children. Roman law gave fathers “life and death” power over his family; he could for any reason cast them out of his house, sell them into slavery, or even kill them. Every newly born child was placed at their father’s feet to determine their fate; if the father picked them up, they were allowed to stay in the house; if he walked away, they were disposed of like so many million aborted children to this day.
In the Roman Empire at the time of Paul, there were over 60 million slaves, and it was the desire of every citizen to not work at all. Slaves were nothing more than property and could be treated as such.
In writing his words, Paul does not advocate change from what was being practiced in society at the time; instead, he attacks it from the inside. He does not call for revolt, education, or legislation as the answer. No, instead he says no less than eight times that the answer lies in our relationship to the Lord. It is He alone that can change the greatest obstacle we face in society—our own self-centered hearts! Have God change our hearts, and in the end, He will change every evil in society!

Vs. 1 Now remember that Paul is addressing his letter to the “church” that is in Ephesus, and in so doing here in this section, his words are going out to children. What that tells us is that the Church of Jesus is not just about adults; it is about children as well. Further, the fact that this letter was most likely read openly suggests that children were a part of the service.

Paul is going to give four reasons children are to obey their parents in these three verses, but before he does, we need to understand two important things:

Children: Paul uses a word here that is much broader in scope than we would normally associate with our English word. The word describes anyone still living under his or her parent’s roof. If the person, regardless of age, chooses to live in the parent’s house, this verse applies to them.
Obey: The word here is a military term and means “to stand under” and is used of a foot soldier listening for orders from their commanding officer. In other words, the word means not to just give lips service to their words, but to listen as if your very life depended upon it. Often you will hear those dreaded words from your children, “Whatever”! Ah, but have your children move out on their own, and the “whatever’s” will disappear as they will discover the truth behind what you said.

Four reasons children are to obey their parents

1a Order “in the Lord”: Here Paul gives children two aspects to this obedience:
Their motive: The motive of their obedience is to be in the Lord. As Christian children, they are following the plan of their heavenly Father through their obedience. There is no mystery to the keys to a happy home, and each member has a part to play with respect to each other: Wives voluntarily relinquish their rights to their husbands. Husbands treat their wives as Jesus treats us. Children follow the words of their parents, and parents make sure that they don’t discourage their children’s spiritual growth.
Their scope: Not only does this verse speak of the children’s motive in obedience, but it also limits the parents authority to the guidelines of God’s word. Children are not to obey their parents with regards to things that are clearly against the word of God, but before children disobey, they had better be able to back up their words by the word of God.
1b Design “for this is right”: Here Paul gives a very practical reason for their obedience: “it is right.” If we look out at God’s creation, we can see repeatedly how He has designed the offspring to follow the leading of the parents. Paul is not making an appeal to custom but rather to creation; in other words, obeying our parents is a law of life. Now we can see how under today’s education system founded by John Dewy in the 20’s and 30’s that parents were encouraged to let their children express themselves and that discipline was seen as wrong as it quenched personal expression. Clearly this experiment in society has failed, as every year there are over 8 million serious assaults made upon parents by their children, most of which stem from parents attempting to discipline their children. The Minnesota Crime Commission commissioned a study on child delinquency and determined that apart from parental control, “in their self-centered world of infancy, given free reign to their impulsive actions to satisfy each want, every child would grow up a criminal, a thief, a killer, a rapist.”
2a Heart “Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment”: Paul tells children two things about their obedience in this verse:
“Honor your father and mother.” The fact that Paul quotes this verse tells us that obedience is far more than just action; it is attitude as well. Often, we will tell our children, “Don’t give me attitude!” Well, here we can see God’s word saying the same thing. Honor is far more than doing what we are told; it is doing what we are told with the right heart! Parents, we need to instruct our children on the importance of not only doing what is right but the heart being right in the action!
“Which is the first commandment”: Here Paul lets us in on the fact that such obedience is not a mere suggestion but rather a biblical commandment. Go back to Exodus 20:12, and you will find that God gave this 5th commandment to Moses to govern society.
2b-3 Blessing “with promise: Finally, such obedience is tied to two blessings.
Quality “That it may be well with you”: Simply put, following God’s word through our parents will ensure that the quality of life that we have will be good. The fact is biblical principles work as we follow the designer of life. Think of how our lives would improve by simply applying the word of God!
Quantity “And you may live long on the earth.” In the passage mentioned, the word was “live long in the land.” Here it is live long on the earth. This suggests not only is quality of life enhanced by following biblical principles, but so too is the number of years. This, by the way, is proved out by insurance actuarial tables where practicing Christian’s health and life expectancy are longer than those of non-Christians.

Vs. 4 The word “fathers” can also be used in parents in general, but specifically since the head of the household is the responsibility of fathers, then it is right to translate this word as it is here. Paul gives parents and fathers four contrasting responsibilities towards their children:

“Do not provoke your children to wrath.” In Col. 3:21, provoking to wrath is defined for us as “becoming discouraged.” The Greek word expresses the idea to bring anger to the point of discouragement. As you look out on family experience, it is easy to see what parental actions have discouraged children.
Availability: So many children comment upon the fact that one or both of their parents were not available to them when they were growing up. We parents often think that we are doing what is best for our children by giving them material things when the reality is that the best thing we can give our children is our time!
Instruction: Boundaries are not only needed; they are a sign of care! When parents let their children do whatever they want, their actions are showing that they don’t care enough.
Inconsistency: Any form of inconsistency will bring discouragement upon our children, from favoring one over another or having two sets of rules, one for you and one for them.
Expectations: When parents begin to live vicariously through their children, they begin to see our affection as being conditioned upon performance instead of unconditional.
“But bring them up”: The first thing we see about this phrase is that in the Greek it is one word, which happens to be a verb. Verbs are “action words.” Our children’s parents need to see our actions, not our words only! I also notice that it says that parents are to bring them up, not society, Sunday school, or they themselves. It is our responsibility to nurture our children to be emotionally bound with them. Hugging our children and playing with them is so much part of their development.
“In the training”: The word here in the Greek means “discipline.” According to Hebrews 12:6, such discipline is a sign of love, not anger. As parents, we don’t punish our children; we discipline them. Pay attention; there is a big difference between these two things. Punishment is punitive in nature and seeks payment for a crime committed. Discipline is instructive in nature and is done to keep the offender from harming themselves and others in the future. All too often, parents mistake the two and end up trying to kill a mosquito with a cannon. If you try to kill a mosquito, two possibilities exist:
He will either get away with murder
He will get blamed for everything.
“And admonition of the Lord”: The word here means to uphold them or encourage them. The word suggests three equally important things in raising children:
Love
Instruction
Structure

Now notice where these three aspects are to be found: “The Lord.” Parents, it is our responsibility to bring our children up in the Lord! We are not here to help our children make no mistakes; no, we are here to allow them the environment to make the necessary mistakes early enough to learn from them!

Vs. 5-9 Wisdom for work

Vs. 5-8 Paul lists three ways employees are to work for their boss’:

5-6a Servants of Jesus: The bottom-line Christian, the best way to witness on the job is to do your best job! Paul lists this attitude in three ways:

“With fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ”: The workplace is to be our worship center. We are to approach our daily work as we would approaching the throne of God, in brokenness and devotion.

“Not with eyeservice”: We are to do so not only when the boss is around. We are to produce because our heavenly boss is always standing right next to us.

“As men-pleasers”: We are not to be “kiss-ups” working only to get our own advancement. We have already received the highest advance any human can receive, “child of the king.”.

6b-7 Worshippers of Jesus “As bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men”: The Bible knows no division from the sacred and the secular. As all our lives are to be a living sacrifice to Him. So just what does this worship service look like? Well, Paul gives us three things that it will have:

“Doing the will of God from the heart”: Right attitude

“Goodwill doing service”: Right action

“as to the Lord, and not to men”: Right motive

8 Rewarded by Jesus, “Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free”: It is here that we need not worry about our promotion as we work for a Lord who sees everything we do and will reward us both know and for eternity for our faithfulness to His call.

Vs. 9 Finally, Paul gives employers four responsibilities towards their employees.

“Do the same things to them.” Simply put, treat them as Jesus treats you. If you want those who work the best for you, then make sure you do the best for them. Never should the words be said sarcastically, “My boss is supposed to be a Christian.”.
“Giving up threatening”: Don’t motivate by fear; instead, motivate them by letting them share in the fruit of their labor!
“Knowing that your own master also is in heaven”: Never forget that we too work for a master in heaven who sees all and has placed us in a position to be a blessing to others. Simply put, the person in authority better be a person under authority. Always be a servant before you are a ruler, just as Jesus is! The best way to show someone who is in charge is by showing them who’s in charge of your heart.

“There is no partiality with Him.” Finally, this suggests two important things:

Heavenly: God will reward employee and employer alike, and His rewards are eternal, not temporal.
Earthly: Don’t play favorites; treat each and every employee equally!

There you have it, Biblical wisdom for earthly relationships, all in the power of God’s Spirit!

Ephesians 6:10-13

“Spiritual Warfare”

Introduction
10-13 You’re in the army now

Introduction

We come now to the final part of Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Church, one in which he has given believers everything necessary to live victoriously. The book breaks apart into three sections:

Things Prepared: In chapters 1–3, Paul spoke of the wealth of the believer in Christ. The emphasis was our “Standing in Christ.” SIT (Wealth)
For the Person: Then in chapters 4-6:9, Paul spoke of how that wealth was to be spent in our everyday lives; here the emphasis was upon our “standing with Christ.” WALK (Walk)
In the Purpose of God: Finally in chapter 6:10-20 Paul address the truth that our riches in Christ will be under constant attack. The emphasis here is upon our “standing by Christ.” STAND (Warfare)

These 11 verses will be taken in a three-part series where we will be brought into the:

6:10-13 Warfare

6:14-17 Weapons

6:18-20 Watchfulness

Vs. 10-13 You’re in the army now.

Vs. 10-13 There are two words that are repeated several times in the verses we are looking at this morning:

Stand: Used three times (four times if you include verse 14a).
Against: Used six times

Putting them together gives us a great picture of the Christian life; we are called to “stand against”! There are a great many Christians today who think that the reception of Jesus as Lord and Savior has removed them from “warfare,” but the truth is, you’ve joined the army! Clearly, by the use of these two words, the Bible views our Christian experience as a battleground and not a playground! The believer who seeks to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus will find the intensity of the battle increase. Look at the life of Jesus earthly ministry, and you will see that it began with a great battle in the wilderness and ended with the greatest battle of all on a hill called Calvary.

Not surprisingly, satan’s attacks are along the three areas that Paul speaks of concerning our “standing in, with, and byChrist’s” provisions. Simple put, Satan will seek too:

Deprive us of our wealth.
Distract us from our walk.
Disable us from our warfare.

Vs. 10 This verse points to the believer’s preparation for the battle. Now on most football teams, you are issued a playbook, and in that “playbook,” there are two main divisions:

10-11 The first has to do with the team’s plays both offensively and defensively. In this section of the playbook, the player would learn:

The importance of execution
The power of proper preparation
The effectiveness of the equipment

12-13 The second half of the playbook dealt with two aspects as they related to our opponent:
The first has to do with the tendencies of our opponent. In other words, since we played the same teams over and over year after year, the general plays of that team as well as the best players each season and the reason for their success were given to us.
Secondly, we would learn our opponent’s strategy. In other words, we would learn what they wanted to accomplish against us and how they were going to try to do so.

Both are crucial if we are going to be victorious. You see, our opponent has done his homework and is aware of our plays, so we need to make sure that we understand his as well. When I played football, I happened to be a teacher’s assistant in PE, so I watched a lot of game films of the team we were going to face on Friday night. I learned that by watching the films and seeing the formation of the offense, I could know in advance what play was going to be run by the offense. I got so good at watching films that I could see simply by watching the wide receiver as he lined up at the line of scrimmage if he was going to get the ball or if the play was going to come my way. You see, if he came up and lined up next to a lineman with his chin strap faceted, I knew he was just a decoy, and the ball was not coming on my side, so I would start to yell to my teammate’s which way the ball was going and what play they were going to run.

Let’s take a look first at the first part of the playbook as Paul reveals to us these same things:

Importance of execution: Notice that Paul uses the word “brethren.” In other words, Paul wants to make sure that first and foremost we are all on the same team. Not only is the Christian life a battleground, and you are either going to be a victim or a victor! But more than this, Paul wants to make sure that the team is all on the same page. Much of the church’s defeat is because we are fighting each other instead of our enemy. Every person is important on God’s team, and our job is to work together.
Power of proper preparation: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” This is the first of two commandments that Paul issues, and this one relates to our preparation.
Be strong: This suggests to us two things:
That we are not to approach our battle passively. I again remind you that Paul uses the word “against” six times in these verses, so it is safe to say you and I are really “against it,” and a haphazard attitude is not the way to approach the battle.
That our strength is not in ourselves but rather in the Lord. In fact, Paul said in 2 Cor. 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Our strength comes about in a two-step process: first we realize that we are weak, and secondly, we come to the source of our strength, the Lord! I don’t know about you, but my problem is not found in the fear that I’m going to die, but rather in my refusal to die to myself! It is for this reason that I often am defeated!
We are confident of the victory because it is “in the power of His might,” furthermore, the power of His might is appropriated by His grace. In fact, it is our weakness that activates His might! You see, you and I can be “strong” or brave for the battle because we are assured of the victory already won for us by Jesus! God will never ask us to do what He will not first enable me to do!
Effectiveness of his equipment: The third part of the things that Paul gives us about the equipment for battle. You see, if you and I are not confident in the equipment supplied or if we feel that our equipment is not adequate for every situation we may face in battle, then we will be easily defeated.
“Put on the whole armor of God”: This is the 2^nd commandment given by Paul, and again it suggests an aggressive attitude as Paul is saying, “Suite up,” fellows! The armor of God is not something that is to be put on and then taken off; it is something that is to be put on and left on. Why? Well, the answer is simple: we are always at a state of war. Further, we are not to leave off any part, as that would make us vulnerable to attack. There are two things about the armor that we will look more at next week:
First it is the whole armor: Which tells us that God has given us every piece of armor necessary to assure our victory. It is armor of God not only because it is from Him, but according to Isa. 59:16b-17, it is His very nature as we read, “His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as a cloak.” Simply put, we are actuality putting on the truths concerning the person of Christ who has already defeated the enemy!
Second, look through the pieces of the armor, and you will notice that there is not one piece designed for the back, which tells us that we are designed to face our enemy and not run from him.
“That you may be able to stand”: There is something very subtle in Paul’s use of this word, stand, as it is a military term that means to “hold your position while under attack.” Here is what I find interesting: we are not told to put on the armor of God in order to gain ground but rather to hold ground. Why? Well, the answer is self-evident: we have already won in Christ. We are not in an offensive but rather a defensive battle. We are holding the hill called Calvary, which was already the place of victory. Now this gives us great insight into satan’s plan, as it reveals to us that he would have us believe that the battle is somehow in doubt.
“Against the wiles of the devil” In the context of this passage, Paul tells us that the whole armor of God enables you and me to hold our ground against every “method” that our enemy will employ. You see, the word “wiles” in Greek is where we get our English word “method.” My point is that our armor is battle tested against anything and everything satan will throw at us! You see satan is very crafty, and the only effective way not to get hit is to keep the whole armor on!

Is that not great? We are not just called to warfare; we are called to winning, and that winning is a foregone conclusion as we stick to the provisions given us by God’s grace.

We now move to the 2^nd part of our playbook, where we will look at two things, the first one being the:

12a, 13 Tendencies of our opponent: There are three tendencies Paul mentions as it relates to our warfare:
12a Not a human problem “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood”: You ask most people what causes them the most trouble in life, and there will usually be a person’s name attached to the answer, but that is not what Paul tells us here. The word “wrestle” is a word used for hand-to-hand combat; simply put, Christian life is not a spectator sport. You see Paul does not call us to a battle; he simply announces that you and I are in a life-and-death struggle, but it is not against fellow human beings. This is one of the devil’s best tricks, and that is to get us to think that it is “people” that are our enemies. If satan can get you and me at each other, then he can continue to whack us around, and all we will do is punch someone else. Now I’m not saying that satan might not use another to beat on you, but what I am saying is that we need not fight back the normal fleshly way. Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 10:4-5 that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” You get it? You don’t fight fire with fire; you fight fire with the water of the Word!
13 a Lull’s us to sleep “That you may be able to withstand in the evil day”: Not every day is an “evil day,” in fact a lot of the time you will go through a day, weeks, or perhaps years without an evil day. And it is at that time we begin to relax a little bit, take off our helmet, remove our breastplate, and take off our shoes. Then bam satan attacks, and we look like Charlie Brown when the ball was hit right back to the pitcher. Again, the goal of our warfare is to stand, and without being ready, satan can catch us off guard.
13b Wear us out, “Having done all, to stand”: Here is his third tendency, and that is just a constant barrage of attacks. We have “done all,” and yet the enemy just keeps coming and coming. Now we cover this a bit more in a moment, but I think satan just changes the direction of his warfare, which causes us to weaken at times. satan’s main fronts are direct in what is called:

The world system
The old nature

And through these two areas, he will both directly attack and oppress and will do so because every single Christian is a threat to defeat his hold on unredeemed mankind.

12b Strategy of our opponent: Finally, we are given the strategy of satan in a fourfold description of his army. There are those who see this list and see not only levels of demonic authority but also spheres of influence that they exert upon the world in which we live:
“Against principalities”: The word means “authorities” and was used of those who were in authority over certain geographical areas. Now Daniel speaks of such a case in 10:13, where Michael told him that “the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days.” Paul himself says that in 1 Thess. 2:18 “time and again; but satan hindered us.” There without a doubt seems to be demonic activity over certain areas greater than others.
“Against powers”: Another area of influence I believe is in cultures today. There seems to be demonic activity that is shaping the values of society; what people know and talk like is changing all the time but never towards decency.
“Against the rulers of the darkness of this age”: I think you can look out over society through our time and see evil world leaders who have taken brutality to new levels. But there always seems to be a demonic influence to their actions.
“Against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”: Finally, it has well been known that whoever controls the media controls a large part of what society thinks and accepts.

I believe that it is safe to say that there is a demonic influence over these four areas:

Certain areas, more than others
Cultures being attacked and moved away from biblical decency
Government’s becoming further and further away from what the Bible gives us.
Media that is constantly trying to alter what we think

What are we to do? Well, stick to our “playbook,” trust in His provisions, and realize that we are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:37-39

Ephesians 6:14-17

“Spiritual Weapons (part a)”

Introduction
14-15 Three things we are in Jesus

Introduction

We started last week looking at the final part of Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus, which reminds each and every Christian that we are in the army now. Our earthly experience, as a believer, will not be spent in a playground but rather on a battleground. In the first four verses, Paul gave us the playbook made up of offensive and defensive plays and those things necessary to ensure our victory. Then in the second part of that section of scripture, he gave us the tendencies and strategies of our enemy.

Now we begin our look at the spiritual weapons at our disposal. Paul, in his 2^nd letter to the Corinthians, spoke of these weapons, saying, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” This verse holds four things concerning our weapons:

From God, not man: “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God.”
Able to defeat the battle on all fronts, LAND “physical,” (SEA) “emotional,” (AIR) “intellectual”: pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing.
They protect our relationship with God: “that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” (This tells us that satan attacks the truth we hold about the person and work of God.).
They enable us to take all thoughts and surrender them to Jesus, “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”.

Vs. 14-15: Three things we are in Jesus

As we get into the weapons at our disposal, there are two things that we need to examine to start with:

How do we recognize we are under attack? First off, in 1 Peter 4:12, we are told that we should “not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.” Jesus told us in John 8:44 concerning the devil that “he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Simply put, we ought not to be surprised that he attacks us; it’s his nature to do so. But how will we know that we are under such an attack? Well, generally speaking, the surest way to determine this is to recognize our own attitudes and actions. I find that if I’m complaining about what’s happening to me, then it’s a good indication that not only am I under spiritual warfare, but I’m also losing the battle. satan’s attacks will be multifaceted as he works through:
Adverse circumstances
Which attack our thoughts?
Then into our emotional make-up.

All of which is designed to get us into attacking our old nature instead of our new nature. In my life, I see three areas in which I can tell that I’m under attack:

Discouragement: We often call these the blues; sometimes they are associated with regrets and dwelling on our spiritual failures. The “woe is me” syndrome, the waiting for the other shoe to drop—you get the picture.
Confusion: This comes about in doubt and uncertainty, which in turn produces strife and discord in our relationships with others.
Indifference: Then we have a coldness or lack of care, which can be seen in cynicism and bitterness.

Yes, pastor, but what are we to do when we recognize we are under spiritual attack? Well, Paul tells us right here in verses 10 and 11, “Be strong in the Lord,” and we do this by putting on the whole armor of God.

Just what are the weapons? Now, based upon the above verse, we can see that the armor of God enables us to be strong in the Lord. We can see then that the warfare of the enemy is designed to weaken our relationship with Him. There are six pieces of armor listed, and we are going to look at them all individually, but before we do, we can clearly see that Paul has divided them into two sections: Having and Taking

Three things that describe what Jesus is to us: Notice how Paul introduces these three pieces of armor:

Having girded your waist with truth:
Having put on the breastplate of righteousness:
Having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace:

The word “having” is past tense, which suggests to us that these three pieces of armor describe what Jesus is to us, in other words, what He has created us to be. Also, I believe far too much attention is given to the symbolic description of the armor and not enough to what the armor of God is. For instance, yes, it is the “belt, breastplate, and shoes,” but let us not forget what these three are: “truth, righteousness, and the gospel of peace.”.

Three things that describe what Jesus is in us: Here we notice that we are to:

Taking the shield of faith:
Take the helmet of salvation:
Take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:

Based upon the weapons, there is a very definite order in which these pieces need to be applied, and any other order would not work; in other words, we need to first recognize that Jesus is our “truth, righteousness, and peace” before we can appropriate what Jesus does in us being our “faith, salvation, and word.”

Some authors have pointed out that the pieces of armor directly correspond to the six ways in which satan attacks believers:

The belt is there to protect our emotions from insecurity against the roaring lion.
The breastplate protects us against the accuser as it protects our heart.
The shoes protect our feet against the serpent who seeks to slow down our movement.
The shield protects our reasoning against the tempter who fires his flaming arrows at us.
The helmet protects us against the deceiver who attacks our thoughts.
The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is there because satan is the father of lies.

Again, notice that what these pieces of armor provide the believer with is the ability to stand, which tells us two important things:

We have already won, as we are not called to advance.
That satan’s attacks are designed to get us to run away from where we already are.

Therefore, the armor of God is there to keep us saturated in two things:

Who we are in Jesus: “Truth, righteousness, and peace.”
What Jesus continually does on our behalf: “Faith, salvation, and word.”

Let’s look at the first three pieces of armor that we need to realize who we are in Christ:

14a Belt of Truth: “having girded your waist with truth.” Many would question just what kind of armor a belt is, but the truth is the belt was a very important part of what a soldier depended upon as he entered a battle. You see, the Romans wore robes that kind of were like Scottish kilts, and so when they were about to enter the battlefield, they would gather up the cloth of the robes to have better freedom of movement. The idea is kind of like “rolling up the sleeves of our shirts” when we are engaged in physical labor. Not only did this give them better movement, but it also prevented the enemy from being able to gain advantage by using their own garments against them. The belt also served as the device by which other pieces of the armor were attached, especially the sword, which would be tucked into the belt. The King James version uses the word “loins” instead of waist, and that makes us think of personal or private parts of our lives, doesn’t it? So, this piece of armor prepares us for the battle in the area of our private lives. The context seems to indicate that this deals with a disciplined life centered on that, which is true.

Here is what I’m getting at: we can always anticipate spiritual warfare in areas of our lives where they are not ordered around what is true. What you and I really believe is what we are when no one is watching or looking! If we are living a double life, then we will be constantly living in fear, looking over our shoulders. But when we remember that we have found the One who is truth, who is ultimate reality, then our secret lives match our public lives, and there is nothing for satan to grab a hold of! Jesus is what we were looking for, and we have not wanted to replace Him with anything the world has to offer, you see. All my insecurities were filled with His presence, with the truth of which He is.

Paul wrote of Jesus in Col. 2:3, saying that in Jesus “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” But how can we know that Jesus is the answer? Well, there are four things that prove that Jesus is the answer:

What He said: Read His words, examine what He told people, and you will find truth.
How He lived: Then go ahead and look at how He lived His life towards others, and you will see no inconsistencies.
What He did: See how he cared for people, even people who were mistreated; look at His miracles, and none of them benefited Himself.
How He died: Finally see how He laid down His life not just for His friends but for all of humanity.

The truth is not just something that worked once; it is that which we can bank on; it is never outdated, nor does it need to be added to. No, when you and I became acquainted with Jesus, we found Him who alone works; we can tie all our lives to, as He is the anchor of our souls, the rock of our foundation. It is the person and work of Jesus that I use to interpret all of my experiences.

14b Breastplate of righteousness: “having put on the breastplate of righteousness” The breastplate was made of heavy leather in which pieces of metal were attached or chains inked together, covering the body from the neck to the waist, front and back. The breastplate protected the vital organs of the soldier, specifically the heart. The Bible depicts the heart as the seat of our emotions, and we can easily see why this piece of armor is so important. You see, it is here we recognize that our “rightness” is not founded upon our merit or effort. It is Christ’s “rightness” that covers our “wrongness.”

We are often attacked by our emotions, not feeling worthy, and the truth is we aren’t, but our “righteousness” is imputed, not earned! We go through attacks where we feel God is punishing us because we have failed Him so much and that He couldn’t possibly love a mess like us. But you see, He doesn’t love you because of you; He loves you in spite of you, based upon Jesus!

Paul had already written in Ephesians 1:6 that we are “accepted in the beloved.” This doesn’t mean that God puts His stamp of approval on every area of our lives, but it does mean that even in those areas where we are failures, He is going to treat us like the loving Father that He is. Paul must have been consistently attacked in this area, as much of what He wrote is putting on the “breastplate of righteousness.” Consider his words in Romans 8:31-35. “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? “What protects my heart is based upon what Jesus has done, not what I have done or not done.

15 Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Of course, these were not shoes as we would know them today; they were sandals with nails driven through them. The foot soldier depended heavily upon mobility, and battles were either won or lost upon what the soldier had on his feet. Just think what would happen if the fully armed soldier went to battle without shoes on; why would it take very little to defeat him?

The preparation is a word that means “readiness,” so then the gospel of peace makes our lives ready; it brings stability and confidence. Again, it is the good news of peace. We know we have Jesus on our team; he is not just our secret or trick play; he is our go-to guy. We go into battle knowing we have already won. All of this makes us agile and lighthearted in our faith, and it is always harder to hit a moving target. The truth is the gospel provides the footing for all we do. The battle is in the realm of our thought life. With the gospel of peace, we have a great way of keeping our attitudes and actions going the right way. We are also Christ’s ambassadors of peace, setting them free. I think feet represent our will as they determine which direction we are going, so we can sit back and realize that we are ready for what life may bring us because we are living in the peace that a relationship with Jesus brings us.

That is what we have in Jesus that satan would try to rip us off from:

Jesus is our truth. He alone is reality, and I’m going to base all my life upon Him.
Jesus is our righteousness: He is for me, not against me; He will never leave me or forsake me.
Jesus is our peace. Jesus loves me. I can be courageous and calm because of this.

Ephesians 6:16-17

“Spiritual Weapons (part b)”

Introduction
16-17 Three things that describe what Jesus is in us

Introduction

Much of what has been written on the “armor of God” has been along two veins:

Mechanical is an approach that simply goes through the armor without recognizing its significance. (I’m putting on the belt now and then onto the breastplate.).
Mystical is an approach that believes that the mere mention of the armor of God will immediately remove us from all discomfort (I have on the helmet you can’t touch me).

The armor of God is not an incantation that we repeat as a mantra to ward off evil.

The truth is that the armor of God is neither “mechanical nor mystical,” as it is the armor of “God,” which indicates that it is “relational.” Further, the emphasis ought to be on God’s provision above protection of vital areas of our lives; you see, it is Jesus’ provision of both what Jesus is to us as well as in us that protects our vital areas: It is,

Truth: we have girded our waist with

Righteousness: we have put on as a breastplate

Gospel of Peace: we have readied our feet with

The first three pieces of armor are prefaced by the word “having,” which indicates that they are things not that we put on but rather that we remember are already on. So, the injunction of Paul to put on the whole armor of God, which will enable us to stand in the victory won for us by Christ, is at first simply recalling three truths concerning what Jesus is to us:

Jesus is our truth. When spiritual warfare comes to attack us in our thoughts, we remind ourselves that He alone is reality, and there is no area of my life that I’m not willing to surrender to Him. Well, pastor, what if there are areas of my life that are not in line with the truth of who He is? Then you will experience conviction, which will lead you to prayer, where you will agree with Him that there are areas of your life that need to be brought under His truth. And you know what He will do? 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But what if I still feel as if I am not worthy? Then we move to the second piece of armor!
Jesus is our righteousness. We simply recall the fact that Jesus is our righteousness (rightness). Our standing before the Lord is not based upon our goodness but upon His. As such, Jesus is for me, not against me; He will never leave me or forsake me. Why? Because He is worthy, and we stand as believers upon His victory, not our own! Ok, pastor, but what about the future? What if I go and do something next week or next year? What if something happens really bad? What then? Well, that’s when we apply the third piece of armor.
Jesus is our peace: Jesus loves me and proved as much while I was not a believer in Him; He still died on my behalf. Therefore, I can be courageous and calm no matter what comes my way. I can keep going forward, and when I come across rocky ground, I recall the truth that underneath it all, I’m standing upon the rock of my salvation. Though I may not understand why I’m in this terrain, I will not allow where I’m standing to cause me to think any less of my finished victory.

Vs. 16-17 Three things that describe what Jesus is in us

Immediately we are introduced to a difference between the first three pieces of armor and the second three. Paul uses the words “above all” at the start of the next piece of armor, “the shield of faith.” The use of these words does not refer to that which is most important but rather that which “covers all.” You see, God’s entire armor, whether it is put on or taken up, is to be done so by faith. This is further brought out by the fact that Paul does not call this “the shield of the faith” but rather “the shield of faith.” What is in view is the confidence we believers have in all the provisions Christ has given us. The 2^nd note of transition is found in those words “taking and taking,” which indicate that these are notthings that we are to recall, but rather things that we are to pick up when we realize the battle is at hand. So, what are the things that we are to “take up”?

Faith
Salvation
The Word of God by the Spirit of God

Shield of Faith

16 The shield of faith: “taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” There were two types of shields used in Roman armor of that day. The first was a round one that was 2 feet in diameter, used primarily in hand-to-hand combat to deflect the opponents blows. The second one was much larger, around 2 ½ feet wide and 4 ½ feet long; it is this one that Paul refers to here.

They used this shield on the front lines as they stood side by side, forming a wall in which the archers stood behind. There were usually several rows of shield bearers and archers that would approach the enemy. The shield itself was made of wood covered with metal, then covered with leather that would be drenched in water just prior to going into battle. What would happen is the soldiers carrying the shields were there not only protecting their own bodies; they were a defense for the archers as well.

Across the front lines, they would stand so close as to link their shields together so that the archers could stand up and fire over the protection the shields offered. Those carrying the shields also watched out for incoming arrows that were lit on fire. Upon seeing the flaming darts fly across the sky at them, they would raise their shields, forming a protective ceiling for all to hide under. And as those flaming arrows hit the shields, the wet leather would douse them. To understand the necessity of the shield of faith, we need to understand what the “fiery darts of the wicked one” are. There seem to me to be two consistent things about the enemy’s “fiery darts”:

They seem to always come from our own thoughts. We can be going along just fine, and all of a sudden, some weird thought comes into our heads. “That person over there is talking about me, and they don’t like me!” “God doesn’t like you as much as He does that other person over there because they have more things than you do!”. There are also those temptations to sin: “Go ahead and watch that channel with sex on it; no one will know!” Then if you go head and heed the temptation, then you will hear the lie, “Hey, you can’t repent because God won’t forgive you, so why bother reading your Bible and going to church?” You and I are always hearing these things go on in our heads; sometimes we simply dismiss them, other times we react to them, but seldom do we recognize that they are the fiery darts of the wicked one.

The 2^nd characteristic is that they always attack our position in Christ. These fiery darts are always going after truth, trying to cause inconsistencies in our lives or trying to get us into thinking that it is our goodness rather than Jesus’ that is important. Our problem is that we are so accustomed to these fiery darts that we trust our feelings and emotions rather than the truth of what God’s word has to say. We begin to use our feelings as though they were facts, instead of doing what Paul tells us to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”.

Using the shield of faith means that I refuse to buy into these fiery darts; instead, I take my feelings and thoughts to the truth of who Jesus is and what He has to say about me. “Jesus loves me, and I’m certain of it because He died for me; nothing I do or don’t do will ever sever His love for me, etc.” As I take up the “shield of faith,” every fear and anxious thought that grips my heart is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Every adverse circumstance and struggle are brought into perspective as I realize Jesus is allowing it to draw me into His arms of love. My hope and confidence are not in my ability but in His, and as such, I have peace and hope. Why even my doubts become encouragement’s because the fact that I have doubts proves that I have faith to begin with; furthermore, the doubts cause me to realize that His strength is perfected in my weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9) The “shield of faith” does three important things:

Like the Roman’s shield, its enormous size ensures that it is broad enough to cover any vulnerable area of our lives.
Like the Roman soldier’s use of it, it ought to be linked up with other soldiers to form a protective wall of defense for all to gather under.
The “shield of faith” does not just provide protection against the enemy’s arrows; it quenches their fire so that they cannot burn through to harm us!

The Helmet of Salvation

17 The helmet of salvation: “And take the helmet of salvation.” Practically looking at the armor of God, the “shield of faith” really is all we need to defeat the “wiles of the devil.” So why does Jesus provide more? Well, the answer lies in three verses:
1 John 4:4 Knows our strength “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
5:20 Knows our weakness: “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”
8:37 Jesus makes us unbeatable. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

The simple truth is that God has designed every believer to do much more than not be conquered. Pay attention, believer, He has designed you and me to be “unconquerable”!

The helmet was made of thick leather covered with metal plates or beaten or molded metal; along the sides were fastened pieces to protect the face. When we think of the helmet, it is easy for us to see what this protects our heads and our thought life. Most of our enemies’ blows are head shots, and the helmet is provided to protect our thought life or our ability to think and reason. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 14:33 that “God is not the author of confusion but of peace.” In James 3:16, confusion is linked with every evil thing. Thus, satan is all about getting us into a “confused” state of mind as it relates to the truths concerning our position in Christ.

The helmet of salvation enables us to keep our heads on straight. How does it work? Well, we gain insight into what Paul means by “helmet of salvation” by looking at what he calls it in 1 Thess. 5:8, where he calls the helmet “the hope of salvation.” The helmet does not just deal with the truth that we are “saved” but rather that “we will be continually saved”! You see, hope deals with what is yet future and, in our reasoning, uncertain. So, what the helmet of salvation, which we take up, does is tell us that nothing satan, the world, or the flesh of fallen men can generate will ever defeat God’s plans on my behalf. Everything thrown at us is doomed to failure, as Paul wrote to the Philippians (1:6) that they could be “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” We can boldly proclaim what is written in Hebrews 13:6. “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” No matter what adverse circumstances we may be going through, we know two very important truths that bring us hope:

They are going to be used towards our benefit: Rom. 8:28: “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
They won’t last forever. 2 Cor 4:17 “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”.
17b The Sword of the Spirit: “and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The final piece of armor is the only true offense weapon in our arsenal. The Romans used two swords; the first was three to four feet in length and was so large and heavy that it took two hands to yield its double edge. The second one was only six to eighteen in length and was used for close hand-to-hand combat. It is the word for the smaller sword that Paul uses here, which was tucked into the belt in a sheath. Paul calls this the “sword of the Spirit,” which indicates the nature or origin of this weapon as coming from the Holy Spirit. In John 14:17, the Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of Truth.”

In John 14:26 Jesus tells us that the “Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” Further, Paul tells us that the “sword of the Spirit” is the word of God, and the word here for “word” is not logos, which is used for the total or complete revelation, but rather “rhema,” which is the word that is a specific saying verse or word for a particular situation. Ah, but the sword of the Spirit is not to lop of ears or kill its listeners, no, it is a scalpel that brings healing and brings back to life that which was dead. Satan will use the word to confuse, but the Spirit brings clarification. All we need to do is see how Jesus wielded the sword of the Spirit against our same foe in Luke 4:1-13 as He compared scripture with scripture, applying the whole council of God’s word to defeat the enemy. So, when we are attacked, we go to God’s word as the final authority as to what is true. Saint’s “sword of the Spirit” is vastly different from the sword in the physical realm in that the use of the sword of the world becomes duller with its usage. But the sword of the Spirit becomes sharper every time it is taken out of its sheath.

There you have it, our provisions as we apply:

What Jesus is to us:

Our truth: He alone is reality, and there is no area of my life that I’m not willing to surrender to Him.
Our righteousness: Our standing before the Lord is not based upon our goodness but upon His. As such, Jesus is for me, not against me; He will never leave me or forsake me.
Our peace: Jesus loves me; therefore, I can be courageous and calm no matter what comes my way. I can keep going forward, and underneath it all, I’m standing upon the rock of my salvation.

What Jesus is in us:

The shield of faith: I refuse to buy into these fiery darts; instead, I take my feelings and thoughts to the truth of who Jesus is and what He has to say about me.
The helmet of salvation: The helmet does not just deal with the truth that we are “saved,” but rather that we will be continually saved.
The sword of the Spirit: The sword of the Spirit is not to lop of ears or kill its listeners; no, it is a scalpel that brings healing, life to that which was dead, and clarification to that which was confusing.

Ephesians 6:18-24

“Spiritual Watchfulness”

Introduction
18-20 Our secret weapon
21-24 News from the front

Introduction

Paul has already given these Ephesians the things provided them to live a victorious Christian life:

1-3 Their position in Christ
4-6:9 Their power in Christ
6:10-17 Their protection in Christ

There are two equally important truths given us in the 6^th chapter:

13-17 We are to put on the armor of God.
18-20 We are to be constant in prayer.

As great as the armor of God is, if the supply line or the line of communication can be broken, then our consistent access to these provisions will be interrupted. So now Paul speaks of our secret weapon that ensures that what is ours in Christ is always on hand. The simple truth is that for the most part we fail to triumph because we fail to call on God. In Psalm 50:15, the psalmist wrote, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Our biggest problem is that often that is the only time we call upon the Lord. I mean, think of the trouble we would have been spared if we would just regularly call upon the Lord instead of waiting until the day of trouble!

Vs. 18-20 Our secret weapon

Vs. 18 In this one verse, Paul repeats the word “all” four times and, in so doing, gives us four keys to maintain consistent communication with our Lord:

All periods “praying always”:
All persuasions “with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit”:
All places “being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication”:
All people “for all the saints”:

So why do you and I have such a difficult time coming to the Lord? Well, I suggest to you that it is a matter of pride. Pride? Yes, you see, from our standpoint, prayer, by its very nature, is an admission on our part of two things:

A complete lack of intelligence: We don’t know what to do!
A complete lack of power: Even if we knew what to do, we lacked the power to do it!

As true as this admission is, it is the only door into the fact that:

2:3 In Christ are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
32:17 “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you.”
All periods “praying always”: Paul’s point is that you and I ought to be in constant prayer, not just during difficult circumstances, when we are at the dinner table or at church. We are to be people of prayer, bathing everyone and everything in prayer. It is interesting to realize that the disciples who spent 3 ½ years with our Lord observing His life never once stopped and asked, “Jesus, teach us to preach and teach or share with us on how to heal and do miracles!” But in Luke 11:1, we read, “As He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Now this from men who were accustomed to Jewish prayer three times a day! What was it about Jesus’ prayer life that caused them to approach Him? Well, no doubt the results, but I suggest to you that it was more than the results; it was the frequency! I’m afraid far too often I view my prayer life as a chore or even worse, a bore instead of an opportunity to have a conversation with my best friend, who knows what I need before I ask, is aquatinted with my every thought, and is always on my side. Christian, you and I don’t need to close our eyes, fold our hands, and speak out loud to have a conversation with Jesus. You don’t? No, all we need to do is, in our thoughts, just start telling Him what’s going on with us. We are just hanging out, having an on-going conversation about whatever! In Philip. 4:6-7, Paul gives three things we can have in our constant conversation with the Lord:

Worry about nothing: “Be anxious for nothing.” This conversation leads us to realize that there is an invisible kingdom that is in control.
Pray about everything: “But in everything by prayer and supplication.” This reminds us that our supreme hope and confidence are only in the Lord.
Rejoice in everything: “With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” We rejoice in the outcome because we know that prayer is purposeful and powerful.
All persuasions “with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit”: In 1 Tim. 2:1 Paul lists four specific types of prayer, of which he mentions two of them here:
“Supplications”: These are those specific requests that come up as we tell the Lord just what we feel makes us worry or mad. They are the things that we would share only with our closest friend.
“Prayers”: This is “family talk,” where we just enjoy chatting about everything in an intimate way.
“Intercessions”: Here is where we begin to weep as well as rejoice for the needs of others.
“Giving of thanks”: Finally, we come to the place even before we have received the answer to thanking and praising Him for what He is doing on our behalf.

As important as these different forms of communication with the Lord are, the one that Paul mentions here, “in the Spirit.” But just what is this prayer in the Spirit? There are several verses that perhaps may give us insight into what Paul is speaking of:

5:8 John records seeing “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
Then in Ex. 30:35–36, Moses wrote concerning this incense that it was a special compound given by God only for the use in the temple.

Here’s where I’m going with this: I believe that we can deduce that “prayer in the Spirit” is approaching the Lord in His way, not our own, trusting in His wisdom and not ours! Simply put, it is prayer that is in accord with the mind of the Spirit. Now follow me on this saint’s as we read in Rom. 8:26 that the “Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Is that not great? May I say as well that we can pray in the Spirit only as you and I are committed to walking in the Spirit as well?

All places “being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication”: Here Paul gives yet another key to consistent prayer, and this has three things too:
Watchful: This has to do with keeping on alert. I can’t help but think of Nehemiah 4:17, where we are told that those who worked on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem did so with “one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.” That is how you and I are to be in prayer, doing our work with one hand all the while praying.
Perseverance: This has to do with “sticktoitiveness, or consistency” Now this does not have to do with us continually praying until we get our way, but rather staying at prayer until He gets His way!
Supplication: Finally, we have the same word, as above, which tells us that this is a specific prayer. So, we ought to pray in every place!
All people “for all the saints”: Finally, Paul, we ought to be doing so for “all people.” E.M. Bounds wrote, “It’s a great thing to go to people for God, but a greater thing to go to God for people.” We fail often to remember that the Lord taught us to pray with the words “Our Father” and not the words “My Father”!

Vs. 19-20 Here we see Paul practicing these four keys that he just shared. Now remember that while Paul was writing this letter, he was chained between two Roman guards awaiting a trial for his life. What would you pray if you were in that situation? “Hey God, I’m here because I followed your direction, so I want out!” But look at what Paul prays: “He does not ask for change; no, instead he asks for a chance. He does not ask for comfort; instead, he asks for confirmation. Finally, he does not ask for a conclusion; he asks for clarity in proclaiming the truth!” I suggest to you that this prayer could only be uttered by a person who had already discussed “change, comfort, and conclusion” with the Lord!

How can we be sure of this pastor? Well, look at what calls himself in verse 20 “an ambassador in chains.” Did you get that? Twice in this letter he referred to his present circumstances as being a “prisoner of the Lord,” but here he calls himself an ambassador in chains. You see, in those days, the wealthy and powerful were often sent out representing their kingdom to others. To show that they had been sent, they would wear gold chains. You get it, Paul viewed his circumstances not as bondage from an oppressive circumstance but rather as a wealthy and powerful representative of the KING of KING’S!

The truth is you and I will either view ourselves one of two ways as well as imprisoned out on a mission representing the King! What made the difference? PRAYER! You see, we ought not to pray so much to change our circumstances but rather to be changed by our circumstances! That’s the person that God will use to speak. One other thing, Paul asks them to pray for his empowerment to speak God’s word. So? Well, that tells me the power of preaching and teaching lies not only in my study but on your knees as well! The world needs those folks that He has gifted backed by those who pray and hold up their hands! The truth be told, God is not going to look over our medals won in battle but rather our scars and tears shed that we were willing to go through to bring God’s Word to the world!

Vs. 21-24 News from the front

Vs. 21 Tychicus means “fortunate,” and indeed he was. There were always several phrases that seemed to always be associated with this brother that Paul often used as a messenger:

“Beloved brother”: This fellow lived out his faith, and everybody enjoyed hanging out with him.
“Faithful minister”: That is to say that he had a one-track heart that always was seen in him being able to be counted on!
“Servant in the Lord”: Finally, the reason the other two were possible is that he was a fellow who viewed his life as one that served the Lord, and that is why he was “fortunate.”.

Now you will notice that Paul does not share any of his personal needs with these believers, as he was leaving that up to Tychicus. Primarily Paul wanted them not to worry over his condition but instead that they would be comforted.

Vs. 23-24 Finally, Paul concludes his letter with the three great words that sum up the three divisions of the book:

Peace: This deals with us being seated in a heavenly place where we are in our wealth in Christ.
Love: Well, that deals with how we are to walk while on this planet.
Faith: This deals with our ability to stand in victory in our warfare.

Notice all of these are found only in God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ by way of grace. The word sincerity means “in corruptible,” and that is what a person who has peace is. Love and faith from God through unmerited favor! Amen