068 Ephesians 6:10-20 - Standing in Victory

Ephesians Talk 20    Standing in Victory

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3 secrets of living in victory

Know your enemy

Know the battlefield

Know that ultimate victory is guaranteed

Know your Enemy

Ephesians 6:11-12, 16

Spiritual - not against flesh and blood (12)

numerous - plurals (12)

cunning - schemes (11)

organised - rulers and authorities (12) (cf Titus 3:1)

evil - spiritual forces of evil (12)

deadly - flaming missiles (16)

Know the Battlefield

The heavenlies - what they are

6:12 - not heaven - spiritual evil

1:3 - blessed with all

1:21 - Christ is seated at God’s right hand

2:6 - we are seated with him

3:10 - wisdom of God known

Know that ultimate Victory is guaranteed

v10  in the Lord his mighty power.......the full armour of GOD

Jesus’ relation to the ‘principalities and powers’ (AV)

Far above them Ephesians 1:21

Subject to him 1 Peter 3:22

Head of them Colossians 2:10

Why?

created them Colossians 1:16

conquered them Colossians 2:15

So ultimate victory is guaranteed. But what about now?

Let’s read Ephesians 6:10-20 again

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

12 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.

13 Therefore put on the full armour 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.

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

We have an enemy – the devil (11)

We can expect to be attacked (13) when the day of evil comes
God has given us all that we need to stand up to him (11, 13, 14)

But it’s up to us to put on the armour God has provided (11, 13)

But how do we put it on?  Let’s work through the passage.

10 Be strong – present continuous

In the Lord – ‘be empowered through your union with him’ (Amp.)

And in his mighty power – cf Eph 1:19 his incomparably great power…

11     Put on - aorist

the full armour

of God

so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes

12   For our struggle is not against flesh and blood

But against…

Rulers… authorities… powers of this dark world…

Against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

13     Therefore put on the full armour of God (cf v 11)

So that when the day of evil comes

You may be able to stand your ground (cf 11)

And after you have done everything, to stand

14     Stand firm then

With the belt of truth buckled about your waist

TRUTH because:

• the devil is a liar
• Christ is the truth
• God’s word is truth

With the breastplate of righteousness in place

RIGHTEOUSNESS

• Right standing with God
• Integrity
• Moral rectitude

15     With your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

• The good news brings peace with God
• We must be ever ready
• We must be ever ready to GO

16 In addition to all this take up the shield of faith

with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one

THE SHIELD OF FAITH

• What are Satan’s flaming arrows? Lies, doubts, temptation, etc.
• You can extinguish them ALL
• YOU can extinguish them all

17     Take the helmet of salvation

SALVATION

• Remind yourself (and the devil) that you’re saved
• Have been saved
• Are being saved
• Will be saved

And the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God

THE WORD OF GOD

• Jesus in the temptation
• Read the Bible
• Learn the Bible
• Use the Bible
• Prophecies (1 Timothy 1:18) – by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith…

18 And pray (present continuous) in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.

22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.

23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.