Ephesians 1- 3 gives us the doctrine / wealth / belief structure we have in this Mystery period, known as the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Ephesians 4 – 6 gives us the duty / walk / behavior outlined very specifically that we are to pattern our lives after. In chapter 4, Paul outlines Life in the Body. In chapter 5, Paul outlines Life in the Family. In chapter 6, Paul outlines Life in the Trenches. Today, we completed our study of Ephesians! In chapter 6:10-24, Paul gives us his final words in this great letter of doctrine and duty, focusing on the spiritual warfare we are all involved in. He encourages us to “put on the whole armor of God.” The board from our study this morning, reveals three parts: The Adversary – the devil, who is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is at work in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-3, 1 Peter 5:8-9). It also reveals his government from top to bottom, starting with the angelic powers and finishing with the human powers – the children of disobedience who exercise power in the darkness of this world, filled with spiritual wickedness. Ephesians 1:15-23: Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. The Armor – we are not left to fend for ourselves. God provides all of the armor necessary for our protection and the most powerful weapon available for spiritual warfare – the rhema of God, the applied Word of God in our lives. The Word of God, the Bible is the armory filled with swords ready to wielded in a moment's notice when the fiery darts of the wicked fly into our shield of faith. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10: But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. The Arena – the spiritual battlefield where we are attacked, is our mind. The strongholds, the imaginations, the weight, and the besetting sin are all areas of attack that come our way. We are commanded to attack the disobedience with our obedience to the Word of God. We must be prepared with our Quick Response Force (QRF) of memorized scripture to answer in the moment of battle. Romans 8:35-39: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that 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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ultimately, we are compelled to pray for one another, as Paul asked the Ephesian church. Let us pray without ceasing, with supplication in the Spirit for all saints! May we pray for one another in physical trials and spiritual attacks, praying that we grow into Christ likeness through the struggles and the suffering, that our witness for Christ will be bold in these dark times in which we live. Ephesians 6:18-20: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
