Spiritual Warfare | Ephesians 6:10-13

December 12, 2012

Open your Bibles with me to Ephesians 6:10-17.

Ephesians 6:10-20

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For 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. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor 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. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

INTRODUCTION

This is a passage about ‘Spiritual Warfare.’ Paul describes the Christian community in Ephesus and the readers today as fighting a battle. We are in a battle. The opposition is headed by the evil one himself. If in the OT Israel had a physical enemy and battle, we have a spiritual battle. Moreover, the devil is a clever strategist and is cunning. The church needs wisdom and strengthen from God himself to withstand his plans.

Paul had in fact been writing on the theme of ‘Spiritual Warfare’ right from the beginning of this letter. Paul is writing this based on the pattern of divine warfare from the ancient Near East.

Pattern of divine warfare from the ancient Near East.

In Paul’s time, every area had a shrine and in it was a deity. If a deity had to be worshiped that deity has to earn victory in conflict with other deities, or over the forces of chaos. On the basis of the deity’s supremacy, (s)he had the right to have a temple built in his/her honour, to which the deity’s people would gather in worship and celebration. Archaeologists have found the remains of least 50 pagan shrines in Ephesus.

For People, there was a sense of enslavement to these deities or cosmic powers. Because of the influence of the deities and powers, earthly life of an individual was determined and governed by these powers.

Now, Paul asserts and defends the cosmic lordship of Christ over the ‘powers and authorities.’ Paul asserts the triumph of God in Christ over all competing cosmic powers from Ephesians 1.

Recap:

Ephesians 1:20-2:22

1. Christ Is The Lord Over The Powers, Authorities That Rule The Present Evil Age; Eph. 1:20-23

Ephesians 1:22-23 ²²And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

2. The Believers Of Christ Experience The Triumph In Christ. Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2:1-6

¹As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus..

We were actually following the desires of the flesh and of our mind.
We were following the ways of this world.
We deserved the wrath of God.
But God in Christ has freed us from bondage, from the control of the powers.
But then God loved us and made us alive in Christ.
Christ raised us death of sin and seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms.
So all humanity gets together as one in Jesus.
The Jews and gentiles get together.
Christ has overcome the deep division within humanity created by the law.

Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Therefore, we don’t need any spiritual blessing from any of these deities or any of these magical powers of the astrologers because of what God has done.

God Chose us
God redeemed us.
God sealed us with the Holy Spirit.
Paul prays at the end of Ephesians 1 that they may be strengthened with the power of God.

Just in case you are not aware of that power:

It was the power that was at work in Jesus.
It was the power that raised Jesus from the dead.
It was the power that exalted him high above all principalities and powers.

The evil powers hijacked God’s good gift of the Mosaic Law and perverted it into a source of alienation, bitterness and division. In his death, Christ conquered this enmity by uniting both Jew and Gentile in Christ in one New Humanity (2:11-16).

Because of these triumphs, Christ has the right to build his temple.
The church of Jesus is the temple, the place where God in Christ dwells by the Spirit (2:19-22).

Ephesians 2:21-22 ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Transition: But there is a paradox. If Christ is triumphant and the church of God is triumphant, we are in a victory march, Paul says in Ephesians 3:1 that he is a prisoner for the cause of Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles..

This is the paradox. If God has indeed made Christ as cosmic Lord, victor over all things, how is it that Paul, his emissary, is in prison – an apparent defeat?

Ephesians 6:20 Gospel for or which I am an ambassador in chains

Paul’s Sharing Christ’s Victory Does Not Mean A Life Free From Suffering.

One May Go Through Difficult Situations In This World, While We Experience Victory In Christ.

Paul’s ministry while in prison is actually an epitome of the triumph of God in Christ.

His imprisonment is bringing about the eschatological glory of the Gentiles (3:13).

Ephesians 3:12 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

Despite the shame of being a prisoner, he continues to occupy the cosmically significant position as administrator of God’s grace. It is through Paul’s preaching that God calls the church into being, which then points to the triumph of God by demonstrating his manifold wisdom to the powers ruling the present evil age (3:10).

Even In Apparent Defeat, God Demonstrates His Triumph.

The Church Has To Be United In Engaging In Divine Warfare Against.

In Ephesians 4:1-16, Paul calls for unity. It is not simply a call for unity, but empowerment of the church by God for its task of engaging in divine warfare against the evil powers.

The Church Is The Earthly Manifestation Of The Triumphant Warrior Christ.

The Church Is Called To Participate In The Triumph Of God In Christ.

See the victory of Jesus quoted by Paul from Psalm 68:

Ephesians 4:8-10

⁸When he ascended on high,

He took many captives and gave gifts to his people.

⁹(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? ¹⁰He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

This is an allusion to Psalm 68:18, it is Moses going up to mount Sinai to receive the law.

Paul says, Christ descended to the realm of the death (lower earthly regions) and defeated death. Christ ascended on high in order to fill the whole universe.

This is the picture of a victorious king ascending the mountain of the Lord in triumphal procession and bestowing gifts on people to celebrate his victory.

Jesus is the victorious king.

The church is called to participate in the triumph of God in Christ.

But the church is the people of God residing in enemy territory.

There is the present evil age ruled by the powers and authorities, who seek to lead humanity astray from obedience to God. The task of the church is to participate in the triumph of God in Christ by realizing its identity as the new creation people of God even while set in this hostile environment. When new creation life flourishes in Christian communities, the triumph of God in Christ over all competing cosmic forces is advertised to the powers and authorities in the heavenlies.

Now come to Ephesians 6:10-12. In fact, Ephesians 6:10-17 is a summary of the entire letter.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

This passages starts with the word ‘finally,’ signifying that Paul is now wrapping this letter up. This a strong summation to catch everything he has said to this stage. Paul says finally I want you to understand a few things.

Preparation for the Warfare:

Ephesians 6:10-12 ¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

1. Be Strong In The Lord

Be strengthened in the Lord.
Avail yourself the very power that was demonstrated in raising Christ from the dead.
Avail yourself the very power that raised believers from their former way of life.
This power is available to us to resist and overcome the enemy.
Source of our strength is the Lord.

Perhaps, Paul’s readers were threatened by a fear of the demonic and had a tendency to defect under pressure. You do not have to be afraid of the demonic. He calls believers to be strong in the Lord.

2. Understand It As A Spiritual Battle

We Do Not Battle In The Flesh, But It As A Spiritual Battle

Ephesians 6:10-12

Christ has already given us victory in these realms.

Ephesians 1:19b-22

That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²²And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,

3. Beware of the Devil’s Tricks

Ephesians 6:11

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

Schemes in Greek – means Cunning ways, trickery, craftiness

Cunning ways: We must stand against the cunning ways of the devil. The devil’s plans are nto explicit or obvious. Many times we do not realize it. The devil is not going to give you a call and say, “By the way I am going to come and visit you, can you put on the defensive mechanism so that I don’t enter. “

Trickery: His ability to trick people.

Stratagem or craftiness: The kind of deception that takes the form of camouflage or bait so that is so scheming you can come and pretend this is the original and money to get you to catch on with the bait.

Paul uses this language as scheming of the devil. He is saying when the devil unleashes his plans. He does not come in a way that you could easily recognize. He uses so many subtle tricky ways in the hope that you can be deceived into yielding to his expectations.

4. Take Your Stand Against The Schemes Of The Devil.

You just got to stand. The Lord will fight for you.

5. Put On The Whole Armour Of God.

Ephesians 6:11

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

In verse 11 it says “Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

We will look at the armour of God next week. But we must take our stand against the devil’s schemes.

The nature of the warfare. Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 6:12 ²For 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.

Struggle or Wrestle – Close contact warfare.

A wrestle –close contact warfare. We need to know we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. So in the nature of this warfare, you want to know that it is close body contact, wrestling.

Can you imagine having to wrestle with spiritual beings, with demonic powers? Face-to-face, body-to-body, arm-to-arm? How do you deal with that? Paul’s point is this actually don’t think that this is a distant foe throwing arrows at you. He comes close and really deals with you in a very close proximity, you can feel and smell but his method is scheming. He uses camouflage tactics but beyond that, you also need to know something, yes it is a wrestle, but it is a wrestle not against human beings.

It is a wrestle:

A wrestle not against flesh and blood.
A wrestle against the rulers, against the authorities (referring to evil spiritual powers of various forms).
It is a wrestle against the cosmic powers over this present darkness.
the warfare is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places

Transition:

The question though is how is this fighting taking place?

Is the fighting taking place by binding and losing?

Is the fighting taking place by curse breaking?

Some churches when they speak about spiritual warfare it is all binding and losing. One thing is clear in this passage, the opponent is spiritual, in this passage in a very close contact battle. They are in the heavenly realms and they are in this evil darkness. Clearly what they propose to undertake is not to the interest of the believer, but the battle is not something you get up and do spiritually actually.

Let me change your thinking a little bit, the battle is fought by ethical way of life. In fact Paul proposes that as he has been teaching all this while, the spiritual warfare is fought on the moral plain. When people are actually adapting the right Christian moral principles making wise moral judgement and living up to the standards that God expect of his people. When he says be strengthened and put on the armour of God, the next thing he is going to do is not to define an armour as if you just going and banging and losing.

CONCLUSION

We are going to pray for you. What are some of the battles you are going through? Christ has already given you the victory. We need to stand against the schemes of the devil. Let’s pray

City Harvest AG Church

Spiritual Warfare | Ephesians 6:10-13