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In Him: Standing Firm to the End • 07.12.26
In Him: Standing Firm to the End
Ephesians 6:10-20
Embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness
Manuscript:
Good morning, church family! Introduce self + welcome guests
Ushers + Bibles (Ephesians 6; page 1162)
As we turn our attention to the study of God’s Word this morning, we are picking back up in the book of Ephesians. This is our 3rd week in it as we learn about Our Identity in Christ. Over the past two weeks we’ve sought to answer the questions: (Series Layout Slide)
Today we are seeking to address a different set of questions:
This emphasis may catch some of you by surprise. What does this have to do with our identity and union with Christ? Quite a lot, actually! In fact, as Paul wrote this letter it is clear he is deeply concerned that they understand who and what they are up against as Christians. In chapter 1, Paul prayed that they would understand the immeasurable greatness of God’s power that has been demonstrated in raising Christ from the dead and exalting him above all other spiritual or physical authorities. In chapter 2, Paul reminded them that they used to be following and walking in the ways of Satan and that he is still at work now in the sons of disobedience, but God saved them by grace through faith in Christ. In chapter 4, he encouraged them to grow up into maturity and to not be led astray by deceitful schemes and to give no opportunity to the devil by returning to unrepentant sin. In chapter 5, he drew a sharp contrast between those who walk in darkness as children of darkness and those who walk in the light, as children of the light/Lord. And now, in the final chapter, which we are studying today, he instructs them with a final exhortation of how to engage in spiritual warfare as Christians.
My point is this… it is foolish to ignore the realities of the spiritual realm. God, the Creator of all things, has made both physical and spiritual realities. And they do interact with one another in ways that are important for us to understand. There is a very real enemy of God and humanity, Satan, who is voraciously opposed to our good and God’s glory. If you fail to understand this and live accordingly, then you will find yourself susceptible to his schemes and influence when you could be boldly living out your identity and life in Christ.
Western culture likes to think we’re too sophisticated to believe in such things and that all that matters is the physical – what we can experience with our senses… We have been deeply influenced by rationalism, materialism, and secular humanism which have all rejected God and the existence of a spiritual realm. It is important to have this discussion, based on the objective truth of God’s Word, to understand who we are up against and how God has called and equipped us to stand firm to the end.
I also believe a sermon like this is important because I am convinced that many Christians wrongly think that the world is their primary enemy, when, truthfully, the world is whom we are sent to evangelize with the Gospel. Our true enemy hides behind the world’s systems and structures, he is the one influencing them to believe lies and oppose the One, True God. Too many are content to fight cultural or political wars rather than addressing the root issues of unbelief and enslavement to sin and Satan. We are sent out as ambassadors to the world and as opponents of the devil. These are essential components of our identity and life in Christ, and we need to talk about it, so we are not uninformed or led astray and so that we will stand firm to the end. With that in mind, let’s read our passage for today.
Ephesians 6:10–20 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For 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. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
This is the final exhortation of Paul to this group of believers before closing his letter with some final greetings. In this passage, he beautifully links their union with Christ to their ongoing opposition of the enemy of God and humanity, the devil, so that they may stand firm to the end and witness the spread of the gospel. I’ve been looking forward to studying this together with you. Our aim this morning is…
Embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness
What I want you to notice in that statement is that God provides our protection and the path for holiness. That phrasing is intentional and it comes from what we find in this letter. Look again at verse 10.
Ephesians 6:10 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
What do you hear in this passage? Be strong… in your own strength? In your own ability? NO! “In the Lord… and in the strength of HIS might”. This is a passive verb – it indicates something that is being done to you or made possible by another. Be made strong in the Lord. Be strengthened in the Lord. Or as one lexicon put it, “Finally, in union with the Lord become capable by means of his great strength.” (Louw-Nida)
What Paul is saying is that when all is said and done, Christians must…
It is only because we are in Christ that we can be made strong. This hearkens back to Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1 – it is God’s immeasurably great power that is at work in believers through Christ! The same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him above all other powers and authorities. This is the power that the Ephesian Christians, and Christians today, are strengthened by.
You need to understand that union with Christ is the context of the entire letter! From the very first chapter, Paul has been reminding them of who they are now in Christ. Their entire lives have been changed by being united with Christ through faith in him. And they must continue to depend wholly (completely) on Christ as they go through life. We never graduate beyond utter dependence and reliance in King Jesus! Let’s review again the wonderful truths we’ve heard about union with Christ and all that has changed through faith in Him.
Week 1 (Ephesians 1)
Week 2 (Ephesians 2)
2:4-9
2:13-19
What glorious realities to remember this morning! Christians are now walking on a different path! A path of holiness that God has provided for us. And we walk together! God is not only saving and sanctifying us individually, but together as the church we are being built up into a holy temple in whom God will dwell. We heard about that at the end of chapter 2. (Main Point Slide)
So, Christians began the race of faith through union with Christ and the only way they will finish the race is by depending on him to the end. Consider that in verse 11, Paul commands them to put on the whole armor of God. Or in verse 13, he tells them to take up the whole armor of God. God has provided his armor for your protection. Through Paul, he is commanding you to take it up and put it on. This is not a message of self-dependence, but God-dependence!
I don’t know about you, but I find this message deeply reassuring. To hear that my Heavenly Father and Savior has provided me his armor to stand in the battle against the fiercest of foes is incredibly comforting. It is not my own strength or capabilities that protects or secures me, but his power and provision.
Now, speaking of the foe we face, God, through Paul, identifies our enemy several times in this passage. In verse 11, he tells us that we are to put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Then he elaborates further in verse 12 that we are not engaged in a battle against flesh and blood, but against Satan and his demons – spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. The terms used here are simply piling up descriptions of the same thing – our spiritual enemy. This is then followed by another call in verse 13 “Therefore (because these things are true…) take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Paul is addressing the certainty of spiritual war in our lives.
How often do we forget that we are in a spiritual war? It is so easy to lose sight of the spiritual realities happening all around and in us. And please do not make the mistake of thinking that we’re talking about some kind of crazy poltergeist stuff or the depictions we might see in the media of the devil and his work. Spiritual war takes many forms – it is found in our relationships as we continue to fight and tear one another down with our words, it is in our families as we prioritize worldly success over discipling our children, it does incredible damage through normalizing sinful views of sex, abortion, divorce, and other moral issues in our society… Spiritual war shows up as bullying at school, fighting with your siblings, apathy towards the Lord, persistent temptation to engage in sin, or even the internal repetition of lies to yourself – “I am worthless. I am unloved. I am alone.” And so on. Spiritual war often produces anxiousness, feelings of depression or overwhelm, and other self-destructive thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.
Spiritual war is happening all the time, all around us and within us, and it takes the forms of things that we consider fairly normal. In my own experience, I often notice spiritual war in my life as I’m actively seeking to live for the Lord and boldly proclaim His Word to others. It is in those times when I’m most likely to struggle with despairing and intrusive thoughts that condemn me. Things that are totally out of touch with my circumstances. The enemy hates to see people grow in holiness and the gospel being proclaimed. He would much rather see you distracted by your smartphone, enslaved to your hobbies or career, forsaking the study of God’s Word and prayer, and estranged from those closest to you…
Which is why passages like these are so helpful and a great clarion call to TAKE UP and PUT ON the whole armor of God! This is not a battle that we can fight in our own strength or power. The enemy is a mighty foe! But, in Christ, he is a defeated foe!
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection were all part of God’s eternal redemption plan to conquer Satan and resolve the problem of sin and death. As Paul wrote to the Colossians:
Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV)
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 2:13–15 (ESV)
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
What Good News for those whose faith is in Christ for salvation and redemption!
God is the one with all authority. He is the One who overcame the enemy in Jesus’ finished work on the Cross and empty tomb. In Christ, we are forgiven. Our sin debt has been nailed to the cross. The enemy has been put to shame through Christ! Satan is nothing in comparison to God.
So, we must walk into each day, ready for battle, having put on our Heavenly Father’s armor and trusting that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) We have confidence in the battles we face, not because of how strong we are, but because we are united to Christ and he has all authority in heaven and on earth!
But what does it mean to take up and put on the armor of God? In verses 14-17, Paul provides another command to “stand firm” and proceeds to explain how that is possible. Let’s review it again.
Ephesians 6:14–17 (ESV)
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
What enables a Christian to stand firm to the end against the daily assaults of the enemy is that they are united with Christ and have his armor available to them. Notice how each piece of armor is describing a different aspect of what is true of you in Christ. These are not things that you must DO but rather things that are already TRUE of you, in Christ.
Remember, we’re embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness… He has provided it! Your calling is to embrace it, and you do this as you…
Each piece of armor is describing something that is true of you, in Christ. And it is imperative that you regularly return to these truths and apply them to the battles you face each day. These are for your benefit! Let’s start by identifying the different pieces of armor and the realities they represent.
Because of your faith in Jesus, you have fastened on the belt of truth. You have believed the revelation of God in Christ. This is the mystery of the gospel that was hidden for ages but has now been revealed in Christ. As one commentator so helpfully explained:
If Christ’s church and individual members of it are to stand firm in the evil day, it is vital that their lives be anchored in and securely tied to God’s revealed truth concerning His Son. The escalating tragedy of the Christian church in the past one hundred years has been associated with its abandoning the truth and authority of God’s revelation in the face of unbelief.
The present spiritual and moral debility of the church is due preeminently to one thing: it has let slip, often willfully, the belt of truth. If God’s saving truth in Christ is not what binds the life and mission of the church, it becomes prey to “every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14) and ends up a spiritual and societal irrelevance, a parody of its divine identity and calling. (Ian Hamilton, Ephesians: Lectio Continua Expository Commentary)
The belt of truth is essential to standing firm in the faith to the end! We must not abandon the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. That is the first piece of armor and we will continue to preach it boldly to ourselves and others!
The second is the breastplate of righteousness. This is speaking of your righteous standing in Christ. Through faith in Christ, you have been imputed with his righteousness. God now looks at you and sees you as righteous! We see this truth in a passage like 2 Corinthians 5:21:
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In Christ, you are righteous. Which is an incredible defense against the slanderous attacks of the enemy who seeks to tear you down and tempt you to doubt. You can stand firm under those vicious attacks as you remember who you are in Christ! You can also live out your identity as a righteous one. This righteousness ought to drive your daily life. Because I am a righteous one in Christ, I can live righteously today. Imagine if each of us began our day with this conviction! What opportunities do you have today for living out righteousness? What opportunities will you have this week? This gospel reality can and should change our lives.
In Christ, you also have put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace as your footwear. This is speaking of the peace you now have with God through Jesus’ shed blood. We heard about that last week in Ephesians 2. Jesus is our peace. He has united us to God and to fellow believers. Knowing that your greatest problem has been resolved – there is no wrath left for you – relieves you of an incredible burden! You are now able to be on mission as an ambassador of peace/reconciliation. This is what precedes that verse in 2 Corinthians I just shared with you:
2 Corinthians 5:17–20 (ESV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
If your faith is in Christ, then you are not only a reconciled one (having peace with God), but you have been given a ministry of reconciliation! Christian brother or sister, delight daily in the peace you have with God and then allow that delight to drive you to share the message of reconciliation with others! *pause*
Several times in this passage in Ephesians 6, Paul is pulling from imagery presented in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. Here he is referring to Isaiah 52:7:
Isaiah 52:7 (ESV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
It is the imagery of a messenger running towards Jerusalem with a message of peace with God! This is what Christians get to fulfill as messengers of peace with God to our lost and broken world. Who are the people God is sending you to as an ambassador of reconciliation? And are you ready to share the good news of Jesus with them? If you are in Christ, then this is your calling and privilege!
After speaking of this, Paul draws their attention to the shield of faith which is theirs in Christ. Through faith in Jesus, they are able to withstand the many fiery darts of the evil one. In those days, Roman soldiers carried large, water-soaked shields to extinguish the pitch-dipped, flaming arrows of their enemies. This is the imagery Paul appeals to as he reminds them that they have a great defense against Satan’s attacks. Faith extinguishes or shuts down the enemy’s fiery arrows. It is by faith that we are saved and by faith that we withstand the schemes of the devil. When he tries to tempt you to believe lies, you reject them with absolute trust in God and His Word. Our confidence as Christians does not come from within, but from faith and trust in God and his finished work in Christ!
Commentator Bryan Chapell speaks beautifully to this:
The Lord hears us crying, “I am so weak, evil, stupid, and incapable that I cannot overcome this sin.” We are lovingly corrected: “ ‘Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power.’ The One who has loved you gives you a nature that makes you capable. You must have faith in the power of his might. Your Adversary, who says that you cannot resist, lies and seeks your harm. Do not believe him.”
Faith that God has made us new, has made us his, and has made us able is essential before we will experience God’s victory over compelling and compulsive sin. (Bryan Chapell, Reformed Expository Commentary)
So, the next time you’re tempted to believe a lie about yourself – “I am worthless. I’m not wanted. It would be better if I was not here. No one can understand my struggle! God won’t forgive me…” – recognize these for what they are – the fiery darts of the enemy! And extinguish them by clinging to the mighty power of your God and by remembering the wonderful promises he provides in his word. Promises such as these:
What wonderful promises to cling to and to enable us to stand firm in the faith against the enemy’s attacks.
Paul then proceeds to call them to take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. These are again realities that are theirs in Christ. Their salvation has been secured in Christ. It functions as the Christian’s protection against the doubts and fears with which Satan tries to tempt our mind. I have certainty in salvation, and I do not have to listen to his attempts to get me to doubt it. And I can fight back against the lies with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, as I just demonstrated moments ago.
God the Holy Spirit works through the word of God to bring truth to bear on our lives. This truth can be used defensively, to fight against lies you are tempted to believe, or offensively, to shine the light of the gospel into the darkness of a lost and hurting world! Recalling Paul’s words to them back in chapter 1:
Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
The word of truth cuts through spiritual deception and hardened hearts to set captives free! How incredible that, in Christ, we can wield such a powerful weapon for the eternal good of others! Do you realize that you have been entrusted with such incredible provisions and protection? Not only for your benefit, but for the good of others too!
So, let us make it our aim to diligently apply Gospel truths to our daily life. May we never grow tired of taking up and putting on the armor of God each day. As we have said every week of this series - it is essential for us to recognize who we are now, in Christ. These gospel truths are not only for salvation, but for every day life.
If you’d like to see more examples of how to apply these truths to every day life, then I would encourage you to read through the entire letter to the Ephesians. It is full of examples! Paul has been instructing them in how their new identity in Christ changes everything! To name a few he speaks to their relationships with one another in the church, their marriages, their parenting, their speech, how they handle conflict, how kids relate to their parents, and more. The Bible is intensely practical. It provides compelling answers for life’s biggest questions and daily decisions. These truths about who you are in Christ radically shapes the rest of your life.
In fact, we see an example of this in the final portion of our text for today. Let’s look again at verses 18-20.
Ephesians 6:18–20 (ESV)
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Having reminded them of the incredible provision of God’s armor for their protection and holiness he proceeds to emphasize the significance of prayer in standing firm to the end. Prayer is an ongoing necessity, an essential part of staying alert in the spiritual war, and it is a powerful provision from God to resist the enemy and reach the lost. So, when it comes to embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness, we must…
Paul models this mindset as he desires to continue boldly proclaiming the mystery of the gospel. He wants to see many more reached for Christ! He desires to keep opposing the lies of the enemy with the truth of God’s Gospel.
This is the same mindset and lifestyle he exhorts the Ephesians to adopt. They are to be fervent in prayer. Praying at ALL times with ALL prayer and supplication; keeping alert with ALL perseverance; making supplication for ALL the saints. Do you hear the repetition? All. All. All. All. Pray like you mean it! Pray like your life and others depend on it! Because they do.
God delights to work through the prayers of his people. And our constant prayer keeps us alert and on mission. As we pray, we are reminded of wonderful truths such as:
By exhorting the Ephesians with these final words, he is helping them, and us, understand that prayer is essential in engaging successfully in spiritual warfare. If you want to have victory over the powers of darkness, then pray and ask God to move! Pray and ask God to help you believe the truth rather than lies! Pray and ask God to help you live in light of the truth! Pray and ask God to open the eyes of the spiritually blind! Pray and ask God to give you boldness to speak as you ought with the Gospel message! And pray for God to give others the same boldness, so that the Gospel would reach the ends of the earth!
Having just exhorted you to such prayer. It is only fitting that we now end our sermon by praying. And I want you to know that I am going to be praying for those who are Christians in the room to be living in light of the truth and praying for those who are not Christians to have eyes to see and a heart to believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior. Afterwards, we will prepare ourselves to celebrate the Lord’s Table.
Please bow your head with me in prayer.
Pray
Communion
We are going to close out our services by worshiping the Lord through the celebration of communion or the Lord’s table. Communion is an opportunity for Christians to be unified as we come together to remember all that the Lord has done for us through his death, burial, and resurrection. This is an opportunity for Christians to remember that we have embraced the promised hope of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and salvation of our souls!
We will celebrate by partaking of both the bread and the cup as a symbol and reminder of Jesus’ body broken in our place and his blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Communion is an opportunity to remember how great a price was paid so that we could be saved from our sin. It is a sobering, yet joyful celebration for Christians. Sobering that the Son of God would give himself for us as a ransom. Joyful that he did, and the result is a living hope that cannot be taken from us! Jesus is victorious; therefore, we have the hope of heaven with Him!
At this time, I’d like to invite the ushers forward with the elements.
Before we pass them, I want to share the biblical requirements for joining in this celebration.
This celebration was given by Jesus to his followers. We invite anyone who has trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation to join us in this celebration today. If your faith is not in Jesus Christ alone, then we would encourage you to let the elements pass by you and simply consider what you’ve heard so far during the service this morning and reflect on what is keeping you from trusting him.
The second requirement we see in Scripture is a call to examine ourselves. This is the idea of making sure that you’ve confessed any known sins and sought to turn away from it. It would not be wise to partake of the table if you have sin in your life for which you are not repentant. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11 that taking the table while living in sin is eating and drinking judgment on yourself. I would ask you not to do that, for your sake and the sake of God’s glory. Instead, I would encourage you to use this time to confess that sin and make a plan to address it right away. If you know you need to be reconciled to someone else in this church, please take care of that during this time. The table is time to protect the unity of the church.
The ushers are going to pass the elements now. Please take this time for reflection and prayer to prepare for the table. After the elements have been passed, I’ll lead us in prayer and taking communion together.
Ushers pass elements
Silent prayer. Corporate prayer.
1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (ESV)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Take bread.
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Take cup + Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus!
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In Him: Standing Firm to the End
Ephesians 6:10-20
Embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness
Manuscript:
Good morning, church family! Introduce self + welcome guests
Ushers + Bibles (Ephesians 6; page 1162)
As we turn our attention to the study of God’s Word this morning, we are picking back up in the book of Ephesians. This is our 3rd week in it as we learn about Our Identity in Christ. Over the past two weeks we’ve sought to answer the questions: (Series Layout Slide)
Today we are seeking to address a different set of questions:
This emphasis may catch some of you by surprise. What does this have to do with our identity and union with Christ? Quite a lot, actually! In fact, as Paul wrote this letter it is clear he is deeply concerned that they understand who and what they are up against as Christians. In chapter 1, Paul prayed that they would understand the immeasurable greatness of God’s power that has been demonstrated in raising Christ from the dead and exalting him above all other spiritual or physical authorities. In chapter 2, Paul reminded them that they used to be following and walking in the ways of Satan and that he is still at work now in the sons of disobedience, but God saved them by grace through faith in Christ. In chapter 4, he encouraged them to grow up into maturity and to not be led astray by deceitful schemes and to give no opportunity to the devil by returning to unrepentant sin. In chapter 5, he drew a sharp contrast between those who walk in darkness as children of darkness and those who walk in the light, as children of the light/Lord. And now, in the final chapter, which we are studying today, he instructs them with a final exhortation of how to engage in spiritual warfare as Christians.
My point is this… it is foolish to ignore the realities of the spiritual realm. God, the Creator of all things, has made both physical and spiritual realities. And they do interact with one another in ways that are important for us to understand. There is a very real enemy of God and humanity, Satan, who is voraciously opposed to our good and God’s glory. If you fail to understand this and live accordingly, then you will find yourself susceptible to his schemes and influence when you could be boldly living out your identity and life in Christ.
Western culture likes to think we’re too sophisticated to believe in such things and that all that matters is the physical – what we can experience with our senses… We have been deeply influenced by rationalism, materialism, and secular humanism which have all rejected God and the existence of a spiritual realm. It is important to have this discussion, based on the objective truth of God’s Word, to understand who we are up against and how God has called and equipped us to stand firm to the end.
I also believe a sermon like this is important because I am convinced that many Christians wrongly think that the world is their primary enemy, when, truthfully, the world is whom we are sent to evangelize with the Gospel. Our true enemy hides behind the world’s systems and structures, he is the one influencing them to believe lies and oppose the One, True God. Too many are content to fight cultural or political wars rather than addressing the root issues of unbelief and enslavement to sin and Satan. We are sent out as ambassadors to the world and as opponents of the devil. These are essential components of our identity and life in Christ, and we need to talk about it, so we are not uninformed or led astray and so that we will stand firm to the end. With that in mind, let’s read our passage for today.
Ephesians 6:10–20 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For 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. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
This is the final exhortation of Paul to this group of believers before closing his letter with some final greetings. In this passage, he beautifully links their union with Christ to their ongoing opposition of the enemy of God and humanity, the devil, so that they may stand firm to the end and witness the spread of the gospel. I’ve been looking forward to studying this together with you. Our aim this morning is…
Embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness
What I want you to notice in that statement is that God provides our protection and the path for holiness. That phrasing is intentional and it comes from what we find in this letter. Look again at verse 10.
Ephesians 6:10 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
What do you hear in this passage? Be strong… in your own strength? In your own ability? NO! “In the Lord… and in the strength of HIS might”. This is a passive verb – it indicates something that is being done to you or made possible by another. Be made strong in the Lord. Be strengthened in the Lord. Or as one lexicon put it, “Finally, in union with the Lord become capable by means of his great strength.” (Louw-Nida)
What Paul is saying is that when all is said and done, Christians must…
It is only because we are in Christ that we can be made strong. This hearkens back to Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1 – it is God’s immeasurably great power that is at work in believers through Christ! The same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him above all other powers and authorities. This is the power that the Ephesian Christians, and Christians today, are strengthened by.
You need to understand that union with Christ is the context of the entire letter! From the very first chapter, Paul has been reminding them of who they are now in Christ. Their entire lives have been changed by being united with Christ through faith in him. And they must continue to depend wholly (completely) on Christ as they go through life. We never graduate beyond utter dependence and reliance in King Jesus! Let’s review again the wonderful truths we’ve heard about union with Christ and all that has changed through faith in Him.
Week 1 (Ephesians 1)
Week 2 (Ephesians 2)
2:4-9
2:13-19
What glorious realities to remember this morning! Christians are now walking on a different path! A path of holiness that God has provided for us. And we walk together! God is not only saving and sanctifying us individually, but together as the church we are being built up into a holy temple in whom God will dwell. We heard about that at the end of chapter 2. (Main Point Slide)
So, Christians began the race of faith through union with Christ and the only way they will finish the race is by depending on him to the end. Consider that in verse 11, Paul commands them to put on the whole armor of God. Or in verse 13, he tells them to take up the whole armor of God. God has provided his armor for your protection. Through Paul, he is commanding you to take it up and put it on. This is not a message of self-dependence, but God-dependence!
I don’t know about you, but I find this message deeply reassuring. To hear that my Heavenly Father and Savior has provided me his armor to stand in the battle against the fiercest of foes is incredibly comforting. It is not my own strength or capabilities that protects or secures me, but his power and provision.
Now, speaking of the foe we face, God, through Paul, identifies our enemy several times in this passage. In verse 11, he tells us that we are to put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Then he elaborates further in verse 12 that we are not engaged in a battle against flesh and blood, but against Satan and his demons – spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. The terms used here are simply piling up descriptions of the same thing – our spiritual enemy. This is then followed by another call in verse 13 “Therefore (because these things are true…) take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Paul is addressing the certainty of spiritual war in our lives.
How often do we forget that we are in a spiritual war? It is so easy to lose sight of the spiritual realities happening all around and in us. And please do not make the mistake of thinking that we’re talking about some kind of crazy poltergeist stuff or the depictions we might see in the media of the devil and his work. Spiritual war takes many forms – it is found in our relationships as we continue to fight and tear one another down with our words, it is in our families as we prioritize worldly success over discipling our children, it does incredible damage through normalizing sinful views of sex, abortion, divorce, and other moral issues in our society… Spiritual war shows up as bullying at school, fighting with your siblings, apathy towards the Lord, persistent temptation to engage in sin, or even the internal repetition of lies to yourself – “I am worthless. I am unloved. I am alone.” And so on. Spiritual war often produces anxiousness, feelings of depression or overwhelm, and other self-destructive thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.
Spiritual war is happening all the time, all around us and within us, and it takes the forms of things that we consider fairly normal. In my own experience, I often notice spiritual war in my life as I’m actively seeking to live for the Lord and boldly proclaim His Word to others. It is in those times when I’m most likely to struggle with despairing and intrusive thoughts that condemn me. Things that are totally out of touch with my circumstances. The enemy hates to see people grow in holiness and the gospel being proclaimed. He would much rather see you distracted by your smartphone, enslaved to your hobbies or career, forsaking the study of God’s Word and prayer, and estranged from those closest to you…
Which is why passages like these are so helpful and a great clarion call to TAKE UP and PUT ON the whole armor of God! This is not a battle that we can fight in our own strength or power. The enemy is a mighty foe! But, in Christ, he is a defeated foe!
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection were all part of God’s eternal redemption plan to conquer Satan and resolve the problem of sin and death. As Paul wrote to the Colossians:
Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV)
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 2:13–15 (ESV)
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
What Good News for those whose faith is in Christ for salvation and redemption!
God is the one with all authority. He is the One who overcame the enemy in Jesus’ finished work on the Cross and empty tomb. In Christ, we are forgiven. Our sin debt has been nailed to the cross. The enemy has been put to shame through Christ! Satan is nothing in comparison to God.
So, we must walk into each day, ready for battle, having put on our Heavenly Father’s armor and trusting that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) We have confidence in the battles we face, not because of how strong we are, but because we are united to Christ and he has all authority in heaven and on earth!
But what does it mean to take up and put on the armor of God? In verses 14-17, Paul provides another command to “stand firm” and proceeds to explain how that is possible. Let’s review it again.
Ephesians 6:14–17 (ESV)
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
What enables a Christian to stand firm to the end against the daily assaults of the enemy is that they are united with Christ and have his armor available to them. Notice how each piece of armor is describing a different aspect of what is true of you in Christ. These are not things that you must DO but rather things that are already TRUE of you, in Christ.
Remember, we’re embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness… He has provided it! Your calling is to embrace it, and you do this as you…
Each piece of armor is describing something that is true of you, in Christ. And it is imperative that you regularly return to these truths and apply them to the battles you face each day. These are for your benefit! Let’s start by identifying the different pieces of armor and the realities they represent.
Because of your faith in Jesus, you have fastened on the belt of truth. You have believed the revelation of God in Christ. This is the mystery of the gospel that was hidden for ages but has now been revealed in Christ. As one commentator so helpfully explained:
If Christ’s church and individual members of it are to stand firm in the evil day, it is vital that their lives be anchored in and securely tied to God’s revealed truth concerning His Son. The escalating tragedy of the Christian church in the past one hundred years has been associated with its abandoning the truth and authority of God’s revelation in the face of unbelief.
The present spiritual and moral debility of the church is due preeminently to one thing: it has let slip, often willfully, the belt of truth. If God’s saving truth in Christ is not what binds the life and mission of the church, it becomes prey to “every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14) and ends up a spiritual and societal irrelevance, a parody of its divine identity and calling. (Ian Hamilton, Ephesians: Lectio Continua Expository Commentary)
The belt of truth is essential to standing firm in the faith to the end! We must not abandon the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. That is the first piece of armor and we will continue to preach it boldly to ourselves and others!
The second is the breastplate of righteousness. This is speaking of your righteous standing in Christ. Through faith in Christ, you have been imputed with his righteousness. God now looks at you and sees you as righteous! We see this truth in a passage like 2 Corinthians 5:21:
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In Christ, you are righteous. Which is an incredible defense against the slanderous attacks of the enemy who seeks to tear you down and tempt you to doubt. You can stand firm under those vicious attacks as you remember who you are in Christ! You can also live out your identity as a righteous one. This righteousness ought to drive your daily life. Because I am a righteous one in Christ, I can live righteously today. Imagine if each of us began our day with this conviction! What opportunities do you have today for living out righteousness? What opportunities will you have this week? This gospel reality can and should change our lives.
In Christ, you also have put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace as your footwear. This is speaking of the peace you now have with God through Jesus’ shed blood. We heard about that last week in Ephesians 2. Jesus is our peace. He has united us to God and to fellow believers. Knowing that your greatest problem has been resolved – there is no wrath left for you – relieves you of an incredible burden! You are now able to be on mission as an ambassador of peace/reconciliation. This is what precedes that verse in 2 Corinthians I just shared with you:
2 Corinthians 5:17–20 (ESV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
If your faith is in Christ, then you are not only a reconciled one (having peace with God), but you have been given a ministry of reconciliation! Christian brother or sister, delight daily in the peace you have with God and then allow that delight to drive you to share the message of reconciliation with others! *pause*
Several times in this passage in Ephesians 6, Paul is pulling from imagery presented in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. Here he is referring to Isaiah 52:7:
Isaiah 52:7 (ESV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
It is the imagery of a messenger running towards Jerusalem with a message of peace with God! This is what Christians get to fulfill as messengers of peace with God to our lost and broken world. Who are the people God is sending you to as an ambassador of reconciliation? And are you ready to share the good news of Jesus with them? If you are in Christ, then this is your calling and privilege!
After speaking of this, Paul draws their attention to the shield of faith which is theirs in Christ. Through faith in Jesus, they are able to withstand the many fiery darts of the evil one. In those days, Roman soldiers carried large, water-soaked shields to extinguish the pitch-dipped, flaming arrows of their enemies. This is the imagery Paul appeals to as he reminds them that they have a great defense against Satan’s attacks. Faith extinguishes or shuts down the enemy’s fiery arrows. It is by faith that we are saved and by faith that we withstand the schemes of the devil. When he tries to tempt you to believe lies, you reject them with absolute trust in God and His Word. Our confidence as Christians does not come from within, but from faith and trust in God and his finished work in Christ!
Commentator Bryan Chapell speaks beautifully to this:
The Lord hears us crying, “I am so weak, evil, stupid, and incapable that I cannot overcome this sin.” We are lovingly corrected: “ ‘Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power.’ The One who has loved you gives you a nature that makes you capable. You must have faith in the power of his might. Your Adversary, who says that you cannot resist, lies and seeks your harm. Do not believe him.”
Faith that God has made us new, has made us his, and has made us able is essential before we will experience God’s victory over compelling and compulsive sin. (Bryan Chapell, Reformed Expository Commentary)
So, the next time you’re tempted to believe a lie about yourself – “I am worthless. I’m not wanted. It would be better if I was not here. No one can understand my struggle! God won’t forgive me…” – recognize these for what they are – the fiery darts of the enemy! And extinguish them by clinging to the mighty power of your God and by remembering the wonderful promises he provides in his word. Promises such as these:
What wonderful promises to cling to and to enable us to stand firm in the faith against the enemy’s attacks.
Paul then proceeds to call them to take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. These are again realities that are theirs in Christ. Their salvation has been secured in Christ. It functions as the Christian’s protection against the doubts and fears with which Satan tries to tempt our mind. I have certainty in salvation, and I do not have to listen to his attempts to get me to doubt it. And I can fight back against the lies with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, as I just demonstrated moments ago.
God the Holy Spirit works through the word of God to bring truth to bear on our lives. This truth can be used defensively, to fight against lies you are tempted to believe, or offensively, to shine the light of the gospel into the darkness of a lost and hurting world! Recalling Paul’s words to them back in chapter 1:
Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
The word of truth cuts through spiritual deception and hardened hearts to set captives free! How incredible that, in Christ, we can wield such a powerful weapon for the eternal good of others! Do you realize that you have been entrusted with such incredible provisions and protection? Not only for your benefit, but for the good of others too!
So, let us make it our aim to diligently apply Gospel truths to our daily life. May we never grow tired of taking up and putting on the armor of God each day. As we have said every week of this series - it is essential for us to recognize who we are now, in Christ. These gospel truths are not only for salvation, but for every day life.
If you’d like to see more examples of how to apply these truths to every day life, then I would encourage you to read through the entire letter to the Ephesians. It is full of examples! Paul has been instructing them in how their new identity in Christ changes everything! To name a few he speaks to their relationships with one another in the church, their marriages, their parenting, their speech, how they handle conflict, how kids relate to their parents, and more. The Bible is intensely practical. It provides compelling answers for life’s biggest questions and daily decisions. These truths about who you are in Christ radically shapes the rest of your life.
In fact, we see an example of this in the final portion of our text for today. Let’s look again at verses 18-20.
Ephesians 6:18–20 (ESV)
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Having reminded them of the incredible provision of God’s armor for their protection and holiness he proceeds to emphasize the significance of prayer in standing firm to the end. Prayer is an ongoing necessity, an essential part of staying alert in the spiritual war, and it is a powerful provision from God to resist the enemy and reach the lost. So, when it comes to embracing God’s provided protection and path for holiness, we must…
Paul models this mindset as he desires to continue boldly proclaiming the mystery of the gospel. He wants to see many more reached for Christ! He desires to keep opposing the lies of the enemy with the truth of God’s Gospel.
This is the same mindset and lifestyle he exhorts the Ephesians to adopt. They are to be fervent in prayer. Praying at ALL times with ALL prayer and supplication; keeping alert with ALL perseverance; making supplication for ALL the saints. Do you hear the repetition? All. All. All. All. Pray like you mean it! Pray like your life and others depend on it! Because they do.
God delights to work through the prayers of his people. And our constant prayer keeps us alert and on mission. As we pray, we are reminded of wonderful truths such as:
By exhorting the Ephesians with these final words, he is helping them, and us, understand that prayer is essential in engaging successfully in spiritual warfare. If you want to have victory over the powers of darkness, then pray and ask God to move! Pray and ask God to help you believe the truth rather than lies! Pray and ask God to help you live in light of the truth! Pray and ask God to open the eyes of the spiritually blind! Pray and ask God to give you boldness to speak as you ought with the Gospel message! And pray for God to give others the same boldness, so that the Gospel would reach the ends of the earth!
Having just exhorted you to such prayer. It is only fitting that we now end our sermon by praying. And I want you to know that I am going to be praying for those who are Christians in the room to be living in light of the truth and praying for those who are not Christians to have eyes to see and a heart to believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior. Afterwards, we will prepare ourselves to celebrate the Lord’s Table.
Please bow your head with me in prayer.
Pray
Communion
We are going to close out our services by worshiping the Lord through the celebration of communion or the Lord’s table. Communion is an opportunity for Christians to be unified as we come together to remember all that the Lord has done for us through his death, burial, and resurrection. This is an opportunity for Christians to remember that we have embraced the promised hope of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and salvation of our souls!
We will celebrate by partaking of both the bread and the cup as a symbol and reminder of Jesus’ body broken in our place and his blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Communion is an opportunity to remember how great a price was paid so that we could be saved from our sin. It is a sobering, yet joyful celebration for Christians. Sobering that the Son of God would give himself for us as a ransom. Joyful that he did, and the result is a living hope that cannot be taken from us! Jesus is victorious; therefore, we have the hope of heaven with Him!
At this time, I’d like to invite the ushers forward with the elements.
Before we pass them, I want to share the biblical requirements for joining in this celebration.
This celebration was given by Jesus to his followers. We invite anyone who has trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation to join us in this celebration today. If your faith is not in Jesus Christ alone, then we would encourage you to let the elements pass by you and simply consider what you’ve heard so far during the service this morning and reflect on what is keeping you from trusting him.
The second requirement we see in Scripture is a call to examine ourselves. This is the idea of making sure that you’ve confessed any known sins and sought to turn away from it. It would not be wise to partake of the table if you have sin in your life for which you are not repentant. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11 that taking the table while living in sin is eating and drinking judgment on yourself. I would ask you not to do that, for your sake and the sake of God’s glory. Instead, I would encourage you to use this time to confess that sin and make a plan to address it right away. If you know you need to be reconciled to someone else in this church, please take care of that during this time. The table is time to protect the unity of the church.
The ushers are going to pass the elements now. Please take this time for reflection and prayer to prepare for the table. After the elements have been passed, I’ll lead us in prayer and taking communion together.
Ushers pass elements
Silent prayer. Corporate prayer.
1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (ESV)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Take bread.
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Take cup + Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus!