There is this really interesting account
in 2 Kings 6.
The king of Assyria is seeking to attack Israel.
And so he surrounded himself with a war council
and they make decisions of when and where to attack Israel.
But what the king of Assyria didn't know
is that God was supplying the information
to the prophet Elijah.
And Elijah would tell the king of Israel
where he was going to attack.
And so the king of Israel always had a defense ready.
And so the king of Syria
brings his war council together
and he says,
which one of you is a traitor?
What's going on here?
And his war council says to him,
it's the prophet Elijah.
He's letting the king of Israel know everything you're doing.
And so the king of Syria says,
well, go get him.
Where is he?
He's in the city of Dothan.
Go get him.
And so the king of Syria sends an army down to Dothan
where Elijah is residing with his servant.
And that evening they surround the city.
The next morning they wake up.
Elijah's servant walks out
and he is dismayed
because the city of Dothan is surrounded by chariots and horses
of the Syrian empire.
And do you know what Elijah says to him?
He says, don't be afraid.
Don't freak out!
There are more numbered with us than with them.
And then Elijah prays,
O Lord,
open the eyes of this servant
so that he may see.
And do you know what?
God opened his eyes.
And do you know what he saw?
Do you know what?
The angelic host of God.
Surrounding them on the hillside.
Surrounding Elijah in chariots of fire.
And then Elijah prayed
and they were delivered.
The reason why I bring this account up is this.
We're at the front step of Ephesians 6.
This section on spiritual battle.
And my prayer for you
is that God would open your eyes
through His Word.
That we would be made aware
of the spiritual realities
and the spiritual conflict that surrounds us.
So having said that,
let's pray one more time
as we open God's Word.
O Lord, please open our eyes
that we may see
that we are in the midst
of a spiritual war
and we are fighting forces
that are greater than us.
But not so for you, Lord Jesus.
O God, strengthen us this morning
with your mighty strength
that we may stand firm.
And having done all,
stand firm.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Amen.
Ephesians 6.
I'm going to read through Ephesians 6.
Just a few verses here.
10-13.
Would you please read along with me
if you can?
Otherwise, hear God's Word.
Finally,
be strong in the Lord
and in the strength of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God
that you may be able
to stand against
the schemes of the devil.
For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers,
against the authorities,
against the cosmic powers
of this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly places.
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.
That initial moment
that you first heard
and believed the Gospel
of Jesus Christ,
there was a dramatic shift
of kingdom allegiance.
Colossians 1.13 says it this way,
God delivered us
from the domain of darkness
and transferred us
into the kingdom
of His beloved Son.
And brothers and sisters,
this morning,
what you need to understand
is that this isn't
metaphoric language.
This is the Apostle Paul
speaking of a real
spiritual conflict.
A real spiritual reality.
Each of us,
if you're in Christ,
has been transferred
from one kingdom
to another.
We've been pulled out of one
and placed into another.
And the prince of darkness
who we once followed
Ephesians 2,
he's not pleased.
This morning,
what you must see
through God's Word
and be sobered by
is that as Christians,
we are at war.
There is a battle raging.
There's a conflict happening.
We're in the midst of it.
We are under imminent threat
of spiritual attack
by forces greater than us,
but not greater than our God.
In fact,
what we're going to see here
is that God has provided
spiritual enablement,
strength for us
that we may stand firm
against our enemy.
Or as 1 Peter says,
to resist Him.
For the next four Sundays,
we're going to learn
about spiritual warfare
from this section
in Ephesians 6.
And this morning,
I want you to think of it
as a battle briefing.
Next Sunday,
we're going to analyze
the biblical recon
on our enemy.
On the 17th,
it's to the armory we go.
We're just going to walk
through the spiritual armor.
We'll take stock
of the essential,
vital equipment
God has provided
each of us,
has issued each of us,
so that we understand
what it is,
how it works,
and how we put it in play.
We're just not to strap it on
to look good.
We're strapping it on
to war.
And then finally,
on the 24th,
we're going to see
the vital role of prayer
in this spiritual battle
to advance the mission
our King has called us to,
to make known His great name
among the nations.
We're at war.
And we fight against
an unseen, powerful,
indetermined enemy.
So this morning,
for the remainder of our time,
we've got a battle briefing.
And we're going to walk
through Ephesians 6,
10 through 13,
and there's a real clear logic
of the Apostle Paul here.
And so we're going to look
at what we need to do,
be strengthened.
We're going to look at
how we are to do that,
put on the armor,
and then we're going to look
at why we must do this.
We've got an enemy.
And then the so what?
Stand firm.
It actually will follow
Paul's logic in this passage.
But this morning,
my prayer for you has been
is to realize that we are
in fact at war.
So point number one,
what we are told we must do.
If you look at Ephesians 6, 10,
we see it.
Finally, be strong in the Lord
in the strength of His might.
What we're being told to here,
commanded to do,
is to be strengthened by God.
Be strong in the Lord
and in the strength of His might.
So right out of the gate,
we've got to realize
that it's only by God's strength
that we will be able to stand
against our enemy.
In other words,
we will be unable to stand
against the spiritual forces
of darkness
in our own strength.
in and of ourselves,
we are outgunned
by the devil.
Which leads me
to something glorious.
Do you realize
what kind of strength
Paul has in mind here?
That phrase,
the strength of His might,
you see that?
Be strong in the Lord
and in the strength
of His might.
This isn't the first time
that phrase has showed up
in the book of Ephesians.
If you flip back
to Ephesians 1,
verse 19.
Now,
just to jog your memories
a little bit,
Paul has been praying
for the Ephesians
that God would open
the eyes of their heart,
that they would realize
some glorious truths
that are true of them
in Christ Jesus.
And he says in verse 19,
and he prays
that they would understand
what is the immeasurable
greatness of His power
towards us who believe.
And here's the phrase,
according to the working
of His great might.
You could translate it,
the strength of His might.
It's the same words.
Do you know what
it's in reference to?
God's great immeasurable strength
that He put on display
when He raised Jesus Christ
from the dead,
seated Him in heaven,
and then put all things
under His feet.
that's the strength.
That's the power
He's talking about here.
It's not some kind of
vague power,
but a real power.
It's a power
that has rendered
the devil and his demons
of no authority.
He's disarmed them.
Now,
this power is of
immeasurable greatness,
and it's exercised
for our good
in the putting
of all things
under the feet
of Christ.
So what you need
to see here
is that we are
to be strengthened
by the same power
that has dominated
the spiritual forces
of evil.
God has already
subjugated our foe.
our strength
is from the Lord,
not ourselves.
We must be
constantly strengthened
by His power
that has already
been put on display
through His cross
and resurrection.
So that's the power.
That's where we find
our strength.
That's some awesome power,
isn't it?
Now the question becomes,
how?
How do we appropriate
that kind of power?
How does that power
get to us
in such a way
that we are
to be enabled
by it?
Well,
we're told here
in verse 11,
we read this.
Put on the whole
armor of God
that you may
be able
to stand.
Here's God's strength
and the way
that we bring it
to bear
in our own lives
is by putting
on the armor.
And in two weeks,
we're going to get
a close look
at the armor.
But here's what
I want you to see
this morning.
The source
of the armor
is God Himself.
Notice
verse 11,
put on the whole
armor
of God.
And then look
at verse 13,
therefore take up
the whole armor
of God.
This armor
is God
forged armor.
This armor
is God
fashioned armor.
And this armor
has a God
enforcing function
to enable
Christians
to stand
against their
formidable foe,
the devil.
The devil.
God uses means.
And the way
that we are
strengthened
with the Lord's
strength
is by strapping
on this armor.
God's strength
for us.
Which leads me
to the next point.
The intended
effect of this
armor
is to strengthen
us.
God is the
source
of this armor
and He gives
it to us
in order
to resource
us
for the battle
at hand.
This armor
of God
amazingly
strengthens
saints
with the
power that
raised Christ
from the dead.
The power
that's already
subjugated
our foes.
So with this
armor on,
a Christian
poses
a kind
of a threat
to the
spiritual
forces
of evil.
Which means
this,
if you
don't have
the armor
on,
you are
rendered
powerless
and vulnerable
to a
desperate,
dangerous,
and determined
enemy,
the devil.
So up until
this point,
we've looked
at the what.
We are to be
strengthened
in the Lord
with the strength
of His might.
And then we're
just being told
how.
we're strengthened
by putting
on the
whole armor
of God.
We'll come
back to that
in a couple
weeks.
But I want
you to see
why.
We are told
why we need
God's strengthening
armor.
To stand
firm against
the schemes
of the devil.
Several things
you know about
the devil.
This is a battle
briefing.
I'm not going
to go into
great depth.
I'm going to
come back to
this next week
so we can
have a greater
understanding
of some
of his
scheming.
But for
today,
know this,
the devil
is real.
Paul is
writing of
the same
being that
deceived Adam
and Eve
in the garden
and that
will one
day war
against the
returning
Christ.
Jesus
himself was
tempted by
the devil
in Matthew
chapter 4.
Do you
remember that?
And in
Matthew 4,
just as a
side note,
the second
Adam,
Jesus,
did what
the first
Adam didn't
do.
And that
was obey
God's
word and
send the
devil packing.
The second
Adam did
what the
first Adam
didn't do
and in so
doing he
undid what
the first
Adam did.
He did.
for us.
So the
devil is
real.
The devil
opposes
God.
Look at
verses 11
and 12.
And if
you're looking
in the
ESV,
you're going
to notice
a repeated
word.
Put on
the whole
armor of
God that
you may
be able
to stand
against
the schemes
of the
devil.
For we
do not
wrestle
against
flesh and
blood,
but against
the rulers,
against the
authorities,
against the
cosmic powers
of this
present
darkness,
against the
spiritual
forces of
evil in
the heavenly
places,
against,
against.
The devil
opposes the
work of
God.
Ephesians
1.9
informs us
that God
has a plan
for the
fullness of
time to
unite all
things in
Christ.
To unite
all things
in Christ.
So what
the devil
is seeking
to do
is to
oppose
God's
redemptive
work
to
unite
all
things
in
Christ
for
the
glory
of
Christ.
But what
the devil
really does
not want
you to
know
is this,
that God
in His
glorious
sovereignty
uses the
schemes
of the
devil
to advance
His plan
for the
fullness
of time.
God
works
all things
out for
the good
of those
who love
Him
and have
been called
according to
His
purpose,
even the
schemes of
the devil.
That's the
scope of
God's
sovereignty.
The devil
is not
God's
equal.
In fact,
though the
devil would
not care
to admit
this either,
he's actually
dependent
on God
and subservient
to Him.
He was
created
by God.
He's been
around for
a while.
He took
the form
of a
crafty
serpent
in the
garden
and deceived
Adam and
Eve.
He's been
around for
a while,
but you
know what?
Don't think
he's from
everlasting
to everlasting.
That's
God
alone.
The devil
was created.
The devil
isn't stupid.
Throughout
the millennia,
the devil
has been
opposing
God's
eternal
plan of
salvation,
so he's
picked up
some best
practices
along the
way.
He's
very
cunning.
He may
even have
a top
ten
ways to
deceive
and
distract
God's
people.
The devil
is cunning,
but he's
not omniscient.
Only
our God
knows all.
The devil
is organized.
You can
see that
played out
in 6.12
where 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.
He's
talking
about
the
demonic
host.
He doesn't
go into
explaining
how they're
organized,
just that
there are
a lot
of them
with
seemingly
different
titles.
The devil
may be
organized,
but he's
not omnipresent.
Only God
is omnipresent,
our God,
and our
God has
promised to
be with
us
always,
strengthening
us.
The devil
is powerful.
Ephesians
6.12
For we
do not
wrestle
against
flesh and
blood.
Our fight
isn't
mano y
mano.
We're not
fighting the
same kinds
of people
as we
would
ourselves.
Our fight
is against
something in
the spiritual
places in
the heavenlies.
against
rulers,
against
authorities,
against
cosmic
powers,
spiritual
forces.
We may
be outgunned,
but our
God is
not.
His power
prevails
against the
cosmic powers
over this
present
darkness.
Remember
Ephesians
1.22.
He has
already
set all
things under
the feet
of Christ.
So the
devil is
more powerful
than any
of us,
but he's
not more
powerful than
our God.
The cross
of Christ,
this is
Colossians
2.15,
has disarmed
the rulers
and authorities
and put
them to
open shame
by triumphing
over them.
The power
of the death
and resurrection
of Jesus
Christ has
triumphed
over the
devil.
Christ's
cross
defeated
sin,
defeated
death,
and has
defeated
the devil.
So the
devil's
already
been
defeated.
He knows
it.
So for
those of
us in
Christ,
because we've
been moved
from one
kingdom to
another,
the devil has
absolutely no
authority over
us.
Ephesians 2.6,
Paul is very
explicit.
We have been
seated with
Christ in
the heavenly
places,
far above
these
authorities.
Do you
remember when
the United
States invaded
Iraq?
He toppled
Saddam Hussein.
Remember that?
We established,
the United
States established
a stable
government there,
but there was a
time when
Saddam Hussein,
though toppled,
was on the run.
He was alive
and he was
exerting
influence.
That's where
we're living
right now.
The cross has
toppled the
devil,
but he is
present and
exerting
influence.
He's been
defeated.
He's been
defeated by our
King,
Christ.
The devil's
doom has been
determined.
Would you look
back at
Revelation?
You've got to
see this in
your Bible.
Because our
enemy knows
this is in
our Bible
too.
Revelation
chapter 20
verse 10.
Christ comes
back.
He cleans
house.
So here's
something to
bank on that
we were singing
of just moments
ago.
Thank you
Martin Luther.
Revelation
20 verse
19.
Excuse me,
10.
20 verse
10.
And the
devil who
had deceived
them was
thrown into
the lake of
fire and
sulfur where
the beast and
the false
prophet were
and they
will be
tormented
day and
night forever
and ever.
His doom
is sure.
But it
makes them
all the
more
dangerous.
Though
defeated,
he's
dangerous.
Peter in
1 Peter 5
8 describes
him as a
prowling
lion seeking
for someone
to devour.
Though he
has no
authority over
us, he
can still
assault us
especially if
we go
unarmed.
he is
determined.
He's
determined to
wreak havoc
on anyone
but especially
the saints
of God,
those of us
who have been
transferred from
the kingdom
of darkness
following the
prince of the
power of the
air,
transferred into
the kingdom
of the beloved
son.
It's safe to
say he hates
us.
our battle
is against
a defeated
foe whose
demise is
sure, but
it's made him
all the more
desperate,
dangerous,
and determined.
Our enemy is
not flesh and
blood.
So we need
God's strength
to stand
against his
raging.
C.S.
Lewis wrote
this book,
The Screwtape
Letters.
If you
haven't read
this,
read it.
But in
the preface,
he writes
this.
There are
two equal
and opposite
errors in
which our
race can
fall about
the devils.
One is to
disbelieve in
their existence,
disregard them,
the other is
to believe and
to feel an
excessive and
unhealthy interest
in them,
to be enamored
by them.
We are being
called to
soberly stand
firm against
them.
So we've
looked at
the what?
Be
strengthened in
the Lord.
We looked at
the how?
By putting on
God's armor.
We looked at
the why.
We have a
defeated but
dangerous foe.
Now let's
look at the
so what.
We are
exhorted to
stand firm.
And we see
that in
Ephesians 6,
11, 13,
and 14.
But let me
just let you
know this.
We live in
between the
defeat of the
devil through
Christ's death
and resurrection
and the final
demise of the
devil when he
gets thrown
into the lake
of fire.
So we live in
the already but
not yet.
We live in
between.
So our enemy
continues to
prowl though
defeated.
Defanged as
some say.
But he still
exerts influence.
When Jesus
returns and he
tosses the devil
into the lake
of fire, do you
know what?
We don't need
the armor anymore.
There will be no
need to suit up.
Maybe our
heavenly mansions
will have display
cases for armor.
But we live in a
time, this present
darkness, verse 12.
In the evil day,
verse 13, when we
must take up the
armor so that we
can stand firm
against the devil.
There remains a
threat by a
dangerous though
defeated foe.
God enables us
to stand against
the spiritual
forces in
his strength.
We are
strengthened with
God's strength
through putting
on the armor.
That enables us
to withstand the
attacks of the
devil.
Notice that
word stand.
We see that in
verse 11.
Put on the
whole armor of
God that you
may be able to
stand against the
schemes of the
devil.
Verse 13, take
up the whole
armor.
That purpose you
may be able to
withstand in the
evil day.
And having done
all to stand
firm.
Look at 14, the
first word, stand
therefore.
Now up until this
point in Ephesians,
God has been
exhorting us to
walk.
We were dead and
used to walk in
trespasses and
sins.
Two, one.
Now we've been
made alive in
Christ Jesus and
we walk in the
good works that
he has prepared
beforehand for us.
2.10.
We are to walk in
a manner worthy
of the calling to
which you've been
called.
4.1.
We must no longer
walk as non-Christians
do in the futility
of their minds.
4.17.
We are to walk in
love as Christ loved
us and gave himself
up for us.
5.2.
We are to walk as
children of light,
finding out what
pleases our God and
exposing the
unfruitful deeds of
darkness.
5.8-11.
We are to walk not
as unwise but as
wise, making the
most of the time
because the days are
evil.
5.15.
Empowered by the
Spirit, submitting to
one another.
Walk, walk, walk,
walk.
Walkity, walkity,
walkity, walkity,
walk.
Walk, walk, walk.
Ephesians is just
packed full with
exhortations to walk.
Walk, walk, walk,
walk, walk.
Walk.
6.11.
Stand.
Walk, walk, walk.
Stand.
Stand firm.
It's a change of
posture.
It's climactic.
There's a reason why
Paul is closing the
letter on this note.
In the midst of all
these glorious calls to
holiness, to walk as
Christ would have us, to
walk in the ways of
Christ, Paul sobers us
up by exhorting us to
stand firm against the
devil.
Up until this point,
walk like Christ.
Now we are to stand in
the strength he provides.
This fight is close
quarter combat.
That word wrestle,
in verse 12, for we do
not wrestle.
That's literally to lock
somebody up.
Close quarter combat.
It's exerting an effort.
It's being close proximity
to things.
And we are called here to
persevere by God's
strength, having done all
to stand firm.
And so here's where he
wraps it up.
You need to be
strengthened.
Put on the armor.
We've got a really strong
foe.
So put on the armor and
stand firm.
Fight.
Wrestle.
Resist him with the
strength that God has
provided for you.
Until Jesus comes back
and tosses him into the
lake.
There's something I just
want to note before I
close.
He's writing to a
church.
It's easy to think
about putting on the
armor and standing firm
in terms of individualistic
thinking.
But he's writing to a
church.
We are to stand firm
together.
against the schemes of
the devil.
Each of us is to suit up
daily with the empowering
armor of God so that we
can stand together united
against the schemes of the
devil.
Imagine.
Look around.
We've got everybody wearing
their civvies.
Dressed for the day.
Now imagine all of us
clad in the armor of God.
Singing God's praises from
the depths of our hearts
in the midst of a raging
battle.
We're to do this together.
What?
Be strong in the Lord.
How?
Put on the armor.
Why?
Our enemy is real and
powerful, defeated yet
dangerous.
So we must stand firm
together against our enemy.
One point of application.
When the U.S. was drawn into
World War II, the U.S.
industry was dramatically
transformed in a really short
amount of time.
It went from peace time to war
time really quick.
So auto plants became tank
plants.
Manufacturers of blue denim
started producing green
camo outfits.
Luxury liners became troop
transports.
The war united our country.
It's a testament to those who've
gone before us, both our citizens
and our leaders.
Real war has a real effect.
Real war really transforms a
people's thinking and way of
living.
And so in light of the real
spiritual battle that we are in
right now, do you have a
wartime mentality?
Are you thinking battle?
Are you thinking skirmish?
Are you thinking and are you
living?
Are you taking up the armor
and light of the spiritual
fight at hand?
We will unpack this in the next
few weeks.
But I just wanted to ask,
is it in your mind?
Let's pray.
Oh Lord, open our eyes that we
may think and live empowered
with your strength against the
spiritual forces of this present
darkness.
God, would you keep us from
disregarding the spiritual
realities and keep us from
becoming enamored with them?
God, would you help us to be
sober and to stand firm with the
strength you provide?
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Amen.