This week, we are looking at a section of a letter in the
Bible called the book of Ephesians, where we have discovered that living in
light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against
the schemes of our enemy. Wednesday, we began to look at how we are able to stand
up against the schemes of our enemy as a result of God's activity in our lives,
which Paul referred to as the armor of God. Today, we see Paul then reveal two
additional pieces of armor in Ephesians 6:17:
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
In the first part of verse 17, Paul explains to the members
of the church at Ephesus that they needed to take the helmet of salvation. Now
our head is the part of our body where our thinking and our vital senses
originate from. The head also is the place where our brain translates the
stimulus from our senses into action. And as a result of the importance of the
head, a Roman Soldier would wear a helmet for protection.
But what does Paul mean when he uses the phrase the
helmet of salvation? Paul’s point here
is that our salvation is based on the reality that we have victory over the
penalty and power of sin as a result of believing, trusting, and following
Jesus. And as a result of our identity in Christ, we put on the helmet of
salvation by learning everything we can about what God has done for us through
Jesus that results in our relationship with Jesus and living our lives in light
of what God has done for us to rescue us.
And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality
that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by learning
everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus to rescue us and
then living our lives in light of that reality. When we live out our identity
as a follower of Jesus in a way that is learning everything we can about what
God has done for us through Jesus that results in our relationship with Jesus
and then living our lives in light of what God has done for us to rescue us, we
are able to stand up against our enemy.
So here is a
question to consider: Are you living out your identity as a follower of Jesus
in a way that is learning everything we can about what God has done for us
through Jesus to rescue us? Are we living our lives in light of all that Jesus
has done to rescue us? Because, we are able to stand up against the schemes of
our enemy by learning everything we can about what God has done for us through
Jesus to rescue us and then living our lives in light of that reality.
Then in the second part of verse 17, Paul explains to the
members of the church at Ephesus that they needed to take the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. In the Roman military of the first century, a
Roman sword was a small dagger that was used in hand to hand combat that had
defensive and offensive purposes.
Paul here is painting a word picture of the Spirit of God
using particular truths from the word of God as a defense against the attacks
of the enemy that try to paint a false picture of our true identity. Paul’s
point is that the Holy Spirit bringing to mind specific truths about our
identity as a follower of Jesus is a powerful part of our armor as we engage in
a challenging conflict against an intense foe.
And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality
that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by allowing the
Holy Spirit to use the truths of the word of God as a defense against the
attacks of the enemy. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a
way that allows the Holy Spirit to bring to mind specific truths about our
identity as a follower of Jesus from the message and teachings of Jesus, we are
able to stand up against the enemy when he attacks our identity.
So here is a question to consider: Are you living out
your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that allows the Holy Spirit to
bring to mind specific truths about our identity as a follower of Jesus from
the message and teachings of Jesus? Because, we are able to stand up against
the schemes of our enemy by allowing the Holy Spirit to use the truths of the
word of God as a defense against the attacks of the enemy. Paul then reveals a
seventh aspect of armor in verse 18:
With all prayer and petition pray at all
times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all
perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the
opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for
which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Now verse 18, if communicated in the language we use in
our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “In light of all
that I have just commanded you, make sure that you are continually alert and
concerned about other followers of Jesus so as to continually pray in the power
of the Holy Spirit”. When Paul uses the
phrase pray in the Spirit, this phrase reveals for us the reality that, as
followers of Jesus, we are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and influence our
prayer life.
We are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and influence
when we pray. And we are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and influence who and
what we pray for. Paul then urges the members of the church at Ephesus to pray
specifically in two areas of life. First, Paul urges the members of the church
at Ephesus to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus
to be morally strong against the crafty schemes of the devil.
Then, in verse 19 and 20, Paul urges the members of the
church at Ephesus to pray that he would make known with boldness the mystery of
the gospel. In other words, Paul wanted the members of the church of Ephesus to
pray that he would be empowered to freely and fearlessly proclaim the claims of
Christ and the message of the gospel.
And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality
that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by praying in the
power of the Holy Spirit. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus
in a way prays in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to stand up against
the schemes of the enemy. As followers of Jesus, we are to pray in the power of
the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus to be morally strong and stand up
against the crafty schemes of the enemy. And as followers of Jesus, we are to
pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus to freely and
fearlessly proclaim the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.
So here is a question to consider: Are you living out
your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that prays in the power of the
Holy Spirit? Do you pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of
Jesus to be morally strong and stand up against the crafty schemes of the
enemy? Do you pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus
to freely and fearlessly proclaim the claims of Christ and the message of the
gospel? Because, we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by
praying in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul then concludes his letter by explaining that he
wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to know his desire that they be
encouraged in their relationship with Jesus. Paul wanted the members of the
church at Ephesus to know his current circumstances while he was in prison.
Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to experience a state of well
being with God and one another.
Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to
experience a state of love for God and one another that was based on their
confident trust in Jesus. And Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus
to experience God’s divine favor in their lives as a result of their undying
love for Jesus. Paul wanted the members of the church of Ephesus to experience
all that they could experience as a result of living in light of their true
identity as a follower of Jesus.
And part of that identity is that living in light of our
identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of
our enemy. So, here is a question to consider: Are you living in light of your
identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that empowers you to stand up against
the schemes of our enemy? Are you embracing and living in the truth of the
message and teachings of Jesus.
Are you living a life the reveals and reflects the fact
that we have been made right with God through Jesus. Are you embracing the
peace that comes as a result of what Jesus, the prince of peace, has provided
for us through His life, death, and resurrection? Are you trusting and relying
upon the Holy Spirit to use the truth of God’s word to repel the temptations of
our enemy?
Are you learning
everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus to rescue us and
then living our lives in light of that reality? Are you allowing the Holy
Spirit to use the truths of the word of God as a defense against the attacks of
the enemy? Are you praying in the power of the Holy Spirit?
Because living in light of our
identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of
our enemy.
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