“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”
Ephesians 6:10-20 NKJV
- This is written to all the brothers and sisters in Christ in The Church for all ages — Ephesians was written as a “Cyclical Epistle” to be read to all the churches [The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, p. 5].
- It is “not by might nor power, but by My Spirit says the Lord” Zechariah 4:6
- It’s HIS MIGHT we need so badly to contend with the opposition which is named, below...
- Whole (Complete, Full Armor, leaving none of its necessary components missing)...
- Why? That we might stand against the wiles (schemes, carefully prepared strategies against The Beloved Church and Bride of Jesus Christ, “The Bride is Equipped with God’s Own Armor, graciously earned for us as The Inheritance of Christ, by The Distributed Inheritance of Christ, to all men and women, sons and daughters (Acts 2)...
- The devil is too strong for us to contend with on our own without God’s Might and without God’s Armor. He is too crafty, a fallen arch angel, God’s enemy and the enemy of His creation and possession, for surely, as Luther says, “without God the devil would have surely already overpowered us all” (Footnote to follow, Think it’s from his Catechism Sermons, Deliver Us from Evil)...
- We can’t fight spirits with fleshly weapons. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, not of flesh and blood, but MIGHTY through GOD for the tearing down of the above (2 Cor 5).
- Once more, this is a strategic kingdom of darkness ruked by the devil himself, with generals, officers and other ancient foes, “whose craft and power are great / armed with cruel hate” (Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”).
- Seems like it should be common sense but commin sense dictates the exact opposite of spiritual truth
- The opposite of falling down or surrendering, kneeling to the enemies attack and strategy — this is his actual goal (Whole Book of Job Chapters 1-42).
- Thy Word is Truth (Jn 17:17, Ps 119:160)
- Jesus said, “It is WRITTEN” when combating this opponent— as well as to the Pharisees... Surely no slave is above his Master and we ought to follow His example, Jesus & Peter say
- Do we spend time memorizing His Word and apply it? Just a question...
- Righteousness shoukd be called God’s Righteous, since it is His gift
- Pauk repeatedly says God’s rightousness is a gift given by recognizing God’s way of making people righteous by the way He prophesied about for years — that a LAMB woukd shed it’ blood to let the guilty go free, so death might passover that person
- that a Messiah would come from a virgin, from the line of Judah, Bethlehem exactly
- God made Jesus who knew NO SIN to BE MADE SIN ON OUR BEHALF, that we might be made THE RIGHTOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH (2 Cor 5:21)
- This righteousness is no dead faith but shows itself with proof, fruit, gifts, wisdom, holiness & power — The Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk,Paul says.
- Do we know how to share the Gospel? Are we prepared to to show a person the way to peace with God?
- There are a lot of tracts and preachers, but there is a way shown in Acts very similar in Peter’s and Paul’s messages.
- Romans “unpacks” that message, but it can be summarized in, 1) explaining we are God’s creation and we have the creation of the world and the beauty of nature, (the heavens are telling the glory of God), which clearly shows His invisible attributes, eternal power and divine nature, his love and care and the way people and even animals try to care for their children and and some of the things of God are clearly seen through what’s been made so we are without excuse — we already know God exists inwardly and something of what he should be like
- Furthermore, since He’s provided food and fish, rainbows, waterfalls, music, eyes, birds, sunsets and ears — we’ve seen all this but haven’t reacted correctly — we haven't worshipped Him for the huge galaxy He created ir given Him thanks for the food we’ve eaten or the friendships or parents or children we have
- 2) This God is Holy and has given us laws to live by and we’ve either broken them, ignored them or tried to get rid of them
- Therefore all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
- That’s an actual inditement, not just a nice Bible Verse — we were created in His image to shiw what He is like and we sinned and fell from that calling until we are self-centered rather than God-Centered.
- God determined that breaking his laws and commands (even one) is enough to make us different from Him from all eternity, although if we only did one a day it would add up to thousands and thousands of offenses, but unsaved people sin all day long on average
- However it takes one theft to be called a thief, one murder to be a murder, one sin to be called a sinner
- God warned the first person that death was the wage of disobedience, and we are taught the same, for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23) —that’s the problem — we all die for that reason — but the real problem is that sin brings separation from God until it’s dealt with on His terms — both in a separation from God here in this life and for eternity in the afterlife in hell (no, it’s not here on this earth, either).
- Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, not for man that was made after the angels were. and sadly it’s “follow the leader”
- If the angels know God well, since they spend a lot of time with Him, they show one of the primary attributes of God when they continuously cry out “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the LORD” Rev 4:8)...
- God is Holy, totally different, other than, without sin, and totally just.
- He is also gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
- He wanted to show both His holiness and His compassion to all of heaven and earth
- He planed from before the world began to place the penalty for death on the only one who had no sin, so our sins could be paid.
- Jesus came into the world for many reasons the Bible says, but this verse says it well, “for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them” Luke 9:56.
- On the cross He paid the full price of death for man’s sins as The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
- After He fully satisfied the justice of God for sin by obeying God by death on a cross, God raised Him to life because, since we are all innocent until proven gulty, and God has the last word always, He was found not guilty for the crimes for which He paid, and God reversed the curse and overturned the death penalty by raising Him from the dead.
- This is the only way people could be saved
- He died for my specific sins, your specific sins — the times we didn’t honor our father or mother, the times we wanted what someone else had, the times we called our brother or sister names, the times we... (Fill in the blank, Holy Spirit).
- When people hear this message (the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe) faith comes by hearing this message, they are given grace by The Holy Spirit to respond to this message, but they still have to respond. God can’t respond for them.
- Since Jesus is God’s Chosen One, and He gave His whole life for ours, we owe our whole lives to Him as His followers.
- What shall we do to be saved? The first crowds to hear the Spirit-filled Apostles preaching were pierced to the heart when Peter told them “This Jesus whom You Crucified” was the one “God made Lord and Christ (Anointed King).” They cried out, “Brothers, what shall we do?” “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” (Acts 2:38-39).
- When we are baptized, we die to our old life and are raised up in new life. Our family tree changes, and we are identified with God’s Son and His family of followers, called disciples (disciplined ones, instructed ones). The early church resembled Jesus because they spoke and acted like He spoke and acted and listened to His words. preached and prayed together, had fellowship with each other and loved each other like Jesus had loved them so much they were called, Christians, which meant, followers of Christ (Acts 11:26).
- We study His Words all our lives “If you continue in my teaching, you are truly my disciples, and you will be knowing the truth, and the truth will be setting you free (John 8:31-32, Literal New Testament with the Greek Continuous Active Future Tense — (If you continue in My Word [continue to sit under My teachings] your whole life, you are truly my students, and you will be knowing the truth all the time, and the truth will continuously be setting you free).
- We always pray believing and don’t lose heart (Luke 18:1, Mark 11:23).
- Faith always amazed Jesus and He would single out people that had it and somewhat commend them publicly. The Gentile Centurion, The Woman with The Issue of Blood, The Poor Widow that gave all she had (She was probably trusting God for provision)!
- Peter says we are “protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed to us” (1 Peter 1:5).
- “O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.”
Psalms 140:7 NKJV
Psalms 140:7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. | New King James Version (NKJV) | Download The Bible App Now
O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.www.bible.com
- Where most of the Armor is for our protection and our relationship toward God, our position, this Sword of The Spirit is actually using it by speaking what God has said in The Bible to people, our family, friends, co-workers and people who aren’t saved. Jesus reiterated The Great Commission Five times! In all Four Gospels and in Acts. The Holy Spirit emphasized different highlights but they all contain the same message — go out and preach everywhere, start where you are and teach everyone everything I said and help then become my disciples and don’t stop there but spread through all the nations and I’ll be with you all the time.
- Here is another one of those places The Bible teaches to pray all the time. I mentioned Luke 18, above, where Jesus gave an entire parable about being persistent. There’s really something to it. Here it is again, praying with all manner of prayer — there are different ways, prayers, petitions, entreaties, supplications, thanksgivings, songs of prayer, and yet he specifically mentions intercession — praying for other people, being watchful, being on the alert, and for Paul (put your pastor and evangelists names in there, our missionaries... Let Paul continue...
- He asks for prayer for divine assistance to be given to him
- That he can open his mouth with confidence and make the mystery of the Gospel known
- A mystery is something that’s been there all along just concealed so no one could see it. God killed innocent animals to cover Adam and Eve in the garden when they were full of shame from sin. He had miracles in Egypt and had Abraham and Sarah have a baby when they were too old, and said one would come from the line of David out of Judah and He would suffer. It was written all along they just couldn’t put the pieces together. Paul asks prayer that he can do this effectively. Good prayer request!
- Ambassadors are generally fairly distinguished and well treated representatives from one country to another and treated with honor and respect. Here we have an Ambassador from The High King of Heaven and Earth as a dignitary to His fallen and lost creation offfering the only way of peace with God and correct way to live both now and for eternity and they have him chained up. The greater the saint, the greater the persecution at times. He doesn’t really go on about that much, so great is the love in his heart to proclaim salvation so people can be saved — announce publicly before all who are within earshot of him, these great mysteries, that Gentiles can come dwell under the tents of Shem and be one spiritual temple of The LORD, Yahweh, He asks a second time for boldness, the law of repetition in the Bible emphasizes what’s most important. Great Commission four times, boldness here twice and also the Apostles in Acts for boldness, signs and wonders (Acts 4:22). These things, with love in our heart from God, love in our heart for God, love for ourselves and even more for others, are the most important things in life.
Ephesians 6:10-20 NKJV
Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against fl | New King James Version (NKJV)
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against fl
www.bible.com
Last edited:
