Lesson 20

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Ephesians

September 21, 2015

Lesson 1

January 18, 2010

Lesson 2

January 18, 2010

RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

EPHESIANS 6:10-24 continued
Lesson #20
SPIRITUAL EQUIPMENT

• Memory verse: Eph 6:18

• Read Eph 6:10-20 The Spiritual Armor
  • Paul tells the believer to put on the whole armor, not just one or two pieces. Satan looks for the unguarded areas. Therefore, the best defense is the complete armor.
    • Christ won the war on the cross against Satan. However, there are still battles to fight until Christ comes back and claims the final victory.
    • The armor that equips the Christian:
  • =1= Loins girded with truth
    • The warrior wore a long tunic or skirt. He would not be able to run easily unless he tied it up above his knees. This is what the girdle did. It prepared him for the battle.The girdle also held the other pieces of the armor in place. It also held the sword.
    • Knowledge of the truth of God’s word enables us to move freely so that we do not fall into Satan’s trap of false doctrines. Truth is what holds the Christian life together and is the basis for the believer’s strength against the enemy.
  • =2= Breastplate of righteousness
    • The breastplate is worn over the heart to protect the warrior’s vital source of life.
      • The Bible tells us that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Pro 23:7)
      • Righteous decisions are made in the heart. When the righteousness of Christ is acquired by faith, Satan can’t accuse us. (2Cor 5:21) Then we live out His righteousness in our own lives. (Eph 4:24)
    • The level of righteousness we live in our lives either fortifies us in the warfare, or it makes it easier for Satan to defeat us. (2Cor 6:1-10)
  • =3= Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
    • The Roman soldier wore sandals with hobnails in the soles to give him a substantial footing. Then he would be able to stand firm.
      • Preparation = foundation
      • Gospel of peace = the good news of peace in personal relationships.
      • No matter where our feet take us in this life, we should seek to live at peace with all men in all our personal relationships. (Rom 12:18) our peaceful life style then is our witness to non-believers of God’s peace for we are to be ambassadors of peace. (2Cor 5:18-21)
    • The most victorious Christian is a witnessing Christian.
  • =4= Shield of faith
    • This was the second most important weapon for the warrior. It is the only movable defensive weapon. No matter from where Satan’s attack came, the warrior could move the shield to intercept it.
      • The Roman shield was large, 4 ft. By 2 ft. It was made of wood and covered with leather soaked in water for strength. The edges of the shield had hooks so that soldiers could lock shields together and march into battle in one long shielded line, called a phalanx.
      • The shield represents our confidence in Christ,
        • The faith we have to live the Christian life.
        • Read Isa 54:17
        • By faith we can take advantage of the confidence that no weapon formed against us will prosper. If we are trusting in the Lord, all attacks by Satan will turn out for our benefit in the end.
    • The ability to lock shields together means we are not in the battle alone. We have other Christians who pray for us and encourage us in our faith.
  • =5= Helmet of salvation
    • The helmet protects the warrior’s brain.
      • Satan always attacks us in our thought life. (2Cor 11:1-3)
      • For perfect defense, we need a mind controlled by God.
        • The knowledge of our special relationship to God through salvation, guards our mind through the day.
        • However, the Christian must make a conscious effort to guard against the mental pollution of the world.
    • This knowledge of our relationship to God means Satan cannot defeat us with negative circumstances or thoughts that negate our faith.
  • =6= Sword of the Spirit
    • This was the most important weapon for the warrior. A sword is both a defensive weapon and an offensive one.
    • The Roman soldier wore two swords: a short sword for close in fighting, and a longer sword for distance fighting.
      • The longer sword was the warrior’s only offensive weapon that kept the enemy at a distance.
      • Eph 6:17 and Heb 4:12 identifies the sword as the Word of God which the Holy Spirit is able to use.
        • Rev 1:16 tells us that this weapon is a weapon of the mouth.
        • When we memorize the Word of God, we plant it in our hearts. The Holy Spirit brings these words to our mind when we need them as a weapon against Satan.
          • This is what Jesus did when He was tempted in the wilderness by Satan.
          • Jesus orally quoted the Word of God.
    • Using God’s Word as a sword makes it sharper with each use. That is just the opposite of using a actual sword which becomes more dull with each use.
  • Notice there is no armor for the back.
    • If we turn and run from the enemy, we are vulnerable to defeat.
    • The only way to gain victory is to stand and fight.
    • The armor as a picture or type of Christ: Every piece of armor tells us something about Jesus Christ.
      • Christ is the truth (Joh 14:6)
      • He is our righteousness (2Cor 5:21)
      • He is our peace (Eph 2:14)
      • His faithfulness makes possible our faith (Gal 2:20)
      • He is our salvation (Luk 2:30)
      • His name is the Word of God (Joh 1:1,14)
    • The armor is another of our riches in Christ. When we first trusted in Christ, we received the armor. Now we must remember to put it on daily.
    • How do we put on the armor?
      • We put on the armor in prayer: (Eph 6:18)
      • We put it on by faith.
      • We put it on by praying in tongues.
        • Praying in tongues is to pray in a spiritual prayer language where your spirit is communicating with God and by-passing your intellect.
        • Read1Cor 14:14-15
• Conclusion:
  • Eph 6:21-24 The encouragement
    • Paul sent Tychicus to Ephesus to be an encouragement to the people there, to encourage them to peace, love with faith, and grace.
    • Tychicus was pastor of the Ephesian church who had come to visit Paul in prison in Rome. Now he would return to Ephesus and take Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church with him.
  • summary:
    • Through the book of Ephesians, Paul tells the believer the things he should “know”:
      • Know the hope of your calling (1:18)
      • Know the riches of the glory of his inheritance in us.
      • Know the exceeding greatness of His power.
      • Along with others in the church, know the wisdom of God that works through the church to defeat the evil powers in heaven. (3:10)
      • Know the love of God that passes all knowledge (3:19)
      • Know that immoral, unclean souls have no inheritance in the kingdom of God. (5:5)
    • The emphasis:
      • We are blessed with all spiritual blessings (1:3)
      • Jesus is raised to sit in the heavenly places above every principality and power (1:20-21)
      • We are raised to sit in the heavenlies with Him. (2:6)
      • Jesus is our peace that makes the church one (2:14)
      • We are to have an inward realization of Christ (4:1)
      • We are to be equipped and mature in Christ (4:13)
      • We are to walk differently (4:17)
      • We are to walk in the Spirit (making faith decisions) in our relationships with others (5:21)
      • We are to put on the armor of God for war against evil powers (6:11-12)

THE END