EPHESIANS LESSON 12


     We ended the last lesson with Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, my
brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."
This lesson is all about how we should go about being strong in His
might.

     Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be
able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

     Christians are really in a war. We are soldiers in God's army.
The greatest battle is between the flesh and the spirit. The prize
they are after is the soul, or will of man. Paul wrote this while he
was chained to a soldier, so it was not difficult for him to use the
dress of a soldier ready for battle as an example of what we must wear
as armour in God's army. In this life, we are in daily conflict with
the devil and his army. Life is a battle ground. Preparation is
necessary to fight any battle. Jesus fought the devil with the Word of
God. Our strength is in the Lord and in His Word {Bible}.

     Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
[places]."

     One thing that we must do to fight against our enemy, is to learn
who he is and, what are his tactics. That is what the above verse is
about. The enemy that you cannot see with your physical eye is the
most dangerous, because you do not know when he is on the attack, or
just which way he is coming from. This is a spiritual battle, spoken
of here. The devil {old Lucifer} and his angels {demons, or devil
spirits} are the enemy. His tactics are to tempt the flesh of man. The
flesh of man is earthy. These are real battles.

     Ephesians 6:13 "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all,
to stand."

     The soldier's job is to stand and remain standing regardless of
what the enemy sends your way. Our strength in this battle must come
from within. Christ in us gives us the strength to stand firm in the
battle. This evil day is probably many different days. The battle
sometimes stops for a day or two, but it starts up again when you
least expect it. Our job is to be ready and then stand.

     Ephesians 6:14 "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about
with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;"

     We are to be tightly secure in the Truth of God. We are to hold
fast to the Truth. The breastplate covers the heart. The righteousness
that we have is the righteousness of Christ. We are clothed in His
righteousness. It was His precious shed blood that made us righteous
{in right standing with God}. We have a brand new heart washed in the
blood of the Lamb. The heart of the Christian has the law of God
etched into the fleshly part of the heart. Our heart is stayed upon
God.

     Ephesians 6:15 "And your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace;"

     Our feet are secure in the good news of the gospel. In Leviticus,
we find that the big toe of the right foot was covered in the blood,
so that our walk was pure before God. This just means here, that our
walk is steadfast, grounded, and secure in the good news of Jesus.

     Ephesians 6:16 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith
ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."

     Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Our faith in God
causes us to be able to ward off attacks from the devil and his crowd.
We should have so much faith that we could move a mountain of
problems, if necessary. Let us look at Abraham the father of faith,
and see what God promised him.  Genesis 15:1 "After these things the
word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram:
I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward."  Psalms 56:3
"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee."

     Ephesians 6:17 "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"

     The helmet covers the head. This is just saying that our mind is
stayed on the fact that we are saved. A mind stayed upon the Lord will
not be swayed with false religion made attractive to the mind of man.
Our weapon is the Word of God. Spirit, here, is the Holy Spirit. The
Word of God is made clear to our understanding by the teaching of the
Holy Spirit. When Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit, it sets us on
fire to carry the true Word of God to all who will receive it. The two
most powerful things in the world today are the spoken and the written
Word of God. Win battles for God with the Word of God.

     Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication
in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints;"

     "Supplication", here, means petition. So many people do not
realize the power of praying in the Spirit. That is when you have run
out of words to say, and you let the Spirit of God pray through you
for the matter. God knows just exactly what to pray for. Not only are
we to petition God for ourselves in prayer, but for all the believers
in Christ called saints.

     Ephesians 6:19 "And for me, that utterance may be given unto me,
that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the
gospel,"

     This "utterance" of speaking boldly about the mystery of God is
speaking as an oracle of God. I call this letting the Lord speak
through your mouth. Each time a minister preaches, he or she, should
be allowing God to speak to the people through them. The boldness
comes when you realize that it is not you speaking in your own might,
but God speaking through you.

     Ephesians 6:20 "For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that
therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

     We have mentioned before, that an ambassador does not express his
own opinion, but is a glorified message carrier for the one who sent
him. Paul is saying, I can be bold, because this is God's message to
you, not my message.

     Ephesians 6:21 "But that ye also may know my affairs, [and] how I
do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord,
shall make known to you all things:"

     Tychicus was going to give them a report on the condition of Paul
in his captivity. Paul did not want to write of himself, but would let
others report on his welfare. He explains that they can trust him,
because he is a brother in Christ.

     Ephesians 6:22 "Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose,
that ye might know our affairs, and [that] he might comfort your
hearts."

     Paul had confided all of the personal news to him, and he would
bring this news to the church at Ephesus. Paul knew their great fear
of prison, and he wanted them to know that he was not suffering in
prison.

     Ephesians 6:23 "Peace [be] to the brethren, and love with faith,
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

     This is a typical benediction from Paul. The only real peace is
in Jesus. Paul is trying to convey to them that God the Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ brings peace, and love, if they have enough faith to
receive it.

     Ephesians 6:24 "Grace [be] with all them that love our Lord Jesus
Christ in sincerity. Amen."

     Unmerited favor "[grace]' be with all who love Jesus Christ and
walk in His ways. Romans 8:38 "For I am persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come,"  Romans 8:39 "Nor height, nor depth, nor
any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."






                        Ephesians 12 Questions


1.  Quote Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10.
2.  Why should you put on the whole armour of God?
3.  Christians are really in a ____.
4.  We are soldiers in ______ army.
5.  Where was Paul when he wrote this letter?
6.  Preparation is necessary to _______ a ________.
7.  What did Jesus fight the devil with?
8.  What do we wrestle against?
9.  What must we first do, before we fight?
10. Who is the real enemy of Christians?
11. What is the soldiers job?
12. Where must our strength to fight the battle come from?
13. What does the evil day speak of?
14. What should our loins be girt with?
15. What is the breastplate?
16. What is the righteousness of the Christian?
17. What should our feet be shod with?
18. Taking the shield of _______.
19. What does the shield do?
20. Take the helmet of __________.
21. What is the sword of the Spirit?
22. What are the two real powers in the world today?
23. What does "supplication" mean?
24. What is the "utterance" in verse 19?
25. What is an ambassador?
26. Who was Paul sending to tell of his welfare?
27. Quote Ephesians chapter 6 verse 23.
28. What is "grace"?