East Cooper Baptist Church

March 2, 2014

Be Strong in the Lord and in the Strength of His Might

Ephesians 6:10-13

10Finally,be strong in the Lord and inthe strength of his might.11Put onthe whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand againstthe schemes of the devil.12Forwe do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but againstthe rulers, against the authorities, againstthe cosmic powers overthis present darkness, againstthe spiritual forces of evilin the heavenly places.13Thereforetake up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand inthe evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

The Christian is to be strong in the Lord by constantly rehearsing, remembering, and subjectively realizing their privileged position and empowerment in their union with Jesus Christ.

“16That according tothe riches of his gloryhe may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spiritin your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”

Ephesians 3:16-17a

Believers do not empower themselves. Rather, their strengthening comes from an external source, their union with, and continual empowerment by the reigning Christ. They derive their strength and energy from Him.

“The strength of his might.”

“19And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,according to the working ofhis great might20that he worked in Christwhen he raised him from the dead andseated him at his right handin the heavenly places.”

Ephesians 1:19-20

Why this plea to be strong?

  1. We wrestle not against flesh and blood.

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which one race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”

C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, Preface

“[Spiritual warfare] touches every area of our lives – family, relationships, church, neighborhoods, communities, employment. There is virtually no part of our existence over which the Evil One does not want to maintain or reassert his unhealthy or perverse influence. Conversely, Jesus longs to reign as Lord over every area of our lives. This is the locust of intense struggle for all believers. And it is a power struggle. To which kingdom – source of power – will we yield?”

Clinton Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare, pp. 26-27

  1. There is an “evil day”. (v. 13)
  1. We will leave a legacy. (6:19-20)

Remembering and rehearsing our standing in Christ.

  1. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (1:3)
  2. We have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him. (v. 4)
  3. In love, he has predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. (v. 5)
  4. We have redemption in Christ through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses. (v. 7)
  5. All is to be gloriously united under his lordship.
  6. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. (vv. 13-14)

Questions for Discussion:

  1. Regarding the quotes by C.S. Lewis and Clinton Arnold, where does our culture fall on the continuum of being either a “materialist” or a “magician”?
  2. Do you understand that it is extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to make a sharp distinction in separating the world, the flesh, and the devil?
  3. How do we constantly rehearse, remember, and realize our standing in Christ? What are some means and methods by which we can make this a reality in our lives?
  4. What thoughts are evoked in your thinking when you hear the following comment: “The Christian life is a lifelong struggle, not a one-time fix”?

Covenant Eyes