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Our Spiritual War – Ephesians 6
Our Spiritual War – Ephesians 6
As we finish Ephesians we read the passage concerning putting on the whole armor of God. Why do we need armor? Because we are in the greatest battle to ever be fought. Spoiler alert: God wins. Those who are with God - win.
Here are some notes that I wrote in the margin of my bible.
The reality of Satan. He is the enemy whom we fight and he is real.
· Peter said so: Acts 5:3; 1 Pet. 5:8;
· Paul said so: 2Cor. 11:14-15; 12:7; 1 Thess. 2:18; Eph. 4:27
· Jesus said so: John 8:44; Luke 22:31; Matt. 25:41
It is a Spiritual War - a war ‘against the soul’…
· 1 Pet. 2:11; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:18; 2 Tim. 2:3; 1 Thess. 5:8
Satan’s power is in temptation to sin, but it doesn’t happen ‘in person’ to us.
· It DID happen face to face - twice - to Eve in the Garden and to Jesus.
· Yet others were said to be tested/tempted by Satan - Job, David numbering Israel in 1 Chron. 21; Peter - Matt. 16:23; Judas- John 13:2; Ananias and Sapphira -Acts 5:3…
Concerning such temptations:
· Christ has broken Satan’s power - Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14, Yet Satan is active - 1 Pet. 5:8; Eph. 2:1-4; 2 Cor. 11:3f
· As we grow in Christ we become ‘bigger targets’ - temptation doesn’t go away or necessarily become easier to deal with! cp. Luke 22:31f
· Satan works in the long-haul.
o It doesn’t matter how long or which temptation, as long as we don’t serve God.
o It often happens ‘little by little’, done in small increments of turning people away from God.
· Satan is relentless - He will not give up until God ends it all.. (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10-15).
· HE CAN and must be resisted - 1 Pet. 5:8-9. - steadfast in the faith
Being a spiritual war, our armor then is spiritual
· truth 14; righteousness - 14; preparation - 15; Trust - 16; Salvation and its hope - 17 and 1 Thess. 5:8-11; the Word of God - 17; Prayer - 18; Watchfulness - 18; and perseverance - 18.
Yes, I do have wide margins in my bible :-)
Hugh DeLong
