Sermon for Sunday September 21st, 2021: how shall we stand? (Ephesians 6: 10-20) (Please read Ps 130: 3-5; Job 12: 13-25)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power…
These are the last words of Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus. In the first half he tells them what God has done for them – what to believe – and in the second half he tells them how to live in response to God’s mercies – how to live out their beliefs (how they are to stand) in a difficult world - how to behave now that the Ephesians know these things.
Paul says, believers have the Lord’s “incomparably great power” at their disposal, because Christ already has “all rule and authority, power and dominion… in this age and the one to come” (Eph 1:19-21). We have to know these things…and then we can act on them…
From this point forward, if we are to stand, be strong enduringly, we will need “the strength of HIS might”. We cannot possibly live for God or fight against the enemies ranged against Him unless it is His “power (is) at work within us” (Eph 3: 20). If we are going to stand any chance of living a victorious life (a really Christian life) or of standing against persecutors, or scoffers, or against the evil in our midst, we cannot do so in our partial wisdom or puny strength. Apart from me you can do nothing, Jesus said.
WE STAND IN THE LORD AND IN HIS MIGHTY POWER…
Most people don’t give the devil a second thought. If they do think of him at all, he’s the fellow in the red suit with horns, hooves and the pitchfork. The one with many names would prefer it if the people (and especially the people of God) would think of him as a cartoon character; or better still, come to believe that he doesn’t really exist at all. This is one of the greatest weapons at the enemy’s disposal. An unreal or underestimated enemy or (worse still) an unseen one is a great enemy indeed.
The Bible clearly teaches us that the tempter is real. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).
11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Paul speaks as a commander would to his soldiers. The church is engaged in spiritual warfare, and its members must see themselves as soldiers. Soldiers may not know everything about the politics underlying the conflict they about to be engaged in, but they must (at very least) know their enemy and the tactics he is likely to employ. The ‘crafty old serpent’ uses a thousand wiles to discourage and deprive God’s people of their blessings… and he wants to undermine their confidence in God’s love and power. He wants to stand in our way. He doesn’t want us to stand.
He wants “wobbly Christians”. He wants them to fall, preferably before a blow has been struck. He loves it when churches are divided and squabbling and not looking to God, and he grins from ear-to-ear when their doors close.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
If we spend time struggling against flesh and blood, then we are fighting against the wrong enemy. That way hate wins. We hate sin, yes. But we love the sinner. If the deceiver doesn’t have to expend his energy or send out his troops…so much the better if his opponents fall to “friendly fire”! He prefers the road of least resistance; but, this side of glory, he is an enemy who will not stop looking for ways to hurt God’s people. This is the first rule of warfare…know your enemy; know who it is that you’re standing against.
Demons do not lurk behind every bush, admittedly, but a healthy respect for the enemy (and the reality of evil) must be part of the armory of our fighting force. WE MUST STAND ON OUR GUARD. The enemies we face are very dark and supernaturally powerful.
The next rule of warfare is, make sure you are fully protected against the enemy. You would only need to don armour if you were in a war or a battle. This is something we do every day. Most of us, most of the time, are living harmonious lives, in our houses, looking forward to our holidays. We forget we are in a war. That’s one of the adversary’s wiles, too. Notice, just as Paul asks us to find our strength in the Lord, he also asks the church to put on armour of God…not our own… but the total protection (coverage) that He provides. Anything else will leave us open to attack…
Armies do need good defences, but they will not win with defence alone. We must take our stand and face the enemy… 13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
We must stand in the way of (against) the one who stands against us. We will inevitably, as individuals and churches, face difficulties, fall to temptations and sometimes suffer; some campaigns in the war feel interminable and as if no ground is being gained. Sometimes we simply have to dig in and hunker down. But never, whatever you do, take your eye off the enemy. The only unprotected area of the soldier dressed in this form of armour would be the region of the back. We must not turn our back on the enemy. We must stand on guard, and WE MUST STAND OUR GROUND.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
An army will need PPE and it will need weapons. In the case of the Christian soldier, the armour and the weapons are, to some extent, the same things…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God is, used correctly, an offensive weapon with which to resist the enemy. Every time Jesus was attacked by the devil in the desert temptations, he (led by the Spirit) employed the Word of God to thwart Satan who left him until another opportunity presented itself. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4)
Jesus said that many fell into error because they did not know the scriptures or the power of God that could be found in them. (Matthew 22: 29)
Paul spoke of,” …truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left…” (2 Corinthians 6: 7).
These things seem like unlikely weapons but they are the resources God has given to us. God’s Word is truth and the belt of truth is the first article of dress the soldier will put on. It must be so for us. Never leave home without it!
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. God’s Word, His Spirit and Prayer; these are the real armoury with which to wrestle the enemy. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people…
“You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat…” (Romans 14: 10)
“But we have to stand firm in the faith, be people of courage be strong and do everything in love” (1 Cor 16:13).
In the final analysis whether or not we will stand in the judgment of God will be nothing to do with our self-righteousness. It will, however, have everything to do with whether we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ which is imputed to us, won for us by the cross of Jesus Christ.
Those who are so-dressed will say, “I’m still standing!”
They will say…
WE STAND IN THE LORD AND IN HIS MIGHTY POWER… WE MUST STAND ON OUR GUARD… WE MUST STAND OUR GROUND…
They will say the power is His; the armour is His, the weapons are His; the battle is His; the church is His; the victory is His!
They will stand and sing!
“Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war with the cross of Jesus, going on before…at the Name of Jesus Satan’s host dost flee; on then Christian soldiers, on to victory…crowns and thrones may, kingdoms rise and wane, but the church of Jesus constant will remain…”
(MFR 23-09-21)