Lesson 17 – Ephesians Chapter 6:8-12
As we started out in chapter 6 of Ephesians, Paul instructs children by telling them that their godly duty is to obey and respect their parents. Now this might not be too hard for the children who have believers as parents, but we should pray for those kids who have parents that do not belong to God. Our hearts have to go out to the kids who live with Godless parents, realizing that they might be in abusive situations, mentally and physically.
We also focused on how to improve in our parenting skills by first recognizing that children are a gift from God, and second, we shouldn’t try to mold our kids. Godly parents should observe their children to see just what God has blessed them with, what kind of talents and abilities they might have. Then with the proper upbringing, the child will unfold into his or her own unique personhood. A good parent will let their child develop as the individual God made them to be. Again, our job is to teach, discipline, correct, direct, and be there for our children. To do this requires your own personal discipline and making sure your priorities are in line with God’s Word.
We ended our lesson last week talking about godly character. How do we conduct ourselves when nobody is looking, when no one is looking over your shoulder so to speak… when we know in reality, God is always watching us.
Simply stated, we should always work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. This can help immensely for the person who is working in a bad working environment.
Now we move from godly character to rewards.
Eph. 6:8
“Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”
We are to remember that God will reward each one of us for the good we do, and that it doesn’t matter whether we are on the social ladder.
What kind of rewards can we expect? Jesus speaks of one in Matthew 25 where we receive God’s approval.
Matt. 25:23
“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”
As believers, we are each traveling on life’s narrow path which God has carved out for each one of us. So, the question is, how are you doing? Then we must ask ourselves, does God have the highest priority in our life? Are we living sacrificially toward God, or are we pretty much just watching out for our own needs? God always has His eyes on us.
The secular rock band The Police, had a number one hit, the song was called: “Every Breath You Take” and the lead singer in the band, Sting, being interviewed by the BBC said, “The song is very, very sinister and ugly.” Looking at it from a purely worldly point of view, this is understandable, especially if the one watching you is some kind of stalker. But looking at it from the stance that our Holy Father is watching over us, it can be sobering as well as a blessing. The song says…
“Every breath you take, and every move you make, every bond you break, every step you take, I’ll be watching you. Every single day, and every word you say, every game you play, every night you stay, I’ll be watching you.”
These words are sobering, if indeed we’re not living for the Lord. But it can also be seen as a blessing to us, that is, if you’re trying to live a godly life, and you’re banking on the fact that God “is” paying attention.
In the last century, a missionary was sailing home after spending forty years in Africa. On the ship with him was President Teddy Roosevelt, returning from a safari. As the ocean liner pulled into the docks of New York City, thousands of people were on the dock cheering. Bands were playing. Reporters were waiting. Everyone was saying, “Wow! Teddy Roosevelt killed a rhinoceros and an elephant!”
The missionary turned to his wife and said, “You know, I’m a little bit bitter. After two weeks of big game hunting, Teddy Roosevelt receives a hero’s welcome just because he killed a rhinoceros and an elephant. Yet we spent forty years in the jungle, laying down our lives to help people, and no one’s here to welcome us home.”
That night, the Lord spoke to the missionary’s heart and simply said to him, “You’re not home yet.”
This missionary forgot that God was always watching him. We don’t need the praises of the world to tell us how well we’ve done. The one approval we should long for is the one that comes from God. That’s not to say it isn’t nice when we receive compliments and accolades from our peers and those who are over us.
God’s credits and rewards are always dependable, He will never let us down. Someone you work for may not appreciate or even have a clue as to the good work you’ve done. Never forget, God knows, He cares, and He rewards. Every good thing we’ve done in His name and for His glory will be taken into account… and everything is recorded in His books.
Eph. 6:9
“And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.”
“Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and He has no favorites.” (NLT)
This is a command for every Christian employer. A Christian employer is just as accountable to God for their actions as is the Christian employee. The Christian employer’s relationship to his employees should have the same motivation and goal as a Christian worker’s relationship to his employer. Remember, God is not a respecter of persons, He’s not impressed by titles or positions.
Eph. 6:10
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”
Paul begins this last part of chapter 6 with a great exhortation to us, giving advice intended to incite believers to action, he says: Be strong in the Lord!
Deut. 31:6
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
Rom. 8:31
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
These verses encourage and help us today, as they have in every generation.
Let’s look at a few current head-lines…
• Georgia teacher who read gender identity book to 5th graders fired after parent backlash.
• Earthquakes hit Southern California as Tropical Storm Hilary brings historic flooding.
• Most US Students Say Their School’s Curriculum Doesn’t Include LGBTQ Topics
• Pakistani Christians attend worship services days after mobs burn their churches.
• Israel rejects prominent Evangelical Zionist group’s clergy visas, threatening future operations.
• 1,000 school districts adopt policies to hide students’ chosen gender identities from parents.
• Christian preschools claim Colorado pre-K program forces them to contradict religious beliefs.
• Pastor Convicted of Sexual Abuse Faces 14 New Charges.
• Are Aliens Real? Astronomers May Receive Signal Tomorrow.
• ‘Religious Freedom’ Clauses Are Point Of Contention As Australia Crafts Marriage Equality Laws.
The headlines are endless and they will continue as they always have. To say that the world around us has severely changed is an understatement to say the least.
Now more than ever is the time for all believers to be strong in the Lord. This can also be translated “be made strong,” meaning that we can’t do this on our own, nor does God expect us to do it on our own.
And in His mighty power… we are not to trust in our own power, and if it hasn’t become obvious to you by now, we are in a war and we need to be strong from now on. Any other strength other than God’s strength proves to be feeble strength.
Rev. 3:8
“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.”
Jesus is pointing out to us that even a little strength is enough to preserve us, because what we do have is the Lord’s supernatural power within us.
Phil. 4:13
“I can do all things through Him (Jesus) who strengthens me.”
II Tim. 1:7
“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline (sound mind).”
We have no reason to be afraid of anything because we are on God’s side, and He’s got us!
Eph. 6:11
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
We can’t help but wonder as Paul was writing this, sitting in a Roman prison and having a Roman guard next to him 24/7 wearing his armor, did this inspire him to give us this analogy of wearing godly armor?
Like I mentioned earlier, we are in a war, we have always been in a war, and Paul is referring to one of our biggest adversaries “the devil.” I don’t think it’s any coincidence that we get the word evil from devil.
But what is the whole armor of God? First of all, for us to take advantage of the strength we have in Christ, we need to put on God’s armor.
The phrase “put on” carries the idea of “once and for all,” you put it on and you leave it on.
II Cor. 10:3-4
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. (NASB)
When it comes to things spiritual, your Smith & Wesson, or your AR-15 won’t be very effective against satan and his demons. Yes, we live in the flesh, but the battle we face each day is indeed spiritual.
As we look at the full armor of God, we will come to understand that it is the believer’s protection against evil along with satan and his demons. The reason why so many churches are seen as weak, is because they’re not armed for the spiritual battles at hand.
Pastor Jon Courson has an interesting perspective on this; “If the men who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day did so dressed in their jammies, something would have been terribly wrong. Yet I believe we live in a day of “jammy Christianity.” “Let’s put our jammies on and talk about how we feel,” we say. “Let’s have a slumber party, and we’ll all bond.” No, Paul tells us to put on our armor, to take advantage of the equipment God has given us to navigate life and negotiate the war that surrounds us.”
Jon makes a pretty good point, saying that Christians have a tendency to take the battles we face way too lightly.
A veil exists between the spirit world and the earthly plane in which we live. However, God on occasion opens or lifts this veil to reveal His truths to us… “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9–10).
In 2 Kings 6:15–17, the prophet Elisha’s attendant saw something in the visible realm that overwhelmed him… the Syrian army was encircling their city with horses and chariots. “Alas, my master!” he said. “What shall we do?” Elisha, though, was not shaken. He saw a deeper reality in the unseen realm. “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Elisha then prayed and said, ‘O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
Elisha saw something his servant didn’t see: the enemies of God surrounding the city were themselves surrounded by a massive invisible force displayed behind the scenes for Elisha’s protection. Here we see the prophet was able to see the unseen world.
Paul also tips us off that the enemy operates according to specific strategies that Paul calls “schemes” or “wiles.” They are battle plans of different sorts that inform us of the devil’s tactical maneuvers against us. The believer being clothed with the proper armor thus allows us to “stand firm” against his schemes, resisting the devil’s deceptions.
When we stand firm, we are standing firm in Christ and His truths. The Christian life is always going to include some kind of conflict, and when it does, we must never give up on what we know, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
By putting on the full armor of God, this puts the believer in a state of readiness, or preparedness, ready for battle.
Eph. 6:12
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Now we’ve heard and read this passage of Scripture many times. We’re familiar with it, but the danger is that we might gloss over it, there is a lot to uncover here.
Paul presents us with a reality check of what we’re really up against. It’s good that he does this, because the average believer stands in the same place as Elisha’s servant. We cannot see the spiritual world around us… and if we did, it might scare us to death. But with that, there’s no reason for us to be afraid because God is always with us. First of all, we have to be on the lookout so that we’re not being deceived.
Luke 21:8
“And Jesus said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.”
According to the New Testament the entire world is in the devil’s deceiving grip. Here’s a few verses that help explain it.
II Cor. 4:4
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (NLT)
I John 5:19
“We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”
Satan has more power than people give him credit for, while others don’t think he even exists.
Rev. 12:9
“And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and satan, who deceives the whole world.”
Satan is the great deceiver of this world.
II Tim. 2:24-26
“The Lord’s bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but…patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
The world is being held captive by satan.
Jesus warned that the devil “is a liar and the father of lies” (Jn. 8:44)
Our job is to resist the schemes and lies of satan by exposing them for what they are, doing everything we can to stand firm by opposing his lies against God’s truth.
One Bible commentary says, “The schemes of the devil include the propagation of individual beliefs and life-styles that corrupt and damn. They include evil national and international policies and practices that deceive and destroy. They include the doubts placed in believer’s minds to lead them away from trust in their holy and loving Father. They include temptations of God’s children to immorality, worldliness, pride, self-reliance, and self-satisfaction.”
For me personally, when I see or hear the word “pride” it now makes me think of the immoral revolution that is now sweeping our country, and that God hates any form of pride.
The apostle John summarizes the attack points of satan with the purpose of encouraging us in our spiritual growth from his first letter…
I John 2:15-16
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Who does this world belong to for now? That would be satan, the world belongs to him. That’s why it’s important for believers to take action now, resisting the flesh, the world, and satan’s fiery darts .
Regarding the threat we see in the world today, author Greg Koukl writes,
“Islam is a threat to religious liberty the world over and is a special menace to the “people of the book,” Jews and Christians. Relativism undermines all attempts to separate truth from lies, giving free rein to the father of lies. The “gender wars” takes personal choice to near deadly extremes and places those who advance God’s view of sex and marriage right in the crosshairs of the spiritual conflict.”
It’s obvious that the battles and wars waged against us come from “the father of lies,” and not of flesh and blood.
In I Kings 22:31 it says,
“Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”
Surely, we’re not fighting against the king of Israel, but it says, “fight with no one small or great,” which means we’re going against flesh and blood, but in this case, our fight is with… principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We’re dealing with spiritual entities that cause tension in our marriages, problems with our children, friction with our parents, on the job, and the troubles go on and on.
Another commentary says, “We understand that there are principalities… demonic entities over given regions of the world. Certain civilizations and cultures both historically and presently seem to be more oppressive and darker than others because, evidently, the demonic forces overseeing them are particularly potent.”
This has become very evident in the middle-eastern and far-east countries of today.
Principalities… or rulers… this is a spiritual conflict against what we could call the spiritual “Mafia.” Though the ranks of these satanic forces can’t be fully categorized, the first two rulers and authorities were mentioned in Eph. 1:21 and 3:10. But these rulers no doubt reflect what we could consider a higher order of demons.
Col. 2:15
“When He (Jesus) had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”
Jesus’ victory on the cross made mince meat of satan and his demons, no matter what kind of ranking they have. Their fate is sealed, their future is to the Lake of Fire.
I Peter 3:22
“Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.”
Powers… are another rank, speaking of the demonic forces that keep people in bondage.
The World forces of this darkness… this is a diabolical phrase. World forces of this darkness could refer to demons who have infiltrated the various political systems of the world, attempting to pattern them after satan’s realm of darkness. This causes me to think about worldly organizations such as, the W.H.O. amd the U.N., or the W.E.F. (the World Economic Forum aka: Davos) their headline is, “Cooperation in a Fragmented World” they say, “The world today is at a critical inflection point. The sheer number of ongoing crises calls for bold collective action.” This might sound okay on the surface, but at the core, it’s forces of darkness.
Col. 1:13
“For He (Jesus) rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,”
Praise the Lord!
The spiritual forces of wickedness…
John MacArthur says, “These are possibly those demons who are involved in the most wretched and vile immoralities… such as perverse sexual practices, the occult, satan worship, and the like.”
With all of this, Paul isn’t trying to give us great details about how satan works with all his demons, but to show us that there is indeed an evil organization of sophistication and great powers. After all, try to imagine all the time satan has had to put his devises in place. He has watched and studied mankind for thousands of years and knows all of man’s pit-falls and weaknesses.
None of this is meant to scare us or intimidate us, but to weaponize us against all spiritual battles. But know this, all believers are “sealed” with the Holy Spirit and can never be possessed by any demon, but they can certainly harass us.
Against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places…
Satan and his demons have a sphere of activity in the heavenly places or realms. Satan who is in the heavens until he will be cast out in the middle of the Tribulation, is trying to rob believers of all the spiritual blessings God has given to them.
Dealing with demons in our lifetime on earth isn’t a matter of us trying to find different ways to cast them out. But it’s about us staying pure before God, taking full advantage of God’s grace (in a good way), so that as we stay in His grace, there is no unclean place in our life that a demon could occupy or gain a foothold to take advantage of us.
We’ll close tonight looking back to chapter 1…
Eph. 1:17-21
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”
Satan and his powers of darkness might seem strong at times, “but greater is He who is you, than he who is in the world!!” (I Jn. 4:4)