| Church School Lesson: Tools Available to Withstand Injustice and Evil |
Tools Available to Withstand Injustice and Evil
November 27, 2022
Background: Revelation 2:1-7; Acts 19; Ephesians 6:10-24;
Print: Ephesians 6:10-18; Key Verse: Ephesians 6:13;
Devotional: Psalm 91
Ephesians 6:10-18 (KJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
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.
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.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians Chapter 6 (Commentary)
6:10-13 After saying so much about how to live in these relationships, Paul wants to emphasize that people are not our ultimate problem. Humanity’s true struggle is not against flesh and blood but against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens (6:12). What we call spiritual warfare is the conflict in the spiritual realm that affects the physical realm. The daily problems we face here are rooted there. But, importantly, the resources you need to fight the battle are there too.
Paul told the Ephesians that through Christ, God has given them every blessing they need in heavenly places (i.e., the spiritual realm) (1:3). The risen Christ is there at God’s right hand (1:20), and Christians are spiritually there with him (2:6). But the cosmic powers of this darkness are also in the spiritual realm (6:12).
The battle Christians face every day is rooted in the schemes of the devil (6:11), in his efforts to deceive us. He is happy for you to picture him as a cartoon character wearing a red jumpsuit with horns and carrying a pitchfork so that you won’t take him seriously. Meanwhile, like an opposing football team, his demonic realm watches your game film. They know your history, your weak spots, and your sin patterns. Their goal is to keep you from experiencing God’s will for your life. You’re not their first assignment. They’re good at what they do.
You, then, have to fight the spiritual with the spiritual. Your human strength won’t work. Your only hope is to be strengthened by the Lord and to put on the full armor of God (6:10-11). Through the cross and resurrection of Christ, victory is already won. The devil has lost. The only power he has is the power you give him. We are to stand firm in Christ’s victory.
Paul tells the Ephesians over and over: stand (6:11, 13-14). In other words, stay in the area where victory has been achieved under the cover of God’s armor. When you stand under an umbrella, it doesn’t stop the rain. But it does stop you from getting wet. You have to dress for success in this thing called the Christian life. In the evil day, when your number comes up and you are under full-frontal Satanic attack, you must be wearing the full armor of God (6:13).
The six pieces of armor are divided into two categories of three each. The first three you have with you all of the time, but Christians are called to take and use the last three as needed.
6:14-15 Stand . . . with truth like a belt around your waist. When a Roman soldier went to war, he tucked his clothing into his belt and fastened it securely for mobility in battle. Truth is the objective standard by which reality is measured. God’s Word is truth. To wear “truth like a belt” is to live in authenticity before God. Since the devil is a liar, you must start with truth to be ready for battle. He can’t function in an environment of integrity.
You also need righteousness like armor on your chest (6:14). Remember, our righteousness is not our own. God imputed Christ’s perfect righteousness to us (see 2 Cor 5:21). When Satan accuses you, then, protect your heart with the truth of your righteous standing in Christ that is to be reflected by righteous living based on the truth. Unrighteousness acts like an open invitation to Satan and his demonic forces to invade our hearts and lives in order to defeat us spiritually.
You also need your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace (6:15). Roman soldiers wore sandals with cleats built in to help them have firm footing and to stand their ground under attack. Regardless of external turmoil, let the peace from God that results from righteous living confirm that you are operating and moving in God’s will.
6:16 Next, take up the shield of faith to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. What is faith? It’s acting like God’s telling the truth—being obedient to God’s view on a matter. Whatever temptations the devil fires at you, you can overcome him by believing God’s Word and acting on it. Acting in faith is like activating a divine fire extinguisher.
6:17 Take the helmet of salvation. A helmet protects the head, the mind, the control center of the body. Our spiritual standing in Christ must protect our thinking. If you don’t clearly understand the gospel—that it is God’s power “for salvation” (Rom 1:16)—you will not operate as one whom God promises to deliver from the power and penalty of sin. We are to think God’s thoughts and not operate on human wisdom.
The last piece of armor is the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. This is the only offensive weapon in the ensemble. The term Paul uses does not describe a long sword but something more like a dagger intended for hand-to-hand combat. He’s talking about the Word of God spoken, made effective by the Spirit, to cut through the devil’s lies. When Jesus was tempted, he declared, “It is written” (Matt 4:1-11), defeating the devil by using the Word. And just as Jesus did when tempted in the wilderness, Christians must learn to use Bible study against the devil. He is allergic to the Word of God when it is consistently used against him.
6:18 Paul finishes with prayer—the divine means of putting on our spiritual armor, which is a reflection of the person and work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. A Christian’s spiritual resources are accessed through relational communication with God. How often should prayer be offered, then? At all times . . . with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Prayer must be woven into all of life. We need to stay in regular communication with God and pray in the Spirit in order to access heaven’s authority for intervention on earth (6:18). In other words, we must be on the same page as the Spirit, utilizing spiritual wisdom. The most powerful way to do that is to pray God’s Word back to him and apply it to your situation.