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EPHESIANS 6:10-18

INTRODUCTION

The first appearance of the armour of God were seen in the prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 11 Verse 5, Chapter 59 verse 17 and Wisdom chapter 5 verses 15-20.

God Himself wore this armour as shown in the books of the old covenant and handed the armour to us in the new covenant. This could indicate God’s desire that we, as Christian, should carry on the age-long war between Light and darkness. No matter the level of tranquility in an environment, we are always at war. We shouldn’t wait to see arrows flying before coming to this understanding.

This is a battle for the soul of man, the very agent of kingdom advancement. Winning the soul of man is a strategic move by the enemy to gain upper hand in this war; but God warns us to guard our soul against the attacks of the enemy. In His love, He lends us His armour to ensure that we do not fall.

The above assertion is confirmed by the commentary of Jerome which stated thus, “Christian existence is portrayed as a constant warfare against the malevolent spirits in the heavens. Christians are enjoined to put on the whole armour of God in order to withstand the onslaughts of the evil one. Such divine armament is the Christian’s guarantee of success. (NJBC, Pg 890, Section 28). In the light of the aforementioned, we proceed to the study, believing God for the illumination of His word.

Furthermore, the imagery used here (the dressing of the Roman soldier) is a popular sight at that time and as such is something that people could easily relate with. Hence, St Paul uses it to drive home this age long message that have been prepared in ages past. The letter to the Ephesians was written by St Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome, likely around AD 60-62.

The letter was addressed to the Christian community in the city of Ephesus, a major hub in the Roman Empire and home to the famous Temple of Artemis. The presence of this ancient Greek goddess that had a large followership made the city a centre of war between Christian and the pagans as shown in Acts 19:23-41. This setting is another imagery that also pictures the world that we live in today; where Christianity must battle the world’s system on all fronts.
BIBLE READING: EPHESIANS 6:10-18

THE STORY
St Paul wrote this passage to encourage Christians to be prepared for the spiritual battles they would inevitably face. Using the metaphor of a Roman soldier’s armor, St Paul illustrated how God equips believers to defend themselves against the devil’s schemes and stand firm in their faith. This passage serves as a timeless reminder that the Christian life requires vigilance, perseverance, and reliance on God’s power to overcome evil. He began in Eph 5:21 to address the various components of the family which is the smallest unit of the Church (wives, husbands and children) and in Eph 6:10, he turned his attendance to how the individual Christian can survive the time.

THE MESSAGE/LESSONS
Do not rely on your personal ability (V10).
Have a holistic approach to this battle, as any little slip could make one fall entirely (V11, V13).
Learn to apply the appropriate solution to every challenge that comes your way (V12).
The forces that we battle against have authority and hence our effort must be intense (V12).
Our strength as believers rests on truth; which holds our spiritual force together (V14)
Righteousness and uprightness protects us from the accusations of the enemy (V14)
There is emphasis on having those things that will make us ready to proclaim the gospel and by extension, the removal of all inhibitors to the gospel (V15)
Faith enables you to wade-off doubts and discouragement in the race (V16)
Anyone that must survive the war must be born-again; saved by the baptism of the water and the Spirit (V17).

The primary offensive weapon for kingdom advancement is the word of God. Part of our war is to ensure a constant offensive/attacking move against the enemy. If you don’t weaken them, they will one day overcome us. (V17)
Ensure that all our prayers are guided by the Holy Spirit. In the presence of God, we build the ability to use the armour. (V18)

CONCLUSION
We are in constant spiritual war and our weapons are not carnal. We must learn to constantly carry with us the full armour of God. We know not the time when the enemy will strike, hence we must be ready at all time. The world we live in calls for absolute vigilance. As was stated in the story, this passage serves as a timeless reminder that the Christian life requires vigilance, perseverance, and reliance on God’s power to overcome evil. May the Lord help us to achieve this through Christ our Lord, amen.

SHALOM!

2024, OUR YEAR OF SHINING

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