April 29, 2022
Armor Up
Ephesians 6
JD Rodgers
Central Truth
God has gifted us with all the armor we need for battle.
Key Verse | Ephesians 6:10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6
Children and Parents
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bondservants and Masters
5 Bondservants, 1 6:5 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 6; likewise for bondservant in verse 8 obey your earthly masters 2 6:5 Or your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master 3 6:9 Greek Lord and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Final Greetings
21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brothers, 4 6:23 Or brothers and sisters and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | Ephesians 6
Baseball game days were crazy when I was growing up. Teammates slept over. Breakfast was inhaled. Were uniforms clean? We'd inevitably rush out the door in a hurry. One morning, I left my baseball glove at home and reluctantly told my dad. As he began turning the car around, I exclaimed, "Dad! We're going to be late!"
"Well, it's better to be late WITH a glove than to show up on time WITHOUT one!" My Dad knew playing short stop without a glove would put me at a disadvantage. I needed the glove to play, be protected, and, ultimately, be able to play to win. I think that's the heart of our Heavenly Father when giving us His armor.
Every day God gives us the spiritual equipment necessary to enter and win the battle of the day, yet we're tempted to choose the disadvantage. Why? Be it a delusional state of self-sufficiency, pride, or apathy, there's something in us that believes this armor isn't regulation. We enter the "game" of life defenseless—vulnerable to the enemy's attacks. One of the enemy's biggest schemes is convincing humans he doesn't exist.
But, Christian, you are in a war. And there is no time for a part-time Christian when we have a full-time enemy. That is why we must put on the FULL armor of God. You can't fight supernatural forces with a superficial solution. We're in a spiritual battle: the kingdom of darkness versus the kingdom of light. Although we know our King is the ultimate victor, we can't be ignorant of the daily battles we need to fight. What should we do? Turn the car of our lives around and remember the glove is worth going back for.
Practice seeing each piece of armor as vital for survival.
- Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier and use that time to pray.
- Put flash cards around your house and fight lies with truth.
- Start every day on your knees and posture your heart in humility.
Whatever you do, don't miss the gift of the armor—protection, a weapon, the confidence that comes from knowing God is for us. Armor up today.
Discussion Questions
1. Is prayer a priority in your life? In what ways can you continue to grow as a prayer warrior?
2. When looking at the full armor of God, are there any pieces that you are prone to leave behind? Righteous living? Truth? Peace?
3. Paul says that our enemy is not flesh and blood, but instead Satan and his kingdom of darkness. Are there any problems in your life that you thought were flesh and blood, but now you're realizing are Satan's attempts to divide?
4. Do you live every day like you are in a battle? If not, how can you "prepare" better for the daily battles?