Ephesians 6:10-20 — Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:10-20 — Spiritual Warfare

Sit — Ephesians 1:1-3:21
Some have outline Ephesians as Sit, Walk, Stand. The first three chapters of Ephesians tell us who we are in Christ. It started by saying that we have "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (1:3), who is now seated at the Father's "right hand in the heavenly places" (1:20) and who has "put all things under [Christ's] feet" (1:22). So because we have been "made alive together with Christ" (2:5) and are "members of the household of God" (2:19), we now "sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (2:6). This means that the same "exceeding greatness of His power" which raised Christ "from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (1:19-20), now works in us.

Walk — Ephesians 4:1-6:9
The epistle then pivots in chapter 4 to provide practical applications. So, if we understand who we are in Christ, if we know all the blessings we have in Him, if we realize that we are God's own family (2:19), if we understand that we are growing into a temple where God Himself dwells (2:21), then we ought to "walk worthy of the calling with which [we] were called" (4:1). "Walk" is an expression that encompasses how we live in every aspect of our daily lives. It is a metaphor for our conduct. So, chapter 4-6 tells us to:

• Walk in Unity (4:1–16)
• Walk in Holiness (4:17-32)
• Walk in Love (5:1-6)
• Walk in the Light (5:7-14)
• Walk in Harmony (5:15-6:9)

Stand — Ephesians 6:10-20
If we understand that we sit with Christ in the heavenly place and have the same power that raised Him from the dead, if we are walking in unity, holiness, love, as children of light, and in harmony, then we are positioned to walk in victory. So, in our passage for Sunday, we will look at what Scripture says about our spiritual warfare. The appeal for us, the "WHAT" of our warfare, is to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (6:10). We do that, the "HOW" of our warfare, by putting on "the whole armor of God" so that we "may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (6:11). The reason, the "WHY," is that "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" (6:12).
The apostle Paul then gives the various aspects of the complete armor. We need spiritual weapons because our warfare is not in the physical world.


However, instead of Truth, we resort to deception and manipulation in our flesh. Instead of righteousness, we put on a facade of success and self-righteousness. Instead of the Gospel, we look to psychotherapy and self-improvement. Instead of faith, we seek control and power. Instead of seeking the Lord's salvation, we become self-willed. Instead of the Word of God, we look to human schemes and programs. Instead of depending on the Lord through prayer, we put our faith in others.

Are you walking in victory?
Are you standing firm against the wiles of the devil?