Sunday: Battle Speech
Study Paul’s ringing conclusion to his letter, Ephesians 6:10-20. What does Paul’s battle cry mean to us today, as combatants in the great controversy?
Paul concludes Ephesians with a call to battle, urging believers to take their stand in the church’s war against evil (Ephesians 6:10-20). He begins with an overarching exhortation to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10), which he repeats as a call to “put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11).
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He supports this call by specifying a purpose (to be able to stand against the devil’s schemes, Ephesians 6:11), and by offering a rationale: the battle is against powerful, spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). In a detailed way, Paul then reissues the call to arms. Believers are to “take up the whole armor of God” in order to stand firm in battle (Ephesians 6:13, ESV), donning belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword (Ephesians 6:14-17). Paul invites believers, now fully armed and ready to enter the fray, to do what soldiers on the ancient battlefield might do — and that is, pray (Ephesians 6:18-20).
By echoing battle exhortations or eve-of-battle speeches in the Old Testament, Paul speaks of the church’s mission in terms of military conflict and weapons. Paul signals this in his first, overarching command: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10, NKJV).
Battle exhortations in the Old Testament (see, for instance, Deuteronomy 20:2-4; Judges 7:15-18; 2 Chronicles 20:13-20; 2 Chronicles 32:6-8; Nehemiah 4:14, Nehemiah 4:19-20) underline the idea that Israel’s success in battle does not depend on the superiority of its own weapons or an army that outnumbers its foes. Rather, victory results from depending on the presence and power of God. The key to success was not confidence in themselves but firm trust in God’s power and His provision for their success. Paul makes bold use of these themes to exhort believers to be: (1) active in pursuing the church’s mission; (2) attentive to the unseen dimensions that impact their lives and witness; (3) cognizant of the divine provision for their success; and (4) always alert to the importance of unity and collaboration among believers.
| What should Paul’s warning that we fight not against flesh and blood but against supernatural enemies teach us about where our only hope of victory is? |
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Demonic and angelic forces which we cannot see are fighting us on different fronts.The battle is against powers in the heavenly places.We need the supernatural power of Jesus in order for us not to surrender and remain standing.Jesus is our source of help.He is greater than our enemies.The battle belongs to the Lord.
Jesus has already won the battle.
What does Paul mean when he writes "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."
What do you suppose He could mean? (Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth. Thus we can ask Him, and He will give us insight.)
I believe Paul is referring to fallen angels (who once inhabited heaven and are now confined to this earth but invisible to us) who have come to hate God, and the only way they can hurt God is to hurt His people. Thus they do all they can to cause God's people to doubt and to rely on their own strength and thus fall under Satan's power.
In other words, Paul is saying that our battle is against satanic agencies, not people. That understanding should help us to be less judgmental of people who fight against truth, recognizing that they are being used by satanic forces. These same people may yet recognize their error and be converted just as Paul himself was.
Does that make sense to you?
Thank you Inge for the response. My difficulty is that verse 10 seems to suggest evil spirit are in heavenly places. See below
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Eph 6:10 NLT.
So let's dive a little deeper: In the Bible, "heaven" or "heavenly" can refer to the dwelling place of God, and it seems that's what comes to your mind.
However, it can also mean the sky above our heads, the atmosphere, space, or something originating in heaven. Such meanings begin right back in Genesis. It can refer to the unseen world as well. (The KJV is not much help in that it refers only to "high places.")
When we interpret an apparently "difficult" text, we have to read it in the context of all the rest of Scripture. There are a number of passages that indicate that the rebellious angels no longer have a home in heaven. Thus, in this text, "in heavenly places" must refer to the unseen world. The Amplified Bible suggests a modern word, "supernatural."
Thus we could read the text like this:
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the supernatural world."
Thank you Inge. This is helpful
V12 “we’re not dealing with an enemy we can see or get our hands on, but with spiritual beings who were once near the centre of power and are now trying to rule this world. The power of these supernatural beings and the force they generate are not to be taken lightly”. (The Clear Word).
The Greek word epouranios can be understood also as the sphere of spiritual activities. Also Satan is referred to as the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). We also know that it cannot mean the place we're God dwells, because Satan was cast out of there. First, when he rebelled against God, and second, after Jesus died for our sins. (He gained access again by usurping the place of Adam as the representative of the human race.)
The battle is severe in this time the bible calls "the time of the end". The devil and his host from the heavenly places has intensified his attacks. We thefore need not be indifferent to this real spiritual war going on in our time.
I'm on Immanuel's side.
Why must I go through battles at work, family, and personal? I see them in front of me but mostly misunderstand them!
Paul is offering me a way out, not to avoid the battles but to be equipped with at least some "unlikely suggestions." He is talking about preparation for action because sometimes, just by spending time getting ready, battles can be won within me first.
Victory is already achieved when I decide it is worth to fight. Not by my means, but by faith, for in the end, it doesn't matter where I get to stand up, but how I got there!
What have we done to Satan that he hates us and fights against us? What can it be other than that he hates Jesus, we belong to Jesus and he hates us for His sake. And since he can no longer fight Jesus directly he tries to hurt Jesus by trying to destroy us. Revelation 12.
I consider Paul’s call to battle, to be responded to by each individual believer by putting on the whole armor of God, essential. I cannot see establishing unity within the general Ekklesia, the body of Christ, to form a united battle front without it. Though we are prepared to be able to stand alone, we are stronger when united.
The emphasis is on taking up the whole armor of God and to look to Him to learn our place in how best to participate in this cosmic struggle. For the individual as well as the organized church, He is the battle’s supreme leader which lays out the battle plan, using everyone as well as selecting people to engage in special missions.
To be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” requires a personal relationship with Him. Paul in Eph.6:16 is quoted saying that – faith is to be our shield with which we will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one’. We are called to be strong when living our life by faith, believing that God will fulfill His promises.
Faith, being the elementary foundation of our religion and Jesus Christ its corner stone, we are called to mature our faith: to "have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil" – Heb.10-14. We cannot slumber when standing watch as this spiritual battle requires constant vigilance, alertness and readiness.
For the church to be part of the battle starts with each individual’s readiness. Only then is the whole body of Christ prepared to fight together in unison against the supernatural enemies of the children of God. Our God is faithful – are we?
The main battle is against "Self," against our own failure to "Exercise Faith," in the Righteousness of Jesus and His Holy Spirit and God's Word and all His Promises for us now until Jesus shows up in the clouds of Glory to take us home with Him. Faith, Hope, and Love, and the Greatest of them is "Love." That is "The whole Armor of God," Love---His Love---Jesus!