22nd March 2023

Ephesians: Week 25 (Wednesday 22nd March 2023)

(from www.insightforliving.org.uk)

Chapter 6:13-20

It didn’t take much for Paul to convince the Ephesian Christians of the reality of spiritual warfare. A stronghold of Satan loomed over Ephesus in the form of the temple of Artemis where worshipers participated in pagan rituals and prayed to dark powers. Many church members had practiced sorcery before converting to Christ. They caused quite a spectacle when they publicly burned their “incantation books” worth “several million dollars” (Acts 19:19). In one front-page incident, a demon-possessed man overpowered seven prominent Jews, attacking them “with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered” (19:16). The Christians also witnessed firsthand the devil’s work in the city’s rampant wickedness. Paul warned his readers about the “things that ungodly people do in secret” (Ephesians 5:12) and to walk carefully “in these evil days” (5:16). Paul’s readers were well-acquainted with spiritual warfare . . . but they were not so well-equipped for battle. How could they stand against the “mighty powers in this dark world” (6:12)? In our evil day, we ask the same question. Weak as we are and made of flesh, how can we hope to prevail against a powerful, invisible spiritual foe?

Paul gave his readers the answer using the metaphor of armor—a stirring word picture that has encouraged Christians for two thousand years. In this study, we’ll try on each piece Paul presented and learn to live every day in the strong protection of our God.

PREPARE YOUR HEART

The armor of God consists not of chainmail and steel but of spiritual values forged by Christ our King during His earthly ministry. As soldiers of Christ, we march under His banner and outfit ourselves in His truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and words from Scripture. Prepare to put on each piece of Christ’s armor-like qualities by presenting yourself to your King in prayer. Ask Him to dress you entirely in Himself and clothe you for battle as His loyal soldier marching into war.

TURN TO THE SCRIPTURES

Read Ephesians 6:13–20,noting the two overarching commands: “Put on” (Ephesians 6:13) and “Pray” (6:18). Also, highlight Paul’s supporting imperatives, such as “stand your ground” (6:14) and “stay alert and be persistent” (6:18). What are your initial impressions of Paul’s tone and urgency in his instructions?

Observation: God’s Armor and the Believer’s Battle Cry

Let’s take a closer look at the pieces of armor Paul lists and how they help us resist the devil and stand firm against his schemes.

God’s Armor—Ephesians 6:13–17

The equipment includes a soldier’s belt, breastplate, boots, shield, helmet, and sword. Paul’s first-century readers easily pictured these pieces because Roman infantrymen were everywhere; however, modern-day readers need help. Consult your resources or the online commentary, Constable’s Notes,

and, in the following chart, write down a brief description of each piece of armor. We’ll wait until the interpretation phase to examine what each item represents. For now, simply describe the armor.

table with 2 columns and 7 rows

Piece of Armor

Description

“belt” (Ephesians 6:14)

“body armor” (6:14) or “breastplate” (6:14 NASB)

“shoes” (6:15)

“shield” (6:16)

“helmet” (6:17)

“sword” (6:17)

table end

The Believer’s Battle Cry—Ephesians 6:18–20

Lines of communication linking soldiers to their commanders were just as essential in the battlefield as armor. Prayer connects us to our King, allowing us to present needs and receive help. In his writing about prayer, how many times did Paul use the word, all, in the following verse? What key points did Paul make? With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with

all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18 NASB)

As a fellow-soldier, Paul relied on prayer too. What did he request? Release from house arrest? A cushier assignment? No. What was number one on Paul’s prayer list? And what positive perspective did he communicate about his circumstances?

Now let’s examine the meaning of God’s armor and how each piece causes the enemy to flee and helps us stand firm.

Shout until you’re blue in the face and you will never impact a demon. You will never touch a demon with a literal shield or be protected by a literal helmet. These images represent things that make demons back off and Satan cower: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God.

Interpretation: What Makes Us Strong

The pieces of armor Paul listed represent Christian values that any follower of Christ can claim and live by every day. Use your study resources to define each concept. Also note the kind of satanic attack this value protects us against. To assist you, we’ve included a brief quotation from Pastor Chuck Swindoll’s commentary, Insights on Galatians, Ephesians. For an online commentary, consult Constable’s Notes

at netbible.org.

Truth—Ephesians 6:14