[Thanks]

IACFC would like to thank the following for these dynamic studies:

 - VCF

 - Mary Youtz

Acts 1:4 - 8 (NKJV) ⁴And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father,  “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;  ⁵for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  ⁶Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

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 Living an Empowered Life

WEAPONS FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE

“If I take on Jesus as my Lord, I take on the devil as my enemy.”

Michael Green

“Spiritual warfare is a way of characterizing our common struggle as Christians. Whether we want to think about it or not, the truth is that we all face supernatural opposition as we set out to live the Christian life. We have an opponent who wants nothing more than to bring about our demise. We have an enemy who wants to blunt our every effort to share the good news of liberation with those still held in captivity.”  

Clinton E. Arnold

“In Ephesians 6:10--18 Paul places moral issues in a cosmic perspective. They are not minor matters of personal preference but vital components of a much larger struggle between the forces of good and evil.”

Sydney H.T. Page

 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Ephesians 6:10-11

When you hear the words, “spiritual warfare,” what comes to your mind?

Previously, we have been studying how God is advancing His kingdom through His Holy Spirit-empowered church. Despite Jesus’ victory over sin and death when He died and rose again, the church [Christ’s body] still faces opposition today. When we experience resistance to the gospel, difficulty ministering in Jesus’ name, or temptation to live like unredeemed people, we are probably encountering unseen spiritual forces that are hostile to God.

Jesus faced tremendous spiritual opposition from the devil himself just after He was baptized and affirmed by God the Father (Matt. 3:16-4:11; Mark 1:9-13 ; Luke 3:21-23 a, 4:1-13). Jesus successfully resisted Satan’s accusations and temptations despite extreme loneliness and hunger. Jesus also fought hostile forces in His three-year ministry on earth. He encountered demons, disbelief, and people who tried to discredit Him. He also suffered severe temptations, accusations, persecution, physical torture, and mental anguish from the night of His arrest until His brutal death on the cross. Peter, who denied even knowing His Lord Jesus during that time later wrote,

1 Peter 2:21 - 24 (NKJV) ²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ²²“Who committed no sin,     Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; ²³who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;  ²⁴who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 

1 Pet. 2:21-24

No one has repeated Jesus’ perfect record of resisting the enemy, but thankfully, we have divine help in battle when powers of evil attack us. This study examines the resources Jesus found so beneficial which God has given the church. As we learn to use them, we too can stand faithful and press forward with the gospel’s message and ministry.

Pray that God would encourage you as you study how He has provided strength and power for engaging in spiritual battles. Pray also against any fear of the enemy and against any confusion or disruptions from the kingdom of darkness.

Paul probably wrote Ephesians following his letter to the Colossians when he was in prison in Rome, around A.D. 60-61. He spent about two years in Ephesus located in what is now modern Turkey. Ephesus was a thriving port city, on two major trade land routes, and home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world (Borchert, p. 115). We know that witchcraft was prevalent in the city, since those who accepted Christ also repented of their involvement with evil and burned their sorcery scrolls (Acts 19:17-20).

Let’s look again at Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6:10 - 20 (NASB) ¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸With 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,  ¹⁹and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

1. What image does Paul use throughout this passage, and what does he expect us to do?

Paul pictures Christians as soldiers in God’s army fighting the devil and the powers of the kingdom of darkness. Our goal is to stand in battle rather than falling prey to Satan’s temptations or giving in when attacked.

2. What has God provided to assist us in spiritual warfare (v. 11)?

He has given us His “full armor.”

3. What is God’s full armor (vv. 11—17)?

Paul mentions the following defensive weapons: belt of truth; breastplate of righteousness; feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace; shield of faith; and helmet of salvation. To be used both offensively and defensively, there is the sword of the Spirit and prayer.

4. What is the spiritual significance of each piece?

Instead of going through how each piece helps the Roman soldier, steer the group towards looking at the role salvation, truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, the Word, and prayer have in believers’ lives.

• Paul begins with “the belt of truth” (v. 14). Rather than an outer belt to hold a soldier’s sword at his side, this is a piece of protective gear. Keener suggests that the belt is leather worn beneath the rest of the armor and tied around the waist—thus it is sometimes translated “girdle.” Or it is a metal belt, but it was worn to protect the lower abdomen (Keener, p. 554). Some modern illustrations show a soldier’s belt with several metal pieces extending downward from the waist (Robertshaw, pp. 4—5). God’s protection comes as we walk in His truth, or “walk in the light.” Lincoln and others also suggest that the belt was used to gather the soldier’s clothing so he could move more quickly (p. 447). In the New American Standard Bible, Isaiah 11:5 describes the Messianic Branch from David’s family as having “righteousness…the belt about His loins…” while Luke 12:35 and 37 refer to girding up one’s loins in order to be dressed to serve. Hughes connects living in and speaking the truth with the freedom of a clear conscience that allows a believer to stand boldly against the enemy (p. 226), whom we know to be called the father of lies (John 8:44). Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life. He exposed lies and hypocrisy by His life and His words. Hughes says, “Paul’s point is that truthful character, along with a knowledge of the truth, holds one together in the fight” (p. 225). So, we are not just relying on what we know in our minds about God’s truth, but we are attempting to put His truthful words into practice in our daily living. If Jesus is “…The Truth…” (John 14:6), then we should be truthful people, too. Hughes states that since we live in a culture that is filled with distortion and deceit, many Christians struggle to be honest, too. “We must fill ourselves with the truth of God’s Word, and then consciously submit to it, so we will be instinctively truthful. He points to Paul’s previous exhortation in Eph. 4:25, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Hughes, p. 226). Paul also urges the church to speak the truth in love so that the Body of Christ might grow up into maturity, resembling Christ (Eph 4:15).

• The next piece of armor is “the breastplate of righteousness” (v. 14). The Roman soldier’s breastplate was usually made of leather covered with metal and worn on the front of his chest (Keener, p. 554). Although most of us think of righteousness as doing the right thing or being right with God, it is not just adhering to a list of rules or a judicial code. In Scripture, “…righteousness involves fulfillment of the demands of a relationship with God or others” (Kelly, p. 193). It is usually referred to in the context of God’s covenant relationship with His people. “Yahweh is recognized as the source of righteousness because He maintains His covenant with Israel against all odds.” Although Israel repeatedly broke God’s covenant requirements, God would declare the nation or individuals “righteous” if they repented and trusted again in Him (Kelly, p. 193). In other words, He forgave the ways they wronged Him and restored relationship with them. Because Yahweh remained true to His side of the covenant agreement, He often saved His people (Is. 41:2, 10; 42:6; 45:8; Jer. 50:7). Whether they were oppressed or had gone astray, God delivered Israel because “Yahweh is faithful in all relationships and keeps all promises (Kelly, p. 193). Many scholars refer to the passage in Isaiah 59:17 describing God as a warrior, fighting to save His people from their own sin. “He put on righteousness as his breastplate….” What Israel [and the rest of us] could not do, God had to do Himself. He had to wear His promised faithfulness, i.e., righteousness, and deliver us from our waywardness or sin (Oswalt, p. 527). In the New Testament, righteousness also stresses relationship over rule keeping (Kelly, p. 193). We see Jesus living in perfect obedience to the Father, always doing what was right in relationship God and others. But His obedience was not a strict adherence to the law as some of His contemporaries saw it. Jesus wholeheartedly believed His Father loved Him, and thus was willing to carry out whatever His Father planned for Him. For us, the Father now offers a new covenant and in it, a way for everyone [Jew and Gentile alike] to be in relationship with Himself and each other (Eph. 2:11—18). But again, righteousness is not achieved through mere human effort to follow rules. God declares righteous those who trust Jesus to meet the covenant demands of obeying and believing God. Jesus substituted His life for ours as payment for our failure to stay obedient to the Father (Rom. 3: 21-24). “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:22). Paul states in Eph. 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Paul picks up the Isaiah 59 image in Eph. 6:14, telling us to wear the breastplate of God’s righteousness. F. F. Bruce maintains that these first two weapons signify “… truth and righteousness as ethical qualities… rather than truth of doctrine and justification by faith; though the latter are not unrelated….” (p. 408). We need God’s righteousness in relationships because “doing right …is equally vital for the Christian soldier in his or her battle against the powers of evil” (Lincoln, p. 448). It is not enough for us to know what God expects or to acknowledge the right choices. We need to be people who follow Jesus in living rightly, although we must admit that only comes by relying on His effort and Spirit within us. “Character, not brute force, wins the battle…” (Liefeld, note on Eph. 6:14, p. 1799).

• Next, Paul tells believers to have our “feet fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace” (v. 15). Hughes and others say this refers to the Roman soldier’s half boot, an open-toed boot with nail-studded soles providing traction like cleats. Roman soldiers used these in marching or standing in battle (Hughes, p. 232). Lincoln , however, believes the emphasis is not on the kind of footwear but the feet being ready for battle because of the gospel of peace. He sees that the harmony between believers and God made possible by Christ’s sacrifice (Eph. 2:14-18) is preparation for war, since by accepting this gospel we change sides and become part of God’s kingdom. God’s ultimate plan is to reconcile the whole world to Himself through Jesus (Eph. 1:9-10). All those who have been rescued from darkness now stand with their Lord and Savior as enemy forces, not yet subdued, try to wage war (Lincoln, p. 449). He and others point back to the Isaiah 52:7 verse that states, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say in Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” Keener adds, “sharing the message of Christ advances God’s army against the enemy’s position” (p. 554). This link ties in well with Paul’s own situation of proclaiming the gospel and the subsequent persecution and opposition he faced (Eph. 6:19-20).

• Paul makes it clear that more weapons are needed for our defense. “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (v. 16). The Roman soldier carried a large shield, about 4 ft. high by 2.5 ft. wide, to protect most of his body. It was usually made of wood and covered with leather (Lincoln, p. 449). Sometimes before battle the shields were soaked in water in case the opponent shot ‘flaming arrows’—ones dipped in tow or pitch and lit before firing (Lincoln, p. 450). Paul uses the words the evil one in verse 16 to refer to Satan. While some speculate that the burning arrows represent lusts that inflame us, there is no reason to limit what kind of attack from the enemy the arrows represent (Lincoln, p. 450). Instead of panic or retreat, Lincoln points out “faith takes hold of God’s resources in the midst of the onslaughts of evil and produces the firm resolve which douses anything the enemy throws at the believer…” (p.449). Faith is key to our protection “because faith binds us in vital, deep union with God. Faith is not just belief; it is belief plus trust. It is resting in the person of God and his Word to us” (Hughes, p. 236). We see that this was the key to Jesus’ earthly victory and the victory that overcomes the world, “even our faith” (1 John 5:4-5 ).

• The last piece of defensive weaponry Paul lists is “the helmet of salvation” (v. 17). In Isaiah 59:17 , God puts on the helmet of salvation as He prepares to judge those who have rejected Him and save those who have repented. God not only brings deliverance but also is called “my salvation” in the Old Testament (Ex. 15:2; 2 Sam. 22:3 ; Ps. 27:1; Ps. 62:2, 6; Is. 12:2). Since receiving relationship with Him is what salvation or eternal life is all about (John 17:3), putting on the helmet of salvation is another way to express that we are safe in battles as long as we remain “in Christ.” Since we are joined to Christ in His death, resurrection, and exaltation ( Rom. 6:3-10; Eph. 2:1-6; 2 Tim. 2:11-12 a), we share His victory over evil forces (Eph. 1:19—22; Col. 2:15). The reason we face spiritual warfare is that the powers of evil still oppose His people though only to the extent God permits (Col. 2:10). The devil and his retinue may fight fiercely now, but he knows that Jesus will destroy them soon (Rev. 12:12). Lincoln sees “…what ultimately protects believers is that God has already rescued them from bondage to the prince of the realm of the air and seated them with Christ in the heavenly realms (cf. 2:1-10). By appropriating this salvation as their helmet, believers have every reason to be confident of the outcome of battle” (pp. 540-541).

• Many commentators point out that the final two weapons God supplies can be used both defensively and offensively: “the sword of the Spirit” (v. 17) and “prayer” which is also to be done “in the Spirit” (v. 18). We don’t have to guess what the sword of the Spirit refers to since Paul tells us, “which is the word of God.” You can read the leaders’ notes in the small group Bible study “Resisting Temptation” in the Spiritual Warfare Series to recall Jesus’ total dependence on God’s Word when facing the devil. A number of scholars point out that Paul refers to the short sword a Roman soldier used in hand-to-hand combat. Keener suggests that Paul is thinking of engaging people personally, up close, with the Word of God as they spread the gospel (p. 554). Given the flow of the entire letter and since in verses nineteen and twenty Paul asks for prayer that he might fearlessly proclaim the gospel, try to help group members see that the context of this passage is about proclaiming and living out the salvation Christ has won for us. The thrust of this letter is the outworking of God’s plan to reconcile people to himself and one another, and to build a worshipping community in a city with pagan and occult worship. There is a danger of missing this if we read verses ten to twenty with a twenty-first century, highly psychologized mindset and assume Paul is primarily talking about inward battles of our emotions, traumas from the past, and stressors that push us into sinful or addictive behavior. Since Satan does want us to remain in bondage to our flesh, the world, or powers of evil, we will fight battles in our minds and emotions and in relationships with others. But our focus needs to be on advancing the gospel and supporting one another as we struggle. The Word of God is a very effective tool to preach to ourselves whenever we are tempted to fail to trust God’s goodness and faithfulness or abandon our calling. “The Word of God cuts through the fog of Satan’s lies and shows me where true and lasting happiness is to be found. And so the Word helps me stop trusting in the potential of sin to make me happy. Instead the Word entices me to trust in God’s promises” (Piper, p. 335). Whether we recall to mind verses about our gift of salvation from sin, judgment and death; receiving Christ’s righteousness; the peace we have with God and others; the promises of God to protect, provide and preserve us; the power of God at work in us; or the privilege of playing a role in God’s kingdom, the Word of God can help us continue to trust God and remain steadfast in our relationship to Him.

5. How does prayer help Christians engaged in spiritual battle (v. 18)?

Jesus is our supreme example of wrestling with temptation and spiritual forces through prayer. In the Garden of Gethsemane, prior to His arrest, Jesus agonized over His destiny, yet yielded His will to the Father, praying, “Yet not as I will but as you will” (Matt. 26:39b). Keener thinks of believers praying for one another in temptation and such, like a strategy Roman soldiers used to provide protection for each other. Alone, each Roman soldier would be very vulnerable to attack. However, when marching or standing in rows, the first row would hold their shields straight ahead, the second hold them overhead, and each end soldier hold his shield to the side. Thus, they would cover one another and be very hard to stop (Keener, p. 554). This is known as the testudo formation (Latin for “tortoise”) since the overlapping shields would be like the pieces of a turtle shell (Merriam-Webster on-line). As Christians pray for one another, they can help protect each other from attack or from falling into sin. For example, the gospel might march forward as we pray for: protection from the enemy for both the one sharing the good news and the one receiving it; soft, receptive hearts for the hearers; boldness and wisdom for the evangelists; godly sorrow and conviction through the Holy Spirit; and the gift of saving faith.

Question: When have someone else’s prayers made a difference in your struggles?

Note, this isn’t asking when did your prayers make a difference but focuses on someone else in the body of Christ, so that folks aren’t boasting about their efforts. Instead, we want them to express gratitude to God and acknowledge their need for the support of other believers.

6. What clues can we find to Paul’s own situation (vv. 19-20)?

Paul is “an ambassador in chains” writing from prison. The word chains obviously points to his restraints. But the same word could be used of the heavy gold jewelry that an ambassador might wear to signify his authority to represent his government to other nations, so he may be making a pun (Markus Barth, cited in Stott, p. 287). He asks the believers to pray for him so he will receive the words he needs as he proclaims the gospel. Paul expects the Holy Spirit to supply him with what he needs, thus fulfilling Jesus’ promise in Mt. 10:19-20. Twice Paul mentions fearless preaching of the gospel, which shows that his main concern was for the gospel to go forth freely whether he remained in chains or not (Stott, p. 287).

APPLICATION

• What’s one thing you learned about victory in spiritual warfare from this passage?
• How do the weapons reflect God’s character? What can help these qualities grow in our lives?
• Which weapon(s) do you need to utilize more?

WRAPPING IT UP

Paul assumes all believers are engaged in spiritual warfare until Christ returns. But he doesn’t want us to be afraid or discouraged when the battle is fierce. He points to the Lord’s resources to enable us to withstand the enemy’s schemes: strength; power; our relationship with Christ who is our truth and righteousness, the One we trust in and speak about as our salvation; God’s Word; prayer; and God’s own Spirit in us. Paul expects us to fight alongside other believers as we share the gospel and live out the implications of that good news. And he envisions the church displaying God’s purpose to overcome evil and reconcile all things on earth under Christ. Rather than shrinking back from difficult situations, let’s take up the protection God has given and walk forward together as we pass on Jesus’ message and mission to the next generation.

[Wisdom]

“For the first twelve years of my Christian life, I gave little thought to the kingdom of God . My pastors and Bible teachers had taught that the kingdom would come at the second coming of Christ and, therefore, had little significance in our lives today…I find my neglect of the kingdom remarkable because it is so clearly at the center of Jesus’ teaching…I [now realize] that at the very heart of the gospel lies the kingdom of God, and that power for effective evangelism and discipleship relates directly to our understanding and experiencing the kingdom today.”

John Wimber

Luke 24:46 - 49 (NKJV) ⁴⁶Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸And you are witnesses of these things.  ⁴⁹Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”