Ephesians 5 vs 1-7

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Ephesians 5 vs 1-7

Calvary Chapel Cherry Creek

March 26, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Ephesians 5:1–7

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Ephesians Chapter 5 Verses 1 – 2

Throughout the New Testament, seven times we are instructed to be imitators of followers. Paul gives us instruction; Peter gives us instruction; John give us instruction; and the writer of the Hebrews does once as well. Here, we are told to be imitators of God. In 1 Corinthians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul instructed for us to be imitators of him as he imitates Christ. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Paul tells us to follow those that are following the Lord. Interestingly, in 1 Thessalonians 2:14, Paul tells us to become imitators of the churches. The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 6:12 tells us to be imitators/followers of those that are faithful. In 3 John 1:11, we are told to imitate what is good. And finally, Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3:13 to become followers or imitators of that which is good and in that we would learn to avoid allowing evil to be effective in our lives.

So, easy peasy for me. Here’s one that is easy peasy! Disarm the reach of evil specific to myself, because that’s really all I can control, how? Ephesians 5. Follow God. As I see Him doing, I decide to do. Follow (even imitate) those that I see are able to discipline their own hearts to follow God. Find a church that worships in Spirit and in truth and open my heart to be led. Learn what is good, follow that too. Easy peasy…

Track every reach of evil into my story back and if I had gone that route, what we just discussed, that evil would not have been effective in my life! Same for you… So, take that rebel spirit, that desperate need for us to prove ourselves to us, and shelf it. And learn…

Paul says to do this as dear children. The word in the Greek is agapetos. Little lovelies. Little lovers. Ha! Little night lights. Glow worms! HA! Simple, humble, willing…, in many ways we are to be childlike. Children naturally imitate. That’s why our Children’s Ministry team knows more about you than I do! HA! Your kids sell you out! HA!

Kiddos, we are supposed to be willing to listen and yield as God speaks, and that is a spiritual discipline because it will not naturally be what we do… The problem is, at least for me, I’m far too often not childlike but rather childish. Take my ball and go home! HA! But hey, back to easy peasy… According to the Bible, we don’t actually ever, not one ounce or inch, grow up in maturity until we are ok with being childlike in our heart of hearts…

It’s an odd thing, ironic for sure…, but Jesus said in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth…” and it was Paul that said at the beginning of Chapter 4 of Ephesians (Ephesians 4:1-2) that this is how we walk worthy of God…, “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” So, how do I access easy peasy…, not so easy, eh? Be a little lovely lover in your heart of hearts. And that’s actually the path to power.

Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you…” So, walk in love, Paul continues there in verse 2. How? What does that mean? To walk in love is to give your life a living sacrifice to God. Just as Jesus gave Himself literally as a living sacrifice for you, to God, that’s our example and standard of love. Agape…and we are to be, to grow up to be, agapetos.

Ephesians Chapter 5 Verses 3 – 4

The point is, these things don’t fit. That’s the word Paul uses twice here. It’s like using an international plug in the United States. Doesn’t work. It’s not from here. Wrong configuration. No power. Check this out, talk about fit, did you know that Mr. Roger’s middle name was McFeely!? For real! Go Google it! See, that fits! What if his middle name was McMurderer!? HA! Wouldn’t fit. Just like these works of the flesh in the life of a person that should be imitating Jesus…, little agapetos!

These are the things that will welcome evil to be effective in the life of a believer. And that will sap your power, character, person, attitude, all of it… Now things like blessings, maturity, character capacity, patience, goodness, gentleness…, in the company of these things Paul just listed, those things become just confusing and certainly no purpose! It’s just like twice this week…, TWICE, I was sitting in thick traffic, just inching along at 10 or 20 MPH on the highway and I keep the little map up on my phone on the dash to show me where the traffic is slow and it said, “Speed Check Ahead.” I was like, SO WHAT!? HA! What good is a speed check in thick traffic, ya dummies!? Same thing with blessing and the fruit of the Spirit in the midst of a carnal life. It’s just no GOOD! Throw some fruit into that poop group! HA!

Paul says rather think about, learn about, grow to understand who God is, who you are, and what God has done for you in Jesus and develop like a muscle in a gym a heart and lifestyle of gratitude. The truth is if you put great and attitude together you get gratitude. One leads to the other. And for a person to be full of greatness, they must first be grateful. It’s just how it works, man.

And a heart that is wise enough to understand these things will be immune in a way (think about it, a vaccine that actually works, ha!) vaccinated from things that take away, chip away, steal away who you are. Make no mistake, living, walking, doing things that are not of the Lord, sin, not fitting for the saint, these things chip away at who you even are and sometimes, in some circumstances, sledge hammer away… And Paul gets even a bit more aggressive with it as we finish up for today…

Ephesians Chapter 5 Verses 5 – 7

At the time that Paul penned this letter, there was a very popular sect of Christianity called Gnosticism. It was prevalent and popular because it was super appealing to the carnal mind, which means it’s going to sell easily. Gnosticism taught, among other things, that everything physical, material, was inherently evil. The material world was not of God. God is Spirit, Jesus said that Himself in John 4:24, and so since all things physical were not of God then all of it is basically evil… It is the spiritual side of a person that is pure.

So, the teaching was that what was done in the body, the physical side of life, really didn’t matter because it was the spiritual side that counted. That teaching is still very alive and well today in several mainstream and even traditional church movements, groups and reformations. Paul strikes this error down clearly…, as well (I might say) as does the rest of scripture.

Yes, you and I are saved by grace through faith and its not of works lest anyone should boast, and yes there is nothing at all that can snatch us out of the hand of God, all of that is true, but the kingdom of Christ and God as Paul wrote in Romans 14:17 is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Neither/None of those three things come from sin…

And so, Paul lays this out for you and for I in addressing how we are to think and conduct ourselves as Christians… And not be dumb about this… dark living leads to dark life. I mean, DUH! The kingdom of Christ and God is not just heaven to come! The Bible speaks of eternal life, yes, in the presence of the King but the Bible also speaks equally of everlasting life which is now, right now, at the moment the Holy Spirit shows up in a heart…

To think or say or reason somehow that the Spirit of God shows up in my heart of hearts with no intention of changing me from the inside out and cleaning up my life to make me pure and powerful and right-on in my dealings and more like Christ is to deny the Word and reject the faith and absolutely MISS what God has purposed for me in Christ. I step forward towards God’s incredibly and awesome plan for me as I trust Him above my own futility of mind…, period!

Paul warns us too that if we can live like this without conviction, because come on, all of us do these things according to Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount, but if we can continue in these things just like we were before Christ then it could very well be that we are yet without Christ! Paul says sin without conviction is a warning that perhaps I am or you are a child of disobedience. Which really just means, someone who doesn’t believe.

Let me show you. Hebrews 3:15-18, ““Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?”

Ok, the writer of Hebrews talks about those that rebelled, refused to obey God, missed the rest of God. Both on earth and implication of eternal rest as well. Now look at the connection in the next verse. Hebrews 3:19, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Make no mistake, disobedience, refusing the leadership of God in my life/in your life as a style of life, a definition of who you are, isn’t disobedience…, go one layer down, ask why…, it’s unbelief. For which is truly the single call and requirement of heaven.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever would BELIEVE in Him would not perish but have everlasting life! Heaven…, but also have EVERYLASTING life. The Kingdom of Christ and God today. Do you have that?

Ephesians 6 vs 17-24

July 16, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Ephesians 6:17–24

Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 17 · Finally, we get to the offensive part of the armor…, the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit…, counter to the flesh, opposite of this world system, and yet immutable, undefeated and even inexhaustible! The more you spend in the Word of God the more you learn and see and discern and the more that is revealed! The Word of God is the codification of Jesus Christ, of God Himself and as you take in and apply the Word of God, you see the efficacy of God not only in your own life and the lives of others but even in the world and in the spirit. Think of it this way, the Word of God is how the Spirit of God wars FOR you in in your life! Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 18 · Finally, the secret super kryptonite of Satan. The prayers of the saints! Welcoming, calling upon the work of the heaven in the realm of the earth. Praying not to conform God to your will but to conform to God’s will. This is the privilege of the child of God, along with the armor of God, secured and provided by the love of God through Jesus Christ! · And Paul says, “praying always!” What’s the right way to pray? Eyes closed? Eyes open? Alone in your prayer closet or corporately with others? Hands together, knees bent or hands to the sky, standing on your feet? Written, pre-prepared prayers or real-time off the cuff conversation with God? The simple answer is YES! Paul says, the Bible tells us, to pray ALL WAYS! Just pray! Do what you want to do and what connects your heart to the mission of God through communion with Jesus! · There is only one way to pray that is ineffective and disgusting to God and that is holding hands! HA! Just kidding! That’s just creepy in the flesh, totally acceptable to God, HA! Actually, though there is a manner of prayer that God detests and we find it in Matthew 6:5-8. “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” · Hypocritical, dramatic, vain prayers, prayers to be seen and heard by others rather than to be disassembled and undone before God. God already knows what’s up. He can see right into the intent of the heart. And prayer is personal. So, when we make it about only our own conveniences or comforts (speaking badly about others and such), well, that’s not prayer, that’s just conversation with your ego. Jesus goes on in Matthew 5 and gives a manner, a formula if you will for purity in prayer and He says in Matthew 6:9, “In this manner, therefore, pray, ‘Our Father in heaven,” remember whom you are addressing. Not just your Father but “our Father.” Not just concerned with your stuff, your well-being, your needs but equally concerned with those things for all others as well. In heaven, not on earth, so the cares of this world, the temporaries of this place, God is above all of that. Perfect, complete knowledge of the entirety of the people and situation… · “Hallowed be Your name.” Holy and above all and any of the drama. Perfect and good and righteous and impartial. One for us to call upon for His perspective because He is holy and not to force our perspective as correct. Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” I’m praying not to protect, establish or forward my cause but calling upon God to establish, forward and perfect His cause in my situation. Prayer in the Spirit is underminded by a heart-please to God of, “Bring heaven to earth through me…” · Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Finally, we get to a request. So often, most times, my prayers are only requests and Jesus gives us this model and instructs us to spend the first moments or the first portion of my prayer time on focusing on the Person and goodness and mission of God rather than jumping right to my needs. And the request is not to be flooded with resources but for God to give me just enough to fit my needs as He sees it and to grow my faith! There is a faith request in this statement! Today is enough, give me faith to pray again and trust You again for tomorrow! · Matthew 6:12, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Notice, before we talk about others, we address ourselves! Man do I fall short in this one all the time! Something is going on, there’s a circumstance, a problem, and of course the problem is THEM! HA, duh! But God says look, when did you ascend the throne of holiness? HA! Begin with asking God to reveal and to teach and to correct and to capacitate ME before I ask for the incapacitation of them! And there’s this embedded command…, your prayers turn right to hypocrisy if you aren’t willing to humble yourself and forgive. Forgive me, but I won’t forgive them…, that just simply doesn’t work. That’s pharisaical, dramatic, hypocritical, vanity! · Matthew 6:13, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” That’s it! Here’s the offensive kryptonite weaponry, that whatever the enemy has wrought, whatever the flesh has brought, what the world has taught, throw a beacon up, a flare, a lighthouse in the middle of that haze, that fog, that storm and I’ll come to shore. I’ll shore all that up as You God lead me and as I row into port, I trust in Your protection. · To follow my feelings, to get even, to hold the grudge, to be their judge, all of that appears to be the smart thing to do, but Your Word and Your Spirit tell me differently. Against my own fallen nature and in alignment with the cross of Calvary…, I’m going to choose to trust You! What more can the enemy do at that point? Ima bring pain. I trust God over my pain. Ima bring discomfort. I trust God over my discomfort. Ima bring inconvenience and Ima bring accusation…, you’re a fool for not hurting them like they hurt you! Well then, I’m a fool for Christ’s sake! He is God, I am not and His ways are perfect. His beacon will get me to shore, my boat out here is going to sink… And the enemy flees… why? Because you just reminded him of what he wasn’t willing to do himself… You’re stronger. · It’s been said that a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian and that the enemy fears the weakest Christian as they pray! The Lord in you is stronger than all of his power because you just chose to serve the Lord over serving yourself which is exactly what got Lucifer fired, kicked out of heaven and what keeps him even today entirely unsettled, unhappy, unsatisfied. You just reminded him of his defeat and scared him away. That is the sword of the spirit and the power of prayer! “For YOURS is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. AMEN.” · Do you see that final statement? It’s in complete alignment with Ephesians 6. The enemy wanted the kingdom, he ascended to power and demands the glory…, but this prayer, this weaponry unveiled by Jesus in Matthew 6…, it’s the recipe, man. The secret sauce to quenching all of the fiery darts of the evil one and standing and withstanding in the evil day! Ephesians Chapter 6 Verses 19 – 20 · You know, just a note of encouragement. Paul calls himself an ambassador in chains, which is not an optimal position to be in at all. And Jesus is described by the church as the “chain breaker,” and He is… But Paul prays and asks us to pray that God would use him even from within his chains, and I find that encouraging. Anyone here perfected? Anyone here arrived? Anyone here sinless? The fact is, even all that I am in the Lord, I’m still carrying some chains. And God is working on me, with me, in me, just like He is in you. But it was Oswald Chambers that said, “Our righteousness is in Christ’s Christian perfection. Our Christian perfection is not perfection of performance but perfection of relationship.” Ephesians Chapter 6 Verses 21 – 22 · I love Paul’s heart for the comfort and service and endorsement of others. Here he is in captivity and yet his heart is for the comfort of others. Ephesians Chapter 6 Verses 23 – 24 · Paul ends the letter with outstanding love and encouragement but this is also a very sharp statement. Grace, peace, love to all those who hold to what God has said, because that proves that I love and trust Jesus Christ as Lord and he throws in these two very very sharp words, “in sincerity.” · The word “sincerity” is derived from the Latin roots of the word sincere. Sine, meaning without and cera meaning wax. According to oral history, dishonest sculptors in Greece and Rome would cover flaws in their work by using wax. If the sculpture was chipped, cracked or damaged, the dishonest sculptors would melt wax in the marble dust, using it to conceal the flaw or imperfection. It would look perfect, and full price would be assigned to the piece. But the issue is, first hot day, or first prolonged period of sun exposure…, you see there would be no consistency of quality. · That’s what the word/phrase means here in the original language. Grace is going to flow upon you, through you, in you…, peace is going to be your personage, love will be your legacy…, and even all six chapters of this book will be quite naturally who you are as you simply set your own identity, will and reason as a man or a woman that has chosen to and faithful in responding to God’s love for you by simply loving Him back…

Epehesians 6 vs 14-18

July 9, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Ephesians 6:14–18

Ephesians Chapter 6 Verses 14 – 17 · Paul begins the description of the armor of God with truth. I’m not sure anything is more under attack in our current world predicament than truth! It’s no wonder, this was the first thing ever in the history of the world to come under attack! Genesis 2:17, God stated a truth, “The tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” That’s a truth. Death never entered the world until sin entered the bloodstream and that happened at the original betrayal of God. So, in that day, everything, into everything death entered. · But Satan comes around and challenges, questions, attacks truth in Genesis 3:4 saying, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Truth under attack. First play of the devil. And man is he slick! Why would I say that…, because he attacks absolute truth with a lesser, carnal truth…! · Was Satan lying? Not exactly. Was he telling the truth? Not exactly. And here is the greatest leveled up attack on truth there is. Did they die the day they ate the fruit? Carnally, physically, literally, no! Spiritually, yes! And from that day forward, death was a thing, when it hadn’t been a thing. In fact, God was describing death as the knowledge of good and evil. Stay pure. Stay perfect. Stay without sin… · Your eyes will be opened, sounds good right? It means death. You will be like God. Sounds good right? It means self-exaltation. Knowing something that you don’t know today. Sounds good right? It means to know death… Crazy, right!? So, God presented truth, comprehensively. Absolute truth with spiritual, physical, eternal and comprehensive completeness. And Satan presents another truth as well, but this one only in the physical, while shrouding the spiritual, eternal and comprehensive elements. And that makes a truth, even a fact, a lie… See the attack? So so, slick! · Entirely, completely, eloquently and exactly what continues to transpire today in the individual life and on the global societal/cultural level! So, you, as well for me, we must walk in more than knowledge or power of intellect, we need wisdom! When the spiritual side is shrouded by the enemy, can you still see it? The comprehensive side, can you still discern it? This is what Paul is talking about in terms of gird your waist with the truth. · The belt of the armor is everything. Ties everything together. If you don’t know the truth and are not skilled by way of practice and study to discern comprehensive truth, in the battle, well you’ll be caught with your pants down! And its interesting, the belt is not particularly a piece of armor, but rather a gathering place, if you will, for all of the other armor! · Paul begins here because if your wreck-out on this piece of the suit, if you miss truth, all of the rest of the resources we have available to us become not only powerless for anything good but actually quite harmful in general! The enemy began this confusion, Jesus faced it in Pilate as Pilate looked Jesus in the eyes and said, “What is truth?” And the onslaught is not only continuing but heating up today as phrases like, “my truth,” and “personal truth” are far more important than absolute truth… Or a better term in my opinion, comprehensive truth. · One more thing here… We are witnessing and even a part of a steep and swift decline in the moral character of the world. Everyone is focused on self. The world economy markets to the individual wants and needs. Every element of the entertainment industry which is all things including the media, merchandise, restaurants and even political agendas are all focused on serving and catering to and attracting the individual by addressing personal wants and needs. And all of that not only sounds right but works! But that is not the highest, comprehensive truth… · All character is, all it is, is comprehensive truth in the inner man. That’s all it is…, and so why is the world in such a steep and swift moral decline? Carnal truth has ascended the throne of this world and it’s locked in… But when it comes to me, no way. How about you? · Paul continues and now talks armor directly, mentioning the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate would provide protection for the most vital organs, and just like that, this one is critically important. This is not my own righteousness, that is powerless against the enemy, because for everything I do right and well, guaranteed there are two things I don’t. · Revelation 12:10 says, “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” The enemy is described as the accuser of the brethren not only because he is a dirtbag jerk, but also because there is plenty of material for him to work with! And so, my own righteousness has no chance of protecting me. · As a Christian, your righteousness is through Jesus Christ. What that means is that once you become a Christian, receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and therefore are forgiven of all your sin, the righteousness equal with Jesus Himself is imputed to you through faith. And this one is powerful. You and I are saved by grace through faith, and that’s it. Our right standing with God, our salvation is not through any works lest any man could boast. And so, when the accusations of the accuser come, you’re free to agree with Him… · All the things the enemy can accuse me of and try to shame me about and attempt to berate me for…, they’re all true! AND? AND? I’m yet beloved! I’m still accepted and affirmed and confirmed and I’m still redeemed, forgiven, not forsaken and I’m still empowered, indwelt and awesome because and by the Holy Spirit! See there’s no damage when you walk in the grace of God. Because you’re healed of the power and penalty of sin by Jesus Christ! Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 15 · I like this one and it is related to the one we just talked about. What makes you worthy of walking this way, walking as tall as you do, walking as strongly as you do, walking where you walk? Not me…, the gospel! But Paul gives the gospel an interesting descriptor. He calls it the gospel of peace… · Peace is a powerful weapon. Folks don’t think of it like that because its weird to use peace and weapon as one thought but you need to know this. When your aim is peace, to bring peace, to originate it…, I’m not talking about quietness or putting and end to a conflict, but peace, real peace…, where there is balance and rightness and almost a tranquility, when that is your aim and you’re looking for it and not only that but looking to bring it, the enemy becomes very frightened of you. Why? · Because according to James, wars and strife come from the flesh… According to Hebrews 13, God is the God of peace…, and so when your aim is to calm the fleshly storm in first yourself and others through the activation of God through your life, oh man…, you can tread on the head of the serpent all over again. Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 16 · Above all…, what is faith? All it is, is acting like God is telling the truth. Faith is not believing. If your beliefs never hit your feet then your faith is fake. Faith is active, outward, application of trust in God over your senses or circumstance. And Paul says that will stop everything the enemy tries to hurl at you! · The shield of faith would have been a door sized metal shield, covered with leather, soaked with water, to catch and stop all the fiery darts from all directions. And the darts come from all directions. Doubts, fears, insecurities, trials, difficulties, temptations, sins of others, even unseen enemies! And yet, trusting God, you don’t even have to watch, look, worry or predict…, all I do is take up the shield and it does the rest! Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 17 · The helmet of salvation. Protect your mind! You are saved! You are in Christ! That’s who you are now… And no matter what, that cannot be taken away. John 10:28, Jesus said, “I GIVE them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” And Paul said in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” · You need to settle for yourself whose you are and who you are so that you don’t lose in the battlefield of the mind because even in all of this other armor, you’re still going to make mistakes and you’re still even going to lose battles. That doesn’t mean you’ve lost all and God is able to reverse anything, ANYTHING, and redeem the days, moments, weeks and years the locusts have eaten up! · It’s also a call to play the long game! When you’re in the grip, in the moment, in the circumstance, remember, heaven is your home. Remember that your redemption is yet ahead. Remember that this moment will pass and if you do not lose heart, God will again prove Himself faithful! Paul said, in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” And in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” The helmet of salvation is the grit and toughness of the saint! PUT IT ON! · Ah and we get to the offensive part of the armor…, the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit…, counter to the flesh, opposite of this world system, and yet immutable, undefeated and even inexhaustible! The more you spend in the Word of God the more you learn and see and discern and the more that is revealed! The Word of God is the codification of Jesus Christ, of God Himself and as you take in and apply the Word of God, you see the efficacy of God not only in your own life and the lives of others but even in the world and in the spirit. Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 18 · Finally, the secret super kryptonite of Satan. The prayers of the saints! Welcoming, calling upon the work of the Spirit in the realm of the flesh. Praying not to conform God to your will but to conform to God’s will. This is the privilege of the child of God, along with the armor of God, secured and provided by the love of God through Jesus Christ!

Ephesians 6 vs 10-13

July 2, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Ephesians 6:10–13

The Bible talks about our life as a walk. To walk with the Lord, to walk in the Spirit, to not walk in the flesh…, BUT this doesn’t mean that life is easy. Have you ever heard the expression, “This will be a walk in the park?” Well, that is definitely not what is meant when we talk about our walk with the Lord. What’s meant is that it is constant and continual. It is actually anything but easy. Every day, your enemy is committed to your destruction. I wonder do you know that? I doubt it as much as we partner with him! Imagine if you worked with someone who had been at your place of employment for 500 years. Do you think they know how to do a job better than you? The enemy has been working here for far longer than 500 years... Compared to him, you just got here. And you’ve been thrown into, born into, a system that he has been working to setup over generations. A system that 1 John 2:16 says, “All of it, all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father…” Then who is it of…? Paul called the enemy in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “The god of this age…” And so yes, my life is described in the Bible as my walk with the Lord, but the context and setting is actually from within a war. Even in my own heart, the flesh always pressing me towards sin, the Spirit always pressing me towards righteousness. The battles abound. And so, Paul launches off into these last comments, after all is said, after all is shared, after all is commanded and directed, just like a good friend, father, pastor and Christian, he pours his heart out preparing us and urging us to be awake to the war… Nothing easier to defeat than a sleeping enemy! Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 10 · We are told to be strong because there exists the ability and temptation to also be weak. Isn’t it incredible, that in a time when the world is at its strongest, the church seems to be at its weakest. The church can be at its biggest in terms of numbers, programs, ministries, services, and still be at it’s weakest. Paul is very specific here to say to be strong IN THE LORD and the power of HIS might… · Paul actually got to the point where the weakness of his flesh was somehow and in someway, he was glad about it because it made him dependent upon the Lord. It activated a greater resource for him than he ever could have known being strong in and of himself. It’s often interesting also that the area you believe you are the strongest is often the area in which you are most vulnerable and have the greatest failures. Wherever and whatever it is about you that you believe you need no help in is a soft spot in your own crafted armor. Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 11 · The power and the might of God, both are there, secured for me and for you by Jesus Christ at His death and His resurrection. Check this out, when Christ died, He defeated our enemy. Colossians 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” You may not have ever thought of it this way but look what Jesus said face to face with Satan in Matthew 4:7, “Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord YOUR God….” He just pulled rank… · And so, we have these things following described as the armor of God in order to tap into the resources we already have to fight a battle that’s already won! But the key is, you tap into the strength in the Lord and you tap into the power of His might by taking up, of your own free will, the armor that has been made available to you through Jesus Christ. Only awake people “take up…” · Implication is also here that if we don’t put on the whole armor, then we leave a weak spot, a toe-hold, so keep that in mind. Ever see a weed growing through the smallest of cracks in the cement? It’s like that… and left unuprooted, that cement, in time, is toast! · And this is important, not just information but a real call to arms for all Christians. Think of it this way… A police officer shows up at your door in uniform, well that gets a certain response; but a police officer showing up in full riot armor solicits a completely different response! How are you showing up to the battle for your life? The battle for your marriage? For your children? For this ministry? · Think of it this way… Paintball is not fun unless you have armor! Before you play the game you’re told, “Now look, keep your armor on because these things are flying at you so fast that if they hit you in the eye, your eyeball will be pushed to the back of your skull!” No thanks! Better have the armor! This is important! · Verse 11 says you won’t be able to stand without it, AND, you have got to make sure it’s the Lord’s armor and NOT your own. Look at Luke 11:21-22, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his OWN palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.” The man in Luke 11 armored himself and there was one stronger. Who is stronger than God? No enemy is even difficult in any way for God! · Paul says this is how you stand and later he will use the word, “withstand.” I’ve seen Christians fully armored with intellect, superior knowledge, charisma, presence, force of character, command of all situations, in full control of anything they want to control and they are on their heels or backs spiritually and the enemy is just using them like a puppet, faith and all, to hurt them, keep them asleep, and harm the people around them. This is the armor, the only armor and all the armor, we need every bit of it in order to take our blood bought right to the power and might of God through the Holy Spirit! · Stand and withstand… We don’t need to gain any ground. Jesus already won all the ground. We have the armor, the enemy does not… So why are the majority of Christians either defeated, ineffective or “trying” constantly to be Christ-like while thinking, acting and performing like Jesus is some powerless false deity? It comes down to the will. Decision, resolve…as Paul says for you and for me to “PUT ON.” That’s an action of the will and it is personal… Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 12 · One more thing on this whole subject that Paul dives into before telling us what we need to decide to do…decide to put on. He tells us that the issue, the battle, the war, the struggle is not in the physical realm, not in the flesh and blood of what we know, not able to be sensed naturally, but it is in the spirit. The results are sometimes very physical for sure… The works of the flesh, but the cause and the creation of every issue and battle and struggle in the flesh is rooted in the spirit. · Every problem situation, circumstance, person or place. That thing is rooted in the spiritual. If you don’t know how to navigate that realm, battle and find victory in that realm, then you will do very very poorly in this realm. If you can’t get to the cause, then you cannot get to the cure. The last thing that the demonic realm wants you to do is figure them out because they know if you figure them out, then you’ve got them. They’ve seen it in Jesus, they’ve seen it in Paul, they’ve seen it in Peter, they’ve seen it countless times… · We have to be strong in HIS might and HIS power because our might and our power doesn’t work in the spiritual realm, and God has given us everything we need to walk in victory in the spirit and to stand and withstand in the flesh… All of it wrapped up in His might, His power, tapped into through the armor of God. Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 13 · Stand, withstand, stand. To be established, firm…, to uphold, to hold the line, to stay the course, to oppose, resist and to not fall. We need the whole armor of God. One more thing I’d like to offer before we close today. · John 17:9-16, Jesus prays, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept (there’s the stand and withstand); and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. · The armor of God, the prayer of Jesus, prepares us to stand within the storm of the spiritual darkness that this world is. He doesn’t, because He cannot, tell us to be victorious by avoiding the battle. And here I believe the church has erred. We are to come out and be separate from the world, to be sanctified but that sanctification is not a removal, just as Jesus prayed, but it is an armament. We are to be in the world, and yet, in the armor of God, not of the world, so that we can affect the world for the truth and so that we ourselves even can fulfil our own personal purpose and glorify God. · Jesus continued in John 17:17-18, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” We don’t and I don’t and the church shouldn’t run lives but think about what Jesus prayed and think about this for just a moment. Protecting my children from evil influence is a recipe for disaster and failure. What we need to do is prepare them for battle from within the evil of the world. · It’s like preparing them to run from a storm that they cannot get away from because the storm is worldwide. We should rather prepare them to thrive within the storm and to teach others how to do so also. How? The whole armor of God. The knowledge of good and evil is part of this fallen realm. I’m not saying expose your kids to sin and wickedness. That’s stupid. I’m saying do what Jesus did. Prepare them, fortify them, teach them how to take up the whole armor of God. That’s far more difficult, loving and powerful than teaching them to deny its existence. We’ll talk about it next week and I’ll end with this, the most effective fiery dart of the devil is deception. We ought to be wise as serpents and as gentle as doves and as prepared and fortified as Jesus prayed!