Standing Firm in the Gospel
Thank you for joining us as we continue digging into our Keeping it Real series on Ephesians.
Read Ephesians 6.
In chapter 6, Paul concludes with a key set of scriptures about how we are to stand firm in this new kingdom reality made available through Christ. He knew that for us to live as new creation people in unity with each other, we would need both the empowering of the Spirit to do so, and to be made aware of the enemy that would be working against us. That while this enemy would be working to prevent what the gospel is accomplishing through us, we are equipped with powerful armour in the Spirit to both fight off the enemy’s schemes, and to stand firm in our faith.
Firstly, Paul makes clear WHO our enemy is. It’s not “flesh and blood”, it’s the “spiritual forces of evil”. We are not fighting people, we are fighting the enemy named in scripture and by Jesus as Satan and his demons, and as Jesus explains in John 8:44, “he is a liar and the father of lies”. These scriptures reveal to us WHAT we as followers of Jesus are fighting. Lies!
\In the context of Ephesians, our enemy is working to destroy the work of the gospel in the people in Ephesus, as well as us today. He will use his lies to seek to disconnect us from God and one another, and cause us to question and walk away from who we are in Christ. It is here that Paul outlines the armour that we as believers have been given in Christ to withstand his schemes. The armour Paul lists, is the practical application of “putting on” the new self.
Putting on the armour of God, is taking what is true of you as proclaimed in the gospel. Putting this truth into your heart - through the power of the spirit. Through the word and through prayer until they become new habits of the heart - new reflexes, new dispositions of the soul. This truth as it becomes a part of every fibre of our being, will have us both able to recognise our enemies tactics, and ready to fight off and stand firm in the truth of the gospel of Christ!
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What themes stood out to you in Ephesians chapter 6?
2. If the enemy’s main methods of attack are lies, what lies have you come into agreement with or have been battling with, that have caused you to feel disconnected from God? Disconnected from others?
3. What lies have and are causing you to question and walk away from who you are in Christ?
4. Looking back through the first three chapters of Ephesians - where and how do you need to believe the truth of the gospel to see the power of those lies you’ve identified broken off your life?"
Thanks again for joining us. We pray you were blessed.
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