Be Strong In The Lord

Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Opening: I love a good steak. When you’re getting a good steak from the store, the best steaks come not from the the part of the cow where the muscles are, but from areas on the cow that are not exercised. Muscle makes tough meat. The more it works, the tougher it is to eat! I’ve heard about a type of cow called Wagu Beef (Kuroge). The Wagu beef is fed a specialized diet. It is kept in clean, calm, stress free environments with ample space, good water, nice shade. The cow is fed only the best grain feed, beer or red wine to stimulate its appetite, and everything is done to keep the animal happy and rested. The more it works, the tougher it is to eat. The animal is kept in a pristine state – until the day of slaughter. When killed, the animal feels no pain during the process. The cow is petted until one day – surprise – it becomes Wagu! Sold for up to $300 per pound, in the end its nothing but food.

We often complain about trials and tribulations (like this winter storm we just went through”. Sometimes the complaining is accusatory. I’ve heard people say,

“If God is such a good God, why do we have trials and tribulation? Why is life so often tough?”

Trials and tribulations drive us into the arms of God. I hope you prayed frequently during the storms, asking that God be glorified as this fallen world buffeted us. I know I did. I learned how to pray in a hospital with a shattered led. Trials and tribulations make us stronger. Our Lord Jesus said in His ministry:

Matthew 11:5 (KJV) The BLIND receive their sight, and the LAME walk, the LEPERS are cleansed, and the DEAF hear, the DEAD are raised up, and the POOR have the gospel preached to them.

Who are those that are missing from this list? The ones who have never really suffered. The royals. The rich. The silver spoon crowd. Those who are like Wagu beef. Pampered, pretty, poised. Millionaires, Billionaires, Trillionaires. They have all the world – but have for all intents and purposes lost their souls. The Bible says:

1 Peter 5:8-10 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION, SEEKING SOMEONE TO DEVOUR. [9] RESIST HIM, FIRM IN YOUR FAITH, knowing that the SAME KINDS OF SUFFERING ARE BEING EXPERIENCED by your brotherhood throughout the world. [10] And after you have SUFFERED A LITTLE WHILE, the GOD OF ALL GRACE, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Since Satan led Adam to give dominance of this world over to him, we have seen and experienced thorns and thistles, sin and death. We are in a spiritual battle against an enemy that is FAR STRONGER THAN WE ARE. As believers in Christ, as the Church that Jesus so loved and gave Himself for, we must not be lazy or procrastinate in pour faith. The Book of Wisdom tells us:

“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands … so shall your poverty come upon you unexpectedly, like an armed robber” (Proverbs 6:10-11).

The devil wants us to be lazy in our faith. He wants us to be comfortable, indolent, doing as little as possible. The devil was created beautiful and strong. A chief angel that God called Lucifer (which means “Shining and Beautiful One”) revolted against God (Isaiah 14:12-15), and was cast down to the earth by God through Michael the Archangel (Ezekiel 28:12-17; Revelation 12:7-9; 2 Peter 2:4). Lucifer is real. He goes by many names in the Scripture:

Satan (Adversary – Job 1:6, Zechariah 3:1, Matthew 4:10)
Devil (Accuser – Matthew 4:1, Revelation 12:9)
Dragon (Revelation 12:3, 12:9, 20:2)
Old Serpent (Genesis 3; Revelation 12:9, 20:2)
Beelzebul/ Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24)
Belial (Worthless – 2 Corinthians 6:15)
Accuser of the Brethren (Revelation 12:10)
The Evil One (Matthew 13:19; 1 John 5:19)
The Tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5)
Prince of this world (John 12:31, John 14:30)
god of this age or time (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2)
fake angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:4)

Preach! The Devil is not lazy. He has one agenda – to deglorify God, make himself god and rule the earth. The Devil wants to take control of your life and to damn you both now and into eternity. The Devil wants to eat you. He desires you as Wagu beef! He is not a Sunday morning devil (like some of you are Sunday morning Christians). He is an everyday warrior for evil and darkness. You cannot defeat him being lazy.

The Devil offered our Lord Jesus Christ the world, if He would but follow him and his ways (Matthew 4:8-10). But Jesus knew that the devil is a wicked ruler over his people (Proverbs 28:15). Jesus told Satan:

Matthew 4:10 (LSB) Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.

Many “Christians” in America treat the Church like a clubhouse, like a Masonic Lodge (and I mean no offense) or the Rotary, Legion, Kiwanis, FOP, add your club name here. The Church is not the Graymere Country Club. The Church is where spiritual warriors come to be trained. The Church is the manifestation of the Kingdom of God on the earth. And I want you to understand this: As Paul ends this letter to the Church at Ephesus (and us), the Lord wants us to understand …

If You Are A Christian, You Better Get Serious.
We Are In A Spiritual Battle With A Mighty Foe.

Let’s break it down. Read the words again:

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my BRETHREN, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole ARMOR OF GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

We are called TOGETHER as an army of the Lord. The Bible calls us “BRETHREN” or brothers and sisters in arms. We are called to unity. To stand together. Satan’s forces are together. Before Jesus went to the Cross, He prayed for His Church:

John 17:21 That ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You.

A disunited group of people cannot hope to defeat a united enemy. It is the devil that planted DEI and other unbiblical foolishness into our institutions of higher learning. It was the devil who got people to believing they are more fully evolved animals, and not the handiwork of God. It was the devil who caused the family and marriage to dissolve, and for children to be raised by machines rather than a loving father and mother. It was the devil who enticed us to be more enamored with denomination rather than the Divine Throne of God.

The Devil wars by planting slander, deception, propaganda.
He is a master at misdirection.

Lucifer is not frightened by man-made religion. Who was it that had Jesus crucified. Was not Jesus crucified by religious figures who loved man made religion, but rejected the long prophesied Messiah? Didn’t Jesus stand strong against the Pharisees and religious Priests of Judaism who rejected the Scripture, while pretending to be holier than all others? Will you read Matthew chapter 23 and not see how our Lord lambasted those who loved titles and recognition – but who did not love those who were their neighbors. Didn’t Jesus call these people “hypocrites, blind guides, fools, blind men, lawless, serpents, brood of vipers, children of hell”?

It was politicians like Herod and Pilate that ordered Jesus crucified. It was religious leaders who did not love God that brought Jesus up on charges. These people followed the devil, not God. The Bible says “none of the rulers of this age understood the Cross, or else they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).

Through it all, God was in control. God is always in control. Satan may have prompted the politicians and priests to crucify Jesus, but it was our Lord Jesus Who willingly laid down His life (John 10:17-18). It might have been the chief priests of Judaism that sought our Lord’s life, but it was God our Father Who gave Jesus Christ to Calvary for our sins (John 3:16).

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD, and IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. 11 Put on the whole ARMOR OF GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The devil wants you to fight him with YOUR power. He wants YOU to struggle against his methods, YOU to resist him, YOU to rail against him. I’ve heard people say “we Christians have the power to BIND THE STRONGMAN”. They misquote passages like Matthew 12:29 and Mark 3:27 and Matthew 16:19. I have heard televangelists say “we bind you, Satan, in the name of Jesus”. This is not scriptural.

The Christians has NO POWER to bind Satan. Only God can bind Satan. Only the Holy Spirit can bind the strongman.

In Matthew chapter 12 the Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebub Prince of the devils. They were talking about Satan. They were saying, “Jesus casts out demons by being in league with Satan”. Jesus told them:

Matthew 12:25-26, 28-29 (LSB) {Jesus} said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. [26] “And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? … [28] “But if I CAST OUT DEMONS BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. [29] Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Jesus did not cast out demons by His own power. He cast out demons “BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD”. Jesus “ENTERED THE STRONG MAN’S HOUSE”, He came to this earth, an earth taken over by Satan, and “BOUND THE STRONG MAN” not by His power, but by the power of the Spirit of God. Could Jesus have cast out demons by His power? Certainly. But He showed us this:

If Jesus Himself did not cast out demons or bind Satan by His own power, how in the world do we think WE petty beings can do it? We do not defeat darkness in our own power. We call upon God, Who BINDS THE STRONG MAN. It is God Who is the Victor.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD, and IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.

Christian, our strength is “IN THE LORD”. Our victory is “IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT”. It is not me that will defeat Satan. It is God. When we stand in one accord, and serve our God TOGETHER, the Holy Spirit is in our midst. Only the Spirit can bind the strongman. The power is in God – To HIM be the glory!

Illustrate: The first King of Israel was Saul. He was described as “a handsome young man, tall, the most beautiful of all the Israelites” (1 Samuel 9:2). Chosen by Israel to be King, he never submitted his life to the King of Kings. Like Frank Sinatra, Saul always did thing “My Way”. In 1 Samuel 13, Saul was leading Israel to battle against the Philistines when he decided to do that which only God’s representative should do. He offered Burnt and Peace Offerings to God not because he wanted to honor God, but out of arrogance as king. The Prophet Samuel told Saul:

1 Samuel 13:13-14 (Brenton’s English Septuagint) Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept my command, WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED THEE, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever. [14] But NOW THY KINGDOM SHALL NOT STAND TO THEE, and THE LORD SHALL SEEK FOR HIMSELF A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART; and the Lord shall appoint him to be a ruler over his people, because THOU HAST NOT KEPT ALL THAT THE LORD COMMANDED THEE.

Saul tried casting the Devil out with his own power – and it cost him every blessing God had allowed Him. If you are going to defeat the Devil, YOU cannot do it – but God can do it through you!

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole ARMOR OF GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Word Study: God began to look for someone who would “Put on THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD”. Who did God find to bless? The Lord found a young man that was willing to empty himself, someone who would “Put on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD”. The phrase “WHOLE ARMOR” is the Greek panoplia. It’s not a suit. It’s not leisure wear. It’s not a bikini. It is battle garb. The phrase “WHOLE ARMOR” implies that not one piece is missing from the ensemble. The Roman soldier considered the panoplia to be the helmet, shield, sword, lance, greaves (leg armor), and breastplate. I want you to notice that this is the “WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD”.

This ARMOR is not man made. It is God made. It can only be worn when you put aside fear, and put your fullest trust in God your Savior.

Illustrate: God sent Samuel to the home of Jesse to find the next King of Israel. Where did God find him? Out in the pasture watching sheep. When Samuel compared David to Saul and found him wanting, the Lord told him:

1 Samuel 16:7 (Brenton’s English Septuagint) … Look not on his appearance, nor on his stature, for I have rejected him; for God sees not as a man looks; for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

God can’t use a self empowered warrior. He uses those who empty themselves, who trust fully in Him no matter what might come. One day David came up on the camp of the Army of Israel, quaking in fear before a giant called Goliath. No one would fight Goliath – not even King Saul. The man was huge! He stood before Israel like Satan before this world, roaring curses, threatening and bringing fear. The children of Israel put on the armor of fear, of self doubt, of faithlessness. Satan loves that man made armor. But David stood up, and looked up to God his Father. “I’ll fight him!”

His brothers mocked him.
His eldest brother claimed he was being arrogant (1 Samuel 17:28).
David didn’t back down.

When David stood before King Saul, the King tried to discourage him. “You are inexperienced, just a young boy” (1 Samuel 17:33) “You don’t have the experience, and this is a seasoned warrior”. But David clung to Jesus. He said:

1 Samuel 17:37 (LSB) Yahweh, WHO DELIVERED ME from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, HE WILL DELIVER ME from the hand of this Philistine.

King Saul tried to get him to wear HIS armor. The world is always trying to get us to wear man made armor when we go to battle with Satan. The world wants us to put on COMPROMISE and TOLERANCE and DARWINISM and FEAR. Sometimes we are tempted to put this on. We read:

1 Samuel 17:38-40 (LSB) Then Saul clothed David with HIS ROBES and put a BRONZE HELMET on his head, and HE CLOTHED HIM WITH ARMOR. 39 And David girded HIS SWORD over HIS ARMOR and tried to walk, for he had not tested [them]. So David said to Saul, “I CANNOT GO WITH THESE, FOR I HAVE NOT TESTED THEM.” And DAVID TOOK THEM OFF. 40 Then he took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in [his] pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole ARMOR OF GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

David could have went out with the ARMOR OF SAUL. He would have lost the battle, and God would not be glorified. David could have went out with the FINEST MAN MADE ARMOR of that time, which Saul’s surely was, and Goliath would have had his head. Or David could have played it safe, and put on the ARMOR OF FEAR that the others were wearing, or the ARMOR ON ANONYMITY and kept himself out of the light.

God is not glorified by this.
David instead took the common things He knew.
He took the sling, 5 stones.
He took the hand of God and stepped out in faith.
And David was invincible because God is invincible!

David armed himself with the “FULL ARMOR OF GOD”. David was certain that “Yahweh, who delivered me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And God did!

Our Battle Is Not With Flesh And Blood, But With Angels More Powerful Than We Are

Ephesians 6:12-13 For we wrestle NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against PRINCIPALITIES, against POWERS, against the RULERS OF DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, against SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES. 13 Wherefore take unto you the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, TO STAND.

The battles we as Christians face is not “AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD”. Flesh and blood does not just refer to humans, but to animals as well. Who was it that betrayed Jesus Christ to the soldiers in Gethsemane? Yes, humanly speaking it was Judas Iscariot. But was it Judas? The Bible tells us that …

Luke 22:1-4 (ESV) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. [2] And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put {Jesus} to death, for they feared the people. [3] Then SATAN ENTERED INTO JUDAS called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. [4] He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.

The Devil uses flesh and blood – but our battle is not with flesh and blood. It is with Satan. It is with demons, fallen angels, who want to control this world. The Bible describes these creatures as:

PRINCIPALITIES, {archē} or Arch Angels
POWERS, {exousia} or Leading Authorities
RULERS OF DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD
SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES

These are not flesh and blood creatures, but fallen beings more powerful than you can imagine. In the Old Testament one such creature, one angel killed 185,000 people in one night (2 Kings 19:35; Isaiah 37:36; 2 Chronicles 32:21). You cannot bind these forces. You cannot defeat these forces. Do you know Who can?

Our God. The God Who made the angels can defeat the angels. When Satan wanted to test Job, he had to ask God’s permission. The Bible says,

Job 1:12 (AP) The LORD SAID TO SATAN, all that Job has is in your power; but DO NOT LAY A HAND ON HIM

The Bible says that “in HIM {in Jesus Christ} ALL THINGS WERE CREATED, both in the heavens and on earth, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM. Who can defeat the devil and his devices? Not I. Not you. But God.

Where Are You Standing?

Preach! It is God the Son, the Blessed Jesus, that we empty ourselves and cast ourselves upon. We give Him our lives fully, trusting He will redeem us. It is God the Son Who, upon our salvation, sends the blessed Holy Spirit to us to lead us and guide us in the truth. It is the Holy Spirit that writes the chapters of our lives from the moment of salvation, and the Holy Spirit Who has given us this wonderful text, the Word of God. It is God the Father Who sent His Son to save us, for we cannot save ourselves. We were dead in trespasses and sins when He found us, and He made us alive through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Our salvation is in God. And our victory is in the God Who saved us, the Holy Trinity. Not in denomination, not in ritual, not in our abilities, but in Him Who loved us and gave Himself for us.

God uses the demons to grow us! God uses trials to draw us closer to Him. In 2 Corinthians 12 the Apostle Paul tells us that God sent an angel to him to torment him. Paul said:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (LSB) … to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, A MESSENGER OF SATAN TO TORMENT ME — to KEEP ME FROM EXALTING MYSELF! 8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for POWER IS PERFECTED IN WEAKNESS.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather BOAST IN MY WEAKNESSES, SO THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY DWELL IN ME. 10 Therefore I am well CONTENT with WEAKNESSES, with INSULTS, with DISTRESSES, with PERSECUTIONS and HARDSHIPS, for the sake of Christ, for WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG”

Paul understood that when the bad things came, that it came from the hand of a loving God Who only wanted the best for him. When tried, and we will be tried, we need to be fully reliant upon God. We are to suit up with the “ARMOR OF GOD”. We are to be “STRONG IN THE LORD”. The power is of God – not of me, nor of you. It is not a man made power. It is a GOD MADE POWER. The truth is, the Roman soldier was undefeatable because he wore the armor that his master provided him. He didn’t pick and choose which armor to wear, but wore the “WHOLE ARMOR” to battle. The dead soldier is the one who picks and chooses what to wear.

Paul learned – and we need to learn – that when we empty ourselves of pride and self empowerment, then God is able to fill us and use us against Satan and his evil forces. The Church is losing in America because we are using man-made weapons to defeat a spiritually superior being. And yes, Satan and his forces are spiritually superior.

But not to God.

The victorious soldier resists the enemy, but perfectly obeys the Master. The Apostle John – boiled in oil, and exiled to Patmos – is the only Apostle who died a natural death. Why? Because he believed in the “ARMOR OF GOD” – and PUT IT ON daily. When the devil tried to sell John a false gospel and a false scripture, John said:

1 John 4:1, 4-6 (LSB) Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because MANY FALSE PROPHETS HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD. … 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak [as] from the world, and the world hears them. 6 WE ARE FROM GOD. The one who knows God hears us; the one who is not from God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Beloved, if you are saved, “WE ARE FROM GOD”. In this battle that is ongoing and spiritual, the first thing you need to know is what side you are on. You are either for Jesus and the Gospel, or not. God doesn’t care what your political party is, but Satan wants you to conflate your views with the Bible, twisting the Word of God to suit the whim of man. The Devil loves a scared, unarmored, self empowered Christian.

Ephesians 6:13 … having done all, to stand.

Daily suit up with the “WHOLE ARMOR” of God. Submit yourselves to God. Start the day in submission. And when you are in the world, remember you have an enemy far more powerful than you. You must “STAND” in Him. Refuse to budge. Refuse to put on any armor than that which God supplies. Only then will we defeat the evil one. Empty yourselves, and let God fill you with His Word and His will.

Amen.