Ephesians

Make Your Stand

What good is armor if it is allowed to rust away in a closet? If you are a Christian, you have the full armor of God available to you. Are you using it? Have you put it on? Have you flexed it and tested it in battle? When you find yourself growing cold or lukewarm, when you are under attack by the schemes of the devil, when you are anxious or depressed, when you are beset by doubts or fears, when you feel the lure of lusts—do you take refuge in the armor and mighty strength of the Lord?

Finally, remember why you have been given the full armor of God, “so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). The point of this spiritual armor is to make sure that we will be able to stand in the day of evil.

What does that mean, “to stand”? Picture a football team defending its goal line. Its back against its own end zone, the defense lines up on the scrimmage line and digs in, standing tough, refusing to be moved. This is exactly what Paul’s word picture suggests to us. We are to refuse to move from the ground of faith we have taken.

Why does Paul want us to stand? Shouldn’t we fight, advance, charge against the enemy? Paul wants us to think soberly about what spiritual warfare really means. He encourages us to stand because he knows there will be times when that is all we can hope to do. There are times in battle when the fight is so furious that a soldier can do no more than defend his position and stand his ground. Paul knows that the day of evil is coming. He knows that as we draw nearer to the time of our Lord’s return, evil days will come with greater frequency and intensity. Most of all, he doesn’t want us to be knocked off our feet by the terrors of that day.

We also need to realize that the war we are engaged in is primarily a defensive action. Our Lord and Commander, Jesus Christ, has the might and power to take offensive action—and indeed He accomplished His mission when He was nailed to a cross two thousand years ago, and when He arose in resurrection power. Only He has the power to go face to face with the prince of darkness. Our role in this war is to make a defensive stand, a goal-line stand, a defense against the siege of Satan. Our primary function is not to take new ground, but to repel invasion and defend that which is already ours.

As the apostle Jude writes, “I…urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Or as Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). Amazingly, our defensive action is the greatest offense we could mount. The Christian who learns to put on the armor of God and pray and remain immovable becomes an impenetrable barrier to the schemes of Satan. He demonstrates Christ-like peace and poise to a troubled and fearful world—and in the process, he draws more and more people to consider the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, friend in Christ, I urge you along with the apostle Paul: 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. So that when that evil day comes—and make no mistake, it is coming!—you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, after the smoke and haze of battle clears, the enemy will lie vanquished at your feet. And you will stand, joyful and victorious, beside your Lord and Commander, Jesus Christ.

Study Questions

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Before you begin your study this week:

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  Pray and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit.
  
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  Use only the Bible for your answers.
  
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  Write down your answers and the verses you used.
  
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  Answer the “Challenge” questions if you have the time and want to do them.
  
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  Share your answers to the “Personal” questions with the class only if you want to share them.
  

First Day: Read the commentary on Ephesians 6:10-17.

1. What meaningful or new thought did you find in the commentary on Ephesians 6:10-17 or from your teacher’s lecture? What personal application did you choose to apply to your life?

2. Look for a verse in the lesson to memorize this week. Write it down and post it in a prominent place. Make a real effort to learn the verse and its “address” (reference of where it is found in the Bible).

Second Day: Read Ephesians 6:18-24, concentrating on verse 18.

1. We are engaged in a spiritual battle. After listing our spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:14-17, what action does Paul instruct us to take? (Ephesians 6:18)

2. Challenge: Prayer may seem like an unusual way to do battle. What do you learn about our warfare and our weapons from 2 Corinthians 10:3-5?

3. As Christians, what is our relationship to God? (Galatians 4:6)

4. Prayer, then, is simply talking to God, our Heavenly Father. How does Matthew 6:9 confirm this?

5. a. The subject of prayer is extensive. In this lesson we will touch on some major points. From James 4:2-3, what are some reasons we might not receive what we want?

b. What assurance are we given regarding our prayers in the following verses?

Psalm 91:15

John 14:13-14

1 John 5:14-15

6. Personal: When is your favorite time to pray? How do you view prayer? Is it a job or a joy? Have you had any special answers to prayer that you’d like to share with your group?

Third Day: Review Ephesians 6:18-24, again concentrating on verse 18.

1. We continue looking at Paul’s exhortation to pray. What specific information on prayer does he give in Ephesians 6:18?

2. a. What do you learn about prayer and the Holy Spirit from Romans 8:26-27?

b. Compare the Romans passage with 1 John 5:14-15. Is anything meaningful to you?

3. From 1 Timothy 2:1-4, whom are we to pray for? List at least three reasons why.

4. Read Philippians 4:6-7. What are we to pray about? How are we to pray? What will be the result?

5. What do you learn about prayer from Luke 18:1?

6. Personal: Have these passages changed your view of prayer? If so, how? Will you make any changes to your prayer life? If so, what?

Fourth Day: Review Ephesians 6:18-24, concentrating on verses 19-20.

1. a. In Ephesians 6:19-20, what specific prayer for himself does Paul desire?

b. What did Paul request of the Roman believers in Romans 15:30?

2. How does Paul describe himself in Ephesians 6:20?

3. From Acts 28:16-19, what situation was Paul in that could have prompted his prayer requests?

4. From Acts 28:30- 31, what do you learn about God’s answer to the prayers for Paul (as he requested in the verses covered in question 1)?

5. Personal: Whose struggle are you joining with in prayer? Certain missionaries? Certain ministries? Has today’s lesson encouraged you to pray? If so, how?

Fifth Day: Review Ephesians 6:18-24, concentrating on verse 21.

1. From Ephesians 6:21, who is Paul sending to the Ephesians, and how is he described?

2. How does Paul further describe Tychicus in Colossians 4:7?

3. Read Acts 20:1-4. What do you learn about Tychicus from this passage?

4. Challenge: Paul wrote a letter to his devoted co-worker, Titus, who was carrying out difficult work in Crete. Read Titus 3:12. Who was Paul going to send to replace Titus? What do you think this says about Tychicus’ character?

5. Personal: Tychicus is not a name that immediately comes to mind when you think of mighty men of God in the Bible, yet without his help, Paul’s ministry might not have been as effective as it was. Do you ever look at what others are doing in service for the Lord and feel that your contribution is of little importance? Remember, it is not what “great” things we do for the Lord, but whether we are faithful to do what He has asked us to do (see Matthew 10:42; 1 Corinthians 2:4). Spend time in prayer today. Ask God to guide and direct you as you seek to serve Him.

Sixth Day: Read Ephesians 6, concentrating on verses 21-24.

1. Along with delivering Paul’s letter, what was Tychicus to do in Ephesus? (Ephesians 6:21-22)

2. What does Proverbs 25:25 say regarding good news from a distant land?

3. Personal: Have you ever been concerned about a loved one or friend who was far away? How did you feel when you heard they were doing all right? Have you ever been concerned about a loved one going through some difficulty? How did you feel when you heard they were standing strong in the Lord?

4. In Ephesians 6:23-24, what blessing does Paul pronounce on believers?

5. Personal: In this course we have studied God’s eternal plan and looked at the manifold blessings poured out on us in and through Jesus Christ. What has been most meaningful to you, and how has it made a difference in your daily life and your relationship with the Lord?

Ephesians Lesson 21

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Ephesians 6:18-24 — Fighting on Our Knees

Missionary John G. Paton tells of an experience that occurred soon after he and his wife began missionary work in the rain forests of the New Hebrides islands. One night, hostile tribesmen surrounded the mission headquarters where he and his wife lived. The torch-bearing tribesmen were determined to burn the building down, killing Paton and his wife. Alone in a strange land, far from anyone who could help them, the Patons spent the entire night on their knees in prayer, expecting their house to go up in flames around them at any moment.

The hours passed without an attack. Finally morning came and John Paton got up from his knees and peeked out the window. He was astonished to see that the hostile tribesmen had left. Instantly, John and his wife dropped again to their knees—this time to thank God for their deliverance.

The Patons continued their work among the tribespeople and saw many of them come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. After about a year of evangelistic effort, even the chief of the tribe became a follower of Christ. Remembering the night of terror when he and his wife thought they were about to be burned alive in the mission station, Paton asked the chief what had prevented him and his men from torching the house.

“We were afraid of the men that protected you,” replied the chief.

“What men?” asked Paton. “There were no men protecting us. My wife and I were in the house alone.”

“No,” the chief insisted, “there were many men around the house—men with shining clothes and swords in their hands. They stood around the building and would not let us harm you.”

Then John Paton knew why he and his wife were spared. Their prayers had been answered that night. God had sent His angels to protect the Patons from attack. That is the power that all Christians, including you and me, have access to whenever we go to our knees in prayer.

Praying with Purpose

We are engaged in a spiritual battle, the greatest battle ever fought. And the message of Ephesians 6 is that this is a war that must be fought on our knees. Paul writes:

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:18-20)

Immediately after listing for us our spiritual armor, Paul instructs us in the final complement to the full armor of God: prayer. Notice the order in which Paul discusses these issues. He does not reverse the order and say, “First pray, then put on the armor of God.” No, we put on the armor first, then pray. We tend to reverse this order, and that is why our prayer life is frequently so feeble and impotent. Our prayer life would be stronger and more effective if we would carefully observe the designated order of Scripture.

I think most Christians would candidly have to confess that they are dissatisfied with their prayer life. They feel it is inadequate and perhaps infrequent. All of us at times struggle to improve our prayer life by disciplining our schedules or maintaining a prayer list or journal. In other words, we begin with the doing—but we are starting at the wrong place. We are violating our basic human nature in approaching prayer this way. The place to start is not with doing, but with thinking.

Whenever we wish to become disciplined and motivated for some task, we must begin with careful reflection on what that task requires. And Paul tells us that, as we approach the all-important task of prayer, we must put prayer in its proper order. Prayer follows putting on the armor of God. In fact, prayer is a natural, normal outgrowth of putting on the armor of God.

Now, I am not suggesting that we do not need to discipline ourselves as Christians. But discipline comes in at the beginning of the process, when we put on the full armor of God. Then prayer takes place as a natural outgrowth of our discipline in putting on that armor. When we follow the process that Paul outlines for us, our prayer life takes on real meaning and significance.

This is the problem with much of our praying now, isn’t it? It is shallow and superficial. Prayer should be an outgrowth of thoughtfulness about the implications of faith. Thoughtful prayer that is an outgrowth of the full armor of God is prayer with depth, meaning, and significance—prayer that is pointed and purposeful.

Two Forms of Prayer

What is prayer? Is it a mere superstition as some people think? Is it mumbling, talking to yourself, under the deluded dream that you are addressing a mythical deity?

Or is prayer a form of magic by which we summon God like a mythical genie? Is prayer an Aladdin’s lamp that we rub to bend God’s will to ours?

Or is prayer a form of “self-talk,” a psychological-religious form of navel-gazing in which you plumb the depths of your being, your soul, your conscious and subconscious mind?

None of these notions of prayer accord with the description of prayer we find in Scripture. Paul recognizes two categories of prayer, which in Ephesians 6:18 he calls (1) “all kinds of prayers” and (2) “requests.” Let’s examine each category of prayer and understand why Paul makes this distinction.

1. All Kinds of Prayers

This is the widest classification. If you take the whole range of biblical teaching on prayer, you find that prayer, as it is presented in Scripture, is nothing more nor less than conversation with God. That’s all. Prayer is simply conversing with God.

A Christian, remember, is a member of the family of God. So prayer is family talk. It is friendly, intimate, frank, unrestricted conversation with God. It is a chat with the Father around the heavenly dinner table. We have been brought into this close, intimate relationship by faith in Jesus Christ. We are no longer strangers—we are children of God, part of the family circle. So prayer is simply carrying on a conversation with God—and that is the first category of prayers Paul talks about.

2. Requests

A request is a specific plea for God to supply a need. “You do not have, because you do not ask God,” says James 4:2. In our conversation with God it is perfectly proper to ask, because we are His children and He is our Father.

In Ephesians 6:18, Paul commends both of these forms of prayer: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” The apostle is saying, in effect, “After you have put on the armor of God, then talk to God about it. Tell Him your reactions, tell Him how you feel, and ask Him for what you need.”

Three Principles of Effective Prayer

Prayer is often considered to be so high and holy that it has to be carried on in some artificial Elizabethan language or stentorian tone of voice. You hear this so frequently from pulpits. Pastors adopt what has well been called a “stained glass voice,” and pray in an artificial manner as though God were far off in some distant corner of the universe. But prayer is simply a conversation with the Father, as the apostle describes so beautifully in Philippians 4:6-7:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In these few words, Paul gives us three simple principles for effective prayer:

Principle 1: Don’t worry about anything.

“Do not be anxious about anything,” he says. In other words, replace worry with prayer. Many of us try to cure our worries with will-power alone. Someone has written a poem about this approach to worry:

I’ve joined the new “Don’t Worry Club,”

And now I hold my breath;

I’m so scared I’m going to worry

That I’m worried half to death.

But Paul presents us with a different solution to the worry problem. God doesn’t expect us to banish worry by sheer willpower—He knows that is not humanly possible. That is why God has provided us with the full armor that Paul describes in Ephesians 6. The solution to worry is only possible when you have put on the armor of God. Worry cannot be defeated on any other basis. Worry comes from fear, and the only way to dissolve fear is with facts. To put on the armor of God is to face the facts of reality. It means that we acknowledge the fact that:

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  Our belt of truth is buckled securely about our waist; we know we have found the truth of all things, the key to life, Jesus, the living Lord.
  
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  Our breastplate of righteousness is in place, protecting our heart, our emotional well-being, enabling us to feel secure in God’s care.
  
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  Our feet are shod with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, and God’s peace calms our anxieties and steadies us for the great spiritual battle.
  
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  Our faith is our shield against the flaming arrows of the devil—against the fiery satanic attacks of doubt, fear, temptation, and worry.
  
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  Our minds are protected by the helmet of our approaching salvation, our sure hope that God is at work right now to bring about a victorious conclusion to human history.
  
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  Our hands wield the most powerful defensive and offensive weapon of all—the sword of the Spirit, the rhema—word of God.
  

Once we have examined and tested the reliability of our armor, then anxiety has to vanish, to be replaced by courageous faith. Once we have faced the facts of our faith, we have nothing to worry about. We serve our Lord and Commander, Jesus Christ, and the battle is His, not ours. He will be victorious.

That is Principle 1: Don’t worry about anything.

Principle 2: Pray about everything.

Everything? Yes, everything! “In everything,” says Paul, “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). You might ask, “You mean God is interested in little things as well as big things?” Absolutely. All things matter to God. He is interested in the things that interest us. The Scriptures even tell us that the hairs on our head are numbered by Him (see Matthew 10:30). God is involved in the most minute details of our life—everything from cancer to lost car keys. So take everything to Him in prayer. Whatever is on your mind, talk it over with Him.

Principle 3: Prayer brings amazing peace.

What is the result when you pray? Paul says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). No one can explain this peace. It does not arise out of altered circumstances—in fact, it is available to us in even the worst, most hopeless circumstances. It is inexplicable. There is nothing we need more in this troubled, anxious, fretful, weary, disturbed world than God’s amazing, unexplainable peace.

When we pray we recognize the existence of the invisible kingdom of God. We would never pray if we didn’t believe Someone is listening, that the invisible realm is the realm of reality. It surrounds us on every side. Though we do not see it, we recognize it and we have confidence that an invisible God directly affects our lives in the visible realm. We know that if we want to change the visibilities, we must start with the invisibilities.

Satan hates it when we pray, because he knows that God answers prayer. Our prayers play a direct and essential part in bringing God’s invisible power to bear on visible life. Prayer is purposeful and powerful. It is not the pitiful, pathetic, last-ditch pleading that many people think it to be. No, prayer is powerful, because it links you and me, mere mortal human beings, with the ultimate, infinite power of the universe. God intervenes in human affairs as His people pray.

Our Prayers and God’s Promise

We must immediately add that God answers prayer according to His promises—not necessarily according to our wishes and our timetable. This is so necessary to say, because there are people who say that if we have “enough faith,” God gives us whatever we ask for. First, this kind of thinking reduces God to a mere genie in a bottle, doing human bidding, granting human wishes. Second, this false idea of prayer often results in disappointment and gives rise to the widespread belief that prayer is ineffectual. The truth is, God answers every prayer that is based upon a promise.

Prayer does not start with us; it starts with God. God must say He will do something before we are free to ask Him to do it. That, of course, is how the father-child relationship is supposed to work. No parent commits himself to give his children everything they want and anything they ask for. He makes it clear that he will do certain things and not do other things. In the realm of those limits, the father commits himself to answer his children’s requests. So it is with God. God has given promises and they form the only proper basis for our requests in prayer.

This is what Paul means by his reminder in Ephesians 6:18 that we are to pray on all occasions in the Spirit. Here again is a point of great misunderstanding about prayer. Many take Paul’s phrase, “in the Spirit,” as though it were descriptive of the emotions we should have when we pray. They think it is necessary to be emotionally moved before prayer can be effective. Certainly, prayer often does engage our emotions at a deep level, but emotionalism is not the key to effective prayer—and it is certainly not what is meant by this phrase, “in the Spirit.”

To pray in the Spirit means to pray according to the promises that the Spirit has given and according to the character of God which the Spirit has made known. God has never promised to answer just any prayer, but He does promise to answer prayer in a way that He has carefully outlined for us. He does so invariably and without partiality. He is no respecter of persons in this matter of prayer. In the realm of our personal needs (those needs that call forth most of our prayers), the need for wisdom, power, patience, grace, or strength, God promises to answer our prayers immediately.

It is important to remember that prayer is not just something we do for ourselves. We must remember to support others in the spiritual battle. We are not alone on this battleground of doubt, fear, confusion, anxiety, and temptation. There are others around us who are weaker and younger in Christ than we are, and still others who are stronger than we are. Thus we must fight this battle together on our knees. We cannot put on the armor of God for another person, but we can pray for that other person. We can call in reinforcements when our brother or sister is overwhelmed by the enemy.

Praying for others is called intercession, and Paul lays out the principle of intercessory prayer in a very personal way in Ephesians 6:19-20: “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” A parallel passage where Paul asks fellow Christians for prayer is Romans 15:30-32:

I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.

In this passage, Paul asks his fellow Christians to pray for three things on his behalf: (1) Paul’s physical safety when he visits Jerusalem; (2) a sensitive, tactful spirit when he speaks to the Christians there; and (3) an opportunity to visit the believers in the city of Rome. Here are three specific requests—and the record of Scripture is that each of them was answered exactly as Paul had asked.

At the same time, we have to acknowledge that God’s answers to prayer don’t always come in the form or at the time that we expect. Someone has wisely said, “God is never late—but He’s never early, either.” It’s true. God is always right on time. He may not seem to be on time by your watch and mine, but that’s because we are impatient and don’t know all the facts, not because God is late. Time is a factor that God alone controls.

God constantly calls us to a ministry of prayer, both for ourselves and for one another. When we learn to pray as God teaches us to pray, we release in our own lives and in the lives of others the immense resources of God—resources to strengthen the spirit and embolden the soul to meet the pressures and problems of life.