Introduction. (Read the reference)

I am glad to be able to end these expositions on Ephesians with a passage that resonates with my experience and which I have comparatively little trouble understanding.

Paul brings his epistle to an end with an acknowledgement that Christians are in a battle. He affirms that we can be strong in the Lord insofar as we remain in the will of God. If we remain under God's supreme command we will benefit from mighty power. In this final passage of the letter Paul gives us some clear advice on how to remain in God's will and how to be strong.

I am going to follow Warren Wiersbe in organising this long but coherent exposition under four headings namely, the Christian's: enemy, equipment, energy and encouragement. It would be quite possible to give four separate sermons on these topics!

(B) The enemy.

The Christian has a foe with a huge capacity for inflicting harm. I have just finished reading an account of the genocide that took place at the end of the 20th century in Ruanda where 95% of the population were supposedly Christian. Nearly a million Tutsis were massacred in a few months by their Hutu neighbours. The appalling, cold-hearted savagery owed much to Satan's ability to reinforce and exacerbate man's dangerously fallen nature.

The description of the enemies arraigned against the Christian found in the Living Bible is truly horrofic: For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies - the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world, and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.

Now I think this description owes something to pagan belief. Pagan's believed that their were vast numbers of evil spirits in the world that needed appeasing. I don't really know what sort of being Satan, a fallen angel, is, nor do I understand how he operates in our world, but the passage teaches us five things about our enemy:

(1) He is unseen.

The unseen enemy is the worst enemy of all. The unseen enemy catches you unaware and, perhaps, unprepared. One of the scenarios we all dread is of a terrorist group releasing a killer virus to either spread disease or to incapacitate major computer networks.

Satan is invisible and he is skilled at catching us unawares when our guard is down and we are not expecting an attack. I can remember my last day at school after resigning to care for my father. I went to pick my father up who was spending the day with my brother Philip. My brother asked how I felt about giving up work. I said that I felt rather sad. I expected a little sympathy, instead my brother told me not to feel sorry for myself. I was caught off guard. His remarks were so unexpected. I lost my temper. Satan succeeded in spoiling my little sacrifice.

(2) He keeps us under constant surveillance.

We don't really comprehend how Satan does this but it is becoming easier for us to understand with the huge growth in surveillance technology in the 21st century. We know from experience that Satan is very aware when we are vulnerable to an attack. During the time I looked after my father I sent various articles to Christian magazines. One morning I received a letter from the editor of one of these publications to say that my article was refused. I was very disappointed. Just then I noticed that my poor, demented father had stopped eating his cornflakes to pick a hole in the table cloth with his knife. Satan brought these two events together and I succumbed to a fierce outburst of temper.

Satan knows when we pray and I am sure that he does all he can to interfere with our prayers - distracting us with irrelevant thoughts or making us sleepy.

Many times I have sat with friends and fellow players feeling elated and excited after winning a cricket match and found my tongue running away with me saying things it would be better for a Christian not to say.

(3) He is powerful.

Paul's list of words to describe our enemy conveys how powerful he is: rulers, authorities, powers, forces.

We have all felt Satan's power. We have all experienced an almost uncontrollable surge of jealousy, anger, bitterness, resentment, desire ..... . Our bitter foe gives added force to our natural inclinations. It is natural to feel disappointed if rejected in love but Satan can take that feeling and change it into wretched, abject, suicidal despair.

(4) He is effective.

We struggle against the devil's schemes. We read in Genesis: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. Gen3v1.

We see just how cunning Satan is in the three temptations of Jesus. Temptation 1: "Come on, you are the Son of God and can do just what you like." Temptation 2: "I'll show you an easier way." Temptation 3: "Let's try a little experiment to demonstrate that you really are who you claim to be." See exposition on: Luke4v1to13.

These are all temptations Satan still uses with great effectiveness along with many more including:

(a) Tomorrow will do.

(b) Just one more.

(c) Nobody will know.

(d) You owe it to yourself.

(e) Nobody should treat you like that.

(f) Don't waste your time with him.

(g) Someone else should do it.

We are afflicted by spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. William Barclay puts it like this: Malicious spiritual forces in the heavenly places.

Satan is undoubtedly full of malice and spite. Tom Wright observes that whenever he prepares material on Satan things go wrong; there is an electrical fault, the computer crashes and the like.

I experience what is far worse. Whenever I do something that really pleases God, Satan is quick to even up the score. He will tempt me - often successfully - to do wrong.

Quite recently I undertook the task of making sure all the tombstones in our graveyard were secure. No one in the congregation offered any assistance whatever. In the course of checking the stability of the headstones one toppled over and nearly took off my foot. Later, a relative of the lady whose headstone it was, accused me of pulling it over deliberately!! Another woman wrote to say that I didn't know what I was doing and should get professional help. Now on this rare occasion I withstood the temptation to anger and bitterness. Why? Because I was expecting criticism!

It is invariably the case that when a new initiative beneficial to the church is proposed there is irrational opposition. Whenever there is blessing Satan will be hard at work to spoil it. This was the case in Antioch when many Gentiles believed in Jesus and were added to the faith. Along came Judaisers from Jerusalem arguing it was wrong for Christian Jews to take communion with uncircumcised Gentile Christians. When Paul took his substantial monetary gift from the Gentile churches to Jerusalem he was almost immediately told by the elders to establish his Jewish credentials in the temple - a policy that led to a riot and the apostle's imprisonment.

Nowhere was Satan's malice more evident than at Christ's crucifixion. The Devil exerted all his power to entice Jesus down from the cross. He wanted to ruin Christ's saving work on behalf of fallen humanity.

Satan wants us to remain fallen, to spoil us further and to ruin the church. He will be especially active when we are in the will of God and furthering the work of the gospel.

(C) The Equipment.

Paul urges us, faced as we are with such a foe: Therefore put on the full armour of God.

Or in the words of Charles Wesley:

Soldiers of Christ arise
And put your armour on
Strong in the strength which God supplies
Through his eternal Son.

(1) The belt of truth.

The broad leather belt was a foundation garment. It kept the soldier's tunic from impeding his movement and prevented the metal breastplate from chafing. The leather belt provided support and facilitated ease and freedom of movement.

An openness and commitment to truth, and nothing but the truth, gives the Christian soldier freedom. Jesus told the Jews who had believed in him: "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Jn8v32.

(a) The truth liberates from what hinders whether it be tradition, formalism or a rigid orthodoxy. The Pharisees in Jesus' time were fettered by custom, nationalism and legalism. Satan exploited their rigid mentality by tempting them to bigotry, self-righteousness, greed and envy.

(b) A commitment to truth means we are free to change. All Christians should examine what they were brought up to believe and should change if their earliest teachers whether parents, Sunday school teachers or pastors were in error.

(c) A respect for truth will keep us from succumbing to wild enthusiasm, delusions or the cult of personality.

Satan will take some erroneous ideas and delude those who have divested themselves of the belt of truth. Satan will whisper of some new doctrine: "It's new, it's different, it's exciting, it's promising - go on embrace it." In such a way he used a catch phrase of the Corinthian church, 'Everything is permissible' to encourage the lusty to consort with prostitutes and to persuade the silly that it was progressive to wear their hair like the opposite sex. See exposition on 1Cor11v2to16.

This is Satan's way in the many cults that have grown up over the centuries. Sexual immorality is a very common characteristic.

Satan will also take a charismatic figure and deceive those who no longer wear the girdle of truth. Satan will insinuate: "He's so convincing, so persuasive, so attractive, so sincere - so, so beguiling - believe in him." In short time some striking personality has replaced Jesus in the affections of the believer. This is what happened in Corinth. The 'super-apostles' from Jerusalem were afforded the authority and respect that should have been reserved for Paul, Christ's apostle to the Gentiles. The little apostle spends his second letter to the Corinthians re-establishing his influence in the church he had founded in Christ.

The wicked proliferation of denominations owes much to the cult of personality fostered by Satan and is anathema to all those wearing the belt of truth.

We see the awful consequences of dispensing altogether with the belt of truth in the combined atrocities of the German Nazis, Cambodian Khymer Rouge and Ruandan Hutus during the Tutsi massacre. When truth is abandoned the 'isms' flourish and Satan is free to foment men to extremes of wickedness.

(2) The breastplate of righteousness.

The Roman soldier's breastplate was made of bronze, iron or leather and covered the entire chest. No sword could penetrate bronze.

A righteous life, honourable, honest and faithful, will thwart many a thrust of the enemy. What can a man of integrity, generous and true, be accused of?

Before Republicans or Democrats adopt their presidential candidates their lives will be scrutinised for indiscretions, irregularities and bad habits that opponents could use against them.

Daniel, a Babylonian high official, was immune to almost all potential attacks from his enemies because of his righteous life. His opponents Could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Dan6v4.

With King David it was a different matter. He was very vulnerable to Satan's thrusts and his authority was weakened by his unrighteous behaviour.

Let us consider some of Satan's cruder thrusts:

• You Christians are all hypocrites.

• Christians are a bigoted bunch - narrow minded and intolerant.

• Christianity is all rules and regulations.

• There is no love between Christians. They are always arguing among themselves.

• All the church is interested in is money.

• Christianity is all about taking control of people's lives.

The honourable man can withstand all these accusations - they will neither wound nor weaken him.

(3) The footwear.

The Roman legionnaire wore a sturdy, thick-soled sandal into battle. The soles were ofen metal studded like the old hobnail boots. The footwear was designed to make the soldier sure-footed in battle. The last thing an active warrior needed to worry about was whether he would slip or not.

The mountaineer needs good boots with a strong grip. The modern hockey player must have special footwear for astro pitches. Twenty years ago I bought a pair of trainers that have served me brilliantly. I was never insecure on my feet.

The expression: With your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace is a very clumsy one. Commentators are not sure what it means. I think the meaning must have to do with the purpose of the legionnaire's sandals.

When I taught Geography the last thing I needed to worry about in the classroom was my grasp of the subject or my teaching method. If I knew my subject through and through and had carefully worked out my teaching strategy this would help me avoid interruptions, inattentiveness and questions I couldn't answer. I could proceed confidently and coherently. I was SURE ON MY FEET.

This is even truer for a politician being questioned or interrogated by hostile journalists. He needs to have fully mastered his brief. Any hint of uncertainty or confusion will be pounced on and exploited. The politician also needs to be SURE ON HIS FEET.

Likewise Christians need to know the gospel of peace through and through. They need to be thoroughly familiar with it and fully understand what Jesus accomplished at Calvary. Many attacks are mounted against the gospel. For example:

• Why was it necessary for God to punish Jesus to forgive us?

• Wasn't God cruel and barbaric to crucify his Son?

• What does it mean to be washed in the blood of the lamb?

• Isn't Jesus' death akin to child sacrifice?

• It wasn't just that an innocent man suffered for the guilty.

(4) The shield of faith.

The Roman shield or scutum was shaped like a door. It was made of wood covered in leather. The leather could be soaked in water the better to extinguish the fiery darts - darts that had been wrapped in tow, soaked in pitch and set alight.

Satan has many fiery darts he will launch at Christians in circumstances favourable to him. For instance:

(a) In time of trouble Satan will launch a succession of fiery darts: God doesn't care about you. God doesn't know what he is doing. God can't do anything about your predicament.

The Israelites succumbed to these fiery darts in the wilderness when they were thirsty, hungry or bored. Moses had to remind the Jews what God had done for them - brought them out of Egypt, across the Red Sea and safe thus far.

When Satan tempts us like this we can do worse than remember the stone Samuel erected between Mizpah and Shen after a notable victory against the Philistines; he called the stone Ebenezer saying "Thus far has the LORD helped us." 1Sam7v12.

In the words of the hymn writer:

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by Thine help I'm come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home

THAT'S FAITH.

(b) In time of failure Satan has a few more missiles to launch: God can't love you. You're such a worthless person. You do such bad things - there's no hope for you.

These, too, can be extinguished by the shield of faith. We need to hold on to the words of Paul to Timothy: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. 1Tim1v15.

(c) In challenging times Satan has another handful of fiery darts: You can't do that. You're not up to the task. God cannot use you.

The children of Israel succumbed to such darts from the tempter on receiving the majority report of the spies sent into the land of Canaan. How could they conquer the cities of the Canaanites - there were giants in the land!

Only Joshua and Caleb had faith. They said, "Do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them." Num14v9.

Paul had faith. He wrote to the Romans: If God be for us, who can be against us? Rom9v31.

We show faith when our practice conforms to the words of the hymn:

My gracious Lord, I own Thy right
To every service I can pay;
And call it my supreme delight
To hear Thy dictates and obey.

The helmet protects the head. A blow to the head greatly impairs your usefulness as a soldier.

Many things can go to our head: our looks, personality, popularity, cleverness, accomplishments and successes.

Satan can use all these to tempt us to pride, vanity, arrogance, superciliousness, contemptuousness, dismissiveness and the like. No Old Testament character illustrates this better than Sampson. His great strength and invincibility finally went to his head. He took it for granted. We read: Then she (Delilah) called, "Sampson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him." Jdgs16v20.

It is very sad that as nurses in England have got better qualified they have become less compassionate. The job has become more about them and less about their patients.

We shall be poor Christian soldiers if our heads are not right. But if we wear the helmet of salvation we shall keep in mind our total dependence upon what Jesus has done for us. We will always be conscious that we are saved by grace and not by our works, merits or accomplishments. This keeps us humble. We will not succumb to Satan's temptations to be proud of ourselves and contemptuous of others. Our usefulness will not be impaired. The helmet of salvation keeps us fighting fit.

(6) The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

There is nothing like the sharp two-edged sword to parry the thrusts of the enemy and drive him back. Let us look at some thrusts and parries:

(a) Regarding work. Thrust: take it easy, nobody really cares about the effort you put in, you'll soon be forgotten when you retire. Parry: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does. Eph6v7.

(b) Regarding church attendance. Thrust: It's time for a change, worship has ceased to be stimulating, staleness and boredom are creeping in. Parry: Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to. 1Cor7v24.

(c) Regarding Christian service. Thrust: You're not getting anywhere, it's all a waste of time. Parry: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal6v9.

(d) Regarding priorities. Thrust: You can't get involved with church work, your job has to come first or your family must come first. Parry: But seek first his (God's) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well. Mt6v33.

(e) Regarding forgiveness. Thrust: You can't forgive her - she has hurt you too much for that. Parry: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.

(f) Regarding possessiveness. Thrust: He's invading your space, encroaching on your territory, usurping your authority. Parry: Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Lk6v30.

(g) Regarding desire. Thrust: You are so needy, you must have it - love, marriage, sex, children; you'll have to marry him even if he isn't a Christian. Parry: Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Mt4v4.

(D) The Energy.

No soldier, however well equipped, is much use without energy and stamina. These vital requirements come from prayer. As Isaiah wrote: They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Is40v31.

Sampson could have testified to the truth of these words. Blinded, an object of derision, he stood in the temple of the Philistine god and prayed: "O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes. Jds16v28.

There is no doubt that the great Captain of our Salvation, Jesus, renewed his strength through prayer.

In this passage of Ephesians Paul urges his readers to:

(1) Pray for themselves.

(a) In the Spirit. We need to pray in a way that pleases the Spirit so that the Spirit can give added emphasis to our prayers. There is no doubt that the Spirit helps us in prayer. Paul writes to the Romans: We do not know what we ought to pray for but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Rom8v26.

(b) On all occasions - not just in church or during our quiet time or on a special occasion or when embarking on a new venture - but on all occasions.

Pray before starting a journey, paying a visit, writing a letter, providing hospitality, cooking a meal, going to work, minding the grandchildren - on any and all testing occasion.

Pray when things go well, on receiving good news, after a treat, in the presence of beauty, after any enjoyable occasion.

(c) With all kinds of prayers and requests. Prayer can be public and private, set and extempore, short and long, formal and informal, in trouble and in tranquillity, in agony and in ecstasy, for objectives great and small.

There are a huge variety of prayers in the Bible: Sampson's prayer for strength, Nehemiah's emergency prayer for favour with Artaxerxes, Hannah's sorrowful prayer for a son, Jacob's struggle for blessing, Daniel and his friend's prayer for enlightenment, Elijah's prayer of dejection and anguish under the juniper bush, Elisha's prayer for the dead Shunammite's son, Hezekiah's prayer at the siege of Jerusalem, Solomon's prayer for wisdom and so on.

(2) Pray for others.

Prayer for others should be:

(a) Regular - Keep praying for all the saints. It is a good idea to have a list of people and to pray down the list taking, perhaps, three or four a day.

(b) Apposite - be alert. The prayer diaries of missionary organisations are a great help because they alert Christians to the needs of others.

(c) Targeted. Paul urged the Ephesians: 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. v19and20.

Paul needed prayer for help in his ministry. I think we usually pray for those who teach and preach the word but I wonder if we remember others in their ministries: the organist, the choir master, the treasurer, the steward, the flower arranger, the cleaner, the grass and hedge cutter, the editor of the church magazine or newssheet, those providing hospitality.

Do we like Paul ask for prayer? When I ask for requests for prayer at our prayer meetings there is rarely a response.

Paul especially asked for courage. We Christians in the West, living such safe lives, need to pray for the very many persecuted brethren throughout the world. They need every assistance to withstand the attacks of Satan.

Success in battles against Satan also depends on work done behind the lines - on hours and hours of prayer preparedness.

(E) Encouragement.

We all need encouragement from others to stand firm. When our fellow Christians encourage us it may well help us to withstand Satan's attacks. This passage deals with four ways to encourage flagging saints:

(1) A visit.

Paul sends a visitor to Ephesus, Tychicus, a dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord. v21.

There is no doubt a visit will raise morale. Some time ago my friend, Arthur, told me of a mutual acquaintance who was in Bury hospital. Arthur said, "He doesn't have many visitors." So I went to see Mr A. We had a long and happy conversation about spiritual things; then Mr A grasped my hand and asked me to pray for him - which I gladly did. It was a visit that did me good and I have no doubt it was a blessing to Mr A.

(2) A letter.

Tychicus carried Paul's letter to the Ephesian church. It contained much that must have encouraged the Christians in that city.

A letter, or even just a card, is able to raise the spirits of the Christian soldier. I come across people even now who tell me that they have kept a letter written to them in time of trouble 50 years ago by my mother. It meant something to be kept all those years.

I have been writing over the last 18 months to my old friend George who is dying of a bone marrow disorder and cancer. His son phoned a few weeks ago asking me to write again as my letters were one of the few things that cheered him up.

(3) News.

Tychicus was sent to Ephesus to give the church news of Paul - to tell them everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. v21. He would assure the saints that Paul was an ambassador in chains.

The news imparted by Tychicus was not selective. He told it as it was - telling of Paul's ups and his downs. The image of the little apostle still preaching the gospel notwithstanding his chains must have encouraged the Ephesians to stand firm for the Faith.

If we pray for Christian workers it is important to get honest feedback from time to time. We do not want a triumphalist report but one that tells it as it is. Sometimes it helps the Christian struggling with failure to know that others fail as well.

(4) Ministry.

Paul says of Tychicus: That he may encourage you. He would have fellowship in the gospel with the believers in Ephesus. We draw strength from fellowship with other Christians. We do not stand alone. The church is a mighty army and Christians stand shoulder to shoulder fighting together.

No doubt Tychicus would have words of reassurance and comfort for discouraged brethren. He would provide good counsel to those wounded in the fray. Surely he would remind the Ephesians of their riches in Christ - riches on display in Paul's benediction - peace and love and grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. v24.