“Suit up in Godliness”
(Ephesians 6:10-24)
Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]
Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD
First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida
March 21, 2021
The Passage
Ephesians 6:10-24
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. 18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.
21 Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Introductory Comments:
Well, here we are, church. We are at the end of our study of Ephesians. Hard to believe isn’t it? It went much faster than the book of Matthew!
Today, we’re going to hear from Paul about putting the final pieces into place concerning what God has for us in the book of Ephesians. Starting all the way back in chapter 4, Paul has been discussing the application, or living out, of that which he taught us in the first three chapters. Now, Paul is speaking to us in a way that he tells us to wear the things that he’s taught us in the book of Ephesians. So, let’s learn this together.
Before we begin the sermon, let’s go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.
(prayer)
Any good writer or speaker knows that you have to finish what you are writing or saying with a good conclusion. Well, this is Paul’s conclusion to this letter.
Paul has already stated all throughout Ephesians that we are in Christ and because we are in Christ we have access to all the incalculable riches of God, which are found in Christ. One of the blessings that is part of the riches of Christ is the strength of God. Paul speaks about that strength in this passage.
As Paul speaks about the strength of God, he gives us this illustration of a soldier’s armor. That takes us to our first point:
I. Our godly armor (vv. 10-17) [on screen]
Paul speaks here about armor so that we can visualize putting on the strength of the Lord. The armor in and of itself is not significant, it’s what the armor represents that is significant. The armor represents certain aspects of God’s strength, which are readily available for the follower of Jesus Christ.
So, let’s look at the passage and then learn from it. Look at verses 10-17:
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.
Verses 10 and 11 bring up two truths that Paul had already mentioned throughout his letter to the Ephesians: (1) God’s strength is available for us, and (2) evil forces are at work in this world.
In verse 12, Paul clarifies more about these evil forces.
Paul points out that in the spiritual world, we don’t struggle in physical ways; we struggle in spiritual ways. That’s not too complicated to understand, is it? The spiritual world involves spiritual realities.
Paul describes these evil forces with whom we struggle: they are rulers, authorities, cosmic powers of darkness, evil, and spiritual forces in spiritual places!
Ephesians has already made clear that there is a struggle with darkness and light, the old life and the new life, the way of evil and the way of God. Paul is once again drawing our attention to this reality. There are evil forces trying to fight against God’s ways and God’s people.
So, I’d like to state the two truths that I stated earlier but I’d like to state them in reverse order so that we understand what Paul is saying: (1) evil forces are at work in this world, (2) BUT God’s strength is available for us.
This is Paul’s point! God’s strength is available for us so we must stand in God’s strength.
Paul says in verse 11, “ . . . so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.” The devil is scheming against us, but there is strength in God and we can stand in the strength. There is victory in Jesus!
So, let us discover this armor of God’s strength. We see the following pieces of God’s armor that are available for us to put on so that we can stand:
The Armor of God: [on screen]
Truth like a belt. [on screen in list form; one at a time] Like a soldier’s belt, truth helps hold us together and get everything else in place in our life. Understanding the truth of God and making it a part of our lives prepares us better for the spiritual battles of our lives.
Righteousness like a breastplate or chest armor.[on screen in list form; one at a time] As God is righteous, so also we can be righteous. Being righteous is a core protection for our battle against evil. Trust me, you don’t want to try and battle against darkness when you are full of unrighteousness. Instead, we need the righteousness of God.
Readiness in the gospel like a pair of sandals. [on screen in list form; one at a time] This idea of readiness is not the idea of going with speed, but rather standing firm as a soldier would stand firm in battle. The gospel of Jesus Christ brings with it a firm foundation on which we should be ready to stand when we face the forces of evil.
Faith like a shield. [on screen in list form; one at a time] Faith in God, which comes as a gift from God (remember Ephesians chapter 2) allows us to stand against the attacks of the devil. When we know who God is, what He has done for us, and who we are in Him, we can have faith that we can stand against the attacks of a far inferior foe, the devil.
Salvation like a helmet. [on screen in list form; one at a time] A helmet is a core element of armor. So also, salvation is at the core of our strength in God. We would have no access to, or relationship with, God without our salvation.
The Spirit of God like a sword. [on screen in list form; one at a time] The sword is the only weapon of offense that Paul mentions. Paul says the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. In this context, the word of God is not just the Bible but any truth of God given to the follower of Jesus. We see this sword used by Jesus when He was tempted in the wilderness. Jesus responded to the devil’s temptations with these words, “It is written.” In other words, Jesus proclaimed, “God has said!” So, when we struggle against the forces of evil, we must remember what God has already said! What God has said, the word of God, the Spirit of God, brings victory for the follower of Jesus!
Remember, church, this is the armor of God. This is not the armor of the follower of God, it is the armor of God Himself.
In fact, we see that some of these same pieces of armor are mentioned in the Old Testament concerning God Himself. You may want to jot these down and study them later.
Old Testament passages about the armor of God: [all references on screen together in one slide]
Isaiah 11:5 [on screen]
Isaiah 52:6-7 [on screen]
Isaiah 59:17 [on screen]
So, this is the armor of God, given to us by God, but which we must choose to put on.
This is an intentional effort by us to wear what God has given us. I can give you a new shirt for Easter Sunday, but I can’t force you to wear it, you have to put it on. So also, there is an intentionality required for us to wear godliness. We must put on the armor of God. Listen, church: you will not be godly by accident, you will be godly on purpose.
May we never overestimate our own strength and think that we can deal with evil by our own power. At the same time, may we never underestimate the power of God and forget about how great His power is! We must purposefully and intentionally put on the strength of God so that we can stand!
This is our godly armor.
Second, we see . . .
II. Our spiritual prayer (vv. 18-20) [on screen]
Let me just say, church, this is the weapon that we so often forget: prayer. As important as the other aspects of God’s armor are, Paul spends way more time speaking about prayer than any of those. Let’s check it out. Look at verses 18-20.
18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.
First question, how often should we pray? Paul answers that very clearly in verse 18: “Pray at all times.” Of course, this fits what Paul said elsewhere in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 when he said to “pray constantly” or “pray without ceasing.” We are to pray at all times, constantly remembering our dependence upon the Holy Spirit and our need for God’s strength in our lives and in the lives of others.
Second question, how should we pray? Paul answers that in verse 18, “Pray . . . in the Spirit.” We are not to pray in a way that is selfish or worldly. Instead, we should pray in a way that is guided by and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
You might ask, what does spiritual prayer look like? Well, I’m glad you asked!
Characteristics of Spiritual Prayer: [on screen]
- According to the will of God. [on screen in list form; one at a time] Spiritual prayer is not based on what we want, but on what God wants for us.
- Focused on others. [on screen in list form; one at a time] Paul said to pray for all the saints; that is, to pray for others.
- Persistent. [on screen in list form; one at a time] It’s not a one-time prayer, it’s a constant and continual communication with God.
- Dependent on God. [on screen in list form; one at a time] We are not to pray as a routine or box-checking act. We are to really express to God that we need Him to intervene in this world, in our lives, and in the lives of others.
Paul exhibits some of these qualities of a Spirit-filled prayer when he asks the Ephesians to pray for him. He doesn’t ask for personal gain, but for the furthering of the message of the gospel. He doesn’t even ask to escape his imprisonment. He asks for them to pray that he would be bold to speak the truth of God while he is in chains! Oh, that we would have more prayer like that for ourselves and for one another! Oh, that we would pray for God to use us and work through us for the advancement of the gospel however He sees fit!
Let us pray in a way that is God-centered, not man-centered! Let us pray in a way that is dependent on the Holy Spirit of God for power and blessing!
This is our spiritual prayer.
Finally, we have . . .
III. Paul’s closing words (vv. 21-24) [on screen]
There’s something for us to learn from Paul’s closing words in Ephesians, so let’s not skip over it. Let’s look at verses 21-24:
21 Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
First of all, we hear about Tychicus. He was dearly loved by Paul and a faithful servant of Jesus Christ.
More than likely, Tychicus delivered this letter to the Ephesian churches, and he probably delivered other letters from Paul at times. While Tychicus was visiting the Ephesians he could have filled them in on how Paul was doing, since they were probably concerned for him due to his suffering and imprisonment because of his commitment to Jesus.
A pastor friend of mine said, “What do we say to our churches about Tychicus?” Well, here you go, church; here’s the lesson: be like Tychicus. Be someone who is dearly loved by other believers and be someone who is a faithful servant to Jesus.
Then, we hear Paul’s beautiful farewell words.
Paul desires peace, love, faith, and grace to be shown to all those who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Church, just glean this from these last two verses: have an undying love for Jesus. Have an undying love for Jesus and you’ll never regret it.
These are Paul’s closing words.
Concluding Thoughts:
Well, you did it. You made it through another book of the Bible. Give yourselves a round of applause.
Let’s focus this sermon and all of Ephesians down to this bottom line. I believe this is God’s message for believers and for the Church:
Bottom Line: Live in God’s grace. Put on God’s strength. [on screen]
(repeat)
In Christ, we have access to the grace of God and the power of God, given to us by God the Father’s preordained plan, Jesus’ past work, and the Holy Spirit’s present power.
Live in grace and power! Live in Christ for the glory of God!
Weekly Challenge: [on screen]
1. Rediscover God’s riches in Ephesians. [on screen]
Take some time this week and work through the book of Ephesians. Go to our website and review the sermon outlines from the last several weeks. Rediscover all of what God is teaching us in Ephesians.
Take some time this week to rediscover the riches of God in Ephesians.
2. Enjoy and display God’s riches. [on screen]
After you reflect on all that God has given us in Christ, commit yourself to enjoy God’s riches and display God’s riches.
Don’t live like any ol’ person! Live like someone who has been changed by Jesus!
Closing:
Have you ever accidentally gotten ready for church? Probably not. Most of us have an intentional process that we work through when we get ready for church. I look over my sermon at home early in the morning before the sun comes up. I have a cup of coffee and a little breakfast. I get a shower, shave, and get dressed. I get my boys partially ready and then hand them off to Jennifer. I come to church and turn on lights and unlock a few doors. I go to my office and study some more. I go to the welcome center and greet folks going to small group. I visit all the small groups before coming back to my office and l Iook over my notes some more. I spend some time in prayer. I go to the restroom one more time and go to the sanctuary to greet folks before the service. Then, I go to church. All of these things are things that I do intentionally to get ready for church.
Church, let’s be intentional and purposeful about living our lives in Jesus and for the glory of God. As I said earlier, you won’t be godly on accident; it will happen on purpose.
If you’ve experienced the riches of God in Jesus, intentionally live for Him! If you’ve never experienced the riches of God in Jesus, today is the day to discover the great and beautiful blessings of God in Jesus!
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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