Knowing Jesus is the key to understanding the exceeding greatness of His power. We cannot measure it by our physical strength.
He is praying for our eyes to be enlightened so that we might know the power of His might. Christian life is purely knowledge - based.
A traffic police officer may be small and short. When he puts on his uniform and his gloves, even the fastest big truck has to stop in front of him. There is no doubt in the policeman's mind that the truck will stop. It is known to him that behind his uniform there is a large government. Similarly, we should realize that behind the power we demonstrate is a great might coming from God. Everything we do is because of The Lord’s might. It's important that we understand this. The Lord never promised to make us strong. We are commanded to rely on the power of his might to be strong.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11
You should know that the devil is your number one opponent. His trickery is all he has. Satan has no power.
Before selling a product, a company usually hires a marketing team. If people are very health conscious, they make it look all organic. There will be a statement that a cream was made from an herb that grows on top of the Alps. In this way, people will believe that it can cure anything. When they said it was made from rocks taken from the Mediterranean Sea, people would think they had been there straight away.
A friend of mine worked as an accountant for a beauty cream company. Throughout the country, they advertised that the cream was made with saffron and milk. He described how heaps of raw materials and chemicals would be collected in great quantities. To this was added a glass of milk and a small handful of saffron. People used it everywhere as if they were applying real saffron all over their face. By using this strategy, the cream was designed to make people feel as if raw milk and real saffron had been applied to their faces. Although it was advertised as having milk and saffron, it was full of chemicals.
This is how the devil comes up with his strategies. You would command the devil to leave in Jesus' name if he showed up with two horns. That is why he always tries to trick you and devise a strategy. As we gain a deeper understanding of Him, we need to remain sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). Don't keep asking God to help you stand. It is his command that you stand up to the devil's wiles. Put on the whole armour of God. Don't take two and leave the rest behind. It has nothing to do with your armour. If you want to be victorious, you need all the armour God provides.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
The above verse shows this is spiritual. You cannot get rid of it with neem leaves. People will weep and shout for it to end. Spiritual things are to be dealt spiritually. Deal with it spiritually, not physically.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13
There is no reference to the antichrist time when we talk about the evil day. It refers to our tough times. We must be able to withstand the evil day. In college, most of us waited until the last moment to prepare for exams. A friend of mine used to wait until the last minute, then become sick. For him, it ended up in arrears. Thankfully, I escaped those. There is no need to wait until the evil day arrives. With the word of God, you prepare every day. There are some people who sleep all through the sermon on Sundays. During the evil day, they panic. Make up your mind to receive the Word of God at all times. It is important to be prepared to face the devil's snares. Note that there is no mention of fighting the devil here, only resisting him (James 4:7). This verse tells us to ‘take’ the whole armour of God. Imagine if the pastor here told me “I have a book for you, please take it with you when you leave”. The pastor has done his part in giving and informing me. It is now my responsibility to carry the book with me when I leave. Similarly, the whole armour of God has our name on it and it has been given to us. It is up to us now to take it with us and put it on. The armour of God means it is God’s belonging.
There are only two things in this world which are completely from God’s belonging - The Word of God and The Holy Spirit. It is now necessary for us to have both of these in order to live a successful life. The Holy Spirit is God. So now what else could be called the armour of God? The Word. We now know that the armour does not refer to a physical knife, sword, or sling. It is all about The Word of God. If you get a hold of God’s Word, you will win in the evil day just like Jesus did in the mount of transfiguration.
The devil never approaches directly; instead, he uses his tricks and schemes.
One Easter Sunday, despite having severe discomfort in my right-side body, I was preaching. I was unable to turn to that side while I slept, and it hurt a lot to stand or move. I had to stand up like an aged person. I shut the door in my room and prayed. In a split moment, it seemed as though someone had shown me every face of the men of God who had entered heaven before their time. "Son, your ministry is ended," a voice whispered. “Prepare everything because it is time to go.”. For some reason, I started laughing loudly as soon as I heard that. You can't take me that easily, I shot back “You can't touch me. You cannot even touch my hair because I am hidden with Christ in God. You want to touch me, you have to touch God first and then Jesus Christ and then only can you touch me”. So, I continued laughing. After a few minutes of laughing the devil and the pain - both left. I made this statement because the devil employs various strategies. The devil might be calling you "son." If you are unaware, you could fall into that trap and think it is God.
14 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Ephesians 6:14
We've all heard sermons that taught us that truth was the belt to hold our words. If we told a lie, it was like our pants fell down because they didn't have the belt of truth. Well, this is not about our lies or our truth because this is not our armour. It is God’s armour so this is about God’s truth - His Word.
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
John 17:17
Now, He tells us to have our loins girt with God’s truth. How do you explain having your loins girt?
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, we need to put God's truth in our minds and remain sober-minded. We have to renew our minds everyday as it is knowledge-based. Then comes the breastplate of righteousness. It is about God’s righteousness not our righteousness. Our righteousness is all dirt and filth, but Jesus' precious blood has washed us clean. The reason you stand straight is not because of your righteousness.
For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
Hebrews 5:13
Many people lack the boldness to declare themselves righteous through Jesus' blood. You can only stand strong and bold if you know this.
6 Surely he will never be shaken;The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings;His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.8 His heart is established;He will not be afraid,Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
Psalms 112:6-8
Here, the gospel of peace is the good news of salvation. In order to win souls, you must be full to overflowing with that desire first. If I am strong in the word of God about my healing, then I will tell my world about the same healing as well. In order for God's Word to reach our world and overflow, we must be strong in Him.
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Ephesians 6: 15-17
How does faith come? It comes by hearing the Word of God. Salvation in the above verse also means deliverance. The truth of God's Word should fill our minds and we should be confident about our salvation in Christ. We cannot live in doubt if we are saved or not. You can be sure of who you are in Christ. God will never leave nor forsake you. So, everything about the armour of God comes from God’s Word. It can only be produced by God's Word, not by our own efforts. The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God is translated as ‘Rhema’ not ‘Logos’. Rhema means the word spoken for the situation. Machaira is the Greek word for sword. This sword was often short and shaped like a dagger-type sword.
He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
Revelation 1:16
The two-edged sword here refers to God’s spoken Word. It is important to read God's Word carefully, meditate, spend time with it, and sink into it. You begin to grow in strength and power as you trust in the Lord. There is no doubt that you will be able to withstand that evil day, and the devil will flee from you when it comes. The Word of God is all you need. The Word of God gives us victory in our day. It makes the simple, wise In His light, we see light.
The entrance of Your words gives light;It gives understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:130
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