Monday, September 11 – Finding Strength in Christ

Tuesday, September 12 – The Great Controversy in Paul’s Letters

Wednesday, September 13 – Standing on the Ancient Battlefield

Thursday, September 14 – Wrestling Against Evil Powers

Saturday, September 09 – Introduction

This week we will be studying Ephesians 6:10-20

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.

Read Ephesians 6:10-11

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks.

This passage talks about being strong with the help of the Lord and wearing special armor to protect against bad plans from the devil.

There's a Bible story about a guy who woke up one morning and saw a big, scary army. He was really scared and didn't know what to do. But there was a prophet named Elisha who told him not to be afraid because there were more good guys on their side than bad guys on the other side. Elisha even prayed that the scared guy could see something special.

And guess what? When the scared guy looked again, he saw not just one army but two! The Lord had opened his eyes, and he saw a hill filled with horses and chariots made of fire – 2 Kings 6:15-17

KJV ¹⁵ And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? ¹⁶ And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. ¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. CEV ¹⁵ When Elisha's servant got up the next morning, he saw that Syrian troops had the town surrounded. “Sir, what are we going to do?” he asked. ¹⁶ “Don't be afraid,” Elisha answered. “There are more troops on our side than on theirs.” ¹⁷ Then he prayed, “Lord, please help him to see.” And the Lord let the servant see that the hill was covered with fiery horses and flaming chariots all around Elisha.

In the context of Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul is saying that he prays for people to see things more clearly, like that scared guy. He wants them to understand that there's a big fight between good and bad, and when they see it, it will give them hope. So, it's like asking for special eyes to see the bigger picture.

Sunday, September 10 – Battle Speech

Ephesians 6:10-20

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
is like a battle speech from Paul. He's telling us to get ready for a big fight, but not with regular weapons, like swords or guns. He's talking about a different kind of battle against bad things.

Paul says we need to be strong with the Lord's help, like putting on special armor. This armor is not made of metal but helps protect us from bad plans from someone called "the devil" – Ephesians 6:10-11

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks.

He tells us that our fight is not with people but with powerful bad things that we can't see – Ephesians 6:12

KJV 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. CEV ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.
Paul wants us to wear this "armor of God" that includes things like a belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword – Ephesians 6:14-17

KJV ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: CEV ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit.
It's like getting ready for battle.

But Paul says something really important. He says that even though we have this armor, we should also pray – Ephesians 6:18-20

KJV ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. CEV ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
That's like talking to God and asking for help.

Paul's talking about a big fight, and he reminds us that in the old stories in the Bible, the people didn't win battles because they were super strong or had lots of weapons. They won because they trusted in God's power and help – Ephesians 6:10

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong.

So, Paul is telling us to be active in doing good, remember that there's more to the world than what we see, know that God helps us, and always work together with other believers.

His warning about fighting supernatural enemies teaches us that our only hope to win is by trusting in God's power and not just depending on ourselves.

Monday, September 11 – Finding Strength in Christ

Ephesians 6:10-20 is like a powerful call to get ready for a big battle. It's a bit like when a commander shouts to his soldiers before a fight.

Paul, the person who wrote this, says we should be strong, but not just by ourselves. He means we should be strong because of the Lord's power (Ephesians 6:10

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong.
). The rest of what he writes explains this idea.

He tells us to put on special armor from God to fight against bad things (Ephesians 6:11-20

KJV ¹¹ Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. CEV ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
). This armor is like a soldier's gear, but it's not made of metal. It helps us in a different kind of battle, not with regular weapons.

Paul wants us to understand that there's a big fight between good and bad, and it's not just a regular fight with people. It involves things we can't see, like supernatural powers (Ephesians 6:12

KJV 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. CEV ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.
).

Paul says that our strength comes from Jesus, who is often called "the Lord" in Ephesians (Ephesians 6:10

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong.
). He repeats this to make sure we get it.

So, when he talks about being strong, he's saying it's not our own strength but the power we get from Jesus. He reminds us that all three parts of God, the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit, help us get ready for this spiritual battle. It's like they're giving us special gear and weapons to fight against bad things. So, we should remember this truth when we follow God in our daily lives.

Tuesday, September 12 – The Great Controversy in Paul’s Letters

In the Bible, there are some verses from different parts like Romans 13:11-14

KJV ¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. ¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. CEV ¹¹ You know what sort of times we live in, and so you should live properly. It is time to wake up. You know that the day when we will be saved is nearer now than when we first put our faith in the Lord. ¹² Night is almost over, and day will soon appear. We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light. ¹³ So behave properly, as people do in the day. Don't go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent. Don't quarrel or be jealous. ¹⁴ Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires.
, 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8

KJV ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. ⁷ For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. ⁸ But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. CEV ⁶ Others may sleep, but we should stay awake and be alert. ⁷ People sleep during the night, and some even get drunk. ⁸ But we belong to the day. So we must stay sober and let our faith and love be like a suit of armor. Our firm hope that we will be saved is our helmet.
and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

KJV ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: ⁴ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) ⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ⁶ And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. CEV ³ We live in this world, but we don't act like its people ⁴ or fight our battles with the weapons of this world. Instead, we use God's power that can destroy fortresses. We destroy arguments ⁵ and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people's thoughts and make them obey Christ. ⁶ And when you completely obey him, we will punish anyone who refuses to obey.
. These verses talk about some similar ideas to what we read in Ephesians 6:10-20

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
.

Paul, who wrote these verses, often uses words and pictures from battles and armies to help people understand important things about believing in God. It's like he's telling us that being a follower of Jesus is a bit like being a soldier in a special army.

In these verses, he's saying that Jesus already won a big battle against bad things when He was on the cross. Now, Jesus is like the leader of a good army, and we are part of it. We have to be strong like soldiers and fight against bad things in the world.

When Paul talks about this, he's helping us see that our life with God is like a battle between good and bad. He wants us to remember that because Jesus won the most important battle, we can have hope and be strong in our own lives.

So, these verses are like reminders that we are in a big fight between good and bad, and because of what Jesus did, we can have hope and be part of the winning side. This helps us in our own lives when we face challenges.

Wednesday, September 13 – Standing on the Ancient Battlefield

In Ephesians 6:10-20

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
Paul, keeps talking about "standing." But he doesn't mean just standing still like when you wait in line. He means something important.

Think about ancient battles with soldiers, shields, and swords. When Paul talks about "standing," he means being strong and not giving up in the middle of a fight. It's like when two groups of soldiers meet in the middle of a battlefield and have to stay strong and not back down (Ephesians 6:11

KJV ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. CEV ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks.
, Ephesians 6:13-14

KJV ¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; CEV ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor.
).

Paul wants us to understand that "standing" in a battle doesn't mean being defensive and just protecting ourselves. It's about being brave and not running away when things get tough. It's like in old battle stories where soldiers had to get close to the enemy and fight hand-to-hand (Ephesians 6:12

KJV 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. CEV ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.
).

Paul describes it like a really intense wrestling match where everyone is giving and receiving blows at close range (Ephesians 6:12

KJV 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. CEV ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.
). So, "standing" in Paul's words means being very active and strong in a fight, using every weapon and being united with others.

He also uses this idea in another part of the Bible, Philippians 1:27

KJV ²⁷ Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; CEV ²⁷ Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then, whether I visit you or not, I will hear that all of you think alike. I will know that you are working together and are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news.
, where he talks about standing firm together for their faith.

So, when Paul talks about "standing," he means being strong and not giving up in the middle of a battle, just like ancient soldiers. It's about being brave and united with others in the fight.

Thursday, September 14 – Wrestling Against Evil Powers

In the Bible, there are some verses from Ephesians like Ephesians 1:21

KJV ²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: CEV ²¹ There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well.
, Ephesians 3:10

KJV ¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, CEV ¹⁰ Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom.
, and Ephesians 6:10-20

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
. Paul, who wrote these verses, is talking about the bad spiritual powers that exist.

He uses different titles for these powers to show how strong and tricky they can be. It's a bit like naming different enemy generals in a war. Paul does this to make sure people understand how serious this battle is.

He says we're in a struggle, like when wrestlers compete closely. It's not easy; it's like a hand-to-hand fight. He's telling us that we are fighting against these evil powers, and it's tough.

The titles he gives them in Ephesians 1:21

KJV ²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: CEV ²¹ There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well.
, Ephesians 3:10

KJV ¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, CEV ¹⁰ Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom.
, and Ephesians 6:12

KJV 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. CEV ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.
show that these powers are strong, but he also wants us to know that Jesus is even stronger. Jesus has already won the biggest battle against them.

So, even though these evil powers can be scary, we shouldn't be afraid because Jesus is with us in this battle. He's given us special armor and weapons to fight them. With Jesus on our side and the armor He gives us, we can't be defeated.

So, what we should learn from this is that even though these evil powers are strong, Jesus is much stronger, and He's already beaten them. We should hold on to Jesus because He is our protector and the one who leads us to victory.

Friday, September 15 - Further Thought

In Ephesians 6:10-20, where it talks about our work as followers of Jesus, it compares our work to that of brave soldiers for Jesus. We are told that we have to fight against negative things in the world, not with weapons, but by spreading God's message.

This part of Ephesians mentions that our battle isn't against people; instead, it's against spiritual forces of evil. It's like a big battle, and we need to be strong and not give up. The text emphasizes that we shouldn't accept peace by giving up our faith. We must keep fighting for what's right, even when it's tough.

The ideas in Ephesians 6:10-20 are similar to those found in the book of Revelation within the Bible. Both passages discuss a time when God's people face attacks from the enemy. In both cases, the enemy is strong and active in the world. However, both passages also convey the message that, in the end, the enemy will be defeated, and a wonderful new age will begin.

Discussion Questions

Can you recall a time in your life when you faced challenging circumstances and felt surrounded by darkness? What helped you during those times?

Based on Ephesians 6:10-20

KJV ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

CEV ¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵ Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. ¹⁸ Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹ Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰ I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.

, how would you support someone who appears to be struggling due to the influence of evil forces?

How do you recognize and resist the tricks of the devil, such as feeling too sinful to be saved? Keep in mind that these thoughts don't come from Jesus but from negative influences. During difficult times, why is it important to hold onto the promises we have from Jesus?