GOD’S MYSTERIOUS PLAN REVEALED

These are the final 2 verses of of the section in scripture re: the armor of God. It is my hope that it was enlightening, encouraging and informative. May our gracious Lord be praised forever! rkeller

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Ephesians 6:19-20 New Living Translation

“And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”

            Here is a man who has been incarcerated for his faith and the preaching thereof. Does it not surprise you that when he asks his readers to pray for him he doesn’t ask for his own well being? No, he only asks that he be able to continue to preach the word of God with boldness and the right words to cause his listeners or readers to come to faith in Christ. To me that is pretty amazing. He is at peace in his circumstances and cares only for the needs of others.

            What is the mysterious plan Paul speaks of? To find the answer we must look to others scripture verses. In 1 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) Paul lays out the plan: “Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.” In 1 Corinthians 15:51 (NLT) he says “… let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!”  So not only has Christ ascended to his rightful place in heaven and we are going with him. Colossians 1:27 (NLT)“For God wantedthemto know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”  Who is the “them” Paul speaks of? It is God’s peopleas mentioned in the preceding verse; the Jewish people. God wanted them to know that the message is now not only for them, but his mysterious plan now included gentiles as well. The term “gentile”refers to allnon-Jewish people. 

            What wonderful news! We serve a gracious and kind Savior King who loves us without condition and has saved us from the sin that so easily entangles us. The world does not see this. They seem to think if they are just good enough maybe they will get into heaven, apparently banking on God’s mercy. Who am I to say who will be there in the end and who will not because God judges the heart of a man? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources:www.biblegateway.com; MacArthur Study Bible.

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If you have a portion of scripture you would like me to take a deeper look at please let me know via email at rkeller03211955@gmail.com.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

Ephesians 6:18 The Living Translation

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

              Here we find a second offensive weapon. It is none other than prayer. There is immense power in prayer as shown throughout scripture.In this verse we are not being asked to literally pray every waking moment of the day. However, there area couple ways we can fulfill this directive. First, we can pray a brief prayer when a need arises for ourselves or someone else, especially those in the body of Christ. We are not required to pray in King James English with great formality. I prefer conversational prayer, as if I were speaking directly to him. This is appropriate because that is exactly what I believe, that it’s very personal; that when we pray, we are praying, as I’ve heard some people say, “from my mouth to God’s ears”. I believe God hears us and begins to arrange all the elements that will compose our answer. Secondly, we can live a life following God’s desires and his teachings as laid out in scripture, which in effect would make our life a prayer unto the Lord. If we live in such a manner we will showChrist to those in our sphere of influence.

            It is important for us to pray for those in the body of Christ. God never asks us to go thru life completely alone. The community of believers is supposed to lift one another up as a means of support thru prayer. It matters not whether you know them personally or not. If a prayer request is passed along for someone within the body of Christ, it is our responsibility to stand in the gap and lift up their need to our gracious, loving Heavenly Father. Ours prayers are for ourbenefit, not God’s. It would be a contradiction to say God is all-knowing (or Omniscient) and yet wouldn’t know what our prayer would be prior to us uttering a word. We pray so that our faith is bolstered when the answer comes. In some cases our patience is expanded as well as we wait. We may not like that when it happens, but it is an important part of the spiritual maturation process. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible, notes on verse 18 (p. 2628); NASB Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes

THE HELMET & THE SWORD

Ephesians 6:17 Amplified Bible - Classic Edition 

“And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.”

         The reason a soldier needs to protect his head is because that is always a major target in battle. Just as cutting the head of a snake renders it harmless, so removing the head of a soldier also renders him harmless as well. Paul’s comments are to believers, not those seeking salvation. Satan cannot steal our salvation but can plant doubts as to whether we are really saved. This causes discouragement, which can cause a believer to be less effective, if effective at all for the kingdom. Please realize that our salvation is eternally sealed and cannot be taken away from us. The obedient Christian can realize the assurance of salvation. 1 Peter 1:8-9 reveals this to us: “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice in a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”_{[New Living Translation]} 

            Up to this point we have discussed defensive armor, items that protect us from the enemy. Here is the first mention of the only offensive weapon needed by the soldier. The Greek term for the weapon used means a 6”-18” sword or dagger. It is all we need as believers as well. When armed with God’s word we can defeat any weapon used against us by our enemies. Hebrews 4:12 says this about the Word of God: “For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are.”[The Living Bible]

            It’s a fact that no one will ever fool Almighty God. He knows all our comings and goings and knows the deepest thoughts and innermost desires that are kept tucked away in our hearts. That’s something man is incapable of. We do not know the motivation of a man’s heart. We only know what he chooses to reveal to us. Get to know God’s word and use it wisely. It’s the only offensive weapon we need against the wiles of our adversary. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources:www.biblegateway.com; MacArthur Study Bible; The Living Bible; The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition.

THE SHIELD OF FAITH

Ephesians 6:16 The Amplified Bible

“Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

            What example of a shield would Paul be most familiar with at this writing. Probably the shield used by Roman soldiers. The Roman shield used by the soldiers was roughly 22 lbs in weight, so it was light enough for the soldier to carry into battle and use to protect nearly his entire body. It was approximately 4 feet from top to bottom and nearly a foot and a half across. (It is estimated that the average height of a Roman soldier was 5’7” tall)It was curved to fit the body of the soldier. It was made of 3 sheets of wood glued together so the grain of each piece was at right angles to the others. The frame that held it all together was made of either wrought iron or bronze. It was covered with leather, which was soaked in water just before battle to extinguish the fiery arrows shot at them by their enemies. 

            This is the mental picture I believe Paul wants his readers to have regarding the shield of faith. Our faith protects us from anything the enemy throws our way. Even fiery darts or arrows can have no effect on us. “Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.”_{[1 Peter 5:8 Amplified Bible]}The thing God wants you to know is that the devil is a toothless lion that has no power of those whose complete trust is in the Lord.

            In reality, though Satan has great power in the world, we are not of this world. “They do not belong to this world any more than I do.”_{[John 17:16 New Living Translation]}The “they” being spoken of here are the disciples. This is part of Jesus prayer to the Father. In verse 9 of John’s gospel Jesus clarifies that his prayer is not for the world but for those the Father gave him. We are his as well; therefore we are not under Satan’s authority. Keep your shield at the ready, for you never know when you will need it. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources: www.biblegateway.com,www.unrv.com.

BEING READY

Ephesians 6:15 Amplified Bible

“…and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].

            Since we are in a battle for men’s souls, it seems only fitting that Paul speaks of armor and the different components that make up that armor. The feet are important because that is the means by which we travel when void of an alternate method of transportation. Ones feet must be in good shape for the task at hand. Below are a couple notes regarding the footwear soldiers of that time period wore to protect their feet. The difference is that we come in peace, in a defensive and not offensive posture. We come not to plunder but to spread peace and the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Regardless we still need to protect our feet. 

            The proper footwear can not only protect but also provide stability so one can stand upright and not fall. We must be steadfast in our stance and ready to present our message at any time. While soldiers are poised to strike out in violence, we are poised to present love, mercy and hope for the future.      

            We must never become so self-assured that we are careless in our preparation for the spiritual tasks that present themselves in our lives. We need to be constantly at the ready to show others what the gospel is all about. We are tasked with letting people know that there are true believers and there are pretenders who bring shame to the name of Christ by words and actions that are contrary to what God intended. We must live out our faith in such a way that those outside the faith will get a glimpse of Christ. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource:www.biblegateway.com

Note:This is a reference to the Roman soldiers’ shoes, which were studded with hobnails to give them stability on the battlefield.

Note:Soldiers needed to wear sandals or boots (technically the Roman caliga, a half boot) so they could advance toward the enemy undistracted about what they might step on.

Note:Paul, knowing the OT as he undoubtedly did, seems to be thinking of this verse in Isaiah when he refers to the message and the messenger: Isaiah 52:7 Amplified Bible -  “How beautiful and delightful on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace, Who brings good news of good [things], Who announces salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

THE WIDE WAIST BAND & BREASTPLATE

Ephesians 6:14 Amplified Translation

“So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, …”

            Having a basic understanding of Middle Eastern customs & practices is helpful in deciphering the meaning of scripture. The mention of the wide band refers to the 6-inch wide band of cloth, also called a cinch that was tied around ones waist.  Essentially, the cinch or band acted as a pocket or pouch in which one could carry personal items, such as, necessary personal items, money or even a dagger. If a vigorous endeavor was to take place the person would tuck the loose ends of their garments under the band and tighten it so nothing became loose or fell out. Some translations speak of “girding your loins”. Your loins would be the area of your hips, groin and lower abdomen. Figuratively speaking it represents ones integrity and moral courage. 

            The breastplate is needed to protect the heart, lungs and other internal organs. The heart is the strongest muscle in your body. The breastplate of righteousness can signify an upright heart. We are righteous because of the blood of Christ. With sins forgiven God now sees us as righteous or upright. 

            Solomon says in Proverbs 4:23_(NLT)“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” The key words in the verse are Guard your heart. If the heart turns against God all is lost, which is why we are to guard against the enemies fiery darts from penetrating our heart. Reading God’s word diligently and living what you have read can accomplish all this. The bottom line is that we must prepare ourselves for any upcoming challenges. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: www.biblegateway.com

REITERATION OF THE FACT

Ephesians 6:13 New Living Translation

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”

            Paul is covering no new ground here in verse 13. He is reiterating the necessity to put on not part of the armor, but each and every piece of God’s armor. The reasoning behind that is it will give you the ability to resist whatever the enemy throws at you.  The one idea that is new is not just that you will be standing firm but when you will be standing firm. After the battle you will still be standing firm. 

            This is encouraging news to the believer in Paul’s day and also in modern day America. God has an abundance of examples throughout scripture where he has come thru for his spiritual children. As a matter of fact there happens to be no record of any failure on God’s part in the entirety of scripture. We can trust the Lord without hesitation because he has a positive track record. He is no respecter of persons so what he has done in the past he still does today and will do for you.

            This world is overrun with temptations to tickle our fancy, so it is increasingly difficult to maintain self-control in the face of it, but there is no profit in giving in to that which we know we should not do. Tomorrow we will begin to get specific regarding God’s armor so strap yourself in for the ride. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.