Alarm and Courage


We all love the last chapter of Ephesians. The war is on and we are to fight with the weapons God gives, putting on the whole armor of God. But it's more than spiritual sentimentality or something to explore. The fight is real and important beyond what we understand.

Paul does something interesting in this pericope. He instills alarm and courage at the same time. Alarm in that our enemy is real and must be taken seriously...

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Our enemies are real!  They are numerous, ordered, and all over. They are cosmic powers, they are forces of evil, they are rulers and they are authorities. These are serious titles to alert the Christian to serious attention. You are at war. And every step in the wrong direction is a step toward spiritual collapse and defeat! 

I don't know about you but I hate to lose! You don't win when you don't take the battle seriously. Paul told Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith." We have a real battle against a real army and we have real weapons to put on and a real Lord who empowers and strengthens us. 

But what are we fighting for? We are fighting for the ground won for us by Christ as discussed all throughout this marvelous book of Ephesians - the blessings, the inheritance, the power and the love of God in Christ. It is not ours to advance on the enemy and win more ground, the battle was won 2000 years ago. We were predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. We do not need to do anything more than stand!

Stand in the faith that God has saved you and redeemed you! Stand in the Truth that sets us free. Stand in the righteousness purchased for you in Christ's blood. Stand knowing you are at peace with God. Stand in faith not in nagging doubts and fears. Stand in a competent knowledge of the Word of God. And pray! Pray all the time. What to do when you don't know what to do... pray! Seek and cry out to God who hears and rewards those who diligently seek Him.

This is war and this is not joke, Paul has sounded the alarm, take courage and fight!

PRAYER:
Father I pray for the power to stand in this day. I pray for the things Christ has won for me to be ever more true to me. I pray that I may grow in the grace and KNOWLEDGE of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and empower me to stand in Truth. Amen.

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