Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
Summary: Paul’s words require that we take a close look at the gear that Roman soldiers wore every day.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:14a – The Belt of Truth”Ephesians 6:13d – A Bad Tattoo
… and after you have done everything, to stand.
Summary: Life gives us choices, but we don’t always understand the consequences. God’s Word teaches us what we need to do and how to do it, and for those who want to know why we need to do it.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:13d – A Bad Tattoo”Ephesians 6:13c – The Ground We Stand On
… you may be able to stand your ground,
Summary: In the old days, “standing your ground” meant just that. You would stand in a spot on the ground and defend it with your life. In the world of spiritual matters, we stand on a different kind of ground.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:13c – The Ground We Stand On”Ephesians 6:13b – The Day of Evil
… so that when the day of evil comes,
Summary: “Good” and “evil” are two terms we toss around a lot. But what do they mean? Do we all use the same definitions? If we don’t use the right one, we might not recognize when the day of evil is here.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:13b – The Day of Evil”Ephesians 6:13a – Invisible Me
Therefore put on the full armor of God,
Summary: Why would Paul want us to wear armor if we are not in a war? But we are! The problem is that the war, like our spirit, is invisible.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:13a – Invisible Me”Ephesians 6:12c – Heavenly Struggles
… and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Summary: Are we really involved in what happens in the “heavenly realms?” According to Paul, we are. The question is, “How?”
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:12c – Heavenly Struggles”Ephesians 6:12b – Opposition
… but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world …
Summary: As we pick our way through the text of Paul’s letter, we discover treasures and insights. Today’s insight is confirmation that we are not alone in this world.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:12b – Opposition”Ephesians 6:12a – Two Kinds of Struggles
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
Summary: Paul wants us to see what he sees — that there are two kinds of struggles believers engage in. One is spiritual, the other “flesh and blood.”
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:12a – Two Kinds of Struggles”Ephesians 6:11b – Soul Wars
… so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Summary: Understanding who the devil is helps us understand his schemes and why we need to take a stand.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:11b – Soul Wars”Ephesians 6:11a – Fear Can Be Deadly
Put on the full armor of God …
Summary: We live in dangerous times, both physically and spiritually. Only one of these realms is eternal, and that is where the greatest danger lies.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:11a – Fear Can Be Deadly”