About once a year I get the feeling that I need to speak pointedly to issues regarding the future of Grace Church, and this Scripture as I was reading it over and praying about what the Lord would have me share with you this week really sort of set the tone for me.
You'll notice in verse 10 of Ephesians 6, which is the next verse in our continuing study, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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 the heavenlies." And we'll stop there.
As I was reading that I was saying to myself, that really is the way to end the book of Ephesians. Because what the apostle Paul is saying is this. If you are a true Christian as defined in chapter 1, chapter 2, and chapter 3, and if you are living the way a true Christian should live as defined in chapters 4, 5, and 6, then you can be sure of one thing, and that is, that you are going to run right into the enemy. It is impossible to live in the manner that Ephesians outlines without having conflict with Satan--it's impossible. And that's why, having said all this, he says the final thing you need to know is that you have to be strong, you have to put on the armor of God, because you're in a spiritual war. It's a war.
