Strength in the Lord: Winning Spiritual Battles

 

Summary

In Ephesians 6:10-13, Paul calls Christians to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, emphasizing the necessity of putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the devil's schemes. This passage is crucial for Christians, as it addresses the spiritual battle we face, not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil. The world may dismiss these spiritual realities, but for believers, they are significant and provide encouragement and strength.

The Christian life is a battle, not a life of ease. The devil's tactics are subtle and varied, aiming to trap and confuse believers. Understanding the nature of this spiritual warfare is essential, as ignorance leads to defeat. However, recognizing the problem is only half the battle. The gospel offers hope and victory, assuring us that we can be more than conquerors through Christ.

Paul instructs us to be strong in the Lord before putting on the armor of God. This order is significant, as relying solely on our strength or merely on the armor without God's power leads to failure. The strength we need comes from the Lord, and we must acknowledge our weakness and dependence on Him. The power of His might is demonstrated in Christ's life, His miracles, His victory over temptation, and ultimately, His triumph on the cross and resurrection.

To be strong in the Lord, we must meditate on His strength and power, as revealed in Scripture. This involves more than mechanical reading; it requires deep reflection and understanding of who Christ is and what He has accomplished. By focusing on His might, we gain the strength to stand firm in the face of evil, becoming a testimony to the world of the truth and power of the gospel.

Key Takeaways:

- The Christian life is a spiritual battle against unseen forces of evil. Recognizing the nature of this battle is crucial for victory. Ignorance of the enemy's tactics leads to defeat, but understanding equips us to stand firm. [04:59]

- Strength in the Lord is essential before putting on the armor of God. Relying solely on our strength or the armor without God's power leads to failure. The order of Paul's instruction emphasizes our dependence on God's might. [09:38]

- Acknowledging our weakness and need for God's strength is vital. Self-examination reveals our inadequacy and drives us to seek His power. This humility is the foundation for spiritual strength. [23:03]

- Meditating on Christ's strength and power, as revealed in Scripture, is key to being strong in the Lord. This involves deep reflection and understanding of His life, miracles, and victory over evil. [35:34]

- Our strength in the Lord serves as a testimony to the world. In times of confusion and evil, standing firm in faith demonstrates the truth and power of the gospel, drawing others to Christ. [21:33]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Ephesians 6:10-13
- [01:09] - Urgency for Christians
- [02:28] - Challenges of Modern Christian Life
- [03:43] - Understanding the Devil's Schemes
- [05:37] - The Importance of Being Forewarned
- [07:11] - Assurance of Victory in Christ
- [08:37] - Two Essential Commands
- [10:51] - The Order of Strength and Armor
- [13:34] - Realizing Our Need for Strength
- [17:25] - Motivation for Seeking Strength
- [20:19] - The Testimony of Standing Firm
- [23:03] - Acknowledging Our Weakness
- [29:19] - The Inadequacy of Human Strength
- [32:01] - The Power of the Lord
- [35:34] - Meditating on Christ's Strength
- [41:12] - Christ's Triumph on the Cross
- [44:18] - Knowing Him for Strength

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Ephesians 6:10-13

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul mean when he instructs believers to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might"? How does this relate to putting on the whole armor of God? [00:10]
2. According to the sermon, what are the "spiritual forces of evil" that Christians are battling against? [00:30]
3. How does the sermon describe the devil's tactics, and why is it important for Christians to be aware of them? [05:18]
4. What is the significance of the order in which Paul instructs believers to be strong in the Lord before putting on the armor of God? [09:38]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does the sermon emphasize the necessity of acknowledging our weakness before seeking God's strength? How does this humility serve as a foundation for spiritual strength? [23:03]
2. How does meditating on Christ's strength and power, as revealed in Scripture, help believers to be strong in the Lord? What role does deep reflection play in this process? [35:34]
3. In what ways does the strength we gain from the Lord serve as a testimony to the world, according to the sermon? How can standing firm in faith draw others to Christ? [21:33]
4. How does the sermon suggest that Christians can practically apply the concept of being strong in the Lord in their daily lives? [11:55]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt spiritually weak. How can you apply the principle of being strong in the Lord to similar situations in the future? [13:34]
2. The sermon mentions the importance of self-examination to recognize our inadequacy. What specific areas of your life require more reliance on God's strength rather than your own? [23:03]
3. Consider the ways in which you currently meditate on Christ's strength. What changes can you make to deepen your reflection and understanding of His power? [35:34]
4. How can you demonstrate the strength of the Lord in your interactions with others this week, serving as a testimony to the truth and power of the gospel? [21:33]
5. Identify a subtle tactic of the devil that you have encountered. How can you prepare yourself to stand firm against it using the strength and armor of God? [05:18]
6. Think of a time when you relied solely on your own strength and failed. How can you ensure that you seek God's power first in future challenges? [09:38]
7. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself daily of the power and might of the Lord, especially during times of spiritual battle? [32:01]

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Spiritual Battle
The Christian life is not a life of ease but a spiritual battle against unseen forces of evil. This battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces that seek to trap and confuse believers. Understanding the nature of this spiritual warfare is crucial for victory. Ignorance of the enemy's tactics leads to defeat, but understanding equips us to stand firm. The world may dismiss these spiritual realities, but for believers, they are significant and provide encouragement and strength. By recognizing the spiritual battle, Christians can prepare themselves to stand firm in their faith. [04:59]

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: What are some subtle ways the enemy has tried to confuse or trap you recently? How can you prepare yourself spiritually to stand firm against these tactics today?


Day 2: Strength in the Lord Before the Armor
Paul instructs believers to be strong in the Lord before putting on the armor of God. This order is significant because relying solely on our strength or merely on the armor without God's power leads to failure. The strength we need comes from the Lord, and we must acknowledge our weakness and dependence on Him. The power of His might is demonstrated in Christ's life, His miracles, His victory over temptation, and ultimately, His triumph on the cross and resurrection. By focusing on His might, we gain the strength to stand firm in the face of evil. [09:38]

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10-11, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been relying on your own strength rather than God's? How can you begin to depend more on His power today?


Day 3: Acknowledging Our Weakness
Acknowledging our weakness and need for God's strength is vital. Self-examination reveals our inadequacy and drives us to seek His power. This humility is the foundation for spiritual strength. By recognizing our limitations, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God, who works through our weaknesses to demonstrate His strength. This acknowledgment is not a sign of defeat but a step towards victory in Christ. [23:03]

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of weakness in your life that you have been hesitant to acknowledge? How can you invite God's strength into this area today?


Day 4: Meditating on Christ's Strength
Meditating on Christ's strength and power, as revealed in Scripture, is key to being strong in the Lord. This involves deep reflection and understanding of His life, miracles, and victory over evil. By focusing on His might, we gain the strength to stand firm in the face of evil, becoming a testimony to the world of the truth and power of the gospel. This meditation is more than mechanical reading; it requires deep reflection and understanding of who Christ is and what He has accomplished. [35:34]

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable." (Isaiah 40:28, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate meditation on Christ's strength into your daily routine? What specific aspect of His life or character can you focus on today?


Day 5: Standing Firm as a Testimony
Our strength in the Lord serves as a testimony to the world. In times of confusion and evil, standing firm in faith demonstrates the truth and power of the gospel, drawing others to Christ. By relying on God's strength, believers become a beacon of hope and truth in a world that often dismisses spiritual realities. This testimony is not just for personal edification but serves as a powerful witness to those around us, showcasing the transformative power of the gospel. [21:33]

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: How can your life be a testimony of God's strength to those around you today? What specific actions can you take to demonstrate the power of the gospel in your daily interactions?

Quotes


Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you 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 high places. [00:17:20]

The Christian life is a battle, not to a life of ease, to a battle, to a warfare, to a wrestling, to a struggle. That's the thing that we've been looking at, and we've seen in detail the varied, almost endless ways in which the devil in his wiles and subtlety tries to trap and to ensnare, to confuse and to confound the Christian man. [00:30:00]

The gospel always starts with it. The gospel is always realistic. The gospel never hides any of the truth. It never gives a false impression. It's not a true gospel that gives us the impression that the Christian life is something easy and that there's no problem left. That's not New Testament at all. [00:39:57]

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that in order that then he brings in his problem. Well, here I say is something for which we should thank God this morning. Here and here alone we are told the way in which though everything is so true about us and of the world in which we live. [00:46:01]

There are just two things: be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. That's one of them. The second is take unto you the whole armor of God. Now those are the two things. There are some preliminary comments that I have to make. The first is that both are necessary. You don't take one without the other. [00:51:08]

The order in which he puts them, he doesn't tell you to put on the armor first and then to be strong in the Lord. No, the other way around. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, then take unto you the whole armor of God. There's a very real significance in that. [00:56:40]

We need to know that we are ill. In other words, we need to indulge in a great deal of self-examination. That's why people don't implement this text. That's why we know so little what it is to stand and to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We've never realized our own need. [00:59:59]

The name of the Lord is a strong tower. Well, yes, you see his very name is why. Well, because the name represents him who he is and what he is, and the first thing therefore we have to realize is the greatness of his strength. That's what the Apostle is saying here. [01:03:25]

Be strong in the Lord. Why? How can I be strong in the Lord? Well, remember the might of his power, the might of his strength. Put it whichever way you like, it doesn't matter, but look at him as it were and realize all the reserves of strength and power that are in him. [01:07:02]

This means meditating about him, doesn't it? It isn't just a phrase, an incantation, as I said. No, no, it means that you sit down and remind yourself of these things, and you look at him and you remind yourself of some of the things that are true concerning him. [01:11:17]

He was taking these principalities and powers, says Paul in Colossians 2, and putting them to an open shame, triumphing over them in it by it. That's his triumph over them. When they think they've beaten him, he's beating them. Now is the judgment of this world, he says beforehand, looking at the cross. [01:23:10]

There is no better way of giving a proof of the truth of the gospel than that we should be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Then that we should triumph and prevail. You see, life, as I say, is so difficult, and when you see somebody succeeding, somebody who can stand against the enticements and the insinuations of evil. [01:28:40]

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Transcript
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