Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power refers to strength derived from God, not strength we humans have to somehow obtain. The words “be strong” describes continual empowering of the Christian community. God’s strength and power are part of the Kingdom blessings available to God’s people. The power that raised Christ from the dead empowers God’s people as they prepare for the spiritual battle they must face on this earth.
God empowers his people, but he does not send them into battle unarmed. God’s people must put on all of God’s armor (see also Romans 13:12). The full armor means complete equipment, head-to-toe protection, both defensively and offensively. This gear was for hand-to-hand combat.
This “armor of God” was mentioned in the Old Testament. Isaiah 59:17 describes God as wearing the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation. Paul wrote this letter while chained to a Roman soldier. Certainly the soldier’s armor must have brought this metaphor to mind. Paul described a divine and complete “outfit” that God gives believers in order to provide all we need to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.
The Devil rules the world of darkness, the kingdom opposed to God. “Stand against” was a military term meaning to resist the enemy, hold the position, and offer no surrender. The Devil will not fight fair; he uses subtle tricks and schemes. Our ability to stand firm depends on our use of the armor.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
How do you face this everyday battle that we have in this world? Paul has just told the Ephesians of the schemes of Satan and battle we’re in and we’re not unaware of all those things. Now he’s thinking about “How can I paint a picture for these followers of Christ so that we can win the battle?” He’s in a prison cell as he’s writing to the Ephesians.
He’s setting there trying to picture the potential for victory in these people’s lives. In the prison cell he’s chained to a Roman soldier. He’s writing with one hand, chained somehow with the other hand. How can I picture for these believers the victory that can happen in their lives? He uses that Roman soldier, the things that he wears to be victories in battle as the picture for the Ephesians of how they can be victorious in battle.
It’s a real common picture. If you’re going to win at anything, you’ve got to have the right uniform for battle. Can you imagine a basketball team showing up in scuba gear? That just wouldn’t work. Or somebody trying to win the 100-meter free style in a football uniform. Because they have the wrong thing on they’d just sink straight to the bottom. Or they wouldn’t be able to get down the court. What’s the right thing for the battle of the Christian life?
The Bible says if I'm going to win the battle here’s some simple pictures about God’s armor in my life that I need to get a hold of so that I can wear the whole armor of God. And when I do that - when I put on the whole armor of God, I can stand against the schemes of Satan.
I can stand against temptation and lust and greed and pride and selfishness and envy and apathy and laziness and thoughtlessness. But, not in my power and strength - in HIS. I can be strong in the strength of HIS might.
Zechariah 4:6-7 (ESV) says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
What is God able to do through HIS might? Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) says, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.."
God is able to do far more than we can imagine. The key question? Will I allow HIM to do have HIS rightful place in my life. Read John 3:30 today. It will give you the key to allowing God HIS rightful place in your life.
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