A large portion of the content of this lesson came from Dressed To Kill by Pastor Rick Renner.Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
The word “finally” in the Greek language lets us know there might have been a problem in this early church.
The word “finally” in the Greek language means the familiar saying, “If you don’t get anything else out of what I am saying to you, get this…”
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
“Brethren” – Greek: adelphos
Means: “You and I are brothers! We came out of the same womb of humanity. We have the same feelings; we have similar emotions; and we deal with the same problems of life…”
Paul was identifying with these believers and their personal struggles and their victories.
In Greek culture, to call someone “brother” like this was a high honor. It was saying, “Like me, you are still in the fight and are giving it your best shot. Therefore, I am personally proud to be affiliated with people like you.”
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
“Strong” – Greek: en-dunamis – Means: being infused with and excessive does of dynamic inner strength and ability
We are specifically designed by God to be receptacles of His divine power.
Paul used the present passive imperative tense in these words.
He was commanding them to receive this power. He was commanding them to open their hearts to receive a brand-new touch of God’s power into their lives.
The passive tense describes it as an ongoing, lasting effect of this power upon their lives.
Paul was commanding all believers to:
- “Be infused with supernatural strength and ability.”
- “Be empowered with this special touch of God’s strength.”
- “You must receive this inner strengthening.”
Why was he so emphatic about this? Because he knew that we need to receive this power before our fight commences.
Without the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit operating in us, not one of us can ever be a match against Satan’s schemes and devices.
Satan is intelligent, keen, brilliant, canny, cunning, quick, brainy and shrewd. He is strong, capable, influencing, and determined. He is a wise strategist, orderly planning and arranging systematic assaults against humanity. He is the epitome of an opportunist, knowing when to strike with his destructive power.
When the Holy Spirit’s supernatural strength is released within us, we are empowered to deal victoriously with this archenemy of the faith.
Yes, it is true that Jesus stripped him of his authority, but his intelligence is very much still intact.
This is superhuman power for a superhuman task!
In Greek culture, this word “endogamous” would have been used in Greek writings for someone like Hercules who demonstrated superhuman strength.
Our only hope of reinforcing Jesus’ victory and demonstrating Satan’s defeat is by receiving the help of the special, supernatural power.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
This phrase in the Greek is showing us the “locative” sense and means that this special power can only be found in one place: in the Lord.
We are perpetually, endlessly, and infinitely “locked up” in the Person of Jesus Christ. He has become our realm of existence and habitation.
This power can only be obtained through a personal relationship with Jesus.
We see this same tense used by Paul repeatedly in Ephesians 1: “In Christ…”
Because we are “locked up” in the Lord and this power is “locked up” in the Lord, that means we are never far away from a fresh surge of superhuman power into our own human spirits.
A new release of God’s power within us is as accessible as our very next breath of air!
To experience God’s ever-available, ever-accessible power, you must open your heart to it and ask that it be released in your life. By faith, you must reach out to embrace this special divine power, for because of your position “in the Lord,” you are surrounded by it right now. At this precise moment, you are immersed in God’s supernatural power. It is yours for the asking.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Power – Greek: “Kratos” – Demonstrated power
The kind of power that God used when He raised Jesus from the dead is the very same, exact, identical power that is at work in us.
To understand this power, you must go back and look at the power that God released when He raised Jesus from the dead.
This “kratos” power raised Jesus from the dead! This was an eruptive power, a demonstrated power, and outwardly visible power. It was the strongest kind of power known to God or man.
The only being in the universe that possesses this kind of power is God. Man does not possess this power – unless it has been given to him by God!
This power is so mighty and overwhelming, the mighty Roman soldiers assigned to guard Jesus tomb fainted and crumbled underneath it.
Matthew 28:2-4 NKJV And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. (3) His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. (4) And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
It also caused the graves of others to be opened and raised others from the dead.
Matthew 27:52-53 NKJV and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; (53) and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
This same power is what Paul prayed we would get a revelation of in his prayers for the Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:19-20 NKJV and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (20) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
God does not give us “kratos” power so we can sit idly by and do nothing in life. This power comes to enable us to accomplish some type of super-human task.
This power in us seeks to demonstrate itself.
When we have this power at our disposal, the devil is no match for us. We are well able to overcome his strategies with the armor God has provided.
Paul knew that he had to address the issue of power before ever discussing warfare with unseen forces or the armor of God.
Why? Because without this power operating in us our spiritual lives, we can’t engage in battle with the enemy. We cannot stand against the deeds of darkness in our own strength – it’s an impossibility.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Might – Greek: “ischous” – conveys the picture of an extremely strong man such as a body builder, a man who is able; a man who is mighty; or a man with great muscular abilities.
Paul applies this picture to God – not to himself.
- Is there anyone more powerful than God?
- Is there anyone more able than God?
- Is there any force in the universe equal to the muscular ability of God?
With God’s outstretched arm:
- He flung the universe into being
- An entire period of civilization was wiped out in the flood
- Sodom and Gomorrah were forever wiped off the face of the earth
- Egypt’s rebellion against God was crushed and the children of Israel were set free
- The Red Sea was split in two while the children of Israel passed through and then crashed down on the Egyptians
- The wicked powers of the heavenlies were forcibly shoved aside and, although it was physically and medically impossible, Jesus was conceived and miraculously born from a virgin’s womb.
- His power surged in to the caverns of hell itself and ripped Jesus out of the pangs of death, stripping principalities and powers naked and making a public display of the embarrassing defeat.
- On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came rushing in and filled the disciples with awesome power, supernaturally empowering them to preach the Word with signs and wonders.
- One day He will return and split the eastern sky and come to earth, defeat the great armies of the earth, set up His Kingdom and rule and reign forever
This is the same might arm of God that is working throughout the earth. Where is His powerful, able, mighty muscular ability working today? In you and me!
One expositor accurately translates Ephesians 6:10 this way: “…Be strong in the Lord and in the powerful, outwardly demonstrated ability that works in you as a result of God’s great muscular ability.”
Ephesians 6:11 NKJV Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
As we stated earlier, Paul was guarded by a fully armored, highly impressive and intimidating soldier.
Paul could see the soldiers loin-belt, huge breastplate, brutal shoes affixed with spikes, massive full-length shield, intricate helmet, piercing sword and long specially tooled lance that could be thrown a great distance.
- The loin-belt.
Although the least impressive and most commonplace piece of weaponry that the Roman soldier wore, it was the central piece of armor that held all the other parts together.
Without it the other pieces of armor would have fallen off the soldier.
- A magnificent and beautiful breastplate.
The breastplate was made from two large sheets of metal. One piece covered the front of the soldier and the other covered his back. These two sheets were attached at the top of the soldier’s shoulders by large brass rings.
Part of this breastplate began at the bottom of the neck and extended down past the waist to the knees. From the waist, it took on the resemblance of a metal skirt. It also was the heaviest part of the armor weighing in at excess of 40 pounds.
- Very dangerous shoes.
These were not Roman sandals as often depicted in movies. They were actually constructed of leather and metal. It was made up of the greave which wrapped around the soldier’s lover leg and calf area.
On the bottom of the shoes were affixed with extremely dangerous spikes sometimes up to 3 inches in length.
- A large oblong shield.
This shield was made up of multiple layers of animal hide that were tightly woven together and then framed along the edges by a strong piece of metal or wood.
- The helmet.This piece of armor protected the soldier from receiving a fatal blow to the head and could weigh as much as 15 pounds.
While the breastplate was the most beautiful, the helmet was the most noticeable.
- The sword.
The sword the Roman soldier carried as a very heavy broad sword specifically designed for jabbing and killing an adversary.
- A specially tooled lance.
This is designed to strike the enemy from a distance. Although the lance is not specifically mentioned in the text, it is implied when Paul tells us to put on the “whole armor of God”.
Ephesians 6:11 NKJV Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Paul is using the imperative tense in this tex. This means he is not making a suggestion; rather he is issuing the very strongest kind of command that can be given.
We have a choice – we can reject Paul’s command or we can accept it and do it.
Next week, we will find out how to put on the whole armor of God.