Invisible Battle

Ephesians 6:10-17

Verse 12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

    We talked yesterday about the importance of having armor to protect against the schemes of the enemy but if we can’t see him, how do we know where he is fighting us?  Fighting an invisible enemy seems like something from a sci-fi book or movie but the truth is we physically live in a world where there are non-physical beings.  Things we can’t see don’t seem like such a danger to us until we start thinking about them.

    Paul wanted his friends in Ephesus to understand the battle we are on isn’t about the people who come against us.  This is a hard lesson to learn because they are the ones we can see and we know the trouble they are causing us.  When we are in the midst of an interpersonal struggle we become so focused on the person who is bothering us and the situation surrounding them, we lose sight of what Jesus considered important.

    This isn’t to say we should never have issues with other people as that is nearly impossible but we do have a responsibility to how we manage our response.  Paul understood how sometimes those issues which seem to be between two people are not really about the physical relationship at all.  One of the people involved could actually be acting upon ungodly ideas and sometimes that is because the person is listening to the lies of the enemy or the enemy has somehow added confusion to the situation.

    Paul wanted the Church in Ephesus to understand the importance of guarding themselves from falling into the trap of the enemy so they wouldn’t be misled and be the one to bring confusion into the relationships they had with each other and those in the world around them.  The Lord is not wanting His people to get caught up in needless issues because they are busy fighting their own battles.

    The purpose of this book and the armor to go with it is so God’s people would know how to set their focus on God and His battles and how to be prepared to go into battle with and for Him.  Each of these pieces of armor has a very important job and we need to not only understand the reason each piece is necessary but also what it means to your life of faith.

Making It Personal

    When have you experienced a relational issue where it could have been a spiritual battle instead of an actual issue with the other person?  How often do you think about putting on the Armor of God?  How could your life be different if you were to be more intentional about the Armor?

Making It Personal Kids

    Have you ever thought about there being invisible beings and powers in the world?  What could those beings be doing?  Why is it important to know how to be on God’s side of the battle?

Closing Prayer

    Father, thank You for giving us the things we need to be able to stand for You in the midst of the battle.  Please grow us in wisdom about how to use the Armor You give as we need to for Your glory.  In Jesus’ name, amen.