Battlefield

One day recently at the gym I took my Kindle and read all of Ephesians while using the treadmill. It took about 15 minutes. I gained a new perspective on Ephesians by reading the whole thing straight through. Paul begins by gloriously recounting our spiritual blessings in Christ – our election, our adoption, Jesus’ grace, our redemption, our forgiveness, God’s eternal purpose, our salvation, our inheritance. So many RICH blessings. Paul goes on to say how he prays for the saints in Ephesus. He gloriously expounds our salvation through faith by grace, which thus joins the Gentiles and Jews together through that faith in Christ. He then explains how we live that faith in our daily lives – how our lives change (putting off the old, putting on the new), how our character changes, how our relationships change. He ends his letter to the Ephesians with the armor of God. And this is what struck me most – this life, this new life in Christ, is a battle. From Ephesians 6¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.. Yes, I’ve read this section thousands of times before, but somehow in reading it all at once, I ‘got it’. The whole progression of God’s blessings in Christ leads to the battle with evil and we must stand firm in the Lord. I think so many times we read smaller portions of Scripture and we lose the whole. When God gives blessings and He works, Satan is right there attempting to devour like a lion. Satan doesn’t want us to enjoy God’s blessings, change our character, or have a new life. The spiritual battle isn’t out there; it’s here, it’s near, and it’s real.