2013-07-07
Ephesians 6 - Spiritual Warfare
Steve Lane

A. Review/Introduction
Submission and headship: Revival is required
The Christian home – big picture
Obedience and Submission
Obedience in a child requires love and truth from the parents.
Truth without love is brutality… in all of our relationships.
But love without discipline encourages self rule!

B. Work as if you were working for the Lord, not men
Ephesians 6: 5 - 9
Living in a right way is key to working in a right way – overflowing Christ
A by-product will of course produce Integrity, honesty, discipline at work
“Do what needs to be done…. When it needs to be done…. The best it can be done”
A job does not have to fulfill you…. God reserves that for Himself
Is your focus on working for Christ and adequate provision or ambition, prestige...
1 Pet 2:11 Our citizenship is in Heaven and we are to lay up treasure in our real home.

When you think about your parents what impacts you…?
Not at the expense of training and instructing your children and investing in others
We are to be Tent makers - our real purpose is the cause of Christ

C. Spiritual Warfare (introduction) Ephesians 6:10 - 12
Humility, spirituality, faith
A soldier is not putting on his gear primarily for his own cause but for a greater…
What is it that Satan and demons opposing?
1) The gospel 2) He is fighting to hold on to souls in bondage.
Are you attempting to just use the armor of God just for personal defense?
Do not assume that evil is unorganized…
We must grab the promises and go faithfully into the battle

1 Peter 5:8 – 9
Ephesians 2: 1 – 3
The enemy is capitalizing on those who are being dragged away by their own sinful
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power…” Ephesians 1:19 – 21

We need to progress beyond always being engaged in internal conflicts to wage war Moving on in Romans 6 and Gal 2:20
“So many start, strong and true, and quickly fall away…”
He has many schemes that fit into his agenda… division in the church, self focus...
2 Cor 2:11 Division, distraction, wrong desire and many other tricks
Maybe you need to pray differently and ask God to deal with the foe…
Ephesians 6:18 – 20
We need prayer warriors to wrestle and over throw enemies attacking the church