STAND

Ephesians 6: 10-11, 13-18

“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having your feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” (NASB)

Ephesians 6:10-11, 13-18

“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord, be empowered through your union with Him: draw your strength from Him, that strength which His boundless might provides. Put on God’s whole armor, the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies, that you may be able successfully to stand up against all the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

“Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day of danger, and, having done all the crisis demands, to stand firmly in your place. Stand therefore, hold your ground, having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God. And having shod your feet in preparation to face the enemy with the firm footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news of the Gospel of peace. Lift up over all the covering shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. Pray at all time on every occasion, in every season, in the Spirit, with all manner of prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints, God’s consecrated people.” (The Amplified Bible)

Let’s review just a little bit before we continue with the third section of our study, STAND.

We have talked about “SIT” found in Ephesians 2:6.

This is the key to the secret of a true Christian experience. God has made us to “sit” with Christ in the heavenly places. Every Christian must begin his spiritual life from that place of “rest.”

We just finished our study on “WALK” in Ephesians 4:1. It is used as an expression of our life in the world. We are challenged there to display in our Christian walk our conduct that is keeping with our high calling.

Let me make this point: It is extremely important for the Christian to learn how to sit and walk before he can stand before his enemy.

It is with these two lessons well and truly learned that he comes to appreciate the third principle often Christian life summed up in the word “STAND.”

Now we begin our study on “STAND” found in Ephesians 6:11. This is our attitude toward our enemy, Satan. It is expressive of our place of triumph.

The Christian experience begins with sitting, and leads to walking, but it does not end there.

Every Christian must learn to stand.

Each one us must be prepared for the conflict.

We must know how to sit with Christ in heavenly places and we must know how to walk worthy of Him down here, but we must also know how stand before the enemy.

No Christian can hope to enter the warfare of the ages without learning first to rest in Christ and in what He has done and through the strength of the Holy Spirit within, to follow Him in a practical, holy life here on earth.

If he is deficient in either of these, he will find that all the talk about spiritual warfare remains only talk; he will never know its reality.

Satan can afford to ignore him for he does not count for anything.

Yet the very same Christian can be made strong “in the Lord, and in the power of His might” by knowing the value first of his exaltation and then of his indwelling.
(Ephesians 1:9)(Ephesians 3:16)(Ephesians 6:10)
It is with these two lessons well and truly learned that he comes to appreciate the third principle of the Christian life summed up in the word “STAND.”

Our power for standing, as for walking, lies in our having first being made to sit together with Christ. This is very important. The Christian’s walk and warfare alike derive their strength from his position in Christ. If he is not sitting before God he cannot hope to stand before the enemy. This is well worth remembering and understanding.

Satan’s primary objective is not to get us to sin, but simply to make it easy for us to sin by getting us off the ground of perfect triumph on to which the Lord has brought us. Satan’s goal is to draw us away from where he knows he can’t touch the Christian, into his “turf” where he knows we don’t stand a chance.

Through the avenue of the head or heart, through our intellect our feelings, he assaults our rest in Christ or our walk in the Spirit.

Stand means to “hold your ground.” It is not a command to invade a foreign territory. It implies that the ground disputed by the enemy is really God’s, and therefore yours. We need not struggle to gain a foothold on it.

“To stand firm against”means to hold a watch post, to stand and hold out in a critical position on a battlefield. This phrase belongs to the soldier's language and conveys the idea of standing one's ground, as opposed to taking flight. Note that stand is a key word in warfare (Ephesians 6:11; 6:13; 6:14 - in verse 14 note that resist is a derivative of the Greek word for stand).

John Stott quotes Simpson writing that...

“The tactics of intimidation and insinuation alternate in Satan’s plan of campaign. He plays both the bully and the beguiler. Force and fraud form his chief offensive against the camp of the saints.”

Wayne Barber writes that...
“The word "stand" there has the idea not of a casual standing but of a digging in. The sandals of the Roman soldiers had spikes on them so they could dig in and hold their ground and not be knocked off course. That is the idea of standing. It is not just a casual standing up. It has the idea of standing firm and holding the ground that you are on, not being knocked off course. You need to understand that Satan is in this world and wants to come in your face and put deceit in your mind. If you are not being strengthened in the inner man, your mind being affected by truth, letting the Lord Jesus Christ motivate you and live His life through you, you are a "dead duck". If you are not in the Word of God, you are not consistently seeking to let Him control your life...If you are not putting the Word in your mind, letting truth affect your life, then you have missed the whole point of what this conflict is over. It is not power against power. God can sneeze and put him down. It is the battle of truth. That is why it is so important for us to understand that we need to be strengthened in the inner man at all times because that affects the way we think and that affects the way we live.”

“STAND FIRM” (histemi) means to stand. In context it conveys the idea of digging in (the Roman sandals had spikes for this purpose). It was a military term for holding one's position. Hold your ground. Don't give an inch of territory to the enemy. That is the picture.
From a practical standpoint one stands firm by living the obedient, Scripture–dominated, Spirit–empowered life - the Spirit in such a state is not quenched or grieved and strengthens the obedient believer to stand firm.

The greatest weapon we have in warfare is not what we say to the devil but how we live the ''Christ life''. Obey, surrender, and submit for this is your greatest weapon. It's not binding but it's bowing, saying ''yes'' to Jesus and committing to do His Word...at the moment He says it...then at that moment you become a fortress against the devil.

We must live in light of the fact that just as much as "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life," so it is true that "Satan hates you and has a terrible plan for your life" - we do have an enemy who wishes us nothing but evil.

Using the metaphor of a battle, in the military sense to stand firm meant to hold a watch post or to stand and hold a critical position on a battlefield while under attack! The intent of Paul's exhortation is not unlike that of our Lord to the embattled church at Thyatira, whom He commanded, “hold fast until I come” (Rev 2:25). The believer needs to be strengthened in the inner man, letting our mind be affected by the truth, and letting the Spirit of Christ motivate us (Ezekiel 36:27) and live His life through you. Stand firm by being in His word, obeying His word, repenting quickly and returning to your first Love. If you are disobedient you are deceived and a deceived person doesn't even know it! Furthermore when you are deceived you are primed for defeat! That is how good the Deceiver is. Remember his territory is the darkness, this present world system, and even though believers have been transferred out of darkness and into God's marvelous light, we can still choose to place ourselves under his domain by willing disobedience.

“RESIST” (anthistemi from anti = against + histemi = stand) means literally to stand or set against. It means to arrange in battle against and so pictures a face to face confrontation. It means to set one's self against, to stand firm against someone else's onset, to oppose (place opposite or against), to resist by actively opposing pressure or power, to withstand (oppose with firm determination). It involves not only a psychological attitude but also a corresponding behavior. It was used to refer to an army arranging in battle against the enemy force and so to array against.

“Anthistemi” suggests vigorously opposing, bravely resisting, standing face-to-face against an adversary, holding your ground. Antihistamines (derived from "anthistemi") block or antagonize histamine, and in the same way “anthistemi” tells us that with the authority and spiritual weapons granted to us we can stand against all evil forces. Note carefully that Paul does not say for us to hunt down or to actively pursue our spiritual enemies (don't worry...they will find us!), but to remain steadfast and immovable girded in the full armor of God in the face of persistent attack.

Wuest writes that “anthistemi” means:

“to withstand, to be firm against someone else’s onset” rather than “to strive against that one.” The Christian would do well to remember that he cannot fight the devil. The latter was originally the most powerful and wise angel God created. He still retains much of that power and wisdom as a glance down the pages of history and a look about one today will easily show. While the Christian cannot take the offensive against Satan, yet he can stand his ground in the face of his attacks. Cowardice never wins against Satan, only courage." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)

A Roman centurion, according to Polybius, had to be the kind of man who could be relied upon to resist or stand fast and not give way, even when hard-pressed. So too for the Christian soldier who is called to resist the devil, to forsake the world, and to deny the lusts of the flesh. As discussed elsewhere in these notes, the alert believer must constantly remember that Satan’s desire is to tempt believers to doubt, to deny, to disregard, and to disobey God. So strengthened by the Spirit and clothed with God's full armor, resist him!

Remember also that in spiritual warfare, there is no middle ground and no neutrality (Satan, unlike Hitler, recognizes no "spiritual Switzerland"). To stand with the Lord is to stand against everything sinful and worldly that formerly was appealing, corrupting, and enslaving.

Believers are not to fight with one another but stand against their true enemy. Believers also need to guard against an unhealthy, arrogant attitude which says "we're going to whip the devil!"
So strengthened in the Lord, "take up the full armor of God" so that when the battle is at its fiercest, you as a good soldier of Christ Jesus, will be able to hold your line against even the most determined enemy assault. In so doing you will find that when the assault passes, it will be found that not an inch of territory has been yielded to the enemy.

Despite the devil's deceptions, accusations, power, hatred and ferocity, we can successfully resist him because God commands us to do so and His commands always include His enablement. Be aware that although the devil is a defeated foe, he is also a persistent foe (prowls in 1Peter 5:8 is = continually on the prowl!).

In his first epistle John has several passages that reinforce the truth that the believer can resist the devil:

"I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome (nikao - come off victorious over) the evil one (the devil and his evil angels)." (1Jn 2:14) (Comment: These young men know sound doctrine and so are strong against sin and error because they have His Word in them and are enable to overcome the wiles of the devil, who makes havoc of spiritual children.)

You are from God, little children, and have overcome (be victorious over) them; because greater is He who is in you (the Spirit of Christ) than he who is in the world. (the spirit of the devil and his henchmen) (1Jn 4:4). (Comment: The context speaks especially of false doctrine, which the Spirit of God will help the believer discern as error.)

We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him. (1Jn 5:18) (Comment: The word for "touch" means to lay hold of or to grasp in order to harm. Because the believer belongs to God, Satan must operate within God’s sovereignty and cannot function beyond what God allows, as taught for example in Job 2:5. God protects His children and places definite limits on Satan’s influence or power).

By now you are probably asking yourself, How do I stand?

Also, you should by now have come to the realization that we are talking about spiritual warfare.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE DEFINED: Constant struggle between the flesh and the spirit, between good and evil, between hope and despair, between faith and unbelief, and between carnality and spirituality in a believer. Spiritual warfare is waged on three fronts: personal, corporate, and cosmic. In all three cases the war is waged against unseen enemies, principalities and powers, and evil in high places. (Kurian, G. T. Nelson's New Christian dictionary. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Pubs)

Paul answers the question, How do I stand?

In the following verses of Ephesians 6, Paul answers that question:

VERSE 6:10: FINALLY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.

“BE STRONG” (endunamoo from en = in + dunamóo = strengthen in turn from dunamis = to be able or to have power) is best explained if one first understands the root word “dunamis” which refers to inherent strength residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. The best spiritual example this inherent power is the "gospel" ("the gospel...is the power [dunamis] of God for salvation to everyone who believes" Romans 1:16) which has the inherent, omnipotent power of God that brings about the salvation of a lost sinner who receives this truth. “Dunamis” therefore describes power that overcomes resistance or effects a change. “Dunamis” is used in the NT to speak of miracles or supernatural acts which have in them the inherent power of God or in which one sees His supernatural power exerted in their performance.

“Endunamoo” then means, "to put power in" (like a car needs gas for power) and so to make strong, vigorous, to strengthen (active voice), or to be strengthened (passive voice), be enabled or be empowered inwardly. This word is found only in biblical and ecclesiastical Greek. The idea is to cause one to be able to function or do something. It can refer to physical strengthening as in (Heb 11:34) but is more often used with the figurative sense referring to spiritual or moral strengthening.

Paul like a commanding general who is overseeing his troops in the heat of battle, issues his first command to be strong, a present imperative which is to be carried out by the Christian soldier continually. To disobey a general's command in a crucial battle can be disastrous, and it is no less serious in the believer's continual warfare against his or her unseen foe.

John MacArthur writes about the decisive choice...

The Christian life is a question of availability and appropriation. Know three things: First, it’s a war; second, the power to win is available; and third, you have to appropriate that power. You can choose to be impotent and fruitless, even though residing in you is the power to do beyond what you can even ask or think (Eph. 3:20). You could be lethargic, indifferent, and cold, drifting in and out of church, and still be in heaven for all eternity by the immeasurable grace of God. But if you choose to live that way, you will forfeit the blessing God has for you in this life. And you will fail to glorify God to the extent that you should. You can turn your back on all the available power, blunt the energy of the Spirit of God, and say no to the incomprehensible work that God wants to do through you if you so choose. (MacArthur, J. The Believer's Armor. Chicago: Moody Press 1986)

The idea of the passive voice brings to mind the picture of believers who as vessels (of honor - 2 Ti 2:21) make themselves available to and are strengthened by this outside force. In Ephesians we have learned that this Source is the Holy Spirit Who strengthens us in our inner man as we learn to yield our will to His, and allow Him to strengthen us. Are you resisting or hindering the Spirit (e.g., not necessarily overt willful sin which clearly "hinder" His working in unclean vessels but even in subtle ways like self-confidence, self-assurance, etc, all of which are simply manifestations of pride - to which God is opposed and which cuts off the flow of grace! – (see 1 Peter 5:5)? You cannot empower yourself for this spiritual struggle. You must be willing to surrender to the Spirit and allow yourself to be strengthened. Be continuously empowered in union with the Spirit of Christ. He is the source of spiritual power. Spiritual battles are not natural and require supernatural spiritual strength. This dynamic process is synonymous with being continually filled with or controlled by the Spirit and continually walking in the Spirit so that we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The result is supernatural strength for a supernatural life.

As someone has said, you plus God equals a majority. No giant can withstand you when you are led and empowered by God’s Spirit.

The fact that we cast everything upon God does not give the soldier the right to sit back and to do nothing. Cromwell’s advice to his troops was...

“Trust in God, and keep your powder dry.”

AND IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT

In the strength of His might - This shows how to get this strength and it does not happen by simply knowing these truths or memorizing them.

Guzik puts it this way...

It is not an incantation or a spell. You can’t just walk around saying, “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” over and over and it will happen. Christianity isn’t one of those self-help formulas where you go around saying, “Every day, and in every way, I am getting better and better.” Those kind of mental games can accomplish something, but it certainly wasn’t what Paul meant here. (Ephesians 6)

In Ephesians 6:10 this phrase “strength of His might” relates to the surpassing greatness of His power and the power that God used to raise Christ from the dead. It follows that Paul is commanding the saints to be empowered with resurrection power that conquered death and sin and Satan, so that they might be enabled to stand firm. The victory over the enemy is certain because of Calvary, but as His soldiers we have to daily win the battle against our relentless foe the Devil (the world system he controls and the residual fallen flesh still in our mortal bodies and at which he can aim fiery missiles).

Every believer now has the resources within to deal with Satan, no matter what onslaughts the devil may bring. But there however two conditions that must be met:

(1) The believer’s strength must be in the Lord and not in himself and

(2) He must utilize the armor—the provision God has made for him.

Remember that God would not command us to stand firm in (Ephesians 6:14) had He not provided us with the resources that ensure victory in each and every battle. By faith in God's Word (the fruit of which is obedience), believers can daily walk in the victory of the Cross as more than conquerors...

“STRENGTH” (kratos) refers to manifested power or power that is put forth in action. “Kratos” represents the exercise of might (ischus). When the muscular man uses his might to bend an iron bar, he uses his power (kratos). “Kratos” means that the reserve of strength is actually in operation. It is power to overcome resistance or whatever stands in the way.

“Kratos” refers to the inherent strength which displays itself in the rule over others. Thus it is strength or might, the power to rule or control or exert dominion (power to rule, supreme authority, sovereignty, the right to govern or rule or determine).

Guzik explains that...

God has vast reservoirs of might that can be realized as power (strength) in our Christian life. But His might does not work in me as I sit passively. His might works in me as I rely on it, and step out to do the work. I can rely on it and do no work. I can do work without relying on it. But both of these fall short. I must rely on His might and then do the work. (Ephesians 6)

“MIGHT” (ischus) refers to “power as an enduement.” “Ischus” is the inherent ability which stresses the factuality of the ability, not necessarily the accomplishment.

“Ischus” is inherent power or force. A muscular man’s big muscles display his might, even if he doesn’t use them. It is the reserve of strength. “Ischus” therefore conveys the sense of endowed power or ability. The idea is that it is the active efficacy of the might that is inherent in God, His indwelling strength.

“Ischus” is that strength which one has in possession or ability. One might think of ischus as God's latent power. It is His capability to function effectively. He is able!

Vincent explains that...

The radical idea of “ischus,” might, is that of indwelling strength, especially as embodied: might which inheres in physical powers organized and working under individual direction, as an army: which appears in the resistance of physical organisms, as the earth, against which one dashes himself in vain: which dwells in persons or things, and gives them influence or value: which resides in laws or punishments to make them irresistible.

“Kratos” is exercised strength whereas “ischus” refers to great inherent strength. Nevertheless, the distinction is somewhat difficult to appreciate and convey in the form of a simple definition.

In Ephesians 1:19 “ischus” describes the strength of God has bestowed upon believers. What does this "working of the strength (ischus) of His might (kratos)" look like? Paul presents a fourfold demonstration of this very power which God makes available to believers:

(1) God “raised Him from the dead” (Ephesians 1:20),

(2) “seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies” (Ephesians 1:20),

(3) “subjected all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:22), and

(4) “gave Him as head over the church” (Ephesians 1:22).

In summary, because we are in Christ and He is in us, believers possess resurrection (and ascension) power. To live in this power was ever Paul's desire as he expressed so powerfully in Philippians writing...

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10)

VERSE 6:11: PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.

We need to notice something in this passage of Scripture.

It says to “Put on the full armor of God.” Notice that it does not say “Put on some pieces and disregard the rest.”

I like what the Amplified Bible says:

“Put on God’s whole armor, the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies, that you may be able successfully to stand up against all the strategies and the deceits of the devil.”

PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD

Paul gives further explanation of what has to be done in order to be strong enough to meet spiritual enemies, especially the devil. It's not your armor that you are to put on but the armor God supplies. Another necessity in victorious warfare is to know the enemy. Don't try to fight your spiritual struggles based on human ingenuity or inherent personal strength. You don't stand a chance against the schemes of the invisible, powerful, crafty foe the devil. Spiritual warfare demands spiritual armor which can only be the "armor of God", the accouterment He provides and which is even modeled on what He Himself wears as described by the prophet Isaiah....

"Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. (Isaiah 11:5) (Comment: compare this OT description to the picture of the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ in Rev 1:13 where John saw "one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.")

And He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. (Isaiah 59:17)

“PUT ON” (also in Eph 6:14)(enduo) from en = in + dúo = to sink, go in or under, to put on) means literally to clothe or dress someone and to put on as a garment, to cause to get into a garment (e.g., Lu 15:22 where the father says "quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him...").

The aorist imperative is a command to do put on the armor now. Don't delay. There is a sense of urgency in the aorist imperative. Just do it like the Nike commercial says.

The middle voice conveys the idea that it is your choice to do it. You put on yourself this armor. You make the choice to initiate the putting on of God's armor and then you participate in the benefits of having it on. Not one is going to put it on you. God is not going to force you to put it on. His command and His good and acceptable and perfect will is for you to put it on, but it still comes down to a choice you must make. It has to do with surrendering your will to His will. Saying no to self (self sufficiency, self confidence, etc) and saying yes to God, obeying Him out of love, as a son or daughter would their Abba, their Daddy.

Note also that this garment is unusual because it has to be put on from the inside! Ultimately this "new self" is Christ Himself (Ro 13:14) Legalism is putting them on the outside. You may look good in the pew or the pulpit but you won't be able to stand firm in the moment of temptation! Knowing the truth is not enough. You have to eat it, digest it, be renewed in your mind by it so that your futile thinking is taught, reproved, corrected and trained in the direction of righteousness then you are transformed from inside out by the Spirit.

The basic necessity for the believer is to depend on the Lord and put on the armor—and leave it on. We are gullible and vulnerable if we think that merely knowing the facts in Ephesians 6:10-18 will protect us. The armor is an absolute requirement for daily victorious living. And even the battles seem to wane; we cannot become apathetic or forget that we are in spiritual warfare everyday for the rest of our life until the day we die!

Paul uses "enduo" are all figurative describing the putting on of "ethical, moral or spiritual" garments. And what a "wardrobe" he lays out for believers in his epistles...

THE ARMOR OF LIGHT

Romans 13:12: The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside (middle voice = you yourself initiate this action and participate in the effect) the deeds of darkness and put on (clothe yourself = middle voice = you yourself initiate this action and participate in the effect) the armor of light.

CHRIST HIMSELF AS OUR GARMENT

Galatians 3:27: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Comment: This putting on refers to salvation, at which time the Spirit replaced our filthy rags of sin with the righteousness of Christ - this is now and forever our new position before God. He sees us in Christ's righteousness - the theologians refer to this as positional truth = past tense salvation = justification).

Romans 13:14: But put on (our practice = present tense salvation = progressive sanctification - put Him on each morning and every moment of the day - aorist imperative [middle voice = you initiate the action and participate in the result = put Him yourself]) the Lord Jesus Christ, and make (present imperative = with the negative means to stop an action already in progress! You know what I am talking about!) no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Comment: As you study the pieces of armor, you can see that ultimately putting each of them on is equivalent to clothing one's self with Christ - truth, righteousness, peace, faith.

THE NEW SELF

Ephesians 4:24: and put on (not a command - aorist tense) the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Comment: There is debate between excellent commentators, some favoring this putting on as indicative of positional truth and others favoring it as calling for this to be our practice - progressive sanctification or present tense salvation).

Colossians 3:10: and have put on (past tense salvation = positional sanctification = our position now and forever in Christ - see our practice in Col 3:12) the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One Who created him.

Colossians 3:12: And so, as those who have been chosen of God (cf notes Eph 1:5), holy and beloved, put on (present tense salvation = progressive sanctification = our practice - a command be clothed [middle voice = clothe yourself] now = aorist imperative) a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

THE BREASTPLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on (at the time of our new birth = justification = our position = past tense salvation) the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

IMPERISHABLE, IMMORTAL GARMENTS
1 Corinthians 15:53 For this perishable must put on (glorification = future tense salvation) the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory.

What a "wardrobe" God has made available for believers! We're the "best dressed" folks in the world and most of us don't even know it!

And the best is yet to come for John describes our new...

GARMENTS OF FINE LINEN, WHITE AND CLEAN...
Revelation 19:14 And the armies (this is us, those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb) which are in heaven, clothed (enduo) in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him (the Lamb = Faithful and True = the Word of God) on white horses.

FULL ARMOR OF GOD: God has supplied the complete armor, but He expects the Christian to put it on. We need the divine equipment in its completeness, without the lack of any single part. God has not sent us out into battle without everything we need at our disposal. and with no part missing or in disrepair.

Paul frequently pictures the Christian as a soldier in his writings – (see Ro 6:13, 23, Ro 13:12, 2Cor 10:4, 1Thes 5:8, 1Ti 1:18, 1Ti 6:12, 2Ti 2:3-4, 4:7). It is not surprising that Paul would draw the analogy of the Christian life with that of a soldier, for it was to a soldier that he was chained while in prison.

Wiersbe writes that...

Paul emphasizes the fact that the full armor is necessary if we are to defeat Satan. The area in our life that we leave unguarded is sure to be the very place that Satan attacks. On October 17, 1586, Sir Philip Sidney was killed at the Battle of Zutphen, because he was not wearing his full armor. He saw that Sir William Pelham was not wearing leg armor, so Sidney removed his. He was struck in the leg and died from the wound. I cannot stress enough the importance of complete protection. (Wiersbe, W: Strategy of Satan: How to Detect and Defeat Him)

“FULL ARMOR” (panoplia from pás = all, every + hoplon = weapon, originally any tool or implement for preparing a thing, became used in the plural for weapons of warfare) is literally wholly armed and refers to the complete set of instruments used in offensive and defensive war. The literal meaning referred to the full preparation of a foot soldier for offense and defense - the complete suit of armor. Certainly Paul could claim knowledge of the Roman soldier’s armor, being chained to one for some three years.

God has supplied the complete armor, but He expects the Christian to put it on. We need the divine equipment in its completeness, without the lack of any single part. God has not sent us out into battle without everything we need at our disposal. However, there is no armor for the back -- we are expected to face our foe!

This Greek word gives us our English word, panoply, which refers to a full suit of armor; ceremonial attire; something forming a protective covering; a magnificent or impressive array; display of all appropriate appurtenances.

Expositor's writes that...

The soldier must be protected from head to foot and the “panoplia” is made up of all the various “hopla” (hoplon = singular) or pieces of armor, both defensive and offensive. Polybius has left a detailed description of the heavily armed Roman infantryman or “hoplite.” Paul may have drawn his picture "live" from the soldier he was chained to in his house arrest, though it is not altogether certain that such a custodian would have been in full battle dress. (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan Publishing)

How does the believer put on the full armor of God?

One of the most important ways is to hide God's Word in our heart (Ps 119:9-11) as if our very life depended upon it because our spiritual vitality does.

Toward the close of World War II, Allied forces were mopping up against remaining Nazi resistance. One particular unit was assigned a crucial mission in Berlin. Each soldier had to memorize a map detailing all of Berlin's important military sites -- and they had to do it in a single night! In just a few hours, each soldier in the unit had committed the map to memory. The mission was a success. Several years later, the Army conducted an experiment to see if that original feat could be duplicated. They offered a similar unit an extra week's furlough--an attractive incentive--if they could carry out a comparable mission without a hitch. But the second unit could not match the success of the first. What made the difference? The lives of the men were not at stake. Surviving in battle was a greater motivation than a week's vacation. Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. Our road map, our plan of strategy against Satan's military strongholds, is the Bible. The more we read it, the more of it we memorize, and the more thoroughly we know it, the more effective we will be for God. We must approach God's Word as if our lives depended on it--because they do. That's real motivation!

If your life depended on knowing the Bible, how long would you last?

How important is the full armor? Here's an illustration...

Bull Moose - Recently National Geographic ran an article about the Alaskan bull moose. The males of the species battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going head-to-head with antlers crunching together as they collide. Often the antlers, their only weapon are broken. That ensures defeat. The heftiest moose, with the largest and strongest antlers, triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The one that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight in the fight. Those that eat inadequately sport weaker antlers and less bulk. There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles wait. Satan will choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious, or will we fall? Much depends on what we do now—before the wars begin. The bull-moose principle: Enduring faith, strength, and wisdom for trials are best developed before they’re needed. (Craig Brian Larson - Bible.org)

SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST

“WILL BE ABLE” (dunamai) means to have power by virtue of inherent ability and resources.
Paul uses the present tense and thus is saying that we are to continually be provided with this Divine enablement. No power outages or shorted circuits (because of willful sin for example) are allowed if we are to win each battle. “Dunamis” is God's omnipotent, omnipresent, inherent ability to perform what He calls us to do -- in this case to stand firm when the battle is raging all around us!

Note the passive voice indicates that this enabling is an internal enablement provided by an outside source, the Spirit of God:

Ephesians 1:19; "strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man"
Ephesians 3:20 "Him Who is able to do...according to the power that works within us"

What does that mean practically?

It simply means that we have to be willing to let God enable us. We have to be willing to let Him have His way rather than us having our way. We have to be willing to allow His Spirit to strengthen and control us at every moment during the battle. And thus strengthened in our inner man, we can make the choice to take a stand, to hold firmly to our position, to resist the temptation to doubt, to fear, to gratify. We are more than conquerors through Christ Who loved us on Calvary and will love us eternally. With such assurance and empowerment we can stand firm against every assault to the praise of the glory of His grace which He so richly lavishes upon us.

The underlined sentence is the key. It is a day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute choice on our part.

Notice that Paul uses “dunamai” three times in this short treatise on spiritual warfare and each time it is in the passive voice indicating an external source of enablement to which the believer must be willing to yield and receive from the Holy Spirit! (See notes Ephesians 6:11, 6:13; 6:16) In other words, attitudes such as self confidence, self sufficiency and self assurance, etc, have to be cast off like filthy garments of unrighteousness if we are to receive the necessary divine empowerment God graciously makes available.

To stand firm against - to hold a watch post, to stand and hold out in a critical position on a battlefield. This phrase belongs to the soldier's language and conveys the idea of standing one's ground, as opposed to taking flight. Note that stand is a key word in warfare (see notes Ephesians 6:11; 6:13; 6:14 - in verse 14 note that resist is a derivative of the Greek word for stand)

THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL

Here we encounter the commander in chief of the invisible army arrayed against us. He is our sworn, mortal enemy. This is not a video game or a fairy tale but a very real war with a very real, deceptive foe.

Earlier Paul had warned about the devil's schemes to disrupt the unity of the body writing that...
“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming”
“AGAINST” (pros) expresses direction - toward, on the side of, in the direction of. It can serve as a marker of closeness of relation or proximity. “Pro” is most commonly translated...against (21), before (10), toward (9). The picture is that of the believer facing these schemes.
The schemes of the devil - Note Paul's use of the definite article in Greek ("the") which defines these as specific schemes, not just general schemes. It suggests that the devil and his minions have specific schemes, "tailor made" for each person, for he is aware of the sin that so easily entangles each of us!

Note that these schemes involve shrewdly devious and intriguing methods that entail following an orderly, technical procedure in the handling of a subject. Schemes is used to describe a wild animal cunningly stalking and unexpectedly pouncing on prey (cp 1Pe 5:8). Satan’s schemes to destroy us and do us harm are built around stealth and deception but as Paul writes to the Corinthians

"we are not ignorant of his schemes." (2Corinthians 2:11) (Comment: Here schemes is not “methodeia” but “noema” [from nous = mind] and refers to the content of thinking and reasoning.)

Samuel Rutherford reminds us that...

"Satan is only God’s master fencer to teach us to use our weapons."

“SCHEMES” (methodeia from methodeuo = to work by method in turn from meta = with, after + hodos = a way) refers to an orderly, logical, effective arrangement, usually in steps followed to achieve an end. It describes deliberate planning or a systematic approach and can have a positive or negative connotation. The negative meaning of “methodeia” implies the use of clever methods or strategies to attain the desired end. The Scripture always uses “methodeia” with a negative connotation.

“Methodeia” has reference to planned, subtle, systematized error. Error organizes. It has its systems and its logic. Be alert! Be mature! Satan’s scheming, crafty actions and artful designs have ‘method’ and purpose, for his aim is to mislead the immature who are not grounded on apostolic doctrine. Behind the evil men and women who seek to expound false teaching, there is also a supernatural evil power who seeks to deceive unwary saints with his "devilish" cunning.
Think about this simple definition in the context of spiritual warfare. Satan is orderly and logical in his steps employed against you to achieve his nefarious purposes. This realization should prompt each of us to be even more appreciative of the fact that we cannot stand against our invisible enemy in our own intelligence, our own strength or our own human "methods" or "schemes". We must put on the full armor that God supplies in Christ.

David Jeremiah has an interesting thought on Satan's “methodeia” writing that...
“If you could sneak into Satan’s office, wherever that might be (he’s not in hell yet), and take a peek into his files, you might be surprised to find a file folder with your name on it. I’m not exaggerating. He keeps a file on you, and inside that file are all the strategies he’s tried on you—the ones that have worked and the ones that have failed. He doesn’t waste his time with the ones that don’t work anymore. Instead, he uses variations on the strategies that have caused you to stumble in the past. As long as they keep working, he keeps using them
.
Somewhere in that file cabinet there’s a file labeled: Jeremiah, David. In this file, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there was a notation that reads something like this: Subject may be prone to discouragement, especially if he becomes overly weary. This has worked several times before and seems a promising method of attack. Suggestion: Make sure he stays very busy, overcommitted, and physically tired. At all costs, keep him from extended times of Bible reading and prayer.

So what is Satan’s strategy for me? He looks for ways to discourage me, and if possible, cause me some depression. He will use whatever people, means, or circumstances it takes to achieve his goal.

It’s the same for you. Maybe your file says, “Frequently tempted to gossip,” or “quick temper,” or “prone to coveting and jealousy,” or “weak in the area of lust.”

Don’t kid yourself, he knows very well where your vulnerabilities lie. It’s all in his file. You’ve heard, perhaps, that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. That’s very good news, but it is also true that Satan hates you and has a plan and strategy to destroy your walk with Jesus Christ.

That’s one big reason why you experience struggle and discouragement in your Christian experience. Sometimes I hear people say,

“Well, if you’re a Christian, you shouldn’t have any struggles. You shouldn’t ever feel discouraged. All is peace and joy and love and happiness.”

I don’t think so. I personally think that description fits better with life before you found salvation in Christ. Do you know why? Because you only had one influence in your life at that time. There was no contest for your heart. There was no tug-of-war for your soul.” (Jeremiah, D. . God In You: Releasing the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life. Multnomah Publishers)

Ray Stedman in his excellent book "Spiritual Warfare" has this note regarding "methodeia":

"What are the tactics the devil employs? He destroys by deceiving, by lying, by distorting, by counterfeiting, by masquerading, by clouding human minds with illusion and fantasy. This is what Paul calls "the devil's schemes," or as some translations put it, "the wiles of the devil" Read through the Bible and see how many times the work of the devil is referred to in that manner - the snares and the traps of the devil, the lies and illusions, the stratagems and the wiles. That is why we must look closely at the tactics the devil uses against us so that we can be strong and well-defended when he comes to us to defeat us, weaken us, and ruin our lives....

By far, the majority of attacks of the devil against Christians are not direct but indirect. That is why they are called the "schemes" of the devil. Schemes suggest deviousness or acting in a way that is subtle, secretive, and treacherous.

We need to examine this more thoroughly, for the major attack of the devil and his powers against human life is not by direct means, but indirectly by satanic suggestions through the natural and commonplace situations of life.

So we have an enormous responsibility before God and before the entire world to give ourselves, body and soul, to this great battle against the schemes of the evil one. We have a responsibility to battle the schemes of the devil in this world, and to point the way to the peace and security that lies ahead of us in the world to come...most often the devil comes in disguise, through the channel of "the flesh" our inner selves with silken, subtle, suggestive schemes. That is the avenue of satanic attack the apostle Paul warns us most strenuously about: the subtle schemes of the devil." (Stedman, Ray. Spiritual Warfare. Revised edition, 1999 -- highly recommended)

Stedman goes on to write:

"Friend, in Christ there is nothing that more clearly indicates that we have succumbed to the schemes of the devil than to complain about our lot in life. Again and again, the Word of God shows that the mark of a Christian who has learned how to be a Christian is that he rejoices in everything and gives thanks in all things."

EPHESIANS 6:13: THEREFORE, TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM.

“TAKE UP” (analambano from ana = up + lambano = take) means literally to take up, to assume. Depending on the context analambano can mean to cause to go up, to lift up and carry away as in the Ascension of Christ (Acts 1:2, 11, 22), to take up in order to carry (Acts 7:43, Eph 6:13, 16), to pick up (someone to take along on a journey - 2Ti 4:11), to take aboard a ship (Acts 20:13, 14).

Paul like a military general to his troops commands the believers to take up their armor. The aorist imperative conveys a sense of urgency and demands that one take decisive action. Do this now! Don't delay! So when the battle is the most fierce, the soldier of Christ may still be able to hold his or her position even against the most determined attacks.

Wuest adds that “analambano” means to...

“to take up” in order to use, “to take to one’s self,” thus, “take up” as one takes up armor to put it on. The verb is aorist imperative, which construction issues a command given with military snap and curtness, a command to be obeyed at once and once for all. Thus, the Christian is to take up and put on all the armor of God as a once-for-all act and keep that armor on during the entire course of his life, not relaxing the discipline necessary for the constant use of such protection. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans

FULL ARMOR) (panoplia from ps = all, áevery + hoplon = weapon, originally any tool or implement for preparing a thing, became used in the plural for weapons of warfare) is literally wholly armed and refers to the complete set of instruments used in offensive and defensive war. The literal meaning referred to the full preparation of a foot soldier for offense and defense - the complete suit of armor. Certainly Paul could claim knowledge of the Roman soldier’s armor, being chained to one for some three years.

Don't miss the qualifying phrase "of God". It is His armor, not ours. He provides the full armor, but believers must recognize the battle and implement God’s sufficient provision by faith and obedience. Trust and obey...there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey!

Ray Stedman illustrates the importance of full armor in warfare...

“BRITISH ADMIRAL LORD DAVID BEATTY commanded a flotilla at the Battle of Jutland during World War I. As the battle began, British and German ships engaged each other in a long-range artillery battle. It quickly became apparent that there was a major flaw in the British ships. First, a heavy cruiser, the Lion, was hit by an artillery barrage and quickly sunk. Next the Indefatigable was hit in the powder magazine, and was blown to pieces. Then the Queen Mary was sunk, taking a crew of 1,200 sailors straight to the bottom. Watching this destruction among the proud ships of his fleet, Admiral Beatty turned to his bridge officer and said with characteristic British restraint,

"There seems to be something wrong with our ships today, Chatfield."

Though the British ships eventually turned back the German fleet, it was later discovered that there was a fatal flaw in the design of the British ships. Though they had heavily armored hulls, their wooden decks offered almost no protection against enemy long-range artillery shells that dropped almost straight down out of the sky. Only after the British began to armor their ships on top as well as on the sides did they stop losing ships to German long-range artillery. Effective armor is a crucial element of victory in any war including spiritual warfare...If you leave anything unprotected, the enemy will find a way to exploit that chink in your armor and he will destroy you. In Ephesians 6, Paul calls us to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." How do we do this? How do we become strong in the Lord as Paul exhorts us to? By putting on "the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." And note that word full. We cannot merely put on this or that piece of God's armor in some random or incomplete fashion. We cannot leave any part of ourselves uncovered and unprotected. We cannot give our enemy any little opening, or he will exploit that opening to his advantage.” (Ray Stedman. Spiritual Warfare)


VERSE 6:10: FINALLY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.

VERSE 6:11: PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.

EPHESIANS 6:13: THEREFORE, TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM.

Take a good look at these three passages in Ephesians 6.

What do you see?

See if you notice the following:

TO BE ABLE TO STAND ONE MUST:

(1) BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.

(2) PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD:

SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL

(3) TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD:

THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY

AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM


Today we war against Satan only to maintain and consolidate the victory, which Christ has already gained.

The ground Christ has won has been given to us. We do not need to fight to obtain it. We only need to hold it against all challenges. Our task is one of holding, not of attacking. It is a matter not of advancing, but of sphere, the sphere of the Christ.

In the person of Christ, God has already conquered. He has given us the victory to “hold.” He has given us the victory to “hold.”

Within the sphere of Christ, the enemy’s defeat is already a fact, and the Church has been put there to keep him defeated. Satan is the one who must do the counterattacking in his efforts to dislodge us from that sphere. For our part we need not struggle to occupy ground that is already ours.

IN HIM WE STAND:

WE DO NOT FIGHT “FOR” VICTORY; WE FIGHT “FROM”VICTORY.

WE DO NOT FIGHT IN ORDER TO WIN, BUT BECAUSE IN CHRIST WE HAVE ALREADY WON.

OVERCOMERS ARE THOSE WHO REST IN THE VICTORY ALREADY GIVEN TO THEM BY THEIR GOD.

WHEN YOU FIGHT TO”GET” THE VICTORY, YOU HAVE LOST THE BATTLE AT THE VERY ONSET.

WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGHT INTO VICTORY, YOU ARE RELINQUISHING TO THE ENEMY THE VERY GROUND THAT IS YOURS.

ONLY THOSE WHO SIT CAN STAND.

Our power for standing, as for walking, lies in our having first being made to sit together with Christ.

The Christian’s walk and warfare alike drive their strength from His position there.

If he is not sitting before God he cannot hope to stand before the enemy.

WHEN YOU GET OUT OF REST, YOU GET OUT OF YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST AND YOUR POWER IS WEAKENED.

For every point of attack, defensive armor is provided. (Ephesians 6)
If you look at the armor provided here, there is no piece of armor for the back.
However, if you are walking in the power of God, the glory of the Lord is your rear guard.

We do not retreat.

Because victory is His, therefore it is ours.

If we will not try to gain the victory, but simply to maintain it, then we shall see the enemy utterly rooted.

We must not ask the Lord to enable us to overcome the enemy, or even to look to Him to overcome, but praise Him because He has already done so.

A good example of this is found in II Chronicles 20.
Read what the Lord told the king to do.

REVELATION: If you will notice, they were to praise the Lord before the battle even started. The Lord told me that we celebrate a victory after it is done. A good example is a team winning the Super Bowl or World Series. They celebrate the victory after they have won. We are to celebrate the victory because it is already won. That is why we are more than conquerors, because Jesus has already won and we partake of His victory.

HE IS THE VICTOR

IT IS ALL A MATTER OF FAITH IN HIM.

If we believe the Lord, we shall not pray so much but rather praise Him more.

The simpler and clearer our faith is in Him, the less we shall pray in such situations and the more we shall praise Him.

IN CHRIST WE ARE ALREADY CONQUERORS!

IN CHRIST JESUS YOU ARE THE VICTOR IN THE FIELD IN HIS NAME

Ephesians 6 is concerned with more that the personal side of our warfare.

It has to do with the work of God entrusted to us, the utterance of the mystery of the gospel.
It is true, on one the one hand, that our Lord Jesus is seated “far above all rule and authority, and that all things have been put in subjection under His feet.”

Clearly it is the light of this completed victory that we are to “give thanks always for all things in the Name of Jesus the Anointed One.”

By now you will have noticed that I did not go into each piece of the armor of God.
I decided not to because I am going to give you a link to an E-Book titled “Spiritual Warfare” by Ray Stedman.

Ray Stedman does a much better job of explaining each piece of the armor of God and spiritual warfare. I highly recommend that you follow the link and download this E-book. It’s free.

Go to http://www.raystedman.org/

Scroll down to books by Ray Stedman, and look for the one titled “Spiritual Warfare.”

You want to download the 1999 new revised edition.

WALK

We now come to the second part of our series, SIT, WALK, STAND.

The Christian experience does not begin with walking, but with sitting.
We do not walk to sit. We sit to walk.
Every time we reverse the divine order, the result is disaster.

The Lord Jesus “HAS DONE” everything for us, and our need now is to rest confidently in Him.

ALL TRUE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE BEGINS FROM REST.

BUT IT DOES NOT END THERE.

Though the Christian life begins with sitting, walking always follows sitting.
When we have been well and truly seated, and have found our strength in sitting down, then we do in fact begin to walk.

“Sitting” describes our position with Christ in the heavenlies.
“Walk” describes our life towards man. It is the expression of our life in the world.

Walking” is the practical outworking of that heavenly position here on earth.
As a heavenly people, we are required to bear the stamp of that heavenlienss upon us in our earthly conduct.

“To Walk” comes from the Greek word “peripateo” (from peri = about, around + pateo = walk, tread) and means literally to go here and there or to tread all around.

Most New Testament uses are figurative referring to the daily conduct of one's life or how they order their behavior or pass their life. In the figurative sense then “peripateo” refers to one's habitual way or direction of life, and so to their life-style. In simple terms to walk in the Christian life pictures (1) activity and (2) an advance step by step.

“Peripateo” then came to mean, to make one’s way, to make progress, to make due use of one’s opportunities and finally (as used by Paul in Ephesians), to live, to regulate one’s life, to conduct one’s self. Most of the New Testament uses refer to the daily conduct of one's life or how one orders their behavior or passes their life. The present tense points to a habitual action; don't fall back into the habitual practices of those who do not know Christ as Lord.

To walk indicates motion. There are many words that indicate motion, such as leap, run, float, drift, creep, but you cannot substitute one of them for the word "walk."

To walk implies purpose, starting for a goal; progress, steadily advancing step by step; perseverance, keeping on until the goal is reached. Walking stands for steady, sustained motion, and involves the action of the mind in the decision to start; of the heart in the desire to continue, and of the will in the determination to arrive.

Then what does “to walk" mean in relation to the Christian's life? The whole course of his daily living; his habitual conduct before men; his life lived out in the open.

So how do we walk?

In the following passages of Scripture, Paul outlines our Christian walk:

ROMANS 6:4 we are exhorted to “walk in newness of life.”

ROMANS 8:4 says, “in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

EPHESIANS 4:1-2 Paul exhorts us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”

EPHESIANS 5:1 reads “and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

EPHESIANS 5:8: “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light”

EPHESIANS 5:15-16: “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

PHILIPPIANS 1:27: “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

PHILIPPIANS 3:17: “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”

COLOSSIANS 1:10: “so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

1 THESSALONIANS 2:12: “so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory”

1 THESSALONIANS 4:1: “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God, just as you actually do walk, that you may excel still more.”

So let’s look into some of these passages of Scripture and find out exactly how we are to walk.

ROMANS 6:4 “Walk in newness of life”

“Newness” (“kainotes” from “kainós” = new in sense that it brings into the world a new quality of thing which did not exist before) refers to a renewal, not simply an experience similar to the past, but a qualitatively different one, one that is new in quality and character. Of note is that the word Paul chose is not “neos” which refers merely to newness in point of time. The life every believer now has the potential to walk is a life of a brand new kind, new because the believer is now in union with and identified irrevocably with Christ.

Wuest makes a subtle distinction in regard to "newness"...

"The newness of life therefore refers, not to a new kind of life the believer is to live, but to a new source of ethical and spiritual energy imparted to him by God by which he is enabled to live the life to which Paul exhorts in Romans 12–16." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Studies in the Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans)

Paul's point is that just as sin characterized and dominated every one of our lives in Adam, so now because of our position in union with Christ every believer possesses the potential to live a righteous lifestyle. Before their union with Christ, even man's best was but filthy rags in light of God's holiness and His perfect standard.

In light of this truth Wayne Barber applies this truth asking the question...

"Can a Christian go back and live like he used to live?" Well, how can you if you are dead and you have been raised to walk in newness of His life? A life that is brand new, qualitatively different? "How different?" In the sense that sin no longer controls you. In the sense that you have Someone who lives in you now that gives you power to do what you couldn’t do before; Someone to convict you of sin; Someone to give you knowledge that you didn’t have before. I can’t go back! I’m walking in newness of His life." (Barber, W: The New Life in Jesus)

Scripture is filled with descriptions of the believer’s new spiritual life. We are said to receive a new heart:

EZEKIEL 18:31: “a new spirit”

PSALM 40:3: “a new song”

REVELATION 2:17: “a new name”

II CORINTHIANS 5:17: “a new creation”

GALATIANS 6:15: “a new creature”

ROMANS 8:4: “in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Robert Haldane explains that...

“The expression, to “walk,” is frequently employed in Scripture regarding any particular line of conduct, as when it is said, Acts 21:21, “that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs”; or it denotes the course of life in which we are proceeding as in Ephesians 2:2, “Ye walked according to the course of this world.” In this way, comparing our life to a journey, in the usual style of Scripture, the Paul comprehends all our actions under the figure of walking. To walk, then, according to the flesh, is to act agreeably to the principles of corrupt nature. To walk according to the Spirit, means to regulate the conduct according to the influence and dictates of the Holy Spirit, who has given us a new nature, serving God in newness of spirit.”

The Amplified paraphrases it as those "who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit]."

Walking according to the flesh means behaving as the flesh dictates, so that the sinful nature entirely governs ones life. It means to have one’s life determined and directed by the values of this evil world system in total rebellion against God. This is the only way an unsaved person is able to walk - according to the flesh.

On the other hand the regenerate person can and should walk according to the Spirit which means to live in submission to and dominated by the Holy Spirit's leadership and enablement. The saved person’s life in totality cannot be said to be dominated by the flesh. As saved men and women, unfortunately we occasionally "fall into" sin but we will not persist in sin as the habit of our lives or as our lifestyle (1John 3). If the latter situation is the case, the person hasn't lost their salvation. The truth is that they were never genuinely born again and given a new heart with an inherent disposition toward holiness, however imperfect that might be manifest in one's life. But when the regenerate man chooses (bad choice) to walk in submission to the flesh, he is not walking rightly and he grieves the Spirit which makes him miserable (Ephesians 4:30). A sinning saint is a sad sight!

EPHESIANS 4:1-2:

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love,” (NASB)

It is interesting to note that out of the 10 passages of Scripture listed in our study, 6 of them refer to “walking in a manner worthy of God. (Ephesians 4:1-2; Philippians 1:27; Philippians 3:17; Colossians 1:10; I Thessalonians 2:12; I Thessalonians 4:1)

Paul tells us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” What is he saying”

“To walk worthy” is a call to walk on a plane commensurate with our heavenly position in Christ and our possession of every spiritual blessing in Christ. Our walk must have an "equal weight" with the truth in God’s Word. Our calling and our conduct should be in balance. We do not become Christians by living the Christian life; rather, we are exhorted to live the Christian life because we are Christians, that our lives may measure up to our position in Christ. Paul's call for a worthy walk resonates throughout his epistles. (See listing above)

The point is that it is not enough to just know the truth, but we must live it out.
In other words, we must “walk out what we talk about.” Are our actions consistent with our words? Are we walking the walk, before we talk the talk?
S Lewis Johnson writes...

“There’s an old story about St. Francis of Assisi, who one morning said to the disciples that he was responsible for training, let’s go down into the village from the monastery and preach. And, according to this ancient story, St. Francis went out with a group of young men, they walked down from the monastery into the village, they walked through the streets of the village, they made contact with a number of people, primarily about the things of ordinary life. They walked up and down the few streets of the village, finally walked out of the village. They walked to the next little community and then finally made their way back to the monastery when one of the young men said, “But, sir, you said we were going down to the village and preach.” And he is reported to have said, “That’s exactly what we did. We went down to preach. My sons, it is of no use that we walk anywhere to preach unless we preach as walk.” He was trying to make the point that in our daily life, we preach.” (Unity of One Body)

“In a manner worthy” (“axios” from “axios” = having the weight of another) means weighing as much as, of like value, worth as much. It means having the weight of another thing and so being of like value or worth as much. Worthy (axios) is literally "bringing up the other beam of the scales" and hence indicates equivalence. In other words “axios” has the root meaning of balancing the scales—what is on one side of the scale should be equal in weight to what is on the other side. By extension, the word came to be applied to anything that was expected to correspond to something else. A person worthy of his pay was one whose day’s work corresponded to his day’s wages. True grace in the heart must show itself by true goodness in the life. Walk is on one side and calling on the other side of the "scales".

Paul is saying in essence, "I implore you to let your walk be balanced by your calling." He is exhorting them to demonstrate a balance between their profession and their practice.
Your conduct should "balance the scales" the other side of the scale being Christ's life and His unfathomable riches! It's a high calling but is to be our goal and is our potential since the Spirit of Christ is in us to strengthen our inner man for such a supernatural walk. There is no way a man or woman can "balance the scales" in their own strength or self efforts.

Ruth Paxson writes that...

“The characteristics of a worthy walk are given in Eph 4:1-6:9... But here let us consider briefly the Godward and the manward aspects of such a walk. God has already determined both its starting point and its goal, and the road over which the walk is to be made. His starting point is Ephesians 1:4, His goal is Ephesians 5:27, and His path of travel is 5:18. God has determined that we shall "walk even as he walked" (1John 2:6). God's goal for every Christian is complete conformity to the image of His Son, and He would have every step in our walk bring us that much nearer to the goal.

Such a walk requires on the manward side fullest co-operation with God. It demands a set purpose, a steady progress, and a strong perseverance. The Christian must resolutely purpose to "put off the old man and to "put on the new man" he must not be content without a step-by-step growth "up into him in all things"; and be must keep steadily on his course without faltering or fainting in spite of all opposition by not "giving place to the devil," or "grieving the Spirit," but rather by being filled with the Spirit and empowered by Him.

But how exceedingly difficult is such a walk! The old habits of life are so binding; the worldly currents about us are so strong; the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil are so subtle; the fear of being considered peculiar is so gripping; the opportunity of fellowship with spiritually-minded Christians is so limited. To maintain a steady, sustained consistency in daily conduct is not an easy task. It is far easier to float downstream with the tide of nominal Christianity; to drift in the listlessness and lukewarmness of a worldly church; to creep along as a spiritual babe, fed on the milk of elementary doctrines of salvation; easier even to mount up with eagle's wing and soar to spiritual heights of sudden inspiration on some spiritual Mount of Transfiguration only to relapse into a backslidden condition when facing the stern realities of Christian living in an unsympathetic atmosphere; very much easier, even, to run, rising to some particular task such as teaching a Bible class, or leading a meeting, or preaching a sermon, than to practice consistently in the home, office, or social circle the truth preached. A daily, consistent Christlike walk; no stagnancy, slump or sloth -- how hard!

So the aged apostle devotes the very heart of this epistle to telling us what a worthy walk is. Eight times he uses the word "walk." What shall we do with this divine standard set for the Christian's walk? We may reject it as impossible and impracticable, or we may receive it as possible and livable and rejoice in it, as daily our faithful Father enables us "to walk even as he walked" by the power of the divine Spirit.” (The Wealth, Walk and Warfare of the Christian. Page 86-88).

“Calling” (“klesis” from “kaléo” = to call) means a call and was used for an invitation to a banquet. In the context of Ephesians the calling is the sovereign, saving calling of God to the Gentile resulting their receipt of every spiritual blessing and their new position as fellow heirs, fellow members of the body and as fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

“Calling” places the emphasis is upon what God has done, which is the point Paul has been elaborating in the opening chapters of Ephesians. Because God has set His hand upon us and called us, changing us from what we were into what we have now become, we are to live as Christians in this world.

Hoehner adds that...

“The calling” refers not only to believers’ salvation (1Cor 1:9) but also to their union in one body. Therefore a Christian’s conduct concerns both his personal life and his responsibility to other believers in the church. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al: The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 1985. Victor)

In verse 2 Paul goes on to tell us how to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called:

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love.”

“Humility” (“tapeinophrosune” from “tapeinos” = low lying, then low or humble + phren = to think) means humiliation of mind, lowly thinking, a humble attitude, modesty (modesty = unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities) or without arrogance. It is the opposite of pride. Contemplating what we were before grace lifted us from the miry clay should cause us to have a humble attitude.

In a word humility is "low mindedness", an attitude that one is not too good to serve. Humility is that grace that, when you know you have it, you have lost it. Humility means putting Christ first, others second, and self last.

The word indicates that one esteems (not makes) themselves as "small" and lacking sufficiency to walk worthy while at the same time also recognizing the power and sufficiency of God to enable a worthy walk because Paul knows that humility promotes unity but that pride promotes disunity.

Humility is not thinking less of ourselves but is really not thinking of ourselves at all. This supernatural attitude in believers has its source in our association with the Lord Jesus and the enablement of His Spirit. Humility makes believers conscious of their own nothingness and enables them to esteem others better than themselves, a good antidote for a spirit of disunity in the body. The opposite attitudes of conceit and arrogance on the other hand promote disunity.

“Gentleness” (meekness) (“prautes” from the adjective “praus”) describes the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance. “Prautes” is a quality of gentle friendliness - gentleness, meekness (as strength that accommodates to another's weakness), consideration, restrained patience, patient trust in the midst of difficult circumstances.

“Prautes” suggests having one’s emotions under control (indicating the need for the strengthening of the Spirit) and is the opposite of self-assertion, rudeness, and harshness. Although “prautes” connotes meekness, it is not weakness but is knowing how to get angry at the right time and for the right reason. People who are angered at every nuisance or inconvenience to themselves know nothing of gentleness.

A gentle person is one whose emotions are under control. It describes the attitude that submits to God’s dealings without rebellion, and to man’s unkindness without retaliation.

Albert Barnes writes that...

“Meekness (gentleness) relates to the manner in which we receive injuries. We are to bear them patiently, and not to retaliate, or seek revenge. The meaning here is, that we adorn the gospel when we show its power in enabling us to bear injuries without anger or a desire of revenge, or with a mild and forgiving spirit.” (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)

The meek person does not have to fly off the handle because he has everything under (Spirit) control. A perfect picture is found in our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 21. Quoting from the Septuagint (LXX = Greek of the Hebrew Old Testament) rendering of Zechariah 9:9, which predicts the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Matthew uses the adjective form of prautes (praus) to describe Jesus as
“gentle (praus) and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden” (Mt 21:5).

Meekness is a willingness to waive one's rights for a good cause, just as Jesus waived His rights to His rule as King as he rode into Jerusalem mounted on a donkey (see above). Set aside your rights! Do not demand that you be satisfied, but for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ be willing to suffer loss. Meekness is the opposite of rudeness and abrasiveness.

Meekness and weakness are not synonymous. Meekness says,
"God, in this situation, You have a purpose. You're in control, sovereign, and ruling over all." Meekness is thus a willingness to stand and do the will of God regardless of the cost.”

John MacArthur writes that...

“Meekness is the opposite of violence and vengeance. The meek person, for example, accepts joyfully the seizing of his property, knowing that he has infinitely better and more permanent possessions awaiting him in heaven (Heb. 10:34). The meek person has died to self, and he therefore does not worry about injury to himself, or about loss, insult, or abuse. The meek person does not defend himself, first of all because that is His Lord’s command and example, and second because he knows that he does not deserve defending. Being poor in spirit and having mourned over his great sinfulness, the gentle person stands humbly before God, knowing he has nothing to commend himself.” (MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 Macarthur New Testament Commentary Chicago: Moody Press

Ray Stedman describes meekness as "strength under control" adding that

"It is real strength, but it does not have to display itself or show off how strong it is. This is what our Lord beautifully displayed He described himself as "meek and lowly in heart." The first curriculum of the Holy Spirit is that we must do what Jesus said, "take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart."

“Patience” or “Longsuffering” comes from the Greek word “makrothumia” (from makros = long, distant, far off, large + thumos = temper, passion, emotion or thumoomai = to be furious or burn with intense anger) is literally long-temper (as opposed to short tempered), a long holding out under trial before giving in to passion, a tumultuous welling up of the whole spirit or a might emotion that seizes and moves the entire inner man.

It is bearing patiently with the foibles, faults, and infirmities of others. It is a patient holding out under trial; a long-protracted restraint of the soul from yielding to passion, especially the passion of anger. Our old nature is so quick to take offense that we need longer "fuses". The new life in Christ enables one to endure with unruffled temper any wrong suffered without retaliation and to turn the other cheek.

“Showing tolerance(forbearnce)” (anechomai from aná = in + écho = have) means literally to hold one’s self upright or firm against a person or thing, to put up with, to bear with (equanimity or evenness of mind especially under stress), to tolerate, to forbear. It pictures restraint under provocation and includes liberal allowance for the faults and failures of others. The present tense calls for this to be our lifestyle.

The idea is to hold out in spite of persecution, threats, injury, indifference, or complaints and not retaliate. It conveys the sense of putting up with others and of undergoing something onerous or troublesome without giving in.

Paul encourages the saints to make allowance (tolerate, bear, endure) for the faults and failures of others, or differing personalities, abilities, and temperaments. Forbearance is not a question of maintaining a façade of courtesy while inwardly seething with resentment but is a Spirit empowered positive love to those who irritate, disturb, or embarrass you! Not a natural but a supernatural response!
We can understand why Paul prayed for the Ephesian saints to be strengthened by the Spirit in their inner man! Ephesians 3:16) This attitude and action is not possible naturally, but only supernaturally!

How are you bearing up with the idiosyncrasies of your brethren at church, your spouse, your children, your co-workers, your fellow students, etc? You can't, He can and He lives in you to transform your temperament and attitude to those who irritate you.

“One another” (allelon from állos = another) means just what it says. It is like the sequoia trees of California which tower as high as 300 feet above the ground. You might be surprised to discover that these giant trees have unusually shallow root systems that reach out in all directions to capture the greatest amount of surface moisture. Their intertwining roots also provide support for each other against the storms. That's why the giant Sequoia trees usually grow in clusters. Seldom will you see a redwood standing alone, because high winds would quickly uproot it! That's what "one another" means!

“In love” - describes the spirit in which such forbearance was to be exercised.

John Eadie writes that...

“Retaliation was not to be allowed; all occasionally needed forbearance, and all were uniformly to exercise it. No acerbity of temper, sharp retort, or satirical reply was to be admitted. As it is the second word, which really begins the strife, so, where mutual forbearance is exercised, even the first angry word would never be spoken. And this mutual forbearance must not be affected coolness or studied courtesy; it must have its origin, sphere, and nutriment “in love”—in the genuine attachment that ought to prevail among Christian disciples.” (John Eadie, D., LL.D. The Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians)

Love (agape) is unconditional, sacrificial love, the love that God is and in the New Testament defines a supernatural love, commanded by God, empowered by His Spirit, activated by a personal choice of our will, not based on our feelings toward the object of our love and manifested by specific actions especially as summarized in 1Corinthians 13:

“Love is patient (makrothumeo), love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag (self display, boast, praise oneself excessively) and is not arrogant (inflated, puffed up, haughty); does not act unbecomingly (an ugly, indecent, improper, unseemly manner); it does not seek its own, is not provoked (aroused to anger, not "touchy"), does not take into account a wrong suffered; does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1Cor 13:4-7)

In combination with showing tolerance, the idea is to love those who don't deserve it or who irritate, disturb or embarrass us. This supernatural, Christlike behavior is only possible by the strengthening of our inner man by the Holy Spirit.

Thomas à Kempis wrote that...

“If Christ is amongst us, then it is necessary that we sometimes yield up our own opinion for the sake of peace. Who is so wise as to have perfect knowledge of all things? Therefore trust not too much to thine own opinion, but be ready also to hear the opinions of others."

D L Moody quipped...

“There are two ways of being united -- one is by being frozen together, and the other is by being melted together. What Christians need is to be united in brotherly love, and then they may expect to have power.”

This is not easy to do. From my own personal experience, it is hard to love someone who abuses you, lies to you, talks bad about you, refuses to apologize for the wrong they have done to you, and believes they have done nothing wrong. It’s even harder when the person is a Christian.
You have to make a decision to love them no matter what. Yes it hurts. Don’t get offended and fall into unforgiveness. Don’t give bitterness a foothold. The best thing you can do is to start praying for that person, and every time the devil brings the offense up, you have to refuse to keep rehearsing it in your mind. The more you rehearse it in your mind, playing it over and over again, the more it grows and that root of bitterness will start to take hold in your spirit. Let the Lord deal with that person. Pray for that person, pray blessings for him. This will help keep the root of bitterness from growing.

EPHESIANS 5:1: “and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

Paul uses the present imperative which is a command calling for their way of life and daily conduct to be in the sphere of unconditional, sacrificial love, the love that God is, the love that is a fruit of His indwelling Spirit in the yielded, obedient saint.

Paul's point is that the believer now as a new creation in Christ is to be constantly ordering your behavior within the sphere of love.

“Love” (agape) describes the love God gives freely, sacrificially and unconditionally regardless of response -- love that goes out not only to the lovable but to one’s enemies or those that don't "deserve" it.

“Agapao” speaks especially of love as based on evaluation and choice, a matter of will and action. This love is not sentimental or emotional but obedient and reflective of the act of one's will with the ultimate desire being for another's highest good. Since it is unconditional, this love is still given if it's not received or returned! “Agape” gives and gives and gives. It is not withheld.

“Agape” love is commanded of believers, empowered by His Spirit, activated by personal choice of one's will, not based on one's feelings toward the object of one's love and manifested by specific actions (see 1Cor 13:4-8 for a succinct list of these actions).

“Agape” love speaks of a love called out of one’s heart by the preciousness of the one loved, a love that impels one to sacrifice one’s self for the benefit of the object loved. It is the love shown at Calvary. The prototype of this quality of supernatural love is the Father's love for sinful men as manifest by the Son's sacrifice on the Cross.

Wuest adds that...

“This love is the “agape” love which God is, which God exhibited at the Cross, which Paul analyzes in 1 Corinthians 13, and which is the fruit of the Spirit in the yielded saint. The saint is to order his behavior or manner of life within the sphere of this divine, supernatural love produced in his heart by the Holy Spirit. When this love becomes the deciding factor in his choices and the motivating power in his actions, he will be walking in love. He will be exemplifying in his life the self-sacrificial love shown at Calvary and the Christian graces mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13.” (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans

S Lewis Johnson speaking of living our lives now based on faith in the Son of God asks...

“But do we have good reasons to rest in Him? The final words of Galatians 2:20 supply ample grounds. Our faith is in the Son of God, "who loved me and gave himself for me." Cf. Gal 1:4. All of the essentials of the atonement are found here. His redemptive work is grounded in the love that expressed itself in the cross, the word "loved" being an aorist in tense and referring to the event of the cross as the issue of eternal, electing love (cf. Eph 1:3-6; 2:4, etc.). The verb, "gave," means to hand over, to deliver over (cf. Romans 4:25; Ro 8:32; Eph. 5:2). It in this context suggests these important things:

(1) First, His death was voluntary. He gave Himself.(2) Second, His death was a penal sacrifice, for He had to deliver Himself over to the cross. The aorist of the participle again points to the cross as the event at which the delivering took place. And it was a delivering of Himself over to the divine penalty for sin. He, thus, was a sacrifice.
(3) Third, His death was substitutionary. It was "for me," Paul says, a personal reference that is expanded to all the elect in other places in his writings (cf. Eph. 5:2; Gal. 1:4). The use of the first person here "indicates the deep personal feeling with which the apostle writes."

EPHESIANS 5:8: “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light”

Darkness describes the character of the life of the unconverted as void of truth and virtue in intellectual and moral matters. It's all the things Paul has already described about the Gentiles in their unconverted state. It's all the things he has described which characterized the old self or old man. Formerly all of those things were the only life they knew.

It is that very darkness from which salvation in Christ delivers sinners.

Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

(Jesus again said) "I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness. (John 12:46)

For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (See note Colossians 1:13)

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9)

So how are believers to respond? What is true about us now in regard to the darkness? Paul summarizes how we should relate to the darkness writing...

“The night is almost gone, and the day (of our Lord's return) is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on (like a new garment) (aorist imperative) the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision (present imperative = with negative means stop making provision) for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:12; 13:13; 13:14)

Wayne Barber explains now you are light in the Lord this way...

“It is all because of Him. Outside of Him there is no light. In Him is where the light is. Remember, I am not the light. He is the light. I am light because the Light is within me. He has come in and turned it on, and now I can understand and comprehend. I can walk the way He wants me to walk. His Spirit can teach me the things I need to know, and I can live a life that reflects the essence of light. We were once darkness. Now we have been made light. Not just put in the light, we are now made light because He is in us. The Light is in us...We are accountable for sin now...Now that you are in Christ, you are responsible to call them by name because you have light within you and you know what you are doing is by your own choice. You choose not to put that garment on (the garment of the "old man"). You have light in you. That is why confession of sin is such an important word in the vocabulary of the believer.”

In contrast to those who walk in spiritual darkness, Paul uses the present imperative to command believers to continually walk in the light into which they have been transferred. Keep walking in the light, step by step, ever making progress.

Walk as children of light for as Paul says
"what fellowship has light with darkness?" (2Cor 6:14)

The point is that there is none. Thus it makes "good sense" that those who walk in the darkness (as manifest by their deeds just described) would not enjoy fellowship in the Kingdom of Light in the presence of the One Who Alone is the Light of the World and in Whom there is no darkness at all.

F B Meyer has the following devotional comments...

“God is light; and when we live in daily, hourly communion with Him, in such a frame of mind as that His name is frequently in our hearts, or murmured softly by our lips, or spoken as a talisman when temptation is near, we may be said to be walking in the light. And it is just in proportion as our steps tread the crystal pathway of light, that our understanding becomes enlightened. In God's light we see light. When the heart is pure, the eye is single.The contrary to this is also true. When we are alienated from the life of God, our understanding is darkened to the truth of God. The seat of infidelity is in the heart. Once let a soul become shut out from the life of God through the hardening of the heart; once let it give itself up to lasciviousness, and to make a trade of uncleanness with greediness: then the light of the knowledge of the glory of God beats against a shuttered window, asking for admittance in vain.If you would know God, you must resemble God. If you would learn God's secrets, you must walk with God. If you would know the doctrine, you must be willing to do his will.
But there is something even better than walking in the light; it is to become children of the light. What an exquisite conception! Dewdrops sparkling in the light of dawn; star-dust glittering on the vault of night; humming-birds flashing in the tropic sun; children dancing in light-hearted glee, none of these are so truly sons of light as they who have been begotten by the Father of Lights; who carry within them the Light that lights up hearts, and who, in goodness, righteousness, and truth, prove what is well-pleasing unto the Lord. Let us live as such.” (Our Daily Walk)

EPHESIANS 5:15-16: “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

See to it that you walk circumspectly (akribos - accurately, diligently, carefully). Walk warily, exactly or diligently. Our English word circumspect is from the Latin (circum- = around + specere = look) and conveys the literal picture of looking around or figuratively being cautious. One who is walking circumspectly is one who is surveying all circumstances and possible consequences before acting or deciding. A great word picture!

The idea of "akribos" is that our walk is in strict conformity to a standard, and as such calls for carefulness against any departure from what is proper to a believer's walk.
How does one accomplish this charge to be careful how we walk?

By not walking unwisely, but wisely, as those who are continually redeeming for themselves the precious time God gives, by understanding His good and acceptable and perfect will and by not being filled with wine but being filled with His Spirit.

The present imperative commands one to continually pay especially close attention to how they walk. “Be constantly taking heed how accurately you are conducting yourselves.” We need to remember that our heart is more deceitful than all else and that the enemy of our soul constantly prowls around and his desire is for our soul.

Wuest adds that you are to...

“see to it that your conduct is accurate with respect to the demands of the Word of God. It is like a motorist accurately following on the right side of the center line dividing traffic.” (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)

To walk circumspectly is to walk in the light of our exalted position and privilege as beloved children of God. To walk in an unwise manner means to descend from the high plane and privilege to the profane practices of the fallen world. To walk wisely is to redeem each day, "buying up" every precious moment God gives.

The Amplified Version conveys the thrust of Paul's command rendering it...

“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately... “(Ed note: Good advice. God's formula for real success!)

Wayne Barber writes that...

“Ephesians 5:15 tells us we are to be very careful as we walk. When we put on this new garment and walk out into a world penetrated by darkness, this garment, Christ in us, has the power to first of all refuse the deeds of darkness, secondly reprove the deeds of darkness, and thirdly remove the deeds of darkness. Light puts out darkness. Folks, when you put on the garment, when you are living what you have in Jesus Christ; it is a powerful weapon against the darkness that is residing in this world.”

To walk as fools means to descend from this high plane to the conduct of worldly men.
The NKJV has a good rendering...
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.”
To walk circumspectly and thus wisely is to live in the light of our position as God’s children. To walk as fools means to descend from this high plane to the conduct of worldly men.
To walk any way except in the path of holiness, the ancient paths, turning neither to the left or the right, is to walk as a fool!

CHECK YOUR WORK

Ephesians 5:15 February 27, 2001

I'm getting pretty good at math. That's because every day my son Steve and I have a little math session. He does his 30 junior high math problems, and I help him check them over. Sometimes we even get them all right. As I go over Steve's math, I notice that he understands how to do his problems. In fact, in some areas he's better at it than I am. But occasionally, despite knowing how to do the problem, he gets the wrong answer. He either gets a little sloppy in using the right formula or he just doesn't check his answers carefully. Aren't we all a little like that in our Christian life? We know what we should do. We have a good understanding of how to live the Christian life, but we get careless or lazy. We know better, but we fail. For instance, we know we aren't supposed to gossip. But before we know it, we're roasting a fellow Christian. Or this: We know God wants us to keep our mind and heart pure, but we let down our guard and watch a TV program or movie we know is not edifying.
It's true, isn't it? We all get a little sloppy in how we live for God. Let's be more careful and pay closer attention to our Christian walk (Ephesians 5:15). Let's make sure we're doing quality work for our heavenly Father. —JDB (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Lord, help me to apply Your Word and move it from my head

“Making the most”(redeeming) (exagorazo from ek = out or from -- If something is in something else, then “ek” describes separating it in respect to place, time, source or origin + agorázo = buy, acquire possessions or services in exchange for money with the result that whatever has been bought is the buyer's by right of possession <> from “agora” = market place where things were exposed for sale, a forum, a place in which the people assemble and where public trials were held) means literally to buy out of (ek = out of) the market place. It means to completely redeem. Believers are to take advantage of every spiritual opportunity because we know that the night is coming when no one can work. There is an open window in time for the gospel. We must seize the moment!

Pastor Ray Pritchard writes that "exagorazo"...

“is a word from the market place. You go down to your supermarket and look for bargains because you know they will not last long; they are passing, changing. Therefore, make the most of them and buy them up. This is exactly the word he employs here. Buy up the opportunities which are created constantly by the evil days.” (Ephesians 5:15-20: Watch How You Walk)

Warren Wiersbe laments...

“How foolish to stumble along through life and never seek to know the will of the Lord! Instead of walking “accurately” (which is equivalent to “circumspectly”), they miss the mark, miss the road, and end up suffering on some detour. God wants us to be wise and understand His will for our lives. As we obey His will, we “buy up the opportunities” (redeem the time, v. 16) and do not waste time, energy, money, and talent in that which is apart from His will. Lost opportunities may never be regained; they are gone forever.” (Wiersbe, W. W. Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books)

The idea then is turning each season (kairos) to the best advantage since none can be recalled if missed.

“Every time you can do something good you should”.

As someone else has said

"Beware of wasting the present. Instead of killing time, redeem your spare moments today. Wasting the gift of time insults the Giver of time."
Redeem the time! God only knowsHow soon our little life may close,With all its pleasures and its woes,Redeem the time! — Anonymous

The idea is not to make best use of time as such (although that is certainly advisable), which is what we should do in the sense of not wasting it, but of taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves.

HOW NOT TO WALK:

Do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saint

There must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting.

No immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words.

Do not be partakers with unbelievers.

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them.

Do not be foolish

Do not get drunk with wine

Do not walk as the Gentiles:

Walk in the futility of their mind.

Being darkened in their understanding.

Excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance in them, because of the hardness of their heart.

Have become callous.

Given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

THE QUALIFICATIONS OF OUR WALK:

With all humility and gentleness.

With patience.

Showing forbearance to one another in love.

Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Lay aside the old self.

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Lay aside falsehood, and speak truth each one of you with his neighbor.

Be angry and sin not, do not let the sun go down on your anger.

Do not give the devil opportunity.

Let him who steals steal no longer, but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need.

Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

HOW ARE WE TO WALK?

WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE

WALK ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT

WALK IN A MANNER WORTHY OF OUR CALLING:

IN HUMILTY AND GENTLENESS WITH PATIENCE

FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE

WALK IN LOVE:

WALK AS CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

WALK A WISE MEN:

NOT AS UNWISE

REDEEMING THE TIME

WALK IN A MANNER PLEASING TO THE LORD

I don’t know if you have realized this, but if you read about Jesus in the Gospels, this is how He walked, and we are to walk in the same way.