Missions Paul

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6 v 16

Lord, you are my shield. The enemy doesn’t give warning of the attacks. I don’t see in advance where the next hurt will come from. It may happen today so I lift you up. Christ over me will extinguish whatever fiery attack that comes my way.

I don’t need to ask ‘How will I make it through?’ or believe ‘I’m not going to make it.’ I stand with YOU covering me.

When anxiety comes it is extinguished because I have lifted Christ over me.

When condemnation comes I get my shield up.

When doubt rages I will extinguish it and I will keep standing firm.

Just as Roman soldiers saturated their shields in water to extinguish the fiery arrows so I also ask that you saturate my life in your presence and in your promise for my life.

My faith is held high and covers my life completely. You empower me to stand against every attack on my mind and heart.

When I don’t think I will make it, I will make it.

When I feel alone, I am not.

What you have said about who I am and my situation outweighs anything anyone else says about it.

You are my shield and helper and my glorious sword. My enemies will cower before you and you will march all over them. (Deut 33 v 29)

Amen

“ … with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6 v 15

Lord, I see with fresh eyes this morning that the gospel I am called to is one of peace. Anger is all around. People are anxious about many things. They are highly strung in their opinions and they express these freely. But you have brought good news; news of peace that is good. Of course the ultimate peace you bring is not between human beings but between us and you. Anger incurred from some person is one thing but the anger from an omnipotent God is something completely different. I don’t have that. I don’t face your anger. Thank you Jesus for taking that wrath.

Give me divine moments to tell people that they can live their lives with the joy of knowing only peace and not anger. To live peacefully is all of grace.

Sin breeds anger but your grace breeds peace. The battle I am in is a war between sin and grace.

I stand in this battle with my shoes of readiness. I am ready to move. Whatever you have for me today and whoever I come across today I am ready. I want to bring good news and be good news of peace. I want to declare ‘Our God reigns!’

Let my mouth be filled with such vocabulary. Where others may rant let me raise the God of Peace into the circumstance and situation we are in.

Amen

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place Ephesians 6 v 14

Lord, I put on you today. I clothe myself with Christ. You are Truth. I fasten you around myself. All around me people are stumbling and are unstable in all their ways. But you are the answer. You have the final say in my life. How do I journey the relationships of my life? How do I submit? Do I do that through emotion and how I feel at any one time? Do I do that simply because I am told to? Is it because it is culturally acceptable? No none of those Lord. I do it because of you. I discover truth bows to TRUTH, to you, the Suffering Servant.

I live in a world of fake news and people being fake. I slow my mind so not to believe everything I see and hear. In order to resist deception I hide more in you.

So with the belt of Truth around me I now receive from you the breastplate of righteousness. I clothe myself with Christ. I am not unaware of the devils schemes. Voices of accusation penetrate my ears and mind and sometimes I see them from the unlikeliest of places. But I choose not to be clothed by accusation but by righteousness. It is not mine, it is yours. Your righteousness contains right thinking and right actions. It is not what I can drum up myself. All my righteous acts are like filthy rags. I guard my heart for it is the well-spring of life. It is protected by your righteousness; my thoughts, my feelings, my ambitions and conscience are precious to you and are crucial to my future. Where I have been wounded, heal me.

The accusations have no hold on me because I have the belt and the breastplate on me. The Truth and the Righteousness of Christ clothe me.

Spirit of God hide me in the Truth and the Righteousness of Christ.

Amen

It isn’t my armour it is God’s.

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6 v 13

Lord, I have fought and argued in my life and I have also run and hid. But you offer me an alternative. To stand. Fully-prepared, immovable and still standing no matter what comes my way. I choose to stand before the battle of today, during it and after it.

I choose to stand and watch you do your work.

I stand protected by your armour. It is not my strength, power or armour, it is yours.

I stand with you, by your side, never forsaken nor forgotten. You are near.

In the day of evil, during the onslaught of the schemes of the enemy, I remain.

I don’t need to react like others do. There’s no need to rant either in my head or for the world to see. I don’t need to retreat either. I just stand here. Not moving. Stubbornly standing.

I stand in what I know. You.

I stand protected. By you.

I stand in peace. It is your battle not mine.

I stand in victory. I know who you are!

So I get up onto my feet. I will not indulge in self-pity.

I still and rest my soul.

I stand in you.

Amen

Prayer is not just talking to God it is preparing yourself to fight against what will hurt.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6 v 12

Lord, the defeated don’t fight anymore, but those who follow you know the battle is relentless.

I am in a war. It’s the war of the soul. It is our struggle. I am not alone. It is a community fight. You fill us with the Spirit and the impact is seen in our submission in community and in marriage, in the home and work. It is also where the arguments exist. But that’s not where you want me to argue. I begin again today. Whether hurting or angry, bitter or complaining, I silence myself. That person is not the problem. So I refuse to argue anymore in my mind with them.

As I talk to you I know there is one talking to me constantly moving against your purposes in my life, church, community and nation. He sows seeds of doubt and confusion. He wants many to retreat and surrender to him not YOU.

So I contend in prayer.

As I talk to you I also declare against the enemy of my soul. I fight the rulers, authorities, the powers and the spiritual forces. I don’t care how organised the devil is nor where these positional forces are but I speak radically and passionately in prayer against those opposed to your purposes. I am not sure how to differentiate them, others have their opinion on this, but I don’t care, I just take my stand.

I know they seek to frustrate Your plan for my life. So I commit myself to your will once again.

I know they seek to attack me when I least expect it so I stand alert today. I stand alert to the community you have placed me in. I stand alert in all my relationships with people. I stand alert and I go to the cross.

They seek discouragement but you cannot discourage what has died to self.

In prayer I die.

In the Amen I rise, ready for the battle has been won for today.

Amen

Life is tough. But we don’t need to go under.

There is another way.

Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6 v 11

Lord, fill me again and again with the Spirit.

I am aware of the battle I am in. I will not run from it. I will not cave into it. I will stand up against it. I stand in faith.

I set my face like flint, I resolutely set myself towards what is ahead of me, just like you did.

I am where you have placed me. So I will remain. I will not be removed. I will keep going.

I embrace courage. I say NO to easier paths.

I choose my attitude and my actions for today, this is my armour. My character is inside of me and it is there where the armour is needed.

My outward appearance is not as important as what is inside of me.

I can only do this battle with your armour. I can only go through the pain and the trials with your armour. So Lord, fill me again and again with the Spirit.

The devil is my accuser and I am not unaware that he is scheming even now. He has his methods, crafty and deceptive they may be, but he will not outwit me, for you are with me and your armour is on me. He may condemn me but there is no condemnation. He may accuse me before you but your blood speaks a better word. He is a liar and there is no truth in him.

I put on your armour. I clothe myself with Christ. I take my stand. I am ready today.

Amen

It’s finally. After all that has been said …

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Ephesians 6 v 10

Lord Jesus, if the Apostle could write those words while he was in prison then in my circumstance I also know I can have confidence that you will protect me and strengthen me.

If he knew what it was to suffer like the persecuted Church today and if he went through stoning to the point of nearly dying and found he could rely on you, then so can I.

If he didn’t know what tomorrow would bring though he knew it involved pain and if he could focus on being strong in the Lord then I can certainly face my tomorrow.

If he instructs the Church (in a city where witchcraft and worship to Artemis was rife) to demonstrate the power of the Lord then in my locality I can ask for the power of the Lord to triumph over all powers.

Finally, after all he has already said about the power of resurrection (1: 19-20) may that same power which raised Christ from the dead be in me today.

Finally, after all he has already said about the power that transforms (3: 7) and how the gospel had radically changed him then I have confidence in that same gospel today.

Finally, after all he has said about the power of love (3: 18-19) I pray that people will see Jesus in me today. Help me see Jesus in other people and in the circumstances of my life.

Amen

I don’t think there has been a year quite like this year in my lifetime. The pandemic and then issues like identity and race have become a very important discussion point in our society and Churches.

If this is the Apostles household code then it is at first reading uncomfortable reading. Words like submission cause a reaction, obedience in the home between children to their parents have also responses of the many horrible stories of abuse and now slavery? Surely Paul will call for the emancipation of slaves? It doesn’t even appear the thought had crossed his mind.

I think perhaps Paul is not trying to devise a new way of life but how the Spirit would help us in the one we are in.

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favouritism with him.” Ephesians 6 v 5-9.

Slavery seems to have been universal at this time. There are estimates of up to 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire. Many were well-treated and many were abused. They included not only domestic slaves and manual labourers but educated people as well. Nobody challenged this constitution.

Paul is not looking to a new world but with the filling of the Spirit our lives are then changed and charged with purpose so that whatever we are doing we are really serving Christ. Behind their master is Christ, maybe hard to imagine, but the Spirit can help you find the face of Christ even in the worst of places.

But again, slaves have rights according to Paul. Masters are given 3 principles to live by:

1. Do the same as slaves. That is if you hope to receive respect then show it; if you hope to receive service then give it.
2. Don’t threaten. They are not to misuse their position of authority.
3. Realise that Jesus is the Master. He is over them as much as they are over the slaves.

The Spirit impacts our church relationships, our marriages, our homes and our work places. That’s why we need to go on being filled.

The family in the home is one of the basic centres of the Kingdom of God. Before there was a Church there was a family, before there was anything created there was a family, before God was Creator or Saviour He was Father.

The home and the family was instituted by God, it is exalted in the Bible, it is the symbol of something greater, it is one of the main foundations of society and it is the primary influence on character development.

Yet we live today in a society where the family is threatened from all sides. The home is threatened.

Yesterday one of my Pastors was telling me of how a teenage boy was just in the words of his mum ‘uncontrollable’. The boy could not be kept inside the home, he would jump through windows and then go on a destructive plan of action and now about to be charged for criminality. We know this isn’t anything new nor shocking to our world today.

The Apostle continues in the context of being filled with the Spirit …

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.“Honour your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers,do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6 v 1-4

Obedience to parents was very much part of the covenant law of Moses (Leviticus 19: 203). It was God’s intention for children to submit to their parents.

But as with marriage it is set in the framework of partnership. Children have rights and that is their fathers should not provoke them, which is the meaning of exasperation. They should train them and instruct them but do so in the manner that Christ is the one who is training them. To berate them angrily due to the child’s lack of self-discipline isn’t exactly demonstrating self-discipline.

Is this possible? Are we setting ourselves up to fail? Who has the perfect family? No one.

The filling of the Spirit spills out into the home and He invades the relationships there and again it is to reveal Christ. Obey …in the Lord; bring them up … of the Lord.

One of my Pastors drove through the night get to the hospital bedside of his mother who is critically ill. He is there this morning as I post this, being the son he is called to be, honouring his mother. It is a beautiful image and one that will be repeated throughout the world today. Children who were taught so early on to grab hold of the security of their parents hands are today placing the hands of their parents into theirs to bring peace and assurance. It is the circle of life. The circle of love that God ordained. It speaks of Christ.

I think we are understanding that for Paul this is all about Jesus.

Together is better. Each doing what we are called to do is better. Whether that be married or single.

Think of the Godhead and the submission there. Father, Son, Spirit, all submitting to one another. Not one higher or lower. Co-equal, the same essence and substance, different but the same, the oneness.

Think of the Church. Can we see the Godhead?

Think of the marriage. Can we see the Godhead?

“This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Ephesians 5 v 32-33

Paul draws this little section to a close. “Ah he’s actually talking about Christ and the Church. He’s not really talking about marriage. What a relief!” As if he is correcting that thought he uses the word ‘however’ or ‘nevertheless’. “What I’ve said about marriage I do hold to.”

In this final sentence (if we haven’t already realised this) there is an assumption that as the husband will love his wife she in turn will respect him. This is the partnership. If his love is lost or marred then it will become so difficult for her to respect him and vice versa.

He is to love her like he loves himself. Isn’t this open to abuse? Will he become a doormat? Under the thumb? The potential for abuse only shows how potentially beautiful he could be.

She is to show respect. The word is actually fear and probably why the translators thought it not wise to use that word because it isn’t what Paul is saying. It is profound honour. Isn’t this open to abuse? Will she become a slave? The potential for abuse only shows how potentially beautiful she could be.

That is the partnership. It doesn’t really work without both partners involved. It is collaboration. No one higher than the other. Each submitted to one another. A oneness.

How is this possible?

It is a work of the Spirit. Be being filled with the Spirit. The only way.