Part Two of Ten: Ephesians 6:10, 11

v13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV]

There is a sport metaphor that seems to be apropos at this time. It reads, “The best offense is a good defense.” As it turns out, this axiom we also know as the “Strategic offensive principal of war,” and make no mistake, this is war. It is a war that has raged for over 6000 years ever since the Garden when Adam failed not only God, but Eve, and all of mankind. Who says that one man cannot make a difference?

v12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [Ephesians 6:12 KJV]

However, according to 1 Corinthians 10:13 promise of God, He gives us a way out. Since this is war, God gives us our war armor to protect us from the wiles of the Devil.

The Roman soldier was one of the fiercest combatants, and one of the hardest ones to kill, solely due to the armor that he wore. Paul, while under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and speaking in the imperative, uses the soldier’s war armor as a metaphor to protect the believers of Christ against the spiritual enemy, the Devil.

We find our text in Ephesians 6:10-18. Let’s look at Paul’s first couple of stanzas, which read,

v10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
v11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [Ephesians 6:10, 11 KJV]

Since the writer’s of the New Testament wrote the text in Greek, it would behoove us to read these verses in the original Greek language. This way, we learn what Paul actually said and the true meaning of the verse(s). The Greek language is much more expressive than that of the English.

So, what does it mean to be “Strong in the Lord?” We get the word “strong” from the Greek word, endunamoo. It is a compound word, whereas en means “in or into,” and the word dunamis means “explosive strength.” When you compound these two words, the new word endunamoo means an inner strength. We can therefore extrapolate that, as Paul did that an excessive amount of strength and power God will place into a container or vessel upon the asking. Brothers and sisters, we are that vessel.

Paul did not mean to convey a suggestion but spoke in the present passive imperative tense meaning that he commanded that we be strong in the Lord. Paul then tells us to “Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against all the wiles (deception through trickery) of the Devil. Therefore, all Disciples of Christ, receive His empowerment from on high because we wrestle NOT with flesh and blood. . .
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