Pentecost 15 Ephesians 6: 10-20 Spiritual Armor
& 14-15 & 31-23
When allied forces went on patrols during the Vietnam War, they would be attacked by a small band of enemy soldiers. The enemy would cause some damage and then seemingly disappear into the lush jungle vegetation. No matter how hard the allied forces would search for them, they could not be found. No matter how much napalm or firepower was expended, very few enemy casualties would be found. Fighting against this seemingly invincible and invisible enemy led to great frustration and depressed our forces. However, one day as the war went on, someone saw an enemy open up a trap door in the ground and disappear down a tunnel. Since the enemies’ secret had been discovered, the soldiers knew where the enemy was hiding, and they had a better way of combating their opponents.
In our Epistle lesson, Paul reveals the real enemies of mankind with whom we are in a fight to the death; a battle against hostile forces both visible and invisible. He tells us, “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.”
Saint Paul does not see other men as real enemies but rather He sees the dark forces hidden behind the scenes as the real danger. Neither does Paul speak harshly about those who lead by serving the needs of mankind. In fact in Hebrews Paul says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17)
Paul speaks of those rulers and authorities as enemies that seek only power, riches and authority for their own selfish desires. These rulers are those who use deceit, treachery, violence and oppression to get want they want. In essence these men worship a god of destruction, a god who is a blood taker.
Whether these tyrants realize it or not, they think and act just like their false god Satan and certainly Satan and His dark angels are hidden behind the plotting and deception that goes on in the world. These evil men physically personify the spiritual reality of Satan.
But Satan and sin also work in the minds of all people. Jesus tells us in our gospel lesson: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’” When we think, act or speak in these unclean ways, it is difficult to tell whose side we are on.
Martin Luther was speaking to other Christians when he said, “Satan does not carry on an open warfare…He approaches us not in repulsive forms, but comes to recommend some plausible doctrine, to lay before us some temptation that shall not immediately repel us…invites us to pleasures that seem to be harmless, and leads us in indulgences until we have gone so far that we cannot retreat.” Luther later adds, “The wickedness of the devil is so great that no man can grasp it…to be so wicked as to find one’s…delight only in the misfortune of other people…this is the hellish and insatiable rage and fury of the wretched devil” (What Luther Says p. 394).
So we see a combination of evil forces at work in the world. While evil men may attack you bodily, evil spiritual forces attack you spiritually. The goal of evil men and dark spiritual forces is the same. Combine these two dark forces with sickness, natural disasters and mistakes that even well intentioned people make and Satan has a formidable weapon to accomplish his goal. That goal is to break your spirit so that you submit to his authority. Men in power do this by physical force while the spiritual forces take advantage of your own sinful nature. When you have sinned or when you have been hurt by sin, they torment your conscience with guilt and anxiety, sorrow and regret.
Paul is concerned not so much with the tyrants of the world as he is with those powers that can destroy your soul.
In the long run, the battle for your soul is what is truly important. For that reason dying in Christ is not a casualty, because eternal life is waiting those who have Christ in their hearts. Dying without faith in Christ however is a true and eternal loss. So Paul tells us how to protect ourselves from the devil’s schemes. He calls this protection the full armor of God.
Fortunately, every Christian receives the fullness of all God’s blessings in Christ. Through Baptism, the power of Christ’s resurrection is at work in us and is sufficient to overcome every evil. In Baptism we are fully clothed in Christ Jesus as Paul tells us in Galatians, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Gal 3:27) Jesus Christ defeated sin, death and the devil when He died for all of mankind’s sins on the cross. All those who believe in Christ’s death and resurrection have been baptized into His death and we also share in His resurrection now in spirit and physically when we are called home.
Therefore we can stand firm in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus knowing that eternal life is assured to all who trust in the work He has already accomplished. Despite the hardships and setbacks we have in our lives we can abound in his work, doing our best to obey God’s commandments, knowing it is not in vain. For we know that in this life, Satan and the world will continue to tempt you. “However, no temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
So we stand together, united in Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We fight our battles with the word of God. Have you ever wondered why people get uncomfortable when you mention the name Jesus? Have you noticed how hard the television and world media works to not mention His name? Because the Gospel of Jesus Christ has tremendous power to defeat the powers in this world as well as the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. Christ has already defeated the devil.
He may not yet be destroyed but ‘one little word can fell him.’ That is why the world tries so hard to disarm us by silencing God’s message.
It is important to remember that it is not enough that we defend ourselves against the devil with faith and hope as our shield and helmet. Satan does not fear those who stand behind their shield of faith and do not use their only weapon. When we draw the sword and go after Satan with such a powerful weapon, he has no choice but to fall back and flee. The Word of God is this weapon and it is more powerful than anything else in the universe. Our battle cry is now and always shall be, ‘Jesus is Lord!’ Jesus is Lord!
As Saint Peter tells you all, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:7-9) In Jesus Name, Amen.