Doorways Of The Devil

"Doorways of the Devil"

Ephesians 6:10-18 is one of the most powerful and important passages of Scripture for the victorious Christian. That is, the Christian who is truly living in victory for the Lord Jesus Christ by winning the daily battle with the world, the flesh and the devil.

These vicious enemies of the Christian can not be defeated without God’s formula for victory found in the book of Ephesians. In verse 6:10 & 11 Paul summarizes the entire book of Ephesians by dividing it into three specific areas. These three distinct divisions are especially designed by the Lord to give us the victory over the three enemies of our souls .

The first enemy is the world system and for this enemy Paul commands: "Be strong in the Lord..." literally be continually strengthened in the Lord. This phrase summarizes chapter 1:1-3:21 as Paul gives us the ammunition to have complete victory over the allurement of the world system and all it’s trappings by knowing our position in the Lord as described in these first three chapters of this epistle which is definitely "The Book for the Battle".

The key word for victory over the world is "faith". Faith in who we are in Christ! Our heavenly position and possessions are thoroughly described in chapter 1-3 and beautifully pictured in 2:6: "And hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus".

This is our present exalted position! We are "right now" supernaturally raised from being dead in our sins and seated in the heavenlies in Christ with all the "spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."(1:3)

Faith in our position, who we are in Christ, and our possessions, what He has given us, are things that are eternal and will never change! We must rejoice in these manifold spiritual blessings for there are over 20 mentioned in these first three chapters of Ephesians.

Full comprehension of our position and possessions as completely described here is a must for victory over the "world". When the world and all it’s allurements knock on the door of your soul, faith in the eternal spiritual blessings found in Christ and turning our desires and passions to these heavenly things will give us complete victory over the sin of hungering and thirsting after the things of this present world.

Rejecting the temporal worldly desires by memorizing and meditating on the reality of these marvelous eternal blessings in Christ is the only answer for victory over the world! Yes, it is our faith, faith in our exalted heavenly Position and Possessions that gives us the victory over the world! (I John 5:4)

The next enemy Paul deals with is the "flesh". For victory in the battle with the flesh Paul again commands: "Be strong...in the power of His might". This pointed command summarizes chapter 4:1-6:9. Literally, being continually strengthened in the power of God’s might can be found only in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Five times in this section of Scripture Paul uses the word "walk" to describe our practical victory over the "flesh" by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.

First of all he commands us to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (4:1). A worthy walk can only be accomplished by the Person of the Holy Spirit for Jesus said: "Without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

We can not in the strength of the flesh please God! Only Jesus can please God! Only as we yield to the ever present Power of the Holy Spirit will be able to "walk" with our Lord demonstrating the worthiness of the vocation, the calling He has given us, as He commands! "This I say then, walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).

The second "walk" Paul emphasizes is found in (4:!7) where he commands us to "walk not as other Gentiles walk". He then describes a multitude of flesh works in v.17-19 second only to his list in Galatians 5:19-21. The only possible way to have victory over the flesh works described here is by fully yielding to the control of the Holy Spirit.

Being "continually strengthened in the power of His might" necessitates a full dose of the Word of God! We must digest the "living Word" by letting it "dwell in us richly" (Colossians 3:16). The result of memorizing and meditating on the Word of God will result in Colossians 3:16 "teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

This is the direct result of letting the Word dwell in us richly! It is also the direct result of being "filled with the Spirit"! (Ephesians 5:18,19) which are the key verses in this second section of Ephesians, Paul’s Book for the Battle.