Group Guide: Ephesians 6:10-17

After laying out all of the blessing that are to be found in Christ (chapters 1-3) and encouraging believers to live a life worthy of those blessings, (chapters 4-6) Paul ends this letter by telling his readers that there is a spiritual battle going on that they need to be mindful of and engaged in if they are going to “stand firm” in their faith.Spiritual warfare is real, and Paul wanted his readers to be both informed about their foe and live victoriously through the conflict.

Verse 11 informs us that our foe is Satan himself. Our foe is the same angel that God created who rebelled against God, took one third of the angelic host with him, and was cast out of heaven. Even though his eternal state of defeat and punishment was sealed at that time, he would continue to rebel against God and God’s creation.

In verse 12, Paul informs his readers that Satan is a powerful enemy. To be sure, he does not have the power of God. He is not the Almighty one. But he is a ruler, a powerful ruler over the world forces of this present darkness.He influences nations, leaders, and people to rebel against God. He blinds people’s eyes to the truth. He desires that people live a defeated life of self-centered destruction.

Verse 12 also tells us that this battle is personal. Paul says that we “wrestle not with flesh and blood.” This implies two things. First, the word struggle is a picture of hand-to-hand combat. This battle is up close and personal. He attacks people who are in Christ. He doesn’t want to see any believer “stand firm” in their faith. Second, it implies that this struggle with Satan cannot be successful under our strength. If we were fighting another person, “flesh and blood,” then maybe we could hold our own in our strength. But no believer is a match for Satan in his or her strength.

Verse 11 tells us that Satan has a “scheme” or a plan. He is very tactical and intentional in his attempt to get believers to fall. What is this scheme? It is the same scheme he has used from the beginning in his attack against God’s people. His means of attack is to get people to believe and act on a lie instead of the truth. Satan is a liar, and Jesus said he was the Father of lies (John 8:44). Satan lies about himself. He lies about God. He lies about the benefits of rebellion. He lies to the believer about who the believer is. He lies about what love is, forgiveness is, and success is. He lies about all of life, and he uses almost anything and anyone he can to propagate his lies. And again, when people buy into his lies and then act upon them, they fall. No wonder Jesus taught that when you know the truth, “the truth will set you free”. To stand firm is to stand in the truth.

If there is a reason that people are living lives of discontent, bitterness, anger, frustration, hopelessness, etc. etc., it is because their lives are built on something other than the truth of God that He has revealed in His word.