ARMOUR OF GOD
In his letter to the church at Ephesus Paul points to her high responsibility, her special place in the plan of God. She has been called to victorious life in her risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, victorious life in the spiritual warfare against invisible and perilous powers of Satan, continuously opposing her on her way to perfection.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus Paul points to her high
responsibility, her special place in the plan of God. She has been
called to victorious life in her risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
victorious life in the spiritual warfare against invisible and perilous
powers of Satan, continuously opposing her on her way to perfection.
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Stephen put the battle in its spiritual meaning: spirit against the<br />
Spirit of God, law against grace, dead formalism versus the power of<br />
the faith, petrifaction against freedom. But the official clergy did not<br />
accept this. They cast him out, they stoned him. Again they were<br />
making it a matter of 'flesh and blood', as they used to do, natural<br />
men as they were, always trying to solve problems in this way.<br />
Stephen saw what the council did not see. Stephen had the shield of<br />
faith and remained spiritually unaffected, as Jesus on the cross<br />
remained spiritually unaffected, notwithstanding all violence. Jesus<br />
says: 'And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill<br />
the soul' (Matt. 10 : 28). 'And all that sat in the council, looking<br />
stedfeastly on Stephen, saw his face as it had been the face of an<br />
angel' (Acts 6: 15).<br />
The shield of his faith had not failed, it did not break though his<br />
body was broken. In this spiritual battle the Spirit gains the victory.<br />
'For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the<br />
victory that overcometh the world, even our faith' (1 John 5: 4). In<br />
the battle of which Paul speaks in Ephesians 6, victory is guaranteed<br />
by God. It is a sure matter that in the battle of faith against the hostile<br />
powers, the enemy will be conquered.<br />
'Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto<br />
thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before<br />
many witnesses' (1 Tim.6 : 12). Let nothing stop you, 'continue in<br />
the faith' (Col. 1 : 23). 'I am ... joying and beholding your order,<br />
and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ' (Col. 2 : 5). We are<br />
justified by grace, not by works (Rom. 3 : 24, 28; Gal. 2: 16); by<br />
faith in His blood we are redeemed (Rom. 3 : 25); we receive healing<br />
by faith in Him, 'and His name through faith in His name hath made<br />
this man strong, whom ye ·see and know; yea, the faith which is by<br />
Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all'<br />
(Acts 3: 16). Jesus said, healing a sick child: 'If thou canst believe,<br />
all things are possible for him that believeth' (Mark 9: 23). 'I live by<br />
the faith of the Son of God' (Gal. 2 : 20). By faith I have received the<br />
Holy Spirit ( Gal. 3 : 2), by faith also the gifts of the Spirit, the power<br />
to cast out demons and to heal the sick (Gal. 3 : 5).<br />
By faith we partake in the blessing of Abraham (Gen. 12 : 1-<br />
3). God's promise is: 'And I will make of thee a great nation, and I<br />
will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a<br />
blessing, and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that<br />
curseth thee.'<br />
The Lord wants us to live by faith, faith in His wonderful<br />
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