FINALLY

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. (Ephesians 6:10) This verse begins the well-known and often quoted passage from the Apostle Paul dealing with spiritual warfare and the whole armor of God. It's a theme that has fascinated Christians for a long time, probably because it touches the life experience of most every follower of Jesus. One pastor captivated by the themes of this Ephesians 6 passage was named William Gurnall. Starting in 1655, he published his book The Christian in Complete Armour, an explanation of Ephesians 6:10-20. In his dedication, he describes his book as a "mite" and a "little present" but it takes up three volumes, 261 chapters, and 1,472 pages - all on these eleven verses.
I'm impressed by how Gurnall subtitled his book: The saint's war against the Devil, wherein a discovery is made of that grand enemy of God and his people, in his policies, power, seat of his empire, wickedness, and chief design he hath against the saints; a magazine opened, form whence the Christian is furnished with spiritual arms for the battle, helped on with his armour, and taught the use of his weapon; together with the happy issue of the whole war. Our time with this passage certainly won't compare to Gurnall's work, but we can begin at the beginning, noting that Paul began this section with the word, "Finally." It obviously means that this comes at the end of the letter to the church in Ephesus - a letter in which Paul carefully established our place in Jesus, and then the basics of the Christian walk. This is his last section dealing with that walk. We can say it this way: The foundations for success in spiritual warfare (and our entire Christian walk) are the truths and principles brought to us in the previous sections of Ephesians. Everything about our spiritual battle comes "finally," in light of all those things. - In light of all that God has done for you. - In light of the glorious standing you have as a child of God. - In light of His great plan of the ages that God has made you part of. - In light of the plan for Christian maturity and growth He gives to you. - In light of the conduct God calls every believer to live. - In light of the filling of the Spirit and our walk in the Spirit. - In light of all this, there is a battle to fight in the Christian life. Before you launch out into spiritual battle, give attention to the basics, the foundations of Christian living – who Jesus is and what He has done for you. Building on those foundations explained from Ephesians 1:1 to 6:9, then we come the important subject of spiritual battle – but not before. By David Guzik PRAISE GOD BLESSED BE THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD