The Mystery of the Gospel

Ephesians 6:18-20

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

By praying in the Spirit we can truly access the throne of God, where Jesus sits at His right hand interceding for the saints. His intercessory ministry began at the cross, and will conclude with the eternal defeat of all forms of rebellion against God. Like the first coming, He will be preceded by the spirit and power of Elijah, already rising up in the saints who are boldly crying out for repentance. When He returns, the full mystery of the gospel will be revealed in the heavens with Him, as He catches up His saints. Then Elijah himself will preach the gospel with boldness again to the Jews in the streets of Jerusalem. When Christ sets foot on the Mount of Olives His everlasting kingdom will come to the earth. 
[See The Two Anointed Ones]

Related Scriptures: Hebrews 12:2; Romans 8:26-27; Revelation 20:1-15; Matthew 11:1-30; Malachi 4:5-6; Zechariah 14:3-11

To Quench the Fiery Darts

Ephesians 6:16-17

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The most important piece of the armor is the shield of faith. Here the Holy Spirit is identifying our faith toward God as the shield that puts out the fires that are hurled at us by enemies. The LORD clearly identified Himself to Abram as his shield, and his exceeding great reward. As we run to the shelter of His presence, there is absolutely NO manmade weapon or satanic assault that can defeat us. Of course, this requires our total trust in Him, and the reward is the greatest prize of all: we are made in the image of Christ through the trials and struggles.

Related Scriptures: Mark 11:12-26; Genesis 15:1-6; Psalm 91:1-16; Psalm 40:1-17; Romans 8:26-39; 2Samuel 22:1-51

Christ: The Breastplate of Righteousness

Ephesians 6:14-15

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

The truth that sets mankind free is that Christ was made sin for us. He knew no sin, yet He took it upon Himself in order to liberate man from his sinful fallen nature, and reestablish the covering of righteousness with which God endued Adam. We can rest in the peace of God wearing the breastplate of righteousness. When we dwell in Christ we have put on the Lord in our spirits, and this realization protects the very core of our being. Thereby are we made the righteousness of God in the gospel of Christ, and filled with His glory the way He intended.

Related Scriptures: 2Corinthians 5:1-21; Genesis 1:26-31; Philippians 4:4-9; Romans 13:10-14; Proverbs 4:20-27; 1Corinthians 1:18-31

Withstand in the Evil Day

Ephesians 6:12-13

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The flesh and blood battle is about taking up the cross and walking in the Spirit. But when we are in the spirit and the conflict becomes heated, the battle is now against dark spiritual forces. This is when the enemy directly engages us, and we must always have on the full armor and be ready to respond. These conflicts are accelerating in pace and severity as the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ approaches, just as He prophesied in Matthew 24. Events around the world and especially in the Middle East, while they are of deep concern, are merely the beginning of sorrows. We can take hope in all of this, however, for the LORD has promised that believers are not appointed to wrath, and He also gave us His Word that He would never leave us, nor forsake us.

Related Scriptures: Luke 9:18-27; Galatians 5:16-26; Matthew 24:1-14; 1Thessalonians 5:1-25; Hebrews 13:5-21

The Power of God’s Might

Ephesians 6:10-11

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

As we empty our lives of ourselves, the Lord will fill us with His might. Less of us and more of Him will always cause the power of God to flow through us, strengthening us and changing the circumstances around us, according to our yieldedness to Him. This is the same power which Christ applied, when He made an open show of the devil and all his demonic forces, and resurrected all those held captive in the Paradise chamber of Hell. The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the New Testament Body of Christ: saints who walks in the “dunamis” power of God and take authority over every dark spiritual force. That is man in God’s image, as He purposed so shall it be.

Related Scriptures: John 3:25-36; Judges 7:1-25; Ephesians 4:1-16; Matthew 16:13-28; Romans 8:28-29

The Fruit of the Lips: Peace

Isaiah 57:18-19

I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

The LORD sees the iniquities of the human heart, and every aspect of transgression and sin that is conceived in the heart is laid open before Him. He set out to make mankind in His own image, and He will perform it. It is the express will of God to remove all iniquity and heal us of its effects. When we repent and receive the Lord Jesus into our hearts, the healing can begin, by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. Then, by placing His Word in our mouths, peace will begin to flood our souls and the healing becomes progressive. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: and He is restoration in our souls that leads to eternal right relationship. Glory to God!

Related Scriptures: Hebrews 4:11-16; Psalm 107:1-43; Psalm 41:1-13; Psalm 23:1-6

The Souls Which God Has Made

Isaiah 57:16-17

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before Me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid Me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

If not for the covenant God made with Noah the world would perish, along with every soul that God has ever made. If not for His purposeful intention to save mankind through the unveiling of Jesus Christ, every spirit would fail before the blast furnace of His wrath, in righteous judgment of iniquity. In His everlasting mercy God planned the eternal sacrifice of the Lamb from before time had a name, and has performed His Word not to contend with man forever, to fulfill His Seed and make mankind in His image for endless time in fellowship with Him. If He had not given the Lamb from the foundation of the world; if He had not hidden His face from the apostasy of mankind, He would have been honor bound by His own Word to judge and destroy creation. It is only by His Son, soon to be revealed in the heavens, that we, the redeemed, will stand before Him in glory.

Related Scriptures: Genesis 6:1-8; Revelation 6:1-17; Hebrews 4:1-16; Isaiah 53:1-12; Genesis 3:15