Ephesians 6:21-22 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
 
PAUL needed some helpers in his ministry. We often see his references to people who helped him plant churches, oversee churches, carry letters, care for physical needs, mentor new believers and represent him to various ministries. Tychicus (tik’ i kus) is the latter. You will read Paul’s references to him in Acts, Colossians, 2 Timothy and Titus. As Paul was a faithful ambassador for Christ, Tychicus was a faithful ambassador for Paul to the early churches.
    In our study of Esther, I wrote of faithful messengers. In that case, they were the servants who accurately communicated Mordecai’s and Esther’s words to each other. This was absolutely critical in the plan to plea for the Jews’ lives before King Ahasuerus. Tychicus is a servant messenger. Messengers must accurately speak the same words as the one who sends them. Think of the great responsibility the Lord gave to the first apostles to teach his Truth to the world! Consider, too, the enormous responsibility Paul gave to Tychicus! This man we barely know carried the gospel truth from the Apostle Paul into many churches. Tychicus and Paul were as one person, doing the work of one God into the one body of saints.
    Are you a Tychicus? If you say, “I’m Jesus’ disciple.” you are called to correctly represent Jesus’ gospel. You are called by the Holy Spirit to carry the authority and the precision of the gospel message to others. As you confess one faith in the one Lord, you are an ambassador for Christ, one with God.  
    This is a high calling. Consider it a privilege. Regard it well as a work the Lord has given you to do. What greater purpose could there be for your life?
 
Prayer: Give me, Spirit, one love for my Lord, so I will truthfully represent his gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 

Ephesians 18b-20 With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
 
PAUL continues on from his teaching to pray in the Spirit. As you have in mind the Spirit is your helper in prayer, here he points us to reasons to pray.
    First, pray with “all the saints”. Remember that “saints” is the early church’s designation of anyone who is saved in faith to confess Christ as Lord. “Saints” was a reference to being set apart and made holy in Jesus’ blood. Calling one “saint” did not mean he was holy as in sinless. But it meant he was made holy by Jesus’ atoning blood. In effect, a true saint is one prepared to meet the holy God. Paul says to pray for each other. Pray with the church. Prayer is a means of unity and fellowship within the church. You know of many petitions and praises we pray for those in the church. Be mindful to do this on a regular basis.
    One way to do so is to sit with other saints in a small group to pray through a church’s directory. You can gather on a regular basis to pray for a certain number of saints each week. Obviously, you won’t know everyone’s specific blessings, desires and needs. But you can always pray such words as Ephesians 3:14-19, pray for their faith journey, pray for their protection from temptation and pray for their relationship with the one God to be one with him.
    Then Paul reminds the Ephesians to pray for him. This is not self-serving pride, but this is humility and submission to confess, “I need prayer!” Paul is a servant-hearted leader who knows he needs the Spirit’s power to do his work. Jesus ministered in the Spirit’s power. Why would it be any different for any pastor or church leader today?
    True pastors, teachers and evangelists are “ambassadors in chains”. They must be chained to the true gospel, so they can faithfully represent Jesus to all the saints God has chosen for them to serve. Diligent prayer for Jesus’ ambassadors will strengthen them to be good shepherds.
    As you see this urging to prayer, let me ask, “Are you a church member who refuses to tell her church, ‘Pray for me.’” Are you concerned others will see you as weak or even broken at times? Let it go. Submit to prayer. Also, be eager to tell of the ways God is blessing your life. Be thankful for your salvation! Let people know you rejoice in the Lord.
    Scripture is very easy to understand as it teaches us about prayer. Be earnest to pray in the Spirit for yourself, all the saints, and church leaders. This is the Lord’s command.
 
Prayer: Father in Heaven, guard your church here on earth. Stir our hearts to pray for one another and for our leaders. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Ephesians 6:18a And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
 
NOW that we are wearing God’s armor, Paul says it’s time to do battle this way: “Pray in the Spirit.”  Prayer is the weapon and the strategy; prayer is the power to win the war if we pray in the Spirit. What does this mean?
    Let’s go back to Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. We learned there that the Holy Spirit is the unifying power between our unholy souls and the holy God. He is the bridge to connect us to the cross, to our salvation and to our sanctification – living more and more as one with God. Thus, as we pray in the Spirit, we are praying with the help and the power of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.          
    To “pray in the Spirit means: 1) That the Spirit, our Helper, helps us when we pray: Romans 8:26a Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. 2) Continuing on in that verse the Spirit then intercedes (to mediate, to plead) for us: Romans 8:26b For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 3) Praying in the Spirit affirms our adoption into God’s household when we pray: Galatians 4:6 “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” Praying in the Spirit is praying with the Spirit’s help, intercession and affirmation. The power that created the world is with you in prayer!
    As I need an interpreter to preach in Africa and to hear the needs of the people there, you could say in summary that the Holy Spirit is your interpreter to the Father. He moves the human language into the heavenly realm to clearly communicate your petitions to the Father. Then he interprets the Father’s response back to you.
    Put on God’s armor. Wage the war with prayer. Trust the Spirit to help you speak to the one God. With one faith, find victory in Jesus, your one Lord, Savior and Redeemer.
 
Prayer: Holy Spirit, I need you to help me pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Ephesians 6:13-17 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
 
EASILY we could look at this Scripture in five separate teachings, but I think there is great power in seeing this spiritual armor image in its entirety. Let’s put on the full armor of God!
    Be prepared for the day of evil. This day is not a special day but is any time when great temptation or threats to obeying God’s Word come into your life. And/or a day of evil can also be a day when your culture or your church confronts a faith challenge against God’s Word. For example, we have had a “day of evil” here in the United States since abortion was approved by our Supreme Court. Every day is an evil day for the unborn in America and around the world.
    “The day of evil” also has been in America’s churches since the 18th century. Over 200-plus years, the church has largely gone from the Gospel of God to the Gospel of Self. Moral truth has been replaced with moral relativity. The church refuses to call sin “sin” as it allows the culture to define its message. “The day of evil” also stains marriage in our nation. Too many y marriages end in divorce. Ungodly homosexual unions are approved against the Bible’s clear teaching.
    We also see “the day of evil” in too many communities as heroin has become the addictive drug of choice and destruction. And alcohol is affiliated with fun and fellowship. Evil daily rears its ugly head, too, in division and strife among those whom claim they are able to lead this country.
    What do we do? We do what God tells us to do. Firmly, we must buckle up with the Bible. Learn from the Truth what is true. Know what is true. Learn the lies. Grow in your knowledge of God’s wisdom. Then walk surely forward, shielded in a Spirit-powered faith, guarded from harm and ready to extinguish all fire from the devil. In the authority of our Lord’s salvation we must surely proclaim, “Jesus saves.” Then we live in submission to his authority over our lives. We imitate Jesus’ teachings to be salt and light into a decaying, dark world.
    There is no secret to solving the world’s problems. The Lord God has unveiled to mankind all we must know. Jesus said it this way: Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." 
    Live in God’s sure truth, his abiding love. Your armor will be secure.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your armor. May I fully trust in your love to decisively win the victory against evil. I pray in Jesus’ love, amen.  

Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
 
PAUL has written a good deal of instruction. He has admonished – encouraged – us in the Lord. He is an apostle of Christ. This means he was sent by the Lord to teach us of God’s justice to punish sin, grace to save us from his justice and of our response to God’s amazing grace. We are to be imitators of God.
    One very important aspect of imitating God is to recognize we are at war. The devil wars against us. He seeks to kill and destroy our relationship with Jesus, with our spouses, parents, children, church and God. Too often, though, we get wrapped up in warring with one another. That is exactly the devil’s scheme. We must stop it.
    If you have seen the movie “War Room” (If not, I encourage you to do so.) do you remember its lesson regarding our enemy? For the wife struggling in her marriage, she first saw her husband as her enemy. But her wise friend told her, “The devil is your enemy. You’ve got to fight for your husband and for your marriage against the devil.”
    One powerful scene for me was the wife, Elizabeth, declaring to Satan, “You have played with my mind and had your way long enough. No more! You are done. Jesus is the Lord of this house. There is no place here for you anymore. Take your lies, schemes, and accusations and get out in Jesus’ name. You can’t have my marriage. You can’t have my daughter. And you surely can’t have my man. This house is under new management, and that means you are out. And another thing, I am so sick of you stealing my joy. My joy is found in Jesus. And just in case you forgot, he has already defeated you. So go back to hell where you belong and leave my family alone.”
    Wow. What if we lived as if we really believed this?
    I know this is a fictional story, but it is about the true story of sin’s destruction and our Lord’s saving reconstruction power. The work of God is not fictional. I know people who live this way as demonstrated in “War Room” to see God transform their lives and their marriages.
    In my own life, when I’ve experienced temptation, the only effective way to war against the devil was to declare, “Jesus, remove this temptation. Remove this desire to sin. Remove this evil from my life.” More and more my life came under “new management”. I changed and continue to change when I pray this way. My life gradually becomes less of a war against evil and more of joyful journey as one with the one God, Father, Son and Spirit.
    There is a war in the heavenly realms. Battle evil with the power of God. Call on the name of Jesus for loved ones in despair, for friends in trouble, for Jesus’ church in decline and for your family in need. Welcome the Holy Spirit into your life. Declare to the devil he has no authority in you. Banish him from your life, from your home and from your church. Send him back to hell where he belongs. In Jesus you have that authority.
 
Prayer: I call on you, Holy Spirit to wage war against the evil that threatens those who are precious to me. Protect us from temptation. Yes, deliver us from evil for yours truly is the power and the glory forever. Amen.
 

Ephesians 6:9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
 
AS events unfold in one’s life that may cause him to be a slave, others become masters of slaves. Paul says a slave master must keep his eyes on the Master of Life.
    Again we can see that regardless of our profession, our marital status, our family relationships, our economics or our social position, we must submit to our Lord God. Every circumstance in our life is to be seen through the lens of the gospel. The One Lord Jesus, Son of God submitted to the Father’s will. He came from Heaven’s glory to be one with mankind in his broken creation. Serving us on the cross, he slave-like offered up his bloody body on the Father’s atoning altar, so you and I would receive the Master’s power over Satan.
    Regardless of who we are, slave or free, poor or wealthy, married or single, we are under the Master’s authority. Our hearts must submit to the Master to confess, “I am a sinner. I submit to your forgiveness. I submit to you as my Lord and Savior.” When you do, “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” (Romans 6:18)
    What a difference! You no longer serve sin, but you serve the Lord Jesus! Give your life over to Jesus. He is our Shepherd, our Master. He is your God, who sets you free to be saved in him forever.
    Are you in a position of authority over others? Then see your role as one to serve as Jesus. See your authority comes from the author of life. Follow him. Treat all with tenderness and kindness. Submit to Jesus and show Jesus to those under your authority.
 
Prayer: Lord God, I long to be a slave in your right ways. Turn my heart from me to you. Teach me to serve you in all I do. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
   

Ephesians 6:5-8 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
 
SOME people have used this to affirm slavery. There are also laws in Leviticus that instruct the Jews on how to treat slaves. Does this mean God approve of slavery?
    No, he does not. He is a God of freedom. He set his people free from Egypt. He brought to the world freedom in Jesus Christ. Why, then, this instruction and laws regarding slavery?
    This is another way God cares for his own. He knows of mankind’s sin. He knows that slavery will exist in some form until the New Heaven comes to earth. Slaves were an integral part of the culture and in the church. As Paul has instructed the church as a whole, spoken specifically to husbands and wives, he now speaks to slaves who are members of the church. He teaches them proper living in their circumstances.
    Again, the key word is “submit”. We might wonder why a slave should submit to his master. But what would happen if he didn’t? He could be killed. He could be ostracized from society and starve to death. A disobedient, non-submissive slave was easily disposed.
    Paul, then, writes to protect their lives. He encourages them to honor their masters. Just as children who honor their parents will live in peace within the family, a slave who honors his master will find physical and even emotional peace. He will submit to his situation and live to honor all.
    A perfect example of this teaching is Joseph of the Old Testament. His life turned from the favorite of his father Jacob’s household to a dungeon in Egypt. But in all circumstances Joseph honored God. He even was in the dungeon because he honored God! But his honoring attitude to the prison master earned him God’s favor. Joseph’s submission led to Joseph’s mission to save Egypt and to save his family from starvation. Consider that Joseph’s submission ultimately led to your salvation!
    Jesus fulfilled this as he said in
Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” He was using “serve” in a way that referred to a slave-like attitude.
    Regardless of your circumstances, have a heart to serve all. Submit to the Lord as you truly believe “the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”
 
Prayer: Help me, Lord, to submit to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
 
MEN, this is primarily for you. There is a book entitled “Family Shepherds: Calling and Equipping Men to Lead Their Homes” authored by Voddie Baucham Jr. It is a call for fathers to lead their homes in the way of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
    Rev. Baucham teaches how we are to raise children through the lens of the gospel. In other words, we must know each of our children is born into sin and needs Jesus’ salvation. They are prone to evil and must be raised in God’s Word.
    Thus, we don’t “train” children as we would an animal to do or not do things based on punishment and reward. Instead, we are to teach them God’s Word. Our purpose is to teach them of God’s love, so they will love him. In love with God they will obey his commands. They will be saved.
    Biblical instruction is your primary responsibility, dad. Know the Bible is the key to open children’s hearts to honor their parents. An often quoted verse on child raising is Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. But we run into trouble with this Scripture when we know so many children have “departed from it”.
    But have they? Did they ever have proper biblical training? Or were they told, “Go to Sunday school.” while you stayed home? Were they told, “Read your Bible.” while yours stayed closed on the table? Did they see you go to church on Sunday morning then live with sinful passions during the week?
    These kinds of discords dishonor God, and they scar and mislead your children. This double standard exasperates children. They do not know what is right. Hearing one thing and seeing another, how can they be trained appropriately in Gods’ Word?
    Yes, I know that some of the best family shepherds have children who depart from the Lord. But in truth, when children 1) see the truth 2) hear the truth and 3) learn the truth through you, they will certainly be more likely to stay in the truth.
    Dads, if you turn from your shepherding responsibility, you will risk watching your children turn from the Good Shepherd. Be a witness for Jesus in your home. Lead your family in Christ. This is your calling. This is your responsibility. This is your job. This is God’s command. Got it?
 
Prayer: Teach me, Lord, to be a family shepherd, following after you, so I can lead my family to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise - 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 
 
I am sure you parents love this verse. Certainly when you have a child of any age who is disobedient, you can point to such Scriptures as the reason children should obey and honor parents. Yes, God says so.
    But we know this doesn’t mean much to a disobedient child, does it? Again, the sin issue in the human soul creates discord and separation from God’s created order. We remember the horrible crime in Adam and Eve’s children as Cain killed Abel. Children are under Satan’s vicious attack.
    Let’s understand some ways to divert evil and receive God’s goodness. What we must understand here is the difference between “obey” and “honor”. We obey laws and rules to avoid punishment. In contrast, honor means we love and respect those in authority over us. We obey them because we respect who they are. We see good things in them. They see good things in us, and loving communication exists between them and us.
    When Paul writes, “Obey your parents.” he adds “in the Lord”. In this way, he points to an honoring obedience as the reason for the obedience. This honoring relationship reminds us of God’s promise in the fifth commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
    Regarding the promise in the command, “that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” understand this is not a “prosperity gospel”. God does not say everyone who honors his parents will live a long life.
    What he does say is that honoring one’s parents will lead to a union in the family that will help them see the Lord. God created the family to bear his image into the world. He is commanding the family to live in honor with each other just as they are to obey the first three commands: honor God above all other things; worship (honor) God only; and honor God’s name. A family centered on God will live long, even forever, in his promises.
    But perhaps you wonder, “How can this become reality with my children?” We’ll answer this in part in the next lesson.
 
Prayer: Lord, God, I pray I honor my parents. I pray I honor and obey you. I pray I look to you as my model to be a loving, honoring parent. In Jesus’ name, amen.