This message opens the “Armor of God” series in Ephesians 6, where Paul calls believers to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” and to “put on the full armor of God” so they can stand against the devil’s schemes. The passage makes clear that the real struggle believers face is not against people but against “the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” An early slide, “Only by Grace,” ties this spiritual battle back to the truth that standing firm is possible only because of what God’s grace has already done.
Part 2 continues the theme of spiritual warfare, walking through the specific pieces of armor Paul names – truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation and the word of God – as together they equip believers to “stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”