Be Strong in the Lord

In the first three chapters of his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul sets forth all that God has done for us in Christ.  In the following chapters the great apostle shows us how the redemption we have found in Christ will manifest itself in our lives.  We learn what is God’s will for every relationship and aspect of the Christian’s life.  Instruction is given to fathers, mothers, children, and servants. That last part of this profound and magnificent epistle is also intimately connected with what precedes.  Paul concludes by writing: “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).  What follows is his great statement that the Christian life is a war, which requires spiritual weapons for victory, such as faith and hope.  But what are we fighting for?  What is the victory we are to strive for?  This is a fight, not to make us great in the world, but to have God’s will supreme in our lives.  We must be strong in the Lord to obey all of the commands Paul has set down in this letter.  The Christian must have God’s strength to do what He requires.  We are engaged in a lifelong spiritual war against evil in the world, and in ourselves.