Ephesians Week 15

Day 1 

READ 

Ephesians 6:7-8 

7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8

Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. 

Paul continues to tell how Christian slaves/servants should express they are filled with the Spirit. They should focus on pleasing the Lord, not just their earthly masters/bosses. This will be easier to do if they remember the Lord will someday reward them for what they do. This will be true regardless if what their status in life is like now. Notice the reward is not given to a group but to each person.  

REFLECT 

Are you helped by Paul’s comments in your working relationships? 

RESPOND 

Read passages that have to do with giving account to the Lord someday. Such passages are 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:10. Discuss these passages with your disciple. 

Day 2 

READ 

Ephesians 6:9 

9 Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites. 

Having addressed the worker, Paul now turns to the masters/bosses. They are to express a Spirit-filled life by the way they treat their workers. Masters/bosses are not to act as if they are God Himself, because they will also someday give account to God. Both workers and superiors have a Master in heaven who has no favorites. Everyone is equal at the cross. Neither does God grade on the curve—a comparison with others. Each individual is personally responsible.  

REFLECT 

No matter which side of the working relationship you are on, is this passage helpful? How can you more effectively put it into practice? 

RESPOND 

Discuss with your disciple how to carry Christianity into the workplace. What can you do to more effectively follow Paul’s instructions? 

Day 3 

READ 

Ephesians 6:10-11 

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 

Paul now turns from relationships within marriage, family and the workplace to the real battle all believers must fight. It is a spiritual battle against the tactics of the evil one—the devil, also known as “Satan.” To wage war against “all” of his strategies, the believer needs to put on “all” of God’s armor. This is necessary so the Christian will eventually be able to stand victorious after the battle is over.  

REFLECT 

Are you aware that believers are in a spiritual battle with the devil? Have you experienced some scars from this battle? What are some? 

RESPOND 

Read Ezekiel 28:11-19. Although it begins by addressing the king of Tyre, it continues with topics that could not be true of him. Many prophecies in the Bible had a near partial fulfillment and a distant complete fulfillment.  

Day 4 

READ 

Ephesians 6:12 

12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 

Too often people think our battle is against other people. Paul says our battle is not against what we can see but what we cannot see. Christians battle against “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world.” He refers to the “mighty powers in this dark world.” Satan and demon worship is prevalent today. These are “evil spirits in the heavenly places.” 

REFLECT 

Are you aware that our biggest problems are not with what we can see but with what we cannot see?  

RESPOND 

It may be more than you have time to read in one sitting, but you and your disciple need to read the first two chapters in the book of Job. These chapters show the spiritual battle between God and the Devil. You will notice in these chapters that the Devil could never go beyond the limits God set. 

Day 5 

READ 

Ephesians 6:13-14 

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 

Paul now begins to enumerate the pieces in God’s armor for the believer. The “belt of truth”  refers to that which must characterize every believer. Jesus said, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17). The Bible presents the truth for believers to live by. “God’s righteousness” refers to something every believer has in Christ (see Romans 5:17). The believer can stand strong in spiritual battles because he possesses God’s righteousness. 

REFLECT 

Are you in the Bible or listening to it at least four times a week? This is the safeguard you need for spiritual battles.  

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about the number of times he or she is in the Bible or listening to it. Research has shown that this decreases the temptations of pornography, gambling, adultery and drug use.