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.

ut on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 6:10-17

Brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on
the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood,
but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world
rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done
all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth,
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod
your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all
these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the
flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13

BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of
Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led
a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying,
"He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended
into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also
ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And
his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the
unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature
manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."

St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13

BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of
Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led
a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying,
"He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended
into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also
ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And
his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the
unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature
manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 6:10-17

Brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on
the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood,
but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world
rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done
all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth,
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod
your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all
these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the
flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

"The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." - Ephesians 1:7

Could there be a sweeter word in any language than that word "forgiveness," when it sounds in a guilty sinner's ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to the captive Israelite? Blessed, forever blessed be that dear star of pardon which shines into the condemned cell, and gives the perishing a gleam of hope amid the midnight of despair! Can it be possible that sin, such sin as mine, can be forgiven, forgiven altogether, and forever? Hell is my portion as a sinner--there is no possibility of my escaping from it while sin remains upon me--can the load of guilt be uplifted, the crimson stain removed? Can the adamantine stones of my prison-house ever be loosed from their mortices, or the doors be lifted from their hinges? Jesus tells me that I may yet be clear. Forever blessed be the revelation of atoning love which not only tells me that pardon is possible, but that it is secured to all who rest in Jesus. I have believed in the appointed propitiation, even Jesus crucified, and therefore my sins are at this moment, and forever, forgiven by virtue of his substitutionary pains and death. What joy is this! What bliss to be a perfectly pardoned soul! My soul dedicates all her powers to him who of his own unpurchased love became my surety, and wrought out for me redemption through his blood. What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive forever! Here is a constellation of wonders; and when I think of how great my sins were, how dear were the precious drops which cleansed me from them, and how gracious was the method by which pardon was sealed home to me, I am in a maze of wondering worshipping affection. I bow before the throne which absolves me, I clasp the cross which delivers me, I serve henceforth all my days the Incarnate God, through whom I am this night a pardoned soul.

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit." - Ephesians 4:30

All that the believer has must come from Christ, but it comes solely through the channel of the Spirit of grace. Moreover, as all blessings thus flow to you through the Holy Spirit, so also no good thing can come out of you in holy thought, devout worship, or gracious act, apart from the sanctifying operation of the same Spirit. Even if the good seed be sown in you, yet it lies dormant except he worketh in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure. Do you desire to speak for Jesus--how can you unless the Holy Ghost touch your tongue? Do you desire to pray? Alas! what dull work it is unless the Spirit maketh intercession for you! Do you desire to subdue sin? Would you be holy? Would you imitate your Master? Do you desire to rise to superlative heights of spirituality? Are you wanting to be made like the angels of God, full of zeal and ardour for the Master's cause? You cannot without the Spirit--"Without me ye can do nothing." O branch of the vine, thou canst have no fruit without the sap! O child of God, thou hast no life within thee apart from the life which God gives thee through his Spirit! Then let us not grieve him or provoke him to anger by our sin. Let us not quench him in one of his faintest motions in our soul; let us foster every suggestion, and be ready to obey every prompting. If the Holy Spirit be indeed so mighty, let us attempt nothing without him; let us begin no project, and carry on no enterprise, and conclude no transaction, without imploring his blessing. Let us do him the due homage of feeling our entire weakness apart from him, and then depending alone upon him, having this for our prayer, "Open thou my heart and my whole being to thine incoming, and uphold me with thy free Spirit when I shall have received that Spirit in my inward parts."

Ephesians 1:18

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints...

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 5:19-20

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Grow up into him in all things." - Ephesians 4:15

Many Christians remain stunted and dwarfed in spiritual things, so as to present the same appearance year after year. No up-springing of advanced and refined feeling is manifest in them. They exist but do not "grow up into him in all things." But should we rest content with being in the "green blade," when we might advance to "the ear," and eventually ripen into the "full corn in the ear?" Should we be satisfied to believe in Christ, and to say, "I am safe," without wishing to know in our own experience more of the fulness which is to be found in him. It should not be so; we should, as good traders in heaven's market, covet to be enriched in the knowledge of Jesus. It is all very well to keep other men's vineyards, but we must not neglect our own spiritual growth and ripening. Why should it always be winter time in our hearts? We must have our seed time, it is true, but O for a spring time--yea, a summer season, which shall give promise of an early harvest. If we would ripen in grace, we must live near to Jesus--in his presence--ripened by the sunshine of his smiles. We must hold sweet communion with him. We must leave the distant view of his face and come near, as John did, and pillow our head on his breast; then shall we find ourselves advancing in holiness, in love, in faith, in hope--yea, in every precious gift. As the sun rises first on mountain-tops and gilds them with his light, and presents one of the most charming sights to the eye of the traveller; so is it one of the most delightful contemplations in the world to mark the glow of the Spirit's light on the head of some saint, who has risen up in spiritual stature, like Saul, above his fellows, till, like a mighty Alp, snow-capped, he reflects first among the chosen, the beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and bears the sheen of his effulgence high aloft for all to see, and seeing it, to glorify his Father which is in heaven.