(Php 1:1) “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:”  A servant is one who serves at the beck and call of their Lord, their Master. Few have a true servant’s heart. We are willing and glad to be called a Child of God, one of the Redeemed, Members of Such and Such Church, etc.. But are we servants? This is certainly something I must consider before my Lord. “Do I serve Your at Your beck and call.”

(Eph 6:20) “For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  An ambassador speaks for and at the direction of the country or person they represent. This is why they can speak without reservation – it is not their words, but those of another. They are not speaking what they think, concerned about whether it will offend or not. They speak what another has commissioned them to say and thus are not the ones saying it, but are the present voice of another. I am thankful to be an ambassador of Christ Jesus – of the Lord my God! I am honored to say what He would have me say, to share this mystery of godliness and salvation!

(Eph 6:19) “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”   Is the gospel still a mystery? I say, “no”, for if you study it, it was a mystery before the death and resurrection of Christ, revealed at that time. We are sent out to reveal that mystery! The mystery was that God Himself would come to earth, live a sinless man, and then offer Himself as the second Adam, a representative of man. He would die in man’s place, paying for his sin. Christ would then come back to life to offer forgiveness through faith to those who believe and repent of that sin. He would then, at that point, bestow spiritual life upon each one. That’s the mystery revealed!

(Eph 6:19) “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”  The context here is still victory over Satan, having put on God’s armor. Paul is identifying himself as in the battle alongside the hearers, and therefore instructs how we can rightly pray for him. All of God’s people need this prayer: that the Lord help us put aside self, give us opportunities and the boldness to speak the gospel to the lost.

(Eph 6:18) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”  This is a continuation of the armor of God provided for the victory over sin and Satan. If I had just printed out the first part of that verse, we would have thought, “praying for self’s victory”. But true Christianity is not self, but others. The victory comes as we seek the good of others.  

(Eph 6:17) “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” It has often been acknowledged that all the equipment for the spiritual battle we wage are those for defense until we come to the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit and prayer are for attack, offense. One is used by the Spirit of God and the other by us. Trust God, utter the Words of God as led by the Spirit of God, and pray, pray, pray.

(Eph 6:17) “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”  So often in conversation with others, we fall into the habit of saying, “I think”, or “I believe”, even when we are speaking the truth of Scripture. Why should those listening give credence to what we say; their opinion is as good as ours? We need to say, “God says”, or “the Bible teaches”. There is the authority and there is the victory over sin. 

(Eph 6:17) “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”  In order to be victorious, the Holy Spirit within the saved must be relied upon.  His sword is the Words of Scripture, specifically, the Words of Scripture you recall for Him to use in your battle against the forces of darkness. Laziness towards the things of God are not blessed by Him, Child of God. Those Words must be put within you, as you seek His Face daily.

(Eph 6:17) “And take the helmet of salvation,….”   Why does God tell us through the Holy Spirit this protection from the evil one is a helmet. It is because the soul is the real you, and we associate the soul with the mind. The real you, the soul, must be saved. Once again we see the preciseness of the Word of God, translated word for word in the King James Version, a method not used in any of the other translations in use today.