Notes
God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:10-11
God brings humans to Himself through Jesus in order to be a display of His wisdom to the supernatural powers we can’t see. Every time someone surrenders their life to Jesus, heaven stands in awe of God’s love, wisdom, and power. Jesus has already defeated the enemy so don’t let the enemy defeat you with his lies.
To operate in the love of Jesus, do these three things:
1) Participate
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:16-21
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Ephesians 4:11-16
The enemy will lie and say that you don’t have a place in the Church or that God can’t use you. But the Bible says the Church is the hands and the feet of Jesus; our participation is how the work of God gets done. If you want to operate in God’s love, then participate in what He is doing in the world. And what He is doing in the world, He is doing through the local church.
2) Follow
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God … for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
Ephesians 5:1-2, 14
Most of us want to be independent and to be a leader; it can be difficult to follow. We have to learn to follow Jesus with our lives. If we’re going to follow well, it means submitting to His authority. If you want to get over the lies of the enemy, follow Jesus’ example. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit, reading the Word of God, and looking at the life of Christ?
3) Prepare
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 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.
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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:10-17
Prepare daily. Just as we prepare with the right clothing for the weather, we should also prepare for what we will face spiritually every day. Jesus breaks the power of sin in our lives, but the enemy still lies to us. Every piece of the armor represents God who loves, rescues, and lives in us.
To see more in 2024, receive the love He has already offered, involve yourself, follow Jesus, and prepare daily by putting on God’s armor.
Group Questions
- How can you operate in the love of Jesus?
- Are you participating in the work of God through the Church? If so, how; if not, how can you get started?
- How can we learn to follow Jesus’ authority over our lives?
- What does putting on the armor of God do?
Prayer
Thank you for giving us ways to operate in your love. Show us how to involve ourselves in what you are doing in the world.