Most Christians want the big stuff. The authority to speak to storms. The faith of the centurion. The kind of life where you wake up and just know that God's got your back in every situation. But there's a path to get there, and a lot of us are trying to skip it.
We're walking through Ephesians 4 through 6 right now. If you've been with us, you know we've been in chapter 4 for what feels like 80 weeks. But stay with me, because it all connects.
Paul starts this section with a clear command. Ephesians 4:17-22 (NLT) says:
"With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn't what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception."
Did you catch that? Throw it off. You don't have to wrestle it, manage it, or accept it as your permanent condition. You just throw it off.
It's like putting on an outfit and looking in the mirror and going, "absolutely not." That's the level of disgust we should have for our old sinful nature. It doesn't belong on us anymore.
Ephesians 4:23-24 (NLT) says:
"Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God, truly righteous and holy."
You are created to be like God. That's your identity now. So stop calling yourself a sinner like it's a permanent address.
You've been bought, redeemed, and transferred. The Holy Spirit has identified you as his own. Act like it.
Paul doesn't let us float in abstract theology for long. He gets practical fast. Ephesians 4:25-32 (NLT) says:
"So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.' Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil... Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them... Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."
Quick note on that anger verse: the original Greek word means an intense feeling of irritation. Paul isn't saying you'll never feel irritated. He's saying don't let it camp out.
The longer you let irritation sit, the more of a foothold you give the enemy. Deal with it quickly and move on.
Chapter 5 opens with this: "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children." (Ephesians 5:1, NLT)
My three-year-old son was at a wrestling match with us recently. Within about five minutes of watching, he was wrestling anyone within arm's reach. He didn't think about it. He just saw it and did it.
That's how we're supposed to be with God. We see what he does and we just do it.
Ephesians 5:8-11 (NLT) says:
"For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them."
Here's where it gets interesting. He says expose the darkness, but a few verses later he says it's shameful to even talk about the things done in secret. So how do we expose it without talking about it?
You just show up. When someone who is living in the light walks into a room, darkness gets uncomfortable. You don't have to say a word. You just have to live it out.
We've been talking about darkness online for five or six years straight and it hasn't freed anyone. Living as the light will do more than any comment section argument ever will.
Now here's where people start squirming a little. Paul gets into marriage, and he doesn't sugarcoat it.
Ephesians 5:22-25 (NLT) says:
"For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her."
I know. There it is. It says what it says.
Submission isn't needed when you're in agreement. Submission is only required when you're not. And the reason God designed it this way is so there can still be unity in the home even through disagreement.
Husbands, your instruction is just as hard. You love your wife the way Christ loved the church. That means you lay your life down for her, no conditions attached, not after she becomes who you want her to be.
Ephesians 6:5-7 (NLT) says:
"Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm as though you are working for the Lord rather than for people."
If that instruction was given to slaves, how much more does it apply to employees? If you're griping every day on your way to work, that's a stuck point. It's an easy fix, but you can't skip it.
Here's the throughline of the whole thing. Ephesians 6:10-13 (NLT) says:
"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 that you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil."
You don't get to chapter 6 authority by skipping chapter 4 and 5 obedience. It starts with identity. Then the home. Then the workplace. Then you're ready for the armor.
There's a reason the centurion understood faith so well. He said to Jesus, "Just say the word and my servant will be healed." He understood authority because he lived inside of a structure of it every single day.
When God speaks, so be it. No argument. That's the kind of faith that impresses Jesus.
James 4:7 (NLT) says it plainly: "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Submission comes first. You can't resist the devil effectively without it. The resistance is only powerful when it flows from a life that's already in submission.
God isn't trying to make your life small by asking for your submission. He's building you into someone who can exercise real authority in the realm that actually matters.
