Christ’s victory over Satan, is a fascinating Bible study prepared by Illuminating Faith as we continue with our study series in the Letter to the Ephesians.  This week, we’ll look at chapter 4 verses 7 through 16, and topic is Christ’s victory over Satan and the Gifts of the Spirit.  We have taught about the Gifts of the Spirit extensively past (see the study series), however this time we’ll look at the victory of Christ and the empowerment by the Lord for us the Church to carry out His work.  This is a definitely a timely topic, especially at a time when churches are faltering, particularly in the West.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have seen a great division take place within churches.  More and more believers are acting out of fear, rather than living in confidence in Christ.  Their witness to the unsaved is shameful, as the world sees the “believer” act in a cowardly way, which is inconsistent with the message of the cross.  As followers of Christ, we must be confident in the Lord, and live-in boldness in Christ.  Unfortunately, when the “storm” bombarded the Church, majority of the followers caved in.   Christ warned us about this in the parable of the two builders – the one who built his home on the rock while the other built it on sand (Matthew 7:24-25).  Those who build their home, have the foundation and faith in God, establish a strong foundation that can withstand the storm.  Believers with weak roots will always buckle under pressure.

So, let’s move on to the study and see how Christ’s victory over Satan and the Gifts of the Spirit impacts our lives and the equipping of the Church to carry out the Lord’s mission in this age known as the dispensation of Grace.

In Verses 7-10, Paul the Apostle states the following:

⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” ⁹ (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

These verses are a reminder of the victory of Christ through his Glorious Resurrection.  Paul reminds us of Christ’s victory over death, the defeat of Satan and the underlying message of Ephesians which is the dispensation of Grace and the New Man.  Prior to the resurrection, only Jews knew God, however after the resurrection, God the Father welcomed all nations and people into the family of God.  We were adopted as children of God, which of course is open to those who repent and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.  The prerequisite is salvation through faith and the overt expression and declaration of faith.  Paul the Apostle states the following in Romans 10:9 – 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

As such, the following verses speak about the outcome of the resurrection which is the imparting of spiritual gifts to the believers so that they may carry out the mission set forth by the Lord.  Paul states the following:

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Clearly, to do the works of the Kingdom, it must come supernaturally.  As humans, we are sinful and incapable of doing the extraordinary (i.e, having love for one another and serving the Lord) without the Holy Spirit.  Once we receive the Lord, the Holy Spirit imparts the gifts as mentioned above which will equip the body of Christ to do the works of the Kingdom.  Here is where the body of Christ, especially in the West has forgotten these key points and consumed with fear, instead of boldness in Christ.  Satan has accomplished the following:  he has divided people into political camps, shut down communication and closed churches in the name of public health.  Christians have fallen into a trap, and rather than relying on the Lord with confidence that is in the Glorious Resurrection, they have fled like Peter when he denied the Lord three times.  We bring the pandemic to attention because without the collective gathering and in person worship, we cannot effectively execute the role(s) that the Holy Spirit has designated for each believer.   Instead of coiling up in fear, we must move boldly to proclaim the Gospel and refrain from joining various political camps which acts as barriers.  Our only identity should be Christ, and we must be the salt and light to the world.

Let’s read the outcome of the imparting of the gifts:  Verses 14-16 state:

¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Paul’s statement has several key points: he identifies the importance of Biblical teaching, protecting against false doctrine, growing in the Spirit, and having love which is the ultimate gift of the Spirit, and growth in the faith.  Therefore, each role is important and each person in the body of Christ has a specific responsibility.  Individual believers should congregate to achieve this outcome and to help to edify and grow in the faith.

If you are ready to receive the Lord and to join the body of Christ, pray this prayer, Lord Jesus I know that I am sinner and I ask you forgive me of my sins.  I believe that you were crucified for my sins and through your blood I have redemption and salvation.  Please come into my heart and I receive you as my God.  I pray in Jesus name. AMEN