Why Is Life So Hard?

As we move toward the close of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians we come to a passage, which forms the climax of his letter as a whole. This paragraph brings everything Paul has written of to a fitting conclusion. In this climactic passage Paul is encouraging his readers, and us, to put on the whole armor of God as we engage in spiritual battle. C.S. Lewis, in his classic book on the nature of spiritual warfare, The Screwtape Letters writes, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” Paul allows us to fall into neither error. This morning we will begin to explore this passage, looking at vv.10-13 and as we ask the question, “Why is life so hard”? How do we live out our being the new humanity in Christ, engaging in spiritual battle? We will see there are two answers to this question. (1) Recognize the Reality. We need to be aware that we are in a spiritual battle. (2) Remember the Resources. We need to remember the power of the armor of God and the Person that the armor points us to.