God’s “mighty power” to face down the devil is available to you as six resources, which are pictured as armor or weaponry.

1. Truth (14a)
2. Righteousness (14b)
3. Peace (15)
4. Faith (16)
5. Salvation (17a)
6. God’s word in your heart (17b)
7. Prayer (18-20)

The only successful strategy against temptation is to be strong in the Lord and to put on the full armor of God. There are two reasons why this is true:

1. Because of the nature of your enemy (12, 13)
2. Because of the strategies of your enemy (11b)

If you take advantage of the two invisible resources God has provided, you can stand fast against any attack the Enemy launches against you:

1. An invincible position. (10)
2. Perfectly designed protective equipment. (11)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

The key to harmony in the parent/child relationship is “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

1. Children use the key by submitting to their parents’ authority (1-3)
2. Parents use the key by submitting themselves to their child’s Godly upbringing (4)

The key to harmony in marriage is love and respect.

1. The husband uses the key by loving his wife.
2. The wife uses the key by respecting her husband.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

In contrast to the degradation of being controlled by alcohol, the control of the Holy Spirit provides three beautiful results:

1. Joyous communion with God. (19)
2. A grateful spirit. (20)
3. An altruistic spirit. (21)

In this passage the Lord shows us there are two requirements to earn the title “wise” instead of “fool.”

1. You must make the most of life’s opportune moments.
2. You must live carefully.

Does our culture or does God have it right about sex? How you answer that question will decide three weighty issues:

1. Majestic sex or trivial sex (3-4)
2. Life or death (5-7)
3. Fruitfulness or barrenness (8-14)