Ephesians 6:13-17
Preached  Wednesday February 13, 2013

Introduction:

Last week we learned that the best way to weather an intense barrage from the enemy is just to do what it takes to stay standing. The unseen forces of darkness are working systematically to render born-again believers silent. Satan will deceive, distract, discourage, or discredit a believer in order to keep him form reaching others for Christ. We saw that even if we get knocked down, we must spring back to our feet. We must be prepared to stand.

This week we will learn the practical things that we must do in order to defend ourselves while we take our stand. There are important pieces of equipment we must have in place in order to defend ourselves properly. We will learn the parts and importance of our spiritual armor as well as our issued weapon in the army of the Lord.

I. Protect your loins

Ephesians 6:14 – Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
A. “Loins” pictures the seat of generative power
B. A shot to the pelvic region stops the attacker’s ability to stand or advance
C. Put on truth
1. This belt holds everything else in place
Ephesians 4:14-15 – 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the               sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all               things, which is the head, even Christ:
2. Truth and error cannot co-exist

John 8:32,44 – 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
John 17:17 – Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
3. Challenge every statement and thought to determine its source
II. Protect your center-mass
A. Breastplate = covers from neck to waist or below
1. This is a vital area to your spiritual health
2. This is a big target. “Aim small, miss small; aim big, hit big.”
B. Righteousness = the character or quality of being right or just
1. Positionally
Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Isaiah 61:10 – I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

2. Practically

Acts 24:16 – And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
III. Protect your feet
Ephesians 6:15 – And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

A. Feet = ability to be agile in the battle

Romans 10:15 – And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

B. Protected with preparation

1. Preparation = the state of readiness
1 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

2. Gospel = good tidings
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 – 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
3. Peace = harmonious relationship
Romans 5:1-2 – Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

IV. Your most important armor

Ephesians 6:16-17 – 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

A. Shield of faith
1. Faith = firm persuasion
2. Quench Satan’s darts of doubt

Proverbs 18:10 – The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 30:5 – Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

1 Peter 5:8-9 – 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

B. Helmet of salvation – vital to life – protect your proper and clear thinking. Filter every attack through the truth of your position in Christ.

Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

C. Sword – the Word of God

1. The only weapon of offence
2. A powerful weapon
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Ephesians 6:10-13
Preached Wednesday February 6, 2013

Introduction:

A modernistic preacher announced in defending his liberal theological position, “I’m not afraid of the devil.” “That is not what matters so much,” one of his acquaintances replied. “Let me ask you a more important question: Is the devil afraid of you?”

As born-again Christians, like it or not, we are involved in a heated battle between the forces of darkness and the forces of light. In the first of this two-part message, we will endeavor to expose the unseen forces of darkness that are at work trying to render believers fruitless and powerless for God. Next week we will study the armor and weaponry that will defeat these dark forces.

It is time that we stand against the dark forces that oppose the will of God. This is a time for Christians to be called to arms in this spiritual battle.

I. Christians are called to Stand

Ephesians 6:10-11 – 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

A. Be strong in the Lord
1. Clothe one’s self with strength as one puts on a garment
2. Passive voice = be continually strengthened
1 John 4:4 – Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Romans 8:37 – Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 – 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

B. Be strong in the power of His might
1. There is no being stronger than God
Ephesians 3:16 – That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

2. He wants to demonstrate that power through you

2 Chronicles 16:9 – For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

C. Put on the whole armor of God

1. Put on = envelope in, hide in
2. We need all the armor = Greek wording pictures a heavily armed soldier
3. This armor enables you to stand = stand one’s ground in a battle
Romans 13:12 – The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

2 Corinthians 10:4 – (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

4. Stand against the wiles of the Devil – “wiles” = methodeia = cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery

Ephesians 4:14 – That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Some characteristics of the snake make it an appropriate prototype of Satan. A rattlesnake only two minutes old can strike effectively. Snakes can engulf prey on the ground, through water, or hidden to afford perfect camouflage so that their presence is not detected. Night-foraging snakes have eye pupils that are vertical like a cat’s, enabling them to see in the dark.

II. Christians are called to Stand Against the Forces of Darkness

Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

A. We are in a wrestling match – wrestling = “a contest between two in which each endeavors to throw the other and which is decided when the victor is able to press and hold down his prostrate antagonist, namely, hold him down with his hand upon his neck.” – Thayer

An old deacon who used to pray every Wednesday night at prayer meeting always concluded his prayer the same way: “And, Lord, clean all the cobwebs out of my life.” The cobwebs were those things that ought not to have been there but had gathered during the week. It got too much for one fellow in the prayer meeting, and he heard the old deacon one time too often. So when the man make that prayer, the fellow jumped to his feet and shouted: “Lord, Lord, don’t do it! Kill the spider!” That’s what needs to happen.

B. Our opponents are not human

John 12:31 – Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

2 Corinthians 4:4 – In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

C. We wrestle principalities and powers

1. Literally – “first ones and authorities”
2. The hierarchy of demons
Colossians 2:15 – And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

D. Against rulers of darkness

1. World rulers of darkness
2. On the earth

Colossians 1:13 – Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

E. Against spiritual wickedness in high places = lower atmosphere where the demons work

Ephesians 2:2 – Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

** Illustration of “prepare to stand” drill teaching kids to stand without exposing their backs.

III. The winner is the last one standing

Ephesians 6:13 – Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

A. Use all your armor
1. This command is in the aorist imperative tense, giving the snese of military snap and curtness

1 Peter 4:1-2 – Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

B. Prepare for the evil day

1. A particular period of time
2. “A day of violent temptation and assault”

Ecclesiastes 12:1 – Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Suppose you had been house hunting in a development of new homes, and when you found an empty one you tried to get into it. If the house was full, occupied by people, you wouldn’t dare try to get in. That’s exactly what Satan does. He looks for vacuums. He looks for empty houses. They may be clean, but if God is not within you, having made you His temple, you can be sure the devil is going to occupy you.

C. Stand!

1. Follow the above advice
2. Get ready for resistance
3. Do not move

Acts 26:22 – Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: