Standing Firm in Your Faith

Introduction: You may not believe it looking at me today, but back in my early twenties I was fairly dedicated to gaining strength. Which is a common pursuit for many men at that age for a variety of reasons. And one lesson that everyone learns as they embark on that journey is that it does not matter how much time you spend pursuing strength, the pursuit never really gets easier. On your first day in the gym, you may only be able to effectively lift 135 pounds, and that may seem like an almost insurmountable task. As time goes on, however, lifting that same 135 pounds does get easier, but the pursuit of strength doesn’t. Because once you can lift 135 pounds safely and efficiently, you add more intensity by increasing the weight. The goal is to continually challenge your body to change and become more resilient, and the stronger your body gets the more intensity it becomes exposed to.

Similarly, the Christian life never really gets easier either does it? As you grow in spiritual maturity, you progressively become stronger in your faith. However, the stronger you become in your faith, the more effective you become for Christ, and the more effective you become for Christ, the more intensity the devil exposes you to in the ongoing spiritual warfare. So, a main difference between gaining physical strength and spiritual strength is that the devil intends for your exposure to progressively harder challenges to weaken your faith and render you ineffective.

So, what is a Christian to do? Well, this passage addresses that very concern. In Ephesians 1-3, Paul has already painted the picture of what a true Christian is. A true Christian is called by God, raised from death to life, blessed with every spiritual blessing, granted wisdom from above, brought into the presence of God, empowered by grace, and prepared for God’s purpose. And all of this is true so that the Christian can live the way God intends for him to live (Ephesians 4-6:9). Christians are to live in unity, to walk in love, to put on wisdom, to be filled with the Spirit, and to selflessly submit to one another’s needs. And because all of this is true, because God’s power is actively at work in you, you better believe the devil will oppose it. In Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul clearly identifies the power we have to combat Satan’s demonic methods. He states that now that you know what a Christian is, and how a Christian lives, it is time to prepare for the battle that every Christian faces by putting on the armor of God, standing firm in the armor of God, and remaining watchful for strategic advancement.

Read Ephesians 6:10-20

Transition: And so, as Paul prepares us this morning for the warfare we will face, let us first consider what it means to put on the armor of God.

Put on the Armor of God

Read Ephesians 6:10-13

put on

the idea of putting on in this verse carries with it the idea of permanence

unlike an athletic uniform

armor of God

figurative language for the strength which God supplies for our battle with Satan and his angels

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”

wiles (methods) of the devil

one of the most common deceptions the devil uses is to convince us that we are not really at war

Revelation 17:7-8 “But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”

Revelation 17:12-18 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

The devil is waging an organized attack

Read Ephesians 6:12

Therefore, we need to be fully prepared with the power God supplies

Read Ephesians 6:13

Transition: And it is the power of God that enables you to stand firm in the onslaught throughout your Christian life.

Stand Firm in the Armor of God

Read Ephesians 6:14-17

belt of truth

Example: A roman soldier girding up his garment for the oncoming battle

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

breastplate of righteousness

not our own righteousness

not imputed righteousness

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

but the putting on of righteous, obedient behavior

Philippians 3:9 “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”

Philippians 3:12-14 “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

feet shod with the gospel

Example: a soldiers footwear (emphasis on readiness)

the good news that we are at peace with God

Roman 5:6-10 “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

the shield of faith

Example: a soldier’s two feet by four feet shield

refers primarily to the daily trust you have for God’s daily provision and protection

Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Hebrews 11:26-27 “esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.”

the helmet of salvation

protection from the temptation to doubt our salvation or become discouraged in our salvation

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

1 John 5:13 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

the sword of truth

2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

word (rhema) refers to specific word or particular statements

Remain Watchful for Strategic Advancement

Read Ephesians 6:18-20

Conclusion: Although the devil intends to render you ineffective, God intends for spiritual warfare to drive you to immerse yourself in Christ for the advancement of His kingdom.