Spiritual Warfare - Eph 6:10-18

Through the pitch-black night, the captain sees a light dead ahead on a collision course with his ship. He sends a signal: "Change your course ten degrees east." The light signals back: "Change yours, ten degres west." Angry, the captain sends: "I'm a Navy captain! Change your course, sir!" "I'm a seaman, second class," comes the reply. "Change your course, sir." Now the captain is furious. "I'm a battleship! I'm not changing course!" There's one last reply. "I'm a lighthouse. Your call."

Belivers in Jesus Christ daily walk in a battlefield. Weather you know it or not as a believer you engaged in a war, not a sporting event, not a social club but a war.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4   For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

God has given us spiritual weapons with divine power to destroy the strongholds of the devil.

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Ephesians 6:10  (ESV)   10  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

- How encouraging is it that it is God that makes us strong

- We are made strong though Him and it is His might that upholds us.

- Jeremiah 32:27  “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

- Zephania 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Despite your circumstance God is mighty to save, it does not say he might save you, it says he is the one who will save you. Sometimes we want God to change our circumstance when in fact God wants to change our attitude about our cirucmstances. He will quiet you by his love when you turn to him in the middle of the difficult times. James 1:2-4  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

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Ephesians 6:11 (ESV)   Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

- All of the armor, not part of it

- The armor comes from God

- To stand against the schemes / wiles / mehodiah of the devil

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Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

- Spiritual warfare is described as wrestling as if the believer is in hand to hand combat with the demonic forces.

- The devil has been the father of lies and sin since the begining. - The devil has had authority over the systems of the world since the fall of man.

- The devil has been a liar from the begining. Since the fall of man Satan has had authority over the earth.

- Satan's forces are highly organized and structured.

- There is an active enemy with thousands of years of experience and knowledge looking for opportunitys to destroy their relationships with others and Christ. An enemy that does not sleep and uses trickery, manipulation and decipt.

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Ephesians 6:13 (ESV) 13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Therefore? - Restating the importance of the whole armor of God because of the determination, deception, and manipulation of the enemy.

- Stand firm , be set, be established,

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Ephesians 6:14 (ESV) 14  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness

- For the third time the apostle tells Christians to stand firm in the spiritual battle.

- When someone is teaching you something and they repeat something three times in a row you know it is very important.

- When I taught my daughter how to use the zero turn lawn mower I told her about the blades three times.

- Belt of Truth - the greek work here is al-ay-thi-a which means the opposite of "escaping notice" or concealing. Truth is that which conforms to reality, it is in the light.    - Renound theologian Ravi Zacharias said "The single most important question any person can ask is ... What is truth?"   - Without God's divine revelation about God, man can not properly understand reality.    - The Bible is our Basic Instructions before leaving earth.   - Ultimatly God Himself defines truth for knowledge and wisdom come from Him.

- Proverbs 2:6  For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.   - Jesus answered " I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

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- breastplate of righteousness - to be righteous means to be right or just   What does it mean to be right and justified before God?  - Do you think that coming to church regualrly makes you righteous?   - Do you think having a good public record or working hard and serving others makes you righteous?

Romans 3:10 “None is righteous, no, not one;

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

- We are not righteous because of what we do!

- We are righteous because of what God has done through His Son Jesus Christ.

- Romans 3:21-22  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

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Ephesians 6:15 (ESV) 15  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

- Always be ready to share the gospel

- The word for ready means to be prepared. Be prepared to share the gospel. Know the gospel and practice sharing it on your friends and family.

- The gospel of peace. The gospel offers the peace that passes understanding. This peace comes throughing being reconsiled with God. Those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, still live under the wrath of God and condemnation. This is a gospel of peace. Rom 5:1

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Ephesians 6:16 (ESV) 16  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

- In all circumstances, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

- The shield of faith       - Faith in Jesus Christ reminds us that we are cleansed from sin. Jesus has paid the full penalty for sin and death. We do not have to live in the shame and guilt of past sin.     - The most common tacktics of the devil are to remind you of your past, to make you feel ashamed of something you did or that you are not good enough for God.     - Faith in Jesus gives us power over temptation from sin. When we are tempted God will provide a way out.

- Spiritual breathing

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Ephesians 6:17 (ESV) 17  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

-  Helmet of Salvation

- This is not talking about attaining salvation it is talking about the salvation of the believer.     - It is the assurance of salvation for a believer who has already recieved Jesus Christ.

- Satan desires to destroy the believers assurance with doubt , discouragment, and sin.      - On the cross Christ declared "It is finished". Jesus was declaring that he had finished the work of reconsiliation and justification for all who would believe. There is nothing we can do to be saved. Salvation is a gift that come through believing in what Christ has already done.      - Scripture speaks of salvation as an ongoing process in which believers are being sanctified and growing the the knowledge and grace of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:12-13  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

2 Peter 3:18  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

- When we live out our lives pressing forward through faith in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit will testify with our spirit that we are His children. 1 John 2:3  And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.  Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

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Sword of the Spirit

God's Word

This is the only offensive weapon the believer has.

As was stated earlier this is a divine weapon used for pulling down the devils strongholds.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God's Word cuts to the heart of both idividuals as well as issues. God's Word has the power to pierce the fallen heart of man. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe.

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Ephesians 6:18  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Lastly we are to pray at all times in the Spirit.

You might say that prayer is the oil for the armor. If you are not constantaly in communication with God you will be like the tin man in Alice in wonderland. You will look real good as if you have a full suit on but you will be completely ineffective because you are totally rusted up and nothing will move.

Communicating with God is how the armor and weapons are effective. If any soldier is not regularly hearing from their supperior they will not know what to do and they will become ineffective in the war.

It is through our continued confessions of sin to God that we keep a good conscience before our commanding officer and it through continuing to bring our requests to God that he will keep us at peace knowing that the battle is His.

Philippians 4:6-7  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

All believers are engaged in spiritual warfare. Being prepared for the battle is vital. If this is something new to you or something that you would like help being more prepared for, please contact your elders or Pastor Jim. Thank you so much for allowing me to join you today.