The Need For Armor

ILLUST: Building a House, Skin around a body, City walls

Most important part

Foundation, Internals? - Stability

Exterior? - Protection

What is it you are protecting?

READ - Ephesians 6: 10-17 passage - Armor of God

Armor - protects

What is Paul stressing to be protected?

“Finally” - Final step in the building process; time to protect what’s been built

Starting with chapter 5 - believers are being built

Inside the church

Believers, in the community of church

Inside the family

Husbands, wives, children

Individuals and a collective group

Love, gentleness, truth, nourishing, cherishing, submission, thankful, preparation to meet Christ, relationship

Then....the talk of war

BIG ASSUMPTION HERE: You are growing and building spiritually inside - IF NOT, there is nothing to protect

DO YOU NEED ARMOR?

1) The Nature of the Battle

A battle between two kingdoms

The Nature: Battle is Spiritual

Satan, the “adversary,” vs Yahweh

You belong to one kingdom - CANNOT claim partial citizenship to Yahweh’s

Paul uses physical armor to connect people - visual metaphor

They understood - soldiers, farmers, athletes, for instance

v. 12, the forces at work are in the heavenly places

Earthly bodies - temporary, but with an internal spirit inside

That’s the spirit referenced in being “born again” - spiritual re-birth

Once born again, Satan cannot change that, BUT…he can try to make you ineffective spiritually

The cultural happenings, evil on display, is driven spiritually by these forces

EXAMPLES: The social, cultural, anti-God movements are driven and fueled by spiritual forces

POINT - Have you built the spiritual inside to be able to withstand what is happening? Your kids?

The Nature: Battle is Personal

THE BATTLE IS FOR YOU

You are the prize - if you fall, score one for Satan

Unbelievers not getting saved is another

So if he can get you to fall, there are people who won’t get saved by hearing the Gospel from you

v. 12 - the struggle is NOT against people

Though it may seem like it is

However, Satan his demons, tempt you in unique and specialized ways

Like talking out loud about something and seeing ads on your phone :)

What is tempting to you may not be for me, and vice versa

And when tempted, it is a personal matter to take responsibility for what follows - surrender to Jesus or surrender to sin

The devil doesn’t make you do ANYthing - that’s on you

A major challenge with temptation:

- being ignorant of the battle; so many “Christians” don’t even know there is a battle raging

Luck, fate, nature, meh...

Yeah, I know, the church is under attack - the church, collectively, is individuals, you and me

The Nature: Battle is REAL

DECEPTION

‘If I can convince you that the Flood was not real, then I can convince you that Heaven and Hell are not real”

2 Corinthians 4:4 NASB95

in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Satan is a master of deception, father of lies

More people believe in Heaven than Hell, though both are equally REAL -

And Satan LOVES “religious” people who are not actually born again - he has them living in a false sense of security

BIBLE is REAL - JESUS is REAL - HIS WORD is TRUE

SATAN is REAL, a real created being, who tempted Jesus

He tempted GOD! Why do you think he, his demons, won’t bother you?

Evidence: Very clear, if you know the Bible (which also speaks of Satan)

Romans 1 - God explains creation as evidence of God

Satan’s influence permeates the world - the anti-God stuff you see, energy comes from Satan and his demons

You can live in denial of this real battle - your choice

You just won’t be of help to the Kingdom that Jesus commanded us, the church, to build

2) Preparation for the Battle

Can’t go into battle untrained

Chess can be won in a two-move checkmate

Saved - Born again - great start, a necessary start

Many settle here, “good enough”

It’s not!

2 Timothy 2:3 NASB95

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Bible importance to you

Focus on prayer?

Church - worship and service

We’ll always involve teaching here

Gathering like this is crucial

For many, this is not a key part of preparation, there are usually 3-4 things in front of this in priority

And those we are trying to influence know it (kids, friends, family…)

IMPORTANT - The battle is not a fight, but rather a defense

Stay strong, stand firm, hold fast...

Speak out in defense, defend the truth (involves preparation)

The assumption here is that you as a believer are growing stronger, that your family is solidly on board with surrender, that this church is filled with spiritually-minded people intent on strong faith. BIG ASSUMPTION

The Armor of God - the FULL Armor....all of it (more next week)

It’s God’s Armor - available to YOU, to prepare to protect your faith

3) Avoiding Defeat

Must understand the battle

Good game players, fishermen, hunters, have excellent strategies - the plan is to succeed

Strong believers, strong spouse, good parents, have excellent strategies

Without solid spiritual strategy, easy pickens for Satan

What is your strategy to succeed spiritually? Do you understand why this is important?

Must treat Satan, and SIN, as real

Must train, learn, work, grow, accept responsibility (steps on toes with this one)

Lack of biblical instruction

Lack of Bible knowledge

Unable to discern false teaching, even from so-called “Christians”

Must recognize the lure of earthly treasures

SERIOUS Q: What is more important to you than your spiritual relationship with the LORD? Just be honest

How are others making spiritual decisions based on your guidance?

What do others see you making more important?

(REM, three pillars - Bible, Prayer, Church (and not just Sundays)

Must not succumb to temptation >> sin

“Sin costs more, takes you farther, keeps you longer than you ever planned”

YOU HAVE THE POWER OF GOD TO AVOID DEFEAT

Holy Spirit

His Armor - Check out Isaiah 59 - God wears this spiritual armor, and He’ll let you, too!

If you want to

This is YOUR responsibility

Living for Christ takes strength and power

Christ’s victory provides both

CLOSE - So, DO you need the armor?

This is NOT a rhetorical question

What are you making more important than a surrendered life for Jesus?

IF (big IF) you are surrendered to Him, the LORD has you protected, COMPLETELY

Psalm 121:5 NASB95

The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

Which Kingdom do you claim as where you dwell?

1 John 5:19 NASB95

We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

CHOICE - Power of this world, or Power of God

This World

Politics, Education, Economics, Entertainment, Religion

All in the power of evil

Hostile to surrendered believers

Contaminating to surrendered believers

Looks, smells, tastes good - so did the fruit on the tree in Eden

Cleverly deceptive

And the church has all but given in

(? - check time) Believers KNOW they belong to God, and His Kingdom

Believers exist here, but not really a part of here - John 17:14

Children of God - John 1:12-13

Aliens here - 1 Peter 2:11

Citizenship in Heaven - Phil 3:20

THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND, NO FENCE TO SIT ON

Light vs Darkness

Darkness cannot exist where there is light, no place for it in Heaven No place in heaven for those surrendered to this world

Jesus said you are with him or against Him - His words, not mine

Luke 11:23 NASB95

“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.

That sounds harsh, line drawn in the sand, polarizing, black and white, cut and dried.

Yep

Two sides - Satan and Jesus

Your choice

Your decision determines whether or not you need God’s armor