Rooted In Your Wealth 26

Equipped For War

Text: Ephesians 6:14-24

Introduction

We have learned there is strength for the believer to enter into the war in the spiritual realm.

Personal testimony — Do you know what has helped me see my morning prayer time and devotion time as essential? Knowing my whole family and those I am pastoring is entering this battle every day! If I don’t get up early, I may leave someone I love without the defense of my prayers against the attacks of Satan.

“Stand therefore” — Only those who will discipline themselves to live with the reality of such a war in their life and those of their family and church family will take this seriously.

A very important truth to remember about this armour is this…it is amour from GOD!

God is a warrior — Isaiah 11:1–5 “1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, Neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, And faithfulness the girdle of his reins.”

1) God’s Belt Of Truth

Ref. 1:13 & 4:15

Believers must be truth speaking people.

You are to LIVE IN THE TRUTH and SPEAK HIS TRUTH.

Language, behavior and attitude.

The source of truth is in Jesus — 4:21

Coming to Jesus, believing in Jesus, resting in Jesus is coming to the truth. Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 179.

Preach to yourself the truth of the gospel every day!

2) God’s Breastplate Of Righteousness

For the Roman soldier the breastplate covered the chest to protect it against assaults and arrows. Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 179.

Paul is pulling from Isaiah 59:17 “17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, And an helmet of salvation upon his head; And he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloke.”

NOT referring to “imputed” righteousness.

That kind is regarding our “standing before God.”

This was put on each of you from God the moment you believed!

It IS referring to “practical” righteousness = right living.

Your best example is Jesus’ life.

The idea here is not to give Satan an inch of your practical living.

Not give Satan freedom in areas of impurity, lust, greed, etc.

You have been freed to live DIFFERENTLY!

3) God’s Gospel Shoes

The sense of this verse is to “fit” your feet with the right kind of shoes.

Illustration: How many pairs of shoes do you have?

Illustration: Does a shoe store only have one kind of shoe for you to choose from?

Paul is letting you know that “through the gospel” Jesus has provided you the necessary shoes to take the gospel wherever He sends you.

Illustration: Historians tell us that the Roman soldiers were issued great footwear. Their studded half boots enabled them to travel great distances. They covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time, pursuing the enemy into every nook and cranny Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 180.

The feet of the herald are beautiful to God — Isaiah 52:7 “7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; That bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; That saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”

The herald is declaring the “gospel of peace.”

Ref. 2:14 — Jesus is our peace!

Jesus’ feet are the most beautiful! Those feet traveled miles and pierced for you!

This is the difference with our mission and other religious missions. We are not taking life; we are offering life. We are willing even to lay our lives down because Christ laid His down for us, and we know He will raise us up.Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 181.

4) God’s Shield Of Faith

Paul is not referring to some kind of small shield.

Paul is describing a shield that brings “full body” protection.

There is no area of your life Satan’s fiery darts won’t hit.

The arrow is a means for the fire to travel to burn down everything that is good in your life, every bridge you are building into the lives of others, the pastorate God has called you too, the marriage your are building, the children you are raising, etc…

Jesus is your shield — Proverbs 30:5 “5 Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

5) God’s Helmet Of Salvation

1 Thessalonians 5:8 “8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”

To resist the devil, you must be sure of your salvation!

Ask the Spirit to remind you of the object of your faith.

Say to the evil one, “I have been saved from sin’s penalty, I am being saved from sin’s power, and I will one day be saved from sin’s presence.” Say to him, “I am alive with Christ, redeemed, forgiven, reconciled, raised with Christ, and seated with Christ.” Put your helmet on, and do not let the evil one get to your head. Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 181.

6) God’s Sword Of The Spirit

This last piece of equipment will allow you to go on the offensive.

ENGAGE THE ENEMY!

The term refers to a short sword or dagger used in personal combat. Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 181.

Paul often uses the word “logos”, but here he uses a Greek word than gives the sense of the SPOKEN WORD.

Paul is referring to SPEAKING the gospel is powerful and effective by the Spirit.

Isaiah 49:2 “2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, And made me a polished shaft; In his quiver hath he hid me;”

LISTEN…it is this present dark world YOU are to speak the gospel into!

It is this world where many are held captive by Satan.

How do I know Satan fears God’s word?

Satan’s words in the garden raising suspicion about God’s Word.

Jesus conquered Satan in the wilderness.

YOU CAN TRUST IT AND YOU NEED IT.

The fact there are not found any pieces of armour for the back, the best option for the believer is to HOLD YOUR GROUND AGAINST SATAN.

We should take up the SWORD prayerfully!

Quote: We cannot know what prayer is for until we know that life is war. Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is certainly that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. (Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad, 41) Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 183.