Armor of God
Notes
Transcript
What do I believe God wants us to know? We are in a battle BUT we can have victory
Why? We all want victory
What do I believed God wants us to do? Stand in the strength of the Lord and put on the armor of God
Why? We all want victory in the battle
ME/WE
One of the things that is true of YOU, TRUE of ME, TRUE of all of US is WE all want VICTORY.
We want victory in our life and especially in certain aspects of our life OR we are receiving victory and want to remain victorious.
NONE OF US IN THIS ROOM WANT TO NOT HAVE VICTORY
NOBODY SAYS I REALLY HOPE THAT THING I AM FIGHTING DEFEATS ME…NOBODY LIKES TO BE DEFEATED.
Or fell DEFEATED, it is deflating.
But the problem that remains for us is we is WE WANT VICTORY BUT WE ARE NOT not having victory in our battles.
we have he desire but cannot get to the destination of victory
Why did I say battles?
Why didn’t I say war?
The war is OVER. Jesus gives the victory in the WAR so we are VICTORS, VICTORS
Jesus defeated our ultimate enemy of SIN, DEATH, and SHAME
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
God doesn’t just want you and I to have victory in the WAR. He also wants you and I to have victory in the BATTLE and we are going see that GOD has more than equipped us for victory in the BATTLE.
This what we are going to see in the book of Ephesians at the very end of the book in the last section where Paul writes about us putting on the armor of God.
I BELIEVE WE ARE IN A SESSION OF THE CHURCH WERE GOOD IS SAYING STRONGER
Paul wants us to show us how to be STRONGER and HAVE VICTORY IN OUR BATTLES
Let’s read
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
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.
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.
Finally! My last thought. Last thoughts are important.
Do you know how you are to be STRONGER? How to have victory?
What does Paul write?
Paul writes “BE STRONG IN YOU?”
No, but how many of us sometimes function this way??? If I just try hard enough.
How many times have we said I am going to STOP this thing?
I am just going to STOP IT
The problem is you don’t have enough will power….NO you don’t have ENOUGH GOD POWER. I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH GOD POWER
And we succeed for a day or two….then what happens….we do it again.
An unwise counselor might just say “just say no” There is a funny Bob Newhart comedy sketch that tries this apporach.
You cannot do it because you do not have the strength to get victory
WE NEED HIS MUSCLES
HOW DO WE GET STRONGER?
Being with him
Believing in Him, putting our faith and confidence and allegiance in Him
Praying for strong
Then Paul further states. To be stronger have victory you need to ARMOR UP
Second put on the whole armor of God….God has equipped you for battle but you need to put it on….PUT HIS STRENGTH, AROMOR if you don’t, don’t expect to stand…. We will go over these in details in the following weeks.
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.
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
GOD SAYS TO US TO HAVE VICTORY IN THE BATTLE WE NEED TO BE STREGNTHEN IN HIM AND ARMOR UP
WE have the strength of God and armor of God so that we can stand, STAND AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL
If we have our strength or our armor we will not win.
WHO IS OUR BATTLE WITH?
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
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.
GOD IS SAYING
WHO ARE ARE FIGHTING?
WHO ARE WE FIGHTING? COSMIC POWERS OF DARKNESS, SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL…THAT CAN BE MANIFESTED IN PEOPLE, FLESH, EVIL POWERS
Not only Paul further writes how the enemy fights
SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL, METHODIA, METHODS
THE ENEMY IS SMART…HE’S NOT DUMB
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
What are some of the METHODS HE USES.
I am glad you asked
Thomas Brooks has a book called Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices 60
Bait and hook
Garden of Eden
Desire and opportunity (NOT GOD’S OPPORTUNITY)
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. Sin with rose colored glasses, ultra grace
LIE, STEAL, GOSSIP, LUST, God is going to forgive you
THEN YOU DO IT AND BAME THE ENEMY DOES WHAT? CONDEMS YOU
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
OFTEN HE ATTACKS US NOT WHEN WE ARE STRONG…WE HAVE THE ARMOR ON, NOT WHEN WE JUST WORSHIPPED GOD, THOUGH HE CAN DO THAT…HE ATTACKS WHEN WE ARE
OUR WEAKNESS AND WHEN WE ARE WEAK
THERE IS CERTAIN METHOD HE USES WITH YOU AND
JESUS IN THE DESERT…
H.A.L.T.
Hungry
Anybody been HANGRY??
You say and do things you do not mean
Remedy You need a snickers bar
NOT TALKING ABOUT FASTING
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT,
Angry
Anybody said or do something when you are angry
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
Remedy: forgive
SHOES OF WALK OUT THE SITUATION TO WALK BACK INTO THE SITUATION
BELT OF TRUTH, HELMET OF SALVATION, SHOES OF PEACE
Lonely
When we are alone we are often less strong and the enemy comes
Remedy: go into community
I have know people, me being one of them, that ran to community to hang out with people, the right people
Tired
When we are tired we are not a 100%
Anybody do something or said something when they were tired?
Remedy: get some sleep, go to bed, take a nap
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
THE ENEMY HAS ALL OF THE SCHEMES BUT THE LORD’S ARMOR AND STRENGNTH IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE SCEMES AND POWER OF THE DEVIL
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
BE STRONG IN THE LORD, PUT ON THE ARMOR SO THAT YOU CAN STAND AGAINT THE DEVILS SCHEMES…GOD HAS GIVE YOU AND ME THE ABILITY TO BE VICTOROUS
PAUL WRITES ONES OTHER THING WE CAN DO PRAY FOR EACH OTHER TO BE STRONG.
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,
