The Armor of God

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to church. It looks like we dodged Beryl as he took a turn to the north. It is expected that he’ll hit the Texas coast as a Category 1 hurricane near Corpus Christi. Lord, we pray for those in the Coastal Bend area as they prepare for the heavy rains and winds of the storm.

It’s camp season. We prayed last week for our kid’s who were at camp and this week our youth have been at camp. Additionally, our German Baseball missions team is in Detmold, Germany preparing to start Baseball Camp tomorrow morning and will return next week. Please continue to pray for them as they do the work of spreading the gospel message of Jesus Christ in Germany.

We will not have the Lord’s Supper this morning, as is our normal practice. With people out and traveling this week, it has put us off our normal schedule.

I’ve departed from our series on the Book of Acts to dive into a key passage from the letter to the Ephesians this morning. As I was preparing for this Sunday, I realized that we have talked about some of the key characteristics of our Christian faith over the last two years.

We’ve talked about the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and the character of Christ that we receive when we choose Christ.

We’ve talked about putting off our old selves and putting on our new selves, which is critical for making the adjustments that we need to live our lives as believers in Jesus Christ.

But I have not talked about putting on the Armor of God. This is a daily practice of reminding ourselves who we are and what we stand for. It is real feet on the ground, daily practice, living out our faith kind of stuff that will help us apply what we know to be true in regular and daily practice.

[JAPAN RAILWAY SAFETY VIDEO-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etUejYb48BE]

The Japanese railway has an exemplary safety rating and a high standard for maintaining their trains on time with very low incident for interruption or injury.

They have done this for many years by maintaining a strict point and call system to keep their railway personnel accountable to safety guidelines.

Honestly, it can look a bit silly, but it has proven effective in reducing error and helping personnel to maintain safety at all times.

The engineers and conductors point at things and call them out loud. An example might be scanning the track for debris as a train comes into the station or the engineer pointing at the speedometer and calling out the speed that is being maintained at the proper safe level.

We can employ some similar tactics in our spiritual lives to remind us of things that we need to remember.

This is what our passage today is all about. It’s a regular and daily reminder that we are spiritual beings, maintaining an eternal connection to God in heaven.

The practices that I will outline today can help you to live out your Christian life more effectively. It will remind you that you are a living and breathing example of the characteristics of Christ—that you are putting off your old man and putting on the new man every single day.

Let’s focus our time and our minds together on a passage from Ephesians 6...

Ephesians 6:10–20 CSB

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. 18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

[pray]

I. We Have a Real Enemy

I see claims on social media all the time that the Bible is a bunch of fairy tales and that there is no such thing as Satan or Hell. In fact, a 2009 study by the Barna Group indicates that most Americans who consider themselves to be Christian do not believe that Satan or the Holy Spirit Exist.

[Most American Christians Do Not Believe that Satan or the Holy Spirit Exist, https://www.barna.com/research/most-american-christians-do-not-believe-that-satan-or-the-holy-spirit-exist/, April 2009.]

You might not be surprised to learn that we don’t believe that and don’t teach that here at FBC Pharr.

The bible makes a clear claim about the activity of our enemy, the devil.

1 Peter 5:8–9 CSB

8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

For those of us who claim Christ and his completed work on the cross for our salvation, we turn to the Bible as a guide and we depend upon its word. However, that does not always mean that there are easy answers to be had.

Pastor Warren Wiersbe said ...

The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Thirteen: You’re in the Army Now! (Ephesians 6:10–24))

Sooner or later every believer discovers that the Christian life is a battleground, not a playground, and that he faces an enemy who is much stronger than he is—apart from the Lord.

Ephesians 2 has told us that we have three enemies in this world...

Ephesians 2:1–3 CSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

Three Enemies in this life:

our human flesh which keeps us focused on ourselves and our own desires

the world that stands apart from God

and our enemy, Satan

A. The Devil is Our Accuser

The devil will go to any length to keep our attention from the things of God and will destroy us at any opportunity.

The word devil means accuser because he stands before God accusing us of anything he can, in an attempt to destroy our faith and ruin us in God’s sight.

Revelation 12:10–11 CSB

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down. 11 They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.

We can see here that the devil is conquered by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.

We know also that Jesus stands before the throne as well advocating on our behalf. He is the παράκλητος (paraklētos) - one who is called to one’s aid - of 1 John 2...

1 John 2:1–2 CSB

1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.

When the devil accuses us, Jesus only has one response, as our advocate...

“This one is one of mine. He is covered by my blood shed on the cross, and any accusation can not be upheld against him.”

And God looks at us and chooses not to remember our sin...

Isaiah 43:25 CSB

25 “I am the one, I sweep away your transgressions for my own sake and remember your sins no more.

Psalm 103:11–13 CSB

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

B. Satan is Adversary, Tempter, Murderer, and Liar

The word Satan means “adversary”. The New Testament depicts Satan as an archenemy of God, who stands against him and works against God at every opportunity.

Tempter of Jesus (in the wilderness) and the Saints (at every opportunity)

Matthew 4:3 CSB

3 Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Murder & Liar - Jesus in talking to the Pharisees, tell them that they are satanic, not acting out of faith in God. In this statement, he gives us a bit of detail about the character of Satan...

John 8:44 CSB

44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

He is likened to a lion seeking to devour (1 Peter 5:8), a serpent (Gen 3:1; Rev 12:9), and an angel of light, deceiving people into false doctrine (2 Cor 11:13-15).

II. We Have a Role in the Battle

This battle is a spiritual battle that also has implications in the physical world. However, there are times that we get distracted by the physical world that we can see, hear, and touch. We find ourselves wasting time fighting with people when we need to be fighting the real enemy, the devil who controls and manipulates people.

The good news is that Scripture gives us all the information that we need to combat our enemy, the devil.

Ephesians 6:10–12 CSB

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

We are given this word picture of the armor of God so that we can resist the enemy and fight this battle that we are in...

1 Peter 5:9 CSB

9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

III. We Can Choose to Wear the Armor of God

Let’s look at this armor that we have and how we use it...

Ephesians 6:13 CSB

13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

The purpose of armor is to protect the wearer during an attack. The modern soldier wears a helmet, penetration resistant protection around the vital organs, a tool belt and pack, protective boots, and a variety of technological gadgets and weapons, so that he or she can be prepared in any scenario.

In a spiritual battle, we also have some protective gear that helps us to be prepared for any possible scenario that the enemy might throw our way.

A. Belt of Truth

Ephesians 6:14 CSB

14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest,

We must have truth in our defense system, because we are told that Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44).

Proverbs 6 tells us ...

Proverbs 6:16–17 CSB

16 The Lord hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to him: 17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

Truth helps us to discern lies and fight against them with the truth that we know to be true.

Truth help us to navigate our own sanctification, and brings us to deliverance from the attacks of the enemy.

Truth is also important when we are talking to others, so that we may help them along the way.

How do we put on the belt of truth? We practice telling the honest truth at all opportunities and in all situations and we do it with great love for our brothers and sisters.

B. Breastplate of Righteousness

Ephesians 6:14 CSB

14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest,

The breastplate is designed to protect most of the vital organs, the heart, the lungs, the bowels, the liver and kidneys. It could be said that the breastplate might be one of the most important parts of the armor.

Let’s talk about righteousness...

Sometimes “righteousness” and “justice” are used interchangeably (it seems) in scripture.

Justice is the foundation of a legal system and can refer to the treatment of individuals under the law.

Righteous is the quality of being morally right or justifiable under the law. It can also refer to the adherence to a set of moral principles and values.

Righteousness is NOT works. It is not what we DO, it is what we ARE. What we ARE guides what we DO.

Christ gave us his righteouness when we believed by faith in him. This righteousness guards our hearts against the accusations and charges of Satan and protects our minds and emotions from his attacks.

How do we put on this breastplate of righteousness? We keep ourselves in right standing with God. We confess our sins and work to put them behind us. We keep ourselves in right relationship with others. We forgive our brothers and sisters and ask for God to forgive us.

C. Sandals of Peace

Ephesians 6:15 CSB

15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.

A good pair of footwear will protect your feet, which you use to keep you moving forward. Should there be any obstacles in your path or should you be walking in enemy territory. We may encounter traps, designed to trip us up, but peace will help us to continue walking with the message of grace and hope as we encounter those who do not know Jesus.

How do we put on the sandals of peace? We practice being men and women of peace with everyone around us. That also means the ones who are difficult.

D. Shield of Faith

Ephesians 6:16 CSB

16 In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

We have said that Satan is always accusing us and attacking us. This not only happens before God, but happens in our minds and in our emotions as well. Satan will use any tactic to tear us down and destroy us so that we will fail to do the work that God gives us.

Faith is our most powerful protection against these attacks and accusations. When we know who we are in Christ and who Satan is, he loses all power to distract us and derail us in our resolve. This does not mean that we don’t hear his attacks, Faith helps us know how to respond to those attacks.

My wife as a counselor is very good about pointing this out by saying, “That’s a lie!” She calls it what it is and reminds me and many others, that some of the things we feel and hear and even say to ourselves is just not true.

How do we take up our shield of faith? We continuously remind ourselves that we have faith in God. We put worry and anxiety behind us and count our blessings in the Lord every day and all day. We look back at our lives and figure out all the times that God has been faithful and we rely on those markers in our lives to indicate that God will be faithful with us again in the future.

E. Helmet of Salvation

Ephesians 6:17 CSB

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.

The helmet protects the head and the brain. The seat of our thoughts. We already talked some about our thoughts and the way that Satan attacks us and accuses us. When we are saved, we can be assured that we are not lost any longer, but we are saved. We can know that we have a hope in an eternal life and protection from the enemy’s attacks. We can also recognize and know false doctrine and resist temptation.

How do we wear the helmet of salvation? Well we remind ourselves that we have been saved (justified), we are being saved (sanctified), and that we will be saved (glorified).

F. Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:17 CSB

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.

The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. This is our offensive weapon in our armor of God. When we have a sword, and we know the word, we can fight offensively against the enemy by speaking out the truth of the word of God. We can see how Jesus used the word of God to resist temptation by Satan in the wilderness. We have the very same word and the very same weapon in our tool belt.

How do we use the sword of the Spirit? We read and study the word of God and put it in our hearts, so that when we need it, it will come to us at the right time.

IV. Other Preparations for the Battle

A. Prayer in the Spirit

Ephesians 6:18 CSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

Prayer in the Spirit (with the mind of Christ) is our spiritual connection with God. Because we are saved in Jesus Christ, we are allowed unfettered access to Father God. Through this connection, in the Spirit, we are provided spiritual strength for the battle.

I am not afraid of the accusations and attacks of the enemy. I know that I have the power of the Holy Spirit working in me to stand against these attacks. I know that the enemy’s blows will not land on me unless I let it.

The Bible is filled with verses that tell us ...

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid.

Fear not

Let not your hearts be troubled.

How do we pray in the spirit? We make our requests known to God. We relate to God regularly, worshiping him and praising his name. And we intercede for others on their behalf.

2 Timothy 1:7 CSB

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

Jesus also left us the Holy Spirit to fill us with power and strength as we stand firm against the attacks of the enemy.

B. Stay Alert

Ephesians 6:18 CSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

We are also to “stay alert” as we stand watch. Jesus told the disciples in the garden to wake up.

Matthew 26:40 CSB

40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour?

If we are in a battle, then there is no time to get lost in sleep and dull thinking.

How do we stay alert? We refuse to let ourselves get lost in the weeds concentrating on foolish things.

C. Intercede for the Saints

Ephesians 6:18 CSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

Paul also tells us to pray for each other. Prayer not only gives us a spiritual strength, it works across time and space to strengthen others who share our faith.

D. Pray for Those Who Proclaim the Gospel

Ephesians 6:19–20 CSB

19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Paul reminds his readers to pray for him as he preaches the Gospel message. We need to be praying for our pastors and preachers and missionaries. Because of the work that they are doing, they are under a greater threat of attack by the enemy. Our prayers can give them power and protect them from the attacks.

Brothers and sisters, pray for your pastors and ministers and any who are proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are in the battle for our lives and for our livelihoods. As your pastor, I NEED your prayers, as I seek to bring the good news to the lost and bring saints to the feet of the cross.

Conclusion

So we have all this armor and all these things that we must put on...

Ephesians 6:11 CSB

11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.

Putting on the full armor of God comes to us over time as we submit ourselves to unity with Christ and as we take on the fruit of the Spirit. For new Christians or those who are not used to living in the Spirit and practicing these things, it can take some time to learn how to do this.

Sometimes imagining and motions can help us. I’m reminded of the Japanese railway that uses the point and call system to ensure that safety procedures are followed. It can look a bit silly, but it has proven effective in reducing error and helping personnel to maintain safety at all times.

If you are looking to put on the full armor of God every day, you could make this a part of your morning routine...

1. Stand and put on the belt of truth.

2. Wear the breastplate of righteousness

3. Wear your sandals and stand ready with the gospel of peace

4. Take up your shield of faith to protect you from the evil one

5. Put on your helmet of salvation

6. Hold your sword of the Spirit

7. Pray at all times in the spirit

8. Stay alert with perseverance and intercession

9. Pray for the saints and for your pastor

Sometimes we might feel silly doing these things, but they can be powerful to remind us that we are indeed held to certain standards in the Christian life and they can help us to be accountable.