Outline God Gives Us Special Armor to Stand Against Evil based on Ephesians 6:10-20

I. Paul Harvey in 1965. The late Paul Harvey used to have as part of his radio program something he called “The Rest of the Story”. But Paul Harvey also offered critical commentary about the state of American culture. In one such commentary in 1965, he wrote an essay titled “If I Were the Devil,” intended to be a warning to America against the moral decay and societal collapse so apparent to him. His approach in the essay was to describe how the devil would attack our nation. One version of the essay states, “With flattery and promises of power I would get the courts to vote against God and in favor of pornography. Thus I would evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, then from the Houses of Congress. Then in his own churches I’d substitute psychology for religion and deify science. If I were Satan I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle. If I were Satan, I’d just keep doing what I’m doing.”

II. Attacks of Satan continuing.

III. Bad news and good news about attacks.

IV. Read Exodus 14:13-14 and comment. When the people of Israel came out of Egypt and seemed to be trapped with the Egyptians on one side and the Red Sea on the other side, God told Moses to give the people this message in Exodus 14:13–14, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

V. Read Joshua 1:9 and comment. Later, after the death of Moses, Joshua was the one to lead the people of Israel into conquer the Promised Land. Joshua was given the following encouragement in Joshua 1:9 by the Lord, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

VI. Read Ephesians 6:10-12 and comment. Ephesians 6:10-12 tells Christians: “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.”

VII. Belt of truth.

VIII. Breastplate of righteousness.

IX. Footwear of the gospel of peace.

X. Shield of faith.

XI. Helmet of salvation.

XII. Sword of the Spirit, God’s Word.

XIII. Conclusion. Whenever we are confused in life, we can remember the full armor of God is with us. We are baptized into the family of God and we have the full armor of God with us each day. We can withstand every temptation that comes our way. We have the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the footwear of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, that is, the Word of God. The full armor of God protects us against all the forces of evil. The full armor of God defends us daily against the devil. The full armor of God gives us hope and stability and confidence that God is with us no matter what comes our way. We are given the strength to stand firm now and forever. Amen.