The Armor of God

INTRO TO REALITY OF THE ARMOR OF GOD

Before we start this talk we have to establish one very important thing about the spiritual war we are in:

Our God is already victorious

He is infinitely superior to our enemy. He is all powerful and has infinite might and strength.

Our part is to stand in Him and His strenth.

Ephesians 6:10 ESV

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

So…

This means…

We fight from victory

Not for victory

REASON WE MUST TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

But still we must take this war seriously…

Why?

We have an enemy with his own allies who seek to destroy us.

Ephesians 6:11–12 ESV

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 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.

Know your enemy:

The Bible calls him…

Accuser

Liar

Tempter

Deceiver

This is who the Armor of God is supposed to protect us from.

The armor of God we are putting on is supposed to protect us…

When the enemy comes to accuse us

When he comes plant a lie in our heart and mind

When he comes to tempt us to sin

When he comes to deceive us

THE ARMOR EXPLAINED AND APPLIED

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary a. The Christian Conflict (6:10–20)

The order in which the pieces of armour are described is the order in which the soldier would put them on

Belt Of Truth

The belt was the piece that held together the core pieces of a Roman soldiers armor.

Ephesians 6:14a (ESV)

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth…

We know that all the enemy does and speaks is lies. So we must seek to…

Be both truthful in what we do and what we believe.

Truthful in what we do…

Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

Sincerity: the quality of being free from deceit, or hypocrisy.

Truthful in what we believe...

God’s Standard: Looking at moral and ethical things the way God would.

God’s Opinion: Seeing and believing the things that God says about people; The Imago Dei

Question To Ponder:

Do truthful actions and does a truthful worldview hold my armor and life together?

Breastplate of Righteousness

This was to cover your vital core organs.

Ephesians 6:14b (ESV)

…and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Everyone say…

PUT ON

This is important because Paul is alluding here to something he said earlier in chapter 4.

Ephesians 4:17–24 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Here’s the deal:

Jesus has given you His righteousness.

When God looks at you. He sees the righteousness of Jesus.

Not only has he given you a righteous record.

He has given you the power to be righteous.

This is essentially saying…

Seek to choose and do what is right in God’s eyes.

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary a. The Christian Conflict (6:10–20)

To neglect what we know to be righteous action is to leave a gaping hole in our armour

Question To Ponder:

Do I seek to choose and do what is right in God’s eyes?

Gospel Shoes

This essentially means to have nothing that will make your feet drag to share the gospel when God calls you to.

Ephesians 6:15 ESV

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

This means that we are agents of peace through God.

The gospel has brought you and me to peace with God. He is not our enemy anymore.

Now, we get the privilege of sharing that gospel peace with others.

I’d like to call this our…

Gospel Reflex

We are to be people who reflex with the gospel of peace

We reject the idea to reflex with war

Question To Ponder:

Am I more quick to war than I am to giving the gospel of peace?

Shield Of Faith

This is essentially holding on to our trust in God when tempted to despair.

Ephesians 6:16 ESV

16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

Paul says “all circumstances” because we are not promised a life of comfort or safety.

We still get sick. Loose loved ones. Struggle with poverty. And eventually die in the body.

The bible describes Job as receiving massive loss from the devil. God was still in charge. But the devil was the one who desired job’s pain and suffering. God desired to use it all as a means to grow Job and prepare us.

All Circumstances…

Have to bow the knee to Jesus

This means that every dart and arrow we receive will always be used for our eternal good and God’s glory.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Paul is saying…

Trust your Father in all circumstances

Question To Ponder

Have I trusted God through crisis?

Helmet Of Salvation

This is essentially us receiving, remembering, and embracing Jesus’ saving work for us in His death and resurrection.

Ephesians 6:17a (ESV)

17 and take the helmet of salvation…

This means that your salvation through Jesus…

must be a big deal to you

We are daily, hourly, minutely, and secondly thanking Him for saving us and looking at ourselves as if we are saved from sin and death.

We are remembering that resurrection from the dead in a sinless body awaits us.

Salvation from sin also…

makes us hate sin

Our salvation changed us! And we live and believe as if it is true… because it is…

Question To Ponder

Is my salvation and what Jesus did for me a big deal to me?

Sword Of The Spirit

This is essentially us knowing, loving, meditating on, and speaking the scriptures.

Ephesians 6:17b (ESV)

… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

I LOVE SWORDS!

It’s a weapon.

Remember though The Bible is a weapon, not to use against people for your pleasure.

The Bible is…

A weapon you use against your true enemy

Our goal is to let the bible transform us into people that love the bible.

Sometimes it takes time.

I definitely know the bible more than I did when I was 20. But the point is, I had to take it out of its sheath

Question To Ponder

What kind of role does the bible have in my life?

Praying At All Times

This is essentially us communicating with our commander and chief.

WHO?

Ephesians 6:18 ESV

18 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,

Ephesians 6:19 ESV

19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

We ask him for…

Back up

Battle plans

Nourishment

Rescue

Wisdom in how to fight

To come fight

Honestly,

Prayer should be our first offensive strategy against the enemy.

Question To Ponder

Do I seek to get help from my commanding officer?

Are you ready for war?

Do truthful actions and does a truthful worldview hold my armor and life together?

Do I seek to choose and do what is right in God’s eyes?

Am I more quick to war than I am to giving the gospel of peace?

Have I trusted God through crisis?

Is my salvation and what Jesus did for me a big deal to me?

What kind of role does the bible have in my life?

Do I seek to get help from my commanding officer?