The Whole Armor of God

Today we wrap up our series in Ephesians. How do we walk together as one in Christ. We’ve seen who Christ is, how he rules now and how he has raised us up from the dead. We have seen what unity that brings us together. And how we are to walk now and live together in light of that.

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 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. 13 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. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 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, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Introduction

Staying strong in a resolution is difficult. Staying strong in faith seems even harder. If are here today chances are you, either now or at some point have considered, “I need to make a change in my life. Something is not working and I need to be stronger to resist these old habits. There has to be a more life giving way to live.”

The challenges to remaining strong and growing stronger are some of the following: “I have to keep this up the rest of my life and that is just a long long time!” “I have faced set backs and my own failures. Maybe I don’t have the resolve to keep going.” “Is al of this really worth the effort? Can’t I just stay the same and get used to the moral deficiencies that come along with it?” “I don’t know where to start.” “I can’t identify the problem.”

God’s Enemy

Stay Strong! But Satan has schemes. There are real dark forces at work

The Ephesian audience was frightful of the occult and dark forces of the world. \\Paul didn’t need to tell them of their danger, he did need to tell them that Jesus was in control over them though.

We don’t typically believe in the dark evil spirits and demonic influence. We feel it seems too old fashioned or hoax-like to talk like this. But it’s true. Satan is at work in the world. He has influence. You don’t have to try to view all world events like it’s happening in an A24 horror movie. Simply put, demonic forces push us towards our most base desires. There’s the famous line from the movie The Usual Suspects that says, “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled is convincing the world he doesn’t exist. He doesn’t need you believing in him or not. He doesn’t care. As long as you are pursuing your own ends and your own destruction his schemes are accomplished. ||

Temptation

\\The Devil has schemes. He is creative and inventive. Just when you have found a way to avoid temptation, he finds a new way. If you have battled through an addiction you have seen how this works. Talk to an addict and you will see the horrifying ends to which temptation to relapse comes in all kinds of forms. Earlier in Ephesians 4 we saw that anger itself can become an opportunity. A foothold for the devil. Yes there is temptation even in righteous emotions. An opportunity to sin. An invisible immaterial battle means we must be alert at ALL TIMES.

Don’t confuse with man

But Christ is enthroned over those forces. They have no power over Jesus. And that means this changes how we do see the flesh and blood people we THINK are our enemies. We are not \\embattled against other people. Part of the enemy’s plan then is to cause us to see other flesh and blood people to the be evil in this world we must fight. After the election I saw many people say, “if you voted this way unfriend me.” To see this fight over who is in power and in authority as simply earthly.

They are what we are fighting for! Those we find more repellent and abhorrent can be changed. Can be won over. A spiritual battle over the flesh and blood of this world. See the dignity in those you violently disagree with. Rage against their arguments and beliefs. But not the person themselves. The battle is much more hidden. So what do you do?

God’s Armor

To be strong against his foe, you need the whole armor of God. Not just the helmet. Not running out there like a berserker with nothing but a sword, but whole armor. In Greek the word’s whole armor is just one word. We have the word in English Panoply meaning whole, comprehensive system. We need the whole suit. So I’ll go through each piece to show how they all function and why we all need them together.

First the Belt of truth

\\having fastened on the belt of truth,

The belt being put on was a sign of ready for physical labor. It tucked your robe up above your knees so you could move freely. Like a dad getting out of his chair and hiking up his pants you know serious work is about to begin

and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

We are protected, heart protected, serious organs protected by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Shoes - Gospel of Peace

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

If the tactic is to stand, you need shoes that are good for it. Not the pair of shoes you want for a battle. Super Bowl two years ago in Arizona. The players were really frustrated with the how slippery the field was and had some players replacing their cleats mid-game. To withstand the onslaught of this present evil age, you need to be ready - and you are ready by the gospel of peace. True good news of Jesus.

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

God shields you from mortal blows as the arrows that would pierce your heart are stopped in their tracks. However, Satan is far more wiley than just throwing missiles at you. The fire of these darts splash around. The smoke chokes out your lungs and the fire blinds your eyes. The heat pulls your hands down. The fire throws the line into confusion.

Following Jesus can feel like that. Yes you are protected and kept secure, but when serious temptation, challenge, and mockery to conform to the world is hurled at you, your defenses fall. It is faith in God that helps keep you secure even through such schemes

Helmet of Salvation

// 17 and take the helmet of salvation,

Kent Hughes talks of how the Helmet brings confidence for the soldier. You don’t need to cower and cover your head as small stones fall down. Keep your eyes focused. Again in football, the NFL has been trying to promote player safety by throwing the highest technology into the safest helmet’s possible. But we are still having players get concussed. Because you tell a young man made of muscles that he’s invincible in this helmet then he plays with the confidence that he is invincible.

Our helmet is not the product of Riddell or Vicis. It is the product of Jesus Christ’s salvation for us. It is our confidence. That yes we can run headlong and we are protected. It will not fall apart. Sometimes we feel our salvation shatter and we realize the helmet we had actually wasn’t of quality salvation.

//Sword of the Spirit

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

The sword here isn’t a big great sword that you swing. It’s a short sword. Used for close combat. When you are face to face with your foe and can hear his words and feel his breath. When Satan’s temptation is loud in your ear. When you know to hold your tongue, but the words of anger are right in front of your mind. When you feel you’re about to be exposed and know exactly what to say to shrug off the blame by twisting the truth exactly this way. When the impure thoughts are right there in your mind and you cannot seem to erase them. That’s close combat with the spiritual adversary. And again we see what Jesus has done in that same situation. In Matthew 4, Jesus was tempted by Satan and with each temptation Jesus responded with Scripture. He responded with the memorized word of God to cut down Satan’s temptation

Learn to use the sword of God’s word. To become proficient with a sword you must become familiar with its weight. It must not leave your hand. The Bible must be in your hand and before your eyes. Be Familiar with it.

To become proficient with a sword, you must take care of it. Hone the blade to keep it straight. Literally keep your nose to the grindstone, means sharpening a blade where you can smell the metal shavings and the burr being developed. Meditate on the word. Have its details close in your mind.

To become proficient with a sword you need to know its length. You need to know the force is required to cut and the reach it has. You need to memorize Scripture. Know how to cut at temptation and with what verses.

Battle Tested by YHWH

How can I wear all of this at once

Isaiah 59 : \\ YHWH wears this armor. YHWH himself has gone out. What this means is that Jesus himself has battle tested this and won victory over Satan. None of Satan’s schemes could overthrow Christ. None of his authority meant anything against the armored strength of the Son of God Jesus Christ. Jesus strode out to battle for you and defeated all these demonic powers for you

// seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Eph 1:20-23

This battle cannot be won by your strength. You need God’s strength. This battle cannot be won by fighting your neighbor. You need to see Satan and his demons defeated. Which Jesus has done for you . This battle cannot be won by your tools and tactics. You need God’s battle tested and victorious armor.

God’s Victory

By standing together. This is the The Battle Plan in The Bloodless Fight. This struggle is one that is then not with your flesh and blood in the physical sense. But it is with your old life, your old flesh and its sinful desires. It is a constant battle of temptation. To try to win by pleasure. To win by selfishness. To win by deceit. To win by insult and mockery. To win by sensuality. To win by greed. Those are the battle tactics of evil. And it is no surprise that they mirror the battle tactics of the world. All that matters is winning.

\\ Standing Firm. This command is used a few times. Stand against the scheme. Withstand in the evil day. Done all to stand firm. Stand therefore. When you think about ancient battles don’t let movies and tv fool you. You don’t win battles by flipping through the air acrobatically. Or sniping people with a bow and arrow. Or flipping your sword around. But literally just holding the line. It is a clash of two lines until one side looses enough people that they have to run away. So you must stand. You cannot fall. You cannot turn away.

That illustrates the battle we have in our faith. It’s stand or run. There aren’t several different tactics to beat Satan. There isn’t a feigned retreat. So the armor we have here is about how we can withstand all of this. It is about being rooted to the spot like a tree.

Captain America: when the whole world is telling you to move, you must plant yourself like a tree by the river of truth and say no. You move.”

\\Helps you in your life. That you may withstand the schemes of the devil. This must happen by prayer. Withstanding temptation is only possible by standing strong in the victory of Jesus. “Do not let the enemy reclaim any conquered territory.” Speak and pray that out in the face of temptation. This is territory Christ has won. You are not trying to conquer temptation. You are not wrestling with Satan to get victory for yourself. It’s already happened.

We don’t often talk about the War of 1812. Feels like a bad sequel to the Revolutionary War. But yes, Just over 30 years after the American Revolution, Britain came back over here and started messing around. They even burned down the White House. It’s funny that we don’t think about it that much. Likely because we were already free. We had defeated them already. Doing it again was no problem

So in your wrestling with temptation gloat in the power of Jesus. Satan you’ve been conquered before. Flee from here. You have faced this armor before and it crushed your head. It is not mine but YHWH’s armor of his might.

By praying with and for one another. \\ 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Not an additional weapon, but a battle stance. Because we aren’t using the armor by our strength - but God’s strength - prayer is drawing from the strength the very armor .

Shardplate and Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive) A force that actually gives power to your armor. This armor is useless without prayer to the very one who won in the armor

This helps you

\\\This helps the Church. “For all the saints

//To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Paul covets your prayers. For such a bold and strong preacher of the gospel. Paul is in chains. He is getting ready to preach the gospel in Rome. To preach in the center of the world. And he is fearful. He needs boldness. What can these Ephesians, who are new and growing in the faith do? These Ephesians who are afraid of the elemental spirits of the world and the rulers and authorities, who need to be reminded that Jesus is in power of all things. What can they do to help a master Evangelist and Preacher like Paul? Pray. Pray continuously. Be alert in prayer.

Conclusion

Wrapping up Ephesians

It’s a long battle. But it’s a certain fight

Christ is already enthroned

You already have been brought in peace

You have the rules for how to live together

You have the battle tested armor to fight together

So later I’ll pronounce the same benediction I have for the whole series in Ephesians. Think on it now. It is how Paul ends this letter.

23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.