Holy Armor

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Passing out invite cards for our Christmas services. Each one has a candy cane inside of them.

Scripture memory … pick up reading in verse 18…

Introduction

Ephesians 6:14–24 “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, 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, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may …”

Battle Plan (10-13)

Intelligence Briefing

Targets:

Enemy #1 - Devil

Terrain:

We engage with them on Spiritual Turf

Not Flesh and blood and other humans are not the main targets.

we don’t actually fight with other humans… per say. The main battle, is a spiritual one against cosmic powers of this present darkness.

Tactics:

Psychological Warfare

Deception, Schemes, Accusation, Division, Temptations

Operational Strength and Force Projection

Advantage 1: Our Commander, Jesus Christ

BE STRONG in the LORD: It’s HIS STRENGTH, It’s HIS MIGHT, It’s HIS ARMOR.

Advantage 2: Superior Equipment

Whole Armor of God will empower you to stand against the enemies schemes.

Stand firm - being, well equipped for battle.

Load out - equipment, weapons, armor, details NEXT WEEK!

Battle Strategy

Defensive.

We have the high ground. Be Strong.

Stand firm.

Wrestle.

Hand to hand. Face to face. It may come to this. But stand firm.

We wrestle spiritually in hand to hand combat against the darkness of this world…

We wrestle in prayer, wearing the full armor of God.

Victory is Assured.

JESUS HAS WON D-DAY ON THE CROSS

WE FIGHT IN THE ALREADY/NOT YET, THE IN BETWEEN, before VICTORY Day comes.

SPIRITUAL LOADOUT

Video games. Equipment. Choose your character. Modify your load out.

Let’s remember, so much of this is already ours in Christ, but we so often neglect to put it on. We must put off the old man and put on the new man. We are new creations in Christ and therefore, this armor is not our armor but equipped to us as a solider in Christ’s spiritual army. We are given this armor. So put it on!

Put it on!

Pick it up!

the chain saw is right there… cut up the tree.

Don’t run in battle in a tank top and crocs. You fool! Don’t you know there is an enemy trying to kill you, defend your position, don’t fall down but stand firm, resist him and he will flee from you. With what? How do we resist?

Belt of Truth

Start here. Foundational under layer, goes over the tunic, but it gathers up the loose clothing and makes one ready for battle.

More than just a simple belt but more like a leather or chainmail apron that was worn underneath the outer armor. Almost like a base layer, to cover mid section and thighs.

Enabled the soldier to move into a state of being ready to action, wearing something put you in a state of readiness, girded up.

KJV - Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

NASB - Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH,

Truth

What is truth?

Breastplate of Righteousness

Protects the vital organs.

You can an arrow in the leg, or in the arm. But you can’t take one in the chest.

Righteousness.

We have this from Christ. It is his righteousness not ours.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Philippians 3:9 “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”

His holiness and righteousness, is our righteousness.

Yet, our spiritual righteousness must permeate and bubble up to the surface of our outward righteous living. Our lives will change and look differently as we grow in who we are deep down inside.

So is this inward or outward? Both.

Gospel Shoes

Ready to go.

Preparation word used here. Implying a readiness. Also, the ability to act and move to bring the gospel of peace with God to others… shoes are made for walking. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news.

The other day I hiked mount monadnock. Snow at the top. Icey about 3/4ths the way up. I forgot my spikes. I just went for it. Blustery. Icey. I was fine until I was slipping and sliding, like a baby deer trying to cross an icey pond. I made it. But as strong as I am climbing, hiking, and physically capable of getting to the summit, my footing were not shod properly and I was not properly equipped.

Soccer players, football players, baseball players, (even golfers…), wear the proper equipment on their feet. Cleats.

Keeps you from slipping.

Gospel of peace… it’s the good news of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead. This atones for our sin. This pays the price we could not pay. Jesus makes peace.

Ephesians 2 …

Peace on Earth

Luke 2:10–14“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!””

Peace! gospel of peace. The gospel we celebrate here today, on Advent.

Peace of God coming down to forgive us, to save us, to rescue us.

Do you know this peace????

Do you know you can be at peace with God?

You can find true lasting tranquility with God and for your soul?

The restlessness you feel, is due to your sin and the strained relationship between you and your Creator. Your heavenly Father…

Shield of Faith

This is a large almost body sized shield. The Romans and greeks for that matter were famous for creating the

Greek Phalanx:

Formation of solider in lines, should to shoulder, with a spear and a shield.

The close-knit formation reduced individual vulnerability.

Offensive and defensive balance: The overlapping shields provided defense, while the spears offered significant reach for attacks.

Roman Testudo (tortise)

The testudo formation was a defensive strategy used by Roman soldiers to protect themselves from projectiles, particularly arrows or stones.

Front-row soldiers held their shields forward to protect against direct attacks.

Side-row soldiers held their shields to the sides to protect the flanks.

Soldiers in the middle and back rows placed their shields over their heads, forming a roof-like cover.

This created a box-like structure resembling a tortoise shell, providing nearly complete protection on all sides and from above.

The shield is perhaps the most important or second most important piece you might say. It’s the first line of defense. It is capable of not only deflecting but also extinguishing.

Extinguish the flaming arrows.

Not allowing the arrows to burn and fester. But to be quenched.

In all circumstances…

This phrase has hit me the most in the past couple of weeks. With the varied attacks against us these days of cancer and hardship and sorrow and loss. Dear friends going through real hardship. Yet, then reading… IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES…. KEEP THE FAITH!

Pauls secret??

Philippians 4:11–13 “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Take up the shield of faith… Faith is believing. Assurance of what you believe. Don’t let the devil strip that from you.

Helmet of Salvation

Assurance of salvation.

Charles Hodge wrote: ‘that which adorns and protects the Christian, which enables him to hold up his head with confidence and joy, is the fact that he is saved’ and, we might add, that he knows his salvation will be perfected in the end. — John R. W. Stott

The Helmet.

Gives confidence. Assurance. Keeps our head, our mind, our faculties sure and clear.

There is a certain invincibility one feels when they adorn a helmet. I can see my children careening down the side of a ski mountain, but they have a helmet on? Your kid flies down the yard on a dirt bike… are they ok? Did they have a helmet on?? Oh there fine…

Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

I’m saved, what can man do to me?

Sword of the Spirit (Word of God )

God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword.

God’s Spoken Word set on fire by the Spirit will cut through anything, and bring to nothing any argument devised against it. The Word doesn’t so much need to be defended as it needs to be released.

We find this most clearly in the example of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 4:1–11 ……

Pray.

Finally, Paul adds prayer (verses 18–20), not (probably) because he thinks of prayer as another though unnamed weapon, but because it is to pervade all our spiritual warfare. Equipping ourselves with God’s armour is not a mechanical operation; it is itself an expression of our dependence on God, in other words of prayer. Moreover, it is prayer in the Spirit, prompted and guided by him, just as God’s word is ‘the sword of the Spirit’ which he himself employs. Thus Scripture and prayer belong together as the two chief weapons which the Spirit puts into our hands. — John R. W. Stott

The offensive weapons… Bible and prayer. Bible and prayer. Bible and prayer.

Prayer is probably the key active ingredient here in the whole chapter.

the others are descriptions of something we put on or take up… but now we are told to actually DO SOMETHING.

PRAY!

Application: Stand Firm in the Full Armor of God

Let’s bring this together. How do concepts like truth, faith, righteousness, peace, and salvation actually become armor for a spiritual battle?

The reality is that the war we face is often fought on the terrain of our hearts and the turf of our minds. The enemy is cunning, seeking to deceive us, to pull us toward sin and away from the Spirit of God. Whether we realize it or not, there’s a battle over our souls—a battle with real stakes, against a real enemy.

Even now, we are at war. There is a devil. There is darkness. You may face profound evil in your life, but let me tell you this: evil doesn’t just reside “out there.” It first lurks within our hearts until the Spirit of God shines His purifying light.

But here’s the good news: we are not alone, unprepared, or ill-equipped.

The Armor of God Applied:

1. We Stand Wrapped with Truth

Truth is our foundation. It’s not sinking sand—it’s solid ground. It’s not a mirage, a lie, or a façade.

It’s real, and it’s rooted in Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. When we stand on His truth, we cannot be moved by deception.

Our core is supported with truth.

2. We Stand Protected by Righteousness

Truth must be supported by a life (way of life,style) of righteousness. Just as no soldier would leave their vital organs exposed, we must guard our hearts with the righteousness of Christ.

There are many people who have the truth… but don’t live out the truth. Many theologians and pastors who have the truth as head knowledge but love their own knowledge than they love the God of truth or love others as a result of the truth.

This means pursuing holiness and practicing godliness.

If your life reflects integrity and godly living, it becomes a shield against any accusation or attack.

Try preaching truth while living unrighteously—it won’t hold up! Faith and works go hand in hand.

This also means, when we fall short of this standard, we go back to the source of all righteousness and good works. It’s because of Jesus’ holiness, that I am even capable of being sanctified and made holy.

3. We Stand Firm with the Gospel of Peace

Our feet are planted, unshakable, with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

This isn’t a frantic struggle for recognition or worth. It’s a quiet confidence in the victory Jesus has assured us of. It’s planting our feet on the solid ground that has already been won. The cross and the resurrection finished… The D-Day, while we way for V-Day… we stand firm, with our feet dug in.

Yet, we stand firm IN PEACE.

Knowing we are ALLIED with God Almighty. This is GOOD NEWS!

Through Christ, we are reconciled to God. The dividing wall of hostility has been torn down.

Now, we become peacemakers, carrying the good news to others. We proclaim, “God has made peace with you. Repent, turn to Jesus, and be made new.”

4. We Stand Shielded by Faith

Faith is our defense against the devil’s fiery arrows—arrows of doubt, discouragement, despair, and deception.

When Satan whispers lies—“God doesn’t love you,” “You’re not enough,” “You’re not safe in Christ, He will never forgive you, He doesn’t have time for you, He—we raise the shield of faith. Don’t worry about it, it’s not that bad, just one more time, than you’ll stop for good.”

Faith extinguishes those arrows by reminding us of God’s promises: His love, His goodness, His forgiveness, and His power to save. His gentle and lowly heart of love and kindness. His holiness and affection for all that is good.

For to the one who does not work, but believes, in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Romans. 4:5)

5. We Stand Guarded with the Helmet of Salvation

The helmet protects the most vital part of the body: the mind.

(football, cyclists, skiers, and snowboarders, construction, loggers)

The helmet of salvation reminds us of who we are and what Christ has done.

It identifies us as citizens of heaven, much like a Roman soldier’s helmet marked his allegiance. The decal and logo on the side of a football helmet.

It gives us confidence in God’s past, present, and future grace: He has delivered us, redeemed us, and will carry us home.

6. We Stand Armed with the Sword of the Spirit

Our only offensive weapon is the Word of God, wielded with the power of the Holy Spirit.

• This is not a defensive retreat. This is a counterattack against the lies of the enemy.

• When Satan tempted Jesus, He countered every attack with the phrase, “It is written!” Jesus relied on Scripture to stand firm, and so must we.

James 4:7 tells us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

7. Putting the Armor to Work

Praying always with all kinds of prayer!

David Guzik says: The idea is all kinds of prayer or prayer upon prayer. We should use every kind of prayer we can think of. Group prayer, individual prayer, silent prayer, shouting prayer, walking prayer, kneeling prayer, eloquent prayer, groaning prayer, constant prayer, fervent prayer—just pray. … We can say that it is through prayer that spiritual strength and the armor of God go to work. In theory, the prayerless Christian can be strong and wearing all the armor; but never accomplishes anything because he fails to goes into battle through prayer.

John Piper puts it this way, Prayer is the walkie-talkie or on field radio in the soliders load out.

We cannot know what prayer is for until we know that life is war. Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is certainly that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. IT is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances into the world.

CONCLUSION

The Command to Stand Firm

Church, this is the command from HQ: Stand firm. Not in your own strength, but in the strength of God. Put on the full armor of God—not just parts of it, but every piece.

When the devil attacks, will you be ready?

• Will you stand wrapped in truth?

• Will you protect your heart with righteousness?

• Will you bring peace with the gospel?

• Will you raise the shield of faith and extinguish the devil’s fiery darts?

• Will you guard your mind with the helmet of salvation?

• Will you wield the sword of the Spirit, proclaiming, “It is written!”?

Is your sword sharp?

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

You are not powerless. You have been equipped. The armor is yours through Christ. So stand. Resist the enemy. Push back the darkness. And in doing so, live in victory—secure in the unshakable promises of God.

The battle is real, but the victory is already won. Will you stand?

OPTIONAL…

SUMMARY OF SERIES (IF TIME)

Ephesians 1-3 — You get anthem of Christianity and the glorious majestic theology of God and his saving grace and peace he has given to us as his people. We were dead in our trespasses and sins. He calls us out of darkness and into light. He forms us into a new society of people. Then calls us to a higher way of living, the life of the Kingdom.

Ephesians 4-6 — This life in the Kingdom of God, should look different. It is a life of holiness and godliness. It’s a life holy and distinct from the dark. IT is a life characterized by a people walking in the Spirit, shedding off the old man and putting on the new man. The new creation in the Spirit, so being empowered to say no to sin and yes to righteousness. IT’s walking in love by imitating God in his way of life here in now. It’s more than just forgiveness from sin but also now living out the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven… particularly through our redeemed relationships: husband and wife, children and parents, even in the challenging positions we find ourselves in, between work relationships.

Ephesians 6: 10-24 …. But in knowing all this, this new society, and holy nation, the CHURCH OF GOD… will be opposed by the devil and cosmic powers of evil and this present darkness. They will attack. They will not go down lightly. Be aware. Gear up. Take up the armor and fight the good fight of faith. Be strong in the Lord.

Hope Fellowship … lets live this out today. Right now. We don’t have to wait.