Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”

Strong: Endunamoo - En & dunamoo

dunamoo is dynamic power. Dynamite. Explosive power frequently spoken of when referring to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Add the prefix “En” to dynamite. And it intensifies it. It’s like saying “increasingly very powerful.”

Strength: Ischus

Inherent strength that one possesses. Like Joseph Bonderchuk. He isn’t actively using his amazing strength but he can if he wants to.

Might: Kratos

Strength that is exercised. So this is if Joseph was actually squatting 405lbs. He is acting in that strength. But it comes with the connotation of perfect or complete strength. So God creating the world is Kratos strength. Something immensely strong. But also perfect in his strength.

Finally, every day be increasingly more explosively powerful with what has been given to you from the Holy Spirit. Because he is the source of strength. He has all the strength to overcome anything in the world. And he doesn’t just have it. He uses it. And you have access to it.

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Practically, how do we make use of this power?

We’re standing against the enemy. Meaning, we don’t only play defense. We play offense.

Ephesians 1-3 is defense. It’s all about identity in Christ.

It’s praying God take away my anxiety. God I need help. I need pastoring.

Ephesians 4-5 is walking with God. It’s unifying the forces.

God, give me a new growth opportunity. God give me a word of encouragement for my brother. Let me serve in my local church body.

Ephesians 6 is offense. We are going on the attack against the enemy.

I am going in the streets and I’m praying for the lost. I’m helping the homeless. I’m preaching Christ in my workplace. I’m actively taking ground from the enemy.

Just like you put on your clothes in the morning. You put on the armor of God.

Teddy Roosevelt

Ephesians 1-3 When Teddy was 25yrs old, he was a Harvard graduate and recently elected into New York’s state government. But then his wife and mother died on the same night. And it broke him. He felt like he had no purpose. His identity was broken. He went out to the Dakota badlands to work on himself and find meaning.

He became a cowboy and a sheriff in a local town. He became one of the most renowned leaders on the western frontier of America. He really grew into man.

Ephesians 4-5 is growing the body’s ability to work as an army together. You’re drilling together as a church. You’re growing as a team in brotherhood.

Teddy went back to New York and became a leader in the New York state republican party. Cleaning up the city from crime and drastically improving the living conditions of his fellow New Yorkers. Continuing to grow in his political career, he was placed as the #2 in command of the United States’ navy.

Ephesians 6 is now taking the army and going out on the battlefield. Teddy resigned from his position in the White House at the Navy.

He led a group of Rough Riders in the Spanish and American war in Cuba. And was the key player in the Americans winning their first major international war overseas since the inception of the country.

He was prepared, unified, held in high regard by his fellow Americans, and so he was trusted to go on the offense.

He came back from the war. And realized he doesn’t really know what to do. His identity is a bit lost again. See he had to go back to his identity again.

Not because he lost it. But because he’s going deeper in his identity.

And after the war, he came back to the U.S. and became Governor of New York. He went through the same process. Building a coalition in the government fighting for the people he represents and so forth.

And then later Vice President, same circle… Then President of the United States.

You go through sitting in identity, Walking in unity and your calling, and moved onto standing against the enemy.

But it’s not a 1 time thing. It’s a wheel. each time you go through the cycle you’re progressing. To the next level, the next level,

Ephesians 6:12 “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.”

Teddy Roosevelt prepared in the physical. We are called to prepare for war in the spiritual.

Prepare for battle by getting some individual training done. Ephesians 1-3 - walk in your identity understand the weapons of warfare you have access to.

Work with the rest of the Lord’s army. Ephesians 4-5 - run drills with the rest of your group. Encourage one another. Work with one another. Build a brotherhood or a sisterhood with your church community.

That way, when the Lord says go. You’re always ready to go.

In verse 12 it said we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. That word wrestle is conflict.

the Christian life as a personal hand-to-hand encounter with spiritual enemies. Participants in ancient wrestling trained rigorously, lived under strict discipline, and competed publicly

Wrestling requires strict hand to hand combat.

Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand [firm].”

Ephesians 6:14–17 “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,”

Every day. Take up the armor of God.

Stand firm having done everything: Resist. Oppose the enemy.

Picture of armor of God and one person. Many people hold different pieces of the armor. But we all hold the armor together ourselves.

The word STAND

Standing for truth. You aren’t getting pushed back. I’m here on the truth, and I’m not moving.

Standing ready on the sidelines of a game. Standing implies you’re ready to go.

Standing at attention like in the military.

posture of moral courage. Whether before hostile enemies or amidst social ridicule

A boxer is standing face to face against his opponent and he’s not giving an inch.

A husband is standing against gossip being spewed against his wife. He ain’t backing down.

v13: Stand your ground [withstand] = oppose the enemy or to resist the standing of the enemy

v13: Stand firm = prolonged standing. You ain’t backing down. You going for it.

v14: Stand therefore = I command you, STAND! Military term.

Standing against them in a wrestling match engaging in hand to hand combat. But we got a sword in a wrestling match.

The sword of the spirit is the machaira sword. The Romans had a long Roman broad sword they fought with and then a small dagger they kept on their side called the macharia for close hand to hand combat.

Your enemy is engaging in hand to hand combat. But you got a dagger to kill that dumb demon. And that dagger is the word of God. It is the Bible, the words spoke to you from God. The rehma word. The utterance of God.

There’s the Logos and the rehma

The Logos is the Bible

The Rehma is the living and active, sharper than any 2-edged sword word of God. So it can be the Bible. But it can also be the words the Lord is speaking to you. So by the Spirit of God him speaking to you and commanding that demonic spirit to stop tempting you is wilding the sword of the Spirit.

Operate with the rehma word of God. How else?

Ephesians 6:18 “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,”

Praying at all times in the Spirit.

By praying in the Spirit. Not just formulating prayers in your mind. Not just using your brain to think of the best things to say. No, letting the Holy Spirit flow and speak through you. And he prays in the Spirit.

Next time you pray. Don’t just start praying and going for it. Carefully speak every word. Don’t use a ton of Christianese filler words. I want to challenge y’all. Don’t just keep saying “Father God” or “Jesus” every other word in your prayer.

Be Thoughtful. Not emotional. Don’t be scared to even pray very slow. Let every word that comes out of your mouth be processed with God. Let him speak. Pray in the Spirit.

And pray for everyone. Carry your brother’s or sister’s mat to see Jesus.

Pray for

Ephesians 6:19-20 “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.”

For teachers. For leaders.

Ephesians 6:23–24 “Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.”