Can't Live Without It

Introduction

The proverbial question that has been asked for generation is, “If you were left on a desert island (don’t know why it is always a desert) what is one thing you would bring with you? IOW, what can you not live without?

Have you ever looked at something and said I should wear that or bring that, but you don’t?

Have you considered the armor of God that you metaphorically wear and/or bring with you?

The sermon points are in the form of a sentence regarding the armor of God. Put it on To stand courageously For the devil is coming

Put it On

Before I put the armor on, am I prepared to wear it? Am I saved? If so, is the short test of Titus 2:11-12 true of me?

Do I have any lingering pride? Lest I be like Uzziah who at one point followed Yahweh, but was swallowed up by pride (2 Chronicles 26:5, 16)

If I am not prepared to wear the armor, I will look like David who tried on King Saul’s armor (1 Samuel 17:38-39)

The armor of God will not put itself on the Christian. This does not make the armor about me, but it deters me from laziness

It does not work in an isolated manner (v.18 says to apply the armor of God alongside fervent prayer to God)

It is vital that I wear every piece of armor. Paul commands to put all of the armor on

Seeing that I need all the armor of God tells me that I need everything God provides in the battle against the adversary

I must be born again in order to wear it (John 3:3). The armor of God will not fit an unbeliever

In no way does the armor of God “make” me a Christian, it aids me in the Christian walk to walk faithfully

Putting on the armor of God completely removes my self-reliance/ability and puts all the dependence upon God. It is a dying to myself and a killing of my pride that I may survive the attacks of he who prowls like a lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8)

Am I rightly suited for the armor, and have I put it on?

To Stand Courageously

The Bible always gives the purpose for its decrees. IOW, the Bible gives the reason for its commands

The purpose of the armor of God is to be prepared to stand against the devil

This is given with a guarantee. The armor of God will give me the ability to stand against the devil

To stand is a guarantee, not a hope. This is not like those gymnasts on TV that stand in a pyramid upon one another’s shoulders. They merely hope that no one messes up because the fall would be great. I don’t hope that God brings all the armor, HE DOES BRING ALL THE ARMOR. PERIOD

Yet, to my shame, I am to caught up in the “hopes and guarantees” of this world. Does it have a 30 day return period that is guaranteed? Does it have a 30,000 mile warranty? What loopholes can I avoid before making the guarantee? Yet, God gives us an eternal decree. We will always have the victory over Satan because the shed blood of Christ has crushed the serpents head (Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20)

Do you have this solemn guarantee of Christ? Are you of the sheepfold? Have you put your trust in Him? This comes first. In order to stand firm in Christ, you must be His! Stop walking upon a shaky foundation that offers no guarantees outside of this life, and put your trust in He who gives a sure foundation!

To stand in the armor of God is to do so with absolute confidence of God and His promises. Thus, I do not waver amidst suffering but continue on as a good soldier in Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). And, yes, the devil brings suffering upon the saints

I stand alongside James with the promise that as long as I resist the devil (not on my own, but with God at the helm), he will flee from me (James 4:7)

For The Devil is Coming

Just as it is a guarantee that the armor will cause me to stand, so it is a guarantee that the devil will have his demonic crosshairs upon me

It is his greatest joy to see me sin and it would be to his great pleasure for me to fall on my face as an embarrassment before the King

Since the devil is coming, I must know who to look for. Now, the devil is invisible, but his tracks are noticeable through his scheming

The devils schemes are an outpouring of who he is. The one who is of the flesh works out the flesh and the one of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (Romans 7:5-6)

Four schemes (methods) of the devil… the shroud of deception, tells the truth in a manipulative way, blinds and enslaves, and he is the great accuser

Shroud of deception… He is the father of lies and the one who makes a lie smell and taste good. Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:4-5), Demas and the pleasures of the world (2 Timothy 4:10)

Tells the truth in a manipulative way… The temptation of Jesus (Luke 4:1-3). Could Jesus turn a stone to bread? Yes. Would He have the right to praise Himself? Yes. Satan tries to get Jesus to go against the Father’s will in a manipulative way

He blinds and enslaves… With all his might, he keeps unbelievers in love with their sin by making sin all the more appealing (2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:2-3)

Great accuser… Accuses the saints as harshly and often as he can (Revelation 12:10). The conversation before Yahweh and Satan regarding Job is the go-to example of this accusatory language of Satan (Job 1:9-10). Zechariah 3:1-3 tells of the fierceness of Satan’s accusatory nature

Paul promises that the devil will come, therefore I must not be caught off guard in a moment of weakness (symbolized by removing a piece of the armor). He will not let up, thus I must continue the fight in the power and might of God

Conclusion

Both of Paul’s commands in verses 10-11 tell me that I am utterly dependent upon the Lord in the spiritual war against the adversary

Right now, am I bearing the armor of God?

What does my fighting stance look like? Am I standing firm on God’s promises, or am I wavering because of a sin of some kind?

Am I ready for the next frontal assault by the devil?

If these are true of you and the armor’s fit is spot on, then you are guaranteed to persevere in spiritual warfare, no matter how hard, until the Lord calls you home!