Outfitted for Battle (Eph 6:14-17)

Outfitted for Battle: Ephesians 6:14-17 Happy Father’s Day! (then PRAY) I. Intro Review: Here’s a good reason the church needs to understand its foundation and grow together to full maturity in Christ.  To stand against the schemes of the devil. A. Even as diverse as we are in background and in spiritual gifting, we are unified toward growing together to imitate God and walk in love. Why?  Since the church is the living, breathing embodiment of and mechanism for God’s purpose to tell his story of redemption for his glory, Satan is out to distract and disrupt us in any way he can. B. There’s a very real spiritual war going on in the unseen realm, and we’re in the thick of it, Paul says. – The command is to stand. Stand firm on the ground already won. Your confidence in this daily battle is Christ’s decisive victory already won at the cross.  But standing fast isn’t a passive endeavor. We must fight to stand firm against the attacks of evil spiritual forces. (including the temptation to wayward thoughts and behaviors from traces of the old nature in our hearts) C. But a spiritual war requires that we fight spiritual battles outfitted with spiritual armor. – What we need is to be renewed in the Spirit of our minds so that we may put off the old self and put on the new self, recreated in the image of God in true righteousness and holiness (4:23-24). This is no easy task, with a powerful adversary against us. In fact, in our own strength, defeat is a forgone conclusion. But those who are saved to a new relationship with God by faith in Christ have become his sons, his citizens, his soldiers. And just as his sons have been granted every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies and await an eternal inheritance, God’s soldiers have access to his strength, the same “great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” (1:19b-20) D. In this summary instruction near the close of the letter, by the pen of Paul, God tells us that we can gain his strength by putting on his complete armor and by means of prayer. (Before the prayer section, we first address the various elements of the full armor of God.) II. [Read verses to Explain & Apply]  Stand firm in the strength that God provides by donning his armor. A. The panoply of God that was announced in vv. 11 and 13 is now described in greater detail. Paul’s extended metaphor here is just fantastic. (Picture Paul being chained to a Roman guard, probably at the wrist, b/c he’s awaiting trial before Caesar. Meanwhile, he’s inspired to imagine this Roman soldier preparing for battle in full array of the first century legionary. We don’t know the details of Paul’s inspiration for the metaphor, but what a thought.  And it’s so effective. Now picture yourself putting on this armor of God. Probably almost every one of them could see it clearly in their minds and then imagine applying it to themselves. Fantastic.) 1. This morning I need you to imagine putting on this armor, a divine armor that must be worn at all times by the soldier of Christ. If we are not ever vigilant, Satan’s attacks will wound us and temptation will overtake us. 2. As we go, notice that each piece of armor is identified with some divine gift and virtue.  Again, each includes aspects of both a foundational gift already applied to the believer, as well as necessary virtue to be practiced by the believer. 3. [With each gift and virtue I also intend to ask] How do you apply this metaphor of a soldier in a full suit of spiritual armor to your life? B. The belt of truth – literally, having girded your loins with truth – girding their loose garments was intended preparation for work or other activity (in this case, marching into battle); ready for service… for uninhibited rapid movement, able to march and fight. 1. Truth is an important concept in Ephesians. It refers to the truth of God revealed in the gospel, which has its outworking in the lives of believers who are members of the new humanity (1:13, 4:20-25).  Strengthened with God’s truth in the gospel, the believer is enabled to walk in that truth and defend himself by that truth from Satan’s attempts to gain a foothold in his life (4:26-27). Truth here can also mean sincerity and integrity as opposed to hypocrisy. This is the light of God manifest in us, which dispels the darkness. 2. How does truth get twisted in your mind? – Satan is a liar, and lies can be so subtle and attractive. We must be certain that the truth of God we believe is sufficient for us and is worth standing for. – Consider again 1:13 (4:21) and 4:15. C. The breastplate of righteousness – Righteousness is here pictured as protecting the thorax area with its vital organs, perhaps particularly the heart. 1. Again, we should think of righteousness here as both a Christian gift and a Christian virtue (The Puritans called this the imputed and imparted righteousness of Christ.) – Positionally, having been justified by faith and given Christ’s righteousness; and practically, empowered to have righteousness of character and conduct (see 4:24 and 5:1,9. Also, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 13:14, in order to make no provision for the flesh…) 2. How is righteousness undermined in your life?  This should be a reminder to us to not fall back into a performance relationship with God. At the same time, while he still struggles with the sinful nature, the believer is given no excuses for unholiness. Having been made new in his likeness by faith in Christ (receiving his righteousness for our sin), we are called to imitate or Father and live a life of love and purity (5:1 and ff.). D. Feet fitted (binding something on your feet) with the preparedness of the gospel of peace – 1. The foundational truth and central message is the Gospel of Peace – “This is precisely the focus of Ephesians 2:14–18, where God’s Messiah by his death makes peace: he destroys the alienation between Jew and Gentile, creates in himself one new humanity out of the two, and in this body reconciles them both to God (vv. 15–16).” (O’Brien) 2. The other emphasis is Gospel readiness – The implied military sandals (half-boots) were particularly important for stability and lengthy marching… a. For one, it is the gospel of peace that gives us firm footing. (Surely we need our feet well-grounded under us for hand-to-hand combat.) – In this sense it would refer to a believer’s stability or surefootedness gained from the gospel that gives him perfect peace so he can stand in the battle.  Confident in God through faith in Christ (first part of ch. 2), confident in now being one with God in the body of Christ (2nd part of ch. 2), inner confidence in the resurrection strength of God in us (ch. 3) both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Php. 2:13). Based on that confidence in the gospel of peace that is now our own, Paul calls us in chs. 4 and following to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. b. In another sense our standing firm on the ground already won can be pictured as an offensive stance, as we carry out attacks into “enemy territory” to announce the gospel of peace to those who are yet held captive by the powers of this present darkness.  This is missionary work. (with the endurance provided by God in the gospel of peace to keep on going) – In this way it would be reminiscent of Is. 52:7 (which Paul quotes deliberately in Rom. 10:15) – How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” 3. Define paradox: Being engaged in spiritual warfare announcing the gospel of peace  The question is: Are you prepared with a firm footing in the gospel of peace? Are you ready to go forth and make known the gospel of peace? E. (And in all, in everything, in each skirmish, in every circumstance, at all times) Taking up the shield of faith – the large rectangular one that protected the whole body (not the small round one). 1. Faith is the shield. – of being a genitive of apposition, where it means the shield which is faith as opposed to the shield belonging to faith. Faith is completely trusting in God and therefore completely trusting what he says. a. There are repeated references to believing and faith in Eph., an important early one coming in 1:13. Then faith is mentioned particularly in conjunction with laying hold of God’s resources, especially his power (1:19, 3:16-17), so being “able” to extinguish the devil’s attacks. It’s interesting to note the connection to prayer. b. Flaming darts is a reference to arrows that had been dipped in pitch and then were lit and launched from a bow, the metaphorical language for every kind of attack the devil launches against Christ’s church, the people of God.  Not only every kind of temptation to ungodly behavior (as mentioned in 4:26–27), to doubt and despair, but also external assaults, such as persecution and false teaching. 2. In your life, how does Satan try to penetrate your defenses, try to get around or cause you to put down your faith shield? Why is faith a shield against such attacks? a. Paul’s instruction is to be always taking up your shield, which is faith in God. And trust in God is surely strengthened the more we know Him. And we know him by his revealing himself in his word (in our text also called the sword of the Spirit). Take care to strengthen your faith and grow in your ability to handle it well. b. Jerry Bridges wisely notes that faith takes both renunciation and reliance. We renounce any trust in our own performance as the basis of our acceptance before God. (good works or bad works, sin) So too we must place our reliance entirely on the perfect obedience and sin-bearing death of Christ as the sole basis of our standing before God—on our best days as well as our worst.... And we must rely entirely on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and not our own strength. c. One final important note is that faith in God is demonstrated by obedience to God. F. Having received/accepted (δέξασθε) the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit 1. What protects the head is salvation  Surely its no coincidence that Paul speaks of salvation being a helmet that protects the head. Psalm 140:7 O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle. 2. Substantiated knowledge of salvation gives us confidence about the outcome of the battle, what has been accomplished but not yet completed in its final sense (when Christ returns), but it is a guaranteed salvation—so we are protected to the end. 3. The present aspect of salvation is that we now live having been rescued from death, bondage, and wrath and have been made God’s sons, given his life, transferred into his kingdom, and made to imitate him and to be in his service with our remaining days on this earth. (That’s a pretty good head covering!) 4. What is protecting your head? – Security of a believer’s salvation is revealed in God’s word, but assurance for the believer comes as he applies that truth to himself. – And how careful are you to guard your thought-life? As Satan attacks our heads with discouragement and doubt, our confidence is in a guaranteed salvation as well as God-empowered sanctification. When endurance is needed in desperate measure, feel the safety of the helmet of salvation you have received from your Savior. G. The sword of the Spirit here refers to a shorter sword, a weapon used in close combat. 1. It is the Spirit who is the source of the sword and therefore the one who makes it powerful and effective (Heb. 4:12). This sword that the Spirit enables us to use as a powerful and effective weapon is the word of God. 2. The word of God is his revelation of himself to mankind. – Rheima (word) is often used interchangeably with logos, but may particularly emphasize the word of God spoken, proclaimed. This could emphasize the gospel of God, the story of his promises and redemptive plan throughout history which culminates in the person and work of God the Son, Jesus the Christ.  That is of critical importance, but it is still safe to say that this reference is to the whole of Scripture as well. a. The Bible IS the word of God (that’s the doctrine of inspiration – not that it “contains” the word of God or “becomes” the word of God, but it objectively IS the word of God), and it’s completely inerrant (that means it accurate in all of its facts, not just the spiritual truths associated with it). b. And there are four other characteristics of scripture that you should know. You can remember them with the acronym SCAN. Sufficiency – God’s word is enough. Clarity (older term perspicuity) – God’s word is clear. Authority – God’s word is final. Necessity – God’s word is necessary. 3. Consider again the role of the Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the agent of God’s authorship of Scripture, and the agent who quickens those who are dead in sin to new life in Christ, and the agent of Christ’s indwelling in his people, and the agent of filling His people to defend themselves as well as speak forth God’s truth. *And it is the word of God (by the Holy Spirit) that arms you with the promises of God and sound doctrines derived there to courageously make your defense. 4. How are you doing with receiving the sword of the Spirit to put it to good use? – Psalm 19 I know that there is so much more that could be said about these things, but allow our discussion today to be a catalyst for further thinking on your own…