“The Courage to Fight”

Prepared to Prevail Series – Pt. 2

Text: Eph. 6:10-12

PPHC – 1/14/07 a.m.

I. The Nature of Your Armor

A. Our Dependence Upon the Lord

B. God has Provided the Armor, but We Must Have the Courage to Fight

  1. Some are equipped today, yet, they have tossed in the towel; they have given up.

  2. The best-equipped soldier is only as good as his heart for the fight.

·        Illustration: Must Get the Sinner Lost before He can be Saved

·        Illustration: Indian Mating Season (2 Indian braves & a prospector were walking along together one day. As they walked, they came across the opening of a cave. One brave shouted out, "Woo-Ooh". From inside the cave came a reply..."Woo-Ooh". The young brave ran inside the cave. Went a little farther and the next brave did the same thing. Again, the result and he ran inside the cave. Left alone, the prospector came across a huge cave...thinking he would try it for himself, he hollered out, "Woo-Ooh". From deep inside the cave came the reply as before. Excitedly, the prospector ran into the cave....The next day’s headlines read…“Naked Prospector Run Over by Steaming Locomotive!” – We are no match for the enemy – until we see that, we will not see the need for the armor.)

II. The Need for Your Armor

 A. You Need the Armor…Because of Your Enemy 

  1. Note carefully: we read generically principalities, powers… - (the “article” in the Greek -

the literal rendering is ‘THE principality, THE power, THE ruler…” – noting that we are

facing THE same angel of darkness that Christ himself triumphed over; therefore, we must

be clothed in HIM.  (…that ye MAY BE ABLE to stand)

·         And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. [1]

• Implies that you will NOT be able to stand without Him!

   a. Those that believe in Christ Jesus CAN overcome! – 1 Jn. 5:4

    1. “…whatsoever is born of God overcometh (nikao – to carry off in victory) the world…”

• Illustration: Eagles intake of DDT. Made them unable to lay healthy eggs. (Extinction?)
• For those about to throw in the towel: “…can’t take it anymore; (are you feeding the soul/spirit?)

  2. Satan’s attacks are spiritual in nature - v. 12

   a. Wrestling (pale’ - palh) (hand-to hand combat) to throw, swing; a contest between two

until one hurls the other down and holds him down.

   b. “If you don’t use God’s spiritual weapons, you are going to war with a cap pistol.”

• David knew of this as he asked of God prior to going into battle; He waited for a “sound of a going” in the treetops (2 Sam. 5).

    1. We sometimes use... 1) our anger, 2) positive thinking, 3) New Year’s resolutions.

       91 million Americans make a New Year's resolution each year, and - 70 million of them break those commitments by the end of the first week. Leadership Wired, J. Maxwell

   c. Know your enemy: 1) Principalities (arche’- arch{Heb. Roshe}= chiefs of demons;

2) Powers = authorities (exousi’a); 3) Rulers (kosmokrator} = kosmos - “arrangement” & kratos - “ruler”) of the darkness 3) Wicked spirits (pone’ria) in the heavenlies.

    1. “The devil has various stratagems (methodeia) —discouragement, frustration, confusion, moral failure, and doctrinal error. He knows our weakest point and aims for it. If he cannot disable us by one method, he will try for another.” 1

  3.  2 Cor. 10:4  - “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (“mighty through God…pulling

down of strongholds.”)

 B.You Need the Armor… Because of Your Victory  (the nature of the victory Christ has won)

  1. Our goal in the spiritual is to stand firm (hold the ground that Jesus has ALREADY won).

   a. “Jesus waged a triumphant battle against Satan, disarmed the evil powers and authorities of wickedness, led out the captives, and redeemed the believer from Satan’s dominion!” a

   b. We are fighting from the point of victory, not “for” victory.

• We are like a football team that is ahead 72-0 late in the game. When you’re up by that many points, winning is no longer the issue. You’re only on the field to hold your ground and to keep the other team from scoring. (Ex. Clemson/Carolina – 2003 – 56-17 at the start of the 4th qtr.)

   b. Would you go out tomorrow and borrow money if you already had a million $ in the bank

account? Would you go out on the streets like a pauper and ask, “Buddy, can you spare a

dime” if your daddy owned it all?

    1. Some of us are walking around as spiritual paupers when Christ has credited to our

account all His power and authority.

 C. You Need the Armor…Because of the Evil Day - 6:13

  1. What is “the evil day?”

   a. Some have suggested the “tribulation period" “when things are at their worst.”

   b. Paul stated that the days were “already evil” (5:16) – the fight was on (the armor is needed

 NOW if the believer is to stand.).

  2. When those times come along, you will need to have your armor on.

   a. Job saw that day come upon him - yet he stood firm - “Though He slay me, I will hope in

Him” - Job 13:15.

    1. God wants us to hold our ground and not budge when the evil day comes

• Conclusion: “Beating the Bombardment”

a  Full Life Study Bible, Dr. Donald Stamps, Zondervan, p. 1858

[1]The Holy Bible : King James Version

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d in it: or, in himself