God's Armor: The How

​ ESV14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

D. Prayer

E. Context

a. Who’s responsibility is it to put on the armor of God?

1. Is it Gods…is it ours…the truth is, both

i. look how many times Paul acknowledges our responsibility:

-vs 14 stand…having fastened…put on

-vs 15 put on

-vs 16 take up

-vs17 take the helmet & sword

ii. Yet, who’s armor is it?

- God’s!

-God’s armor is too big for us to put on alone!

-So, how do we put on God sized armor?

II. BODY

A. Put on God’s armor

​ ESV14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

a. Belt of sincere motivation (having girded ur loins) (how do u know ur motivations r sincere?)

1. (when dealing w/sincerity) we need a heart check - how?

i. Seek God to search your heart

​ ESV23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

-heart: inner identity

*we’re asking God to search our inner most self

ii. (when u find something amiss) repent

-repentance has 3 parts (mark driscal describes)

*confession- coming clean b4 God w/what u did (insincere motivation)

*contrition- seeing sin the way God sees it!

*change- turning from the sin 2 God

~seen in ps 51

​ ESV10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

^create in me: confessing brokenness & recognizing it for what it is - sin

^turning 2ward God from the sin

^who does the changing in these vs? - God does!-So, Our role in putting on sincere motivation is to seek God for it! - remember:

​ ESV13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

iii. When we repent God creates in us the sincere motivation to love God & people

-Hence “create in me a clean heart” & “renew a right spirit”

b. breastplate of just action as God sees it

1. learn from God what is right

​ ESV10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

i. this communicates the need for personal, intimate time spent w/God & his word

-Salvation isn’t just about heaven, it’s about eternity spent in rel. w/God forever starting 2day

2. Submit yourself to the discipleship process

​ ESV19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

i. This communicates the need for a personal rel. & time spent w/God through others

-God, in rel. w/HIS people, works through HIS people 2 guide HIS people

*w/that said, it’s not enough to listen & learn from God & HIS people...

3. live out what u learn

​ ESV22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

i. Going to Church every Sunday is NOT enough!

-We must put in2 action what we hear!

-We must spend time w/God personally & do what HE says

-We must spend time w/God w/others & do what HE says through them

-We must disciple others!*it’s in our learning & living Jesus’ ways that we put on the breast plate of right action

c. shoes of the Gospel

​ ESV15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

1. seek the power of God’s spirit so u can witness

​ ESV8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

i. power: power in action

-diff. btwn kinetic and potential energy

*potential energy is the stored up energy in a body

*kinetic is energy in motion~it’s not enough to have God’s pwr in us, it must be used, put to action!

~what is the action? in this context: witness~to tell people about what Jesus has done (the Gospel) and how that’s changed u

2. be ready

​ ESV15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

i. (how?) know the Gospel so you can share it

- The Gospel communicates

*Our need of a savior (we’re sinners w/out God)

*God’s love for humanity made evident by HIM sending HIS son Jesus to

~pay the price of sin

~& bring about eternal restored relationship w/God starting today by his death

*& then Jesus rose from the dead so that we are a new creation no longer bound by our sin

* 2 vs that will help:

​ ESV23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

​ ESV17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

ii. Know your story: who I was, what the gospel is & who I am now

- write it all down; say it in the mirror- invite a frnd over & tell ‘em ur story

- pray 4 an open door- need some help? in bulletin an invite card