15. Lesson 15 Ephesians The Armour of God 1 Ephesians 6 verses 10 to 14
Notes
Transcript
Church of Christ Dapto
The letter to the Church in Ephesus
Lesson 15 – The armour of God 1 The Belt and the Breastplate
Ephesians 6:10-14
Chosen to stand in power
The command
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
The means
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
The foe
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
The purpose
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armour 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.
The armour protects
You are to use the full armour, not part of it, because only with all the armour are you fully protected.
The purpose of the armour is to ensure: that you can stand your ground after you have done all your work; that you
will not be led back into your past life, or be diverted into false paths, but stand on the rock of Christ.
These are a set of instructions about how to don the armour and the benefits you are to gain from the armour.
You must put the armour on and rely on it. The armour is designed to do its work after you dress in it.
Isaiah 59:15-17 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and
was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was
no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained
him. He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the
garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a
breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
Wearing the armour is a choice.
If you refuse to don it, you cannot complain that you are defenceless in this world and the attacks of evil effect you.
If you refuse to use it, you cannot complain that the other means of protection that you rely on do not work.
The other means of protection may try to use are: your own common sense, your years as a Christian, your
own strength of will, your own stubbornness, your own cleverness, your own goodness, your own sense of
right and wrong.
You must use the means that God provides as your protection if you wish to be protected.
He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4
Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series
The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 15 The Armour of God 1 – The Belt and the Breastplate
January 12, 2020
The armour of God
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Paul is using images to explain a deep spiritual truth and bring the encouragement God gives.
All Christians are under attack from Satan and his people. His aim is to destroy our faith and try to cause us to give
up the salvation that Christ has given us. His motives are never for our good because nothing he does is good, or
produces good. His motives are always to destroy.
Because we are under attack, and God knows we are under attack, God provides complete protection for us from
any scheme that Satan can plan.
You are not called to wear real armour but to imagine you are wearing the armour that God provides.
Paul talks of armour because God gives us these gifts for protection so we can withstand spiritual attacks.
These blessings are stronger than physical armour and last much longer.
The Belt of Truth
Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
Truth is the quality of facts which do not change and will not change. Truth is the accurate details of the past,
present and future. Truth cannot be changed by varying opinion, or different circumstances. Truth is genuine
and real, not wishful thinking or fantasy. Truth is not affected by bias, prejudice or partiality.
The belt of truth about the waist
The truth binds all the armour together.
The belt holds the armour in place and holds the Sword.
Truth protects from lies and counters lies. You cannot defeat one lie with another.
With the Belt of Truth in place you will be immune to the lies of Satan and his people when they attack and accuse
you of things you did not do, say, or think.
With this belt you will never practice deceit—not deceive yourself, or deceive others, or try to deceive God.
Christ brought Truth
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Truth.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me”.
We know Truth in Christ
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
We are to live by Truth
John 3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has
done has been done through God."
We worship God in Truth
John 4:24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."
He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4
Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series
The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 15 The Armour of God 1 – The Belt and the Breastplate
January 12, 2020
We have the Spirit of Truth within
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John 14:17...the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But
you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
The Spirit of Truth shows us the Truth
John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his
own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
We must never practice deceit
2 Corinthians 4:2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we
distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to
every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
We are to speak the Truth in love
Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that
is, Christ.
We know the Truth
1 John 2:21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because
no lie comes from the truth.
The belt of truth protects us against the attacks of evil which rely on lies:
“You are not really saved.” “You are not strong enough.”
“You are not clever enough.” “You are a very weak Christian.” “You can never overcome your sins they are too
strong.”
“I will fix my life up by doing all that I think I should, tomorrow, or next week, or next year.”
“The people of the world know more than you do so you should listen to them because they are clever and you
are not.”
“God does not mean what He says. He will not judge anyone, or send anyone to eternal punishment.”
“A little sin here or there does not matter, God will forgive you afterwards.”
The Belt of Truth shows the foundation of our faith in Christ.
He is the Truth and the only Way to God. We wear that fact as the foundation of our lives.
It is a shining light in a world of darkness, revealing the Truth of God in Christ to those whose eyes are blinded by
the lies they choose to believe.
How to put on the Belt of Truth
Ephesians 4:24-25 each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members
of one body.
Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put
on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
1 Peter 3:10 For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from
deceitful speech.
He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4
Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series
The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 15 The Armour of God 1 – The Belt and the Breastplate
January 12, 2020
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The Breastplate of Righteousness
Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then,... with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Righteousness means the quality of rightness. An act of righteousness is one based on Truth and God’s
Goodness. A righteous act is the right thing to do in any situation, when the standard of right is God Himself
and what He wants done. There is nothing temporary about righteousness. A righteous thought or act will
always be right, now and for eternity, because it is done through God. A righteous act is pure of motive and
beyond truthful criticism.
Everything God has done was right, everything He does is right, and everything He will do is right.
Those who have the righteousness of God have no fear of God ever calling them to account for the sins He has
forgiven.
The breastplate of righteousness
The breastplate protects the chest and heart and the back.
The breastplate of righteousness protects your heart against the attacks which question your righteousness in
Christ.
The breastplate of righteousness is the standard by which you live – the badge of your life.
The breastplate of righteousness deflects the attacks of those who question your worthiness to be saved, or those
who claim that you are not good enough or will never be good enough.
The breastplate of righteousness counters the inner thoughts which the false voices promote to convince you of your
own worthlessness and inability to be righteous as God has commanded.
The breastplate of righteousness protects by displaying the righteousness of Christ above your own body to show
you have been given righteousness, not earned it.
Protected by Righteousness
These are the facts of our righteousness which form the Breastplate which protects.
God gives His righteousness
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God.
Righteousness comes from God, not you.
Romans 3:21-23 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which
the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus
Christ to all who believe.
Philippians 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Righteousness is given through God’s Grace, not earned.
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much
more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of
righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Christ within gives life through His righteousness
Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of
righteousness.
He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4
Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series
The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 15 The Armour of God 1 – The Belt and the Breastplate
January 12, 2020
God made you a new person, with His righteousness.
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Ephesians 4:23-24 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to
be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Christ died so that you can live a life of righteousness
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Righteousness is to be our life
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Righteousness brings persecution
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
The breastplate of righteousness protects us against attacks which say:
“You have too many sins in your past for you to ever be righteous.”
“What makes you think that you could be righteous or ever good enough for God?”
“Nothing you can do will ever be good enough for God.”
When Satan whispers to your heart that you are not good enough to deserve Christ, then your faith in your
righteousness in Christ diverts this attack and shows it to be a lie.
You were not good enough to earn our salvation, but you are now good, holy and righteous because Christ has
given you His goodness, His righteousness and His holiness.
1 Corinthians 1:30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God
—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
The Breastplate of Righteousness provides your answer to Satan:
“I will not give up faith in Christ because you try to convince me that I am not good enough. I know I will
never be good enough to earn my salvation, but I have been given Christ’s goodness, holiness and
righteousness and He is the One who is eternally Good, Holy and Righteous. He is more powerful than you.”
How to don the breastplate of righteousness
Romans 6:13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to
God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an
instrument of righteousness.
2 Timothy 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who
call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Ephesians 4:23-24 be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in
true righteousness and holiness.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness,
Accept the fact that God has given you His righteousness through Christ, and accept the power of His righteousness.
Do not ever try to counter an attack with any appeal to your own goodness or righteousness. If you do, Satan has
already won.
He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4
Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series
The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 15 The Armour of God 1 – The Belt and the Breastplate
January 12, 2020
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What does this verse mean for your life?
I have been called and chosen by God to live a life of His wisdom to bring Him glory.
He commands me to be strong in His mighty power.
I am to be strong with His power, not my own.
His power is greater than any other power in this world.
His power is greater than that of any attackers I will face.
He provides me with the means to be strong in His mighty power through the armour He provides.
All I need to do to obey Him and show His strength, not my own, is to accept the whole armour He provides which is
more than strong enough to defeat any attack from the opponents.
I must first take my stand on Truth:
I must always know the Truth in God’s Word.
I must never believe or accept a lie.
I must never live by a lie.
I must never knowingly speak a lie.
I must never allow a lie to continue in my presence but use the Truth of His Word as counter.
I must never deceive myself or attempting to deceive another in any matter.
I must hold all that God has revealed to me as Truth and never doubt it, question it, or allow another to cause
me to doubt or question.
I must acknowledge the cover of Christ’s righteousness.
I accept that I have not earned my salvation, holiness or righteousness, but that God has given it to me in
Christ and through Christ.
Because it has been given to me, and not earned, I should never have cause to question whether I have
enough, or need more righteousness. Christ has given me His!
I know that no-one can question the Truth that Christ is, and was, righteous; that Christ is, and was, holy;
that Christ is, and was good, so therefore I know that no-one can question the righteousness, holiness and
goodness I have been given by Him.
I must never allow anyone or any event to cause me to doubt His righteousness or the fact that He has given it
to me.
If I am living in obedience to Him, I wear His righteousness and must live righteously.
Next Lesson:
The Armour of God 2 – Feet shod and the shield of faith.
Focus Verse: Ephesians 6:12
He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4