Surge 2021 Session 2
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This is How I Fight My Battles
This is How I Fight My Battles
Intro:
Today you have heard from some of our leaders about the armor of God.
We Heard from Caleb O- who spoke about the belt of truth
From Trone Dawg- about the breastplate of righteousness
We learned about the feet of readiness in the Gospel of peace from Natalie
We heard from the Austin about the shield of faith
We heard Andi story of salvation as she spoke about wearing the helmet of salvation
We heard from John about taking our defense and turning to the Sword of the spirit for our offense
Then we heard about how we communicate through prayer from Tamera.
My hope is that you have a great understanding of each of these armor pieces
You have heard stories of how they have used the armor of God in their lives.
And as we come to the end of our weekend, I want us to get a really good understand of how we fight our battles.
How we gear up to get out into the world.
How you need to get up everyday prepared to take on the enemy.
Maybe this weekend you have maybe felt out of place.
Like you have no idea how to put on the armor of God, or if you even have the right pieces?.
I remember playing basketball in high school, and we packed up and left for Sherrard- oh i hate them.
So we got there and we all got dressed, and I was going through my pre-game stuff, drinking a mountain dew and having my Twizzler Nibs.
We get ready to head out and I realize I don’t have my basketball shoes.
I had my dress shoes but not my baller shoes.
I start to freak out, thinking someone took them, I checked my bag several times, nothing!
Thankfully an underclassmen let me borrow his shoes that were smelly and stinky because they had just played.
So that was gross, but I figured no big deal.
Then some of my teammates were laughing at me.
I was like whatever— they are just shoes its all good.
It was then in that moment I realized I was not wearing the same uniform as everyone else.
They were in maroon and I was in white.
Panic sets in again, I was scrambling now!
Checking my bag again and again- nothing.
Thankfully our coach always brought a back up jersey, unfortunately it had to fit the biggest guy on the team, which is was not, so I was wearing a huge jersey that kept falling off my shoulders, shorts that had to be taped around me to get them to stay up and shoes that were to small for me feet.
Any idea on how I played that night?
TERRIBLELY!
It was one of the worst games I ever played.
I was ill-prepared, I was not ready for the game.
When we do not gear up— this is what we look like, we try to throw on other pieces of gear that is not our own.
We try to make it fit, we try to fill it out, but in the end we just find ourselves not ready for that is ahead of us.
So tonight as we wrap up I want to take about three truths from the rest of Ephesians chapter 6.
The first truth is:
Putting on God’s Armor is an everyday routine
Putting on God’s Armor is an everyday routine
If you were in the middle of a battle- you would not stop and take off your armor would you?
No way- you could get attacked any second in a battle.
Then here is the question— why are we not gearing up for battle everyday?
Maybe because the evil days are not here yet?
in verse 13 Paul states:
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Put on the armor of God that you MAY BE ABLE to withstand in the EVIL DAY— When the evil comes.
Yeah I have news for ya, Paul already saw the days as evil.
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Paul is telling them there don’t be fools- be wise.
The days that we live in are evil.
I do not think I need to convince you of that.
If I do, shot me a message and we talk about how 2 week old babies are left in trash cans, or how little girls are taken from their families to be forced into be sex slaves, or how students bring guns to school, people are mean, and they are cruel, we see the human heart of selfishness, greed, and desire— we see the porn industry makes 9 billion dollars a year- We see that sin is all fun and games— marriage that was suppose to mean something is treated as disposable.
I hope that you do not need convincing that we live in an evil day.
Which is why it is critical that we gear up.
So like everyday when I get ready for the day, what do I do?
I go to my closet and I put out my outfit.
What matches what, nope I can’t wear those shoes, they don’t match— right i am sure this is pretty typical for all of us.
We would never leave the house naked, that is be embarrassing and shameful.
And if we would never leave our house naked or with a mismatching outfit— then why do we leave our house without first putting on the armor of God.
I believe that we can make the case that this is more important than if your shoes match.
There is an invisible war going on around us— people are going to hell— we have consist temptations in our lives— and we are more worried about our drip— then our spiritual armor and then we wonder how come we can’t resist temptation— how come my addictions are still there— why can’t I just stop doing what I don’t want to do—It because you are leaving your house unarmed, unprepared, and outmatched every single day— but hey at least you look good.
Folks showing up to church or youth group— doesn’t cut it.
As you go out into this world you have to understand that flaming arrows are going to come after you, and flaming arrows have no rules.
Flaming Arrows have no rules
Flaming Arrows have no rules
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
Flaming arrows have no boundaries.
They can strike at anytime.
Flaming arrows are shot with a purpose.
That purpose was to destroy.
To destroy building, houses, your defenses.
Now that of course was in medieval time, we don’t tend to see this much anymore of course.
Yet what kind of flaming arrows of darts is Paul talking about?
He is talking about Satan shooting you with temptation over and over and over again.
He does not take break.
He keeps sending them over and over again.
These flaming arrows are shot to destroy you.
Of course it is not always temptation it could be persecution as well.
Paul the author here is telling his readers that in all circumstance flaming arrows are coming and they are going to keep coming.
I am sure many of you are wondering what are some flaming arrows?
I’m glad you asked.
These again are temptations and or persecutions that are coming at you from the evil one.
They could be but are not limited too:
Making something an idol in your life, selfishness, fear, disappointment, gossip, lust— you know what let just read a couple of places where we see temptations:
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The temptation to make ourselves great.
The temptation to be jealous of what others have.
To put things and or people above God.
These are the flaming arrows being shot at us daily!
Sometimes we can brush them off— no big deal.
Other times we feel overwhelmed with the situation and satan knocks that arrow and takes sight and launches that arrow right at you.
And here is the deal— it can be at anytime/ anyplace/ with anyone.
I personally think satan chooses moments where we are the weakest to attack because it is just easier for him to make those temptations stick or maybe it is because when we are at our best/ when we have put on the full armor of God- the arrows don’t tend to faze us.
Flaming arrows have no rules of combat.
The armies that used them would fire away without really a care of what they may start on fire.
Satan does not give a rip about how crappy your week has been.
That you have gone weeks without seeing your friends.
That you just lost a family member.
That you have been told you have some disease.
SATAN DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR PROBLEMS BECAUSE HE IS LOOKING TO ADD MORE TO YOUR PLATE.
He is looking to cause you more pain and agony.
He is looking to trip you up and have you fall into sin.
Because when we fall into sin we are saying— sorry God I know better, I have earned this, I deserve this, I need this, I want this, you don’t understand what it is like—
on and on we go justifying ourselves as we keep getting hit by these flaming arrows.
What I do find interesting about flaming arrows is that they should draw us closer to God.
Temptation in the form of arrows draws us closer to our shield.
It draws us closer to our savior.
It draws us closer to our God.
If you are seek protection of refuge from something, would you stand back from what was protecting you or would you press into it?
Some of the most important times in my faith have been when I was going through temptations and instead of trying fight it alone, I leaned into the Father.
David who wrote many of the psalms said something as he was going through trials and persecutions.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
We take refuge in the only one who can offer us refuge.
Draw near to God.
Allow him to take care of the arrows— take up your shield.
Seek refuge in Him.
What are some flaming arrows that you have hitting you right now in your life?
Can you think of a time recently where you have been tempted and you gave in— because you were at a low point either spiritually, mentally, or physically?
So what do we do?
If the devil is not taking a day off from shooting the arrows at us— guess what!
Neither can we.
Paul writes very clearly saying in every situation, in every circumstance you must be prepared to fight.
How do we fight.
My gearing up everyday.
We must be protected.
BUT HOW?
Well by now I hope that you know that you are not alone.
You are not going to extinguish those arrows on your own.
We have to put on the whole armor of God because the armor of God was wore by someone else before us.
Protection comes from Christ.
Christ is your Protection
Christ is your Protection
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
The armor of God, while found in the new testament is not only found here, but also in the OT.
Look at Isaiah
He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
This was written about 700 years before Jesus came to the earth.
You see Christ had to put on this armor.
As He is the only one who is righteous.
and Salvation is what HE brings.
Now that is what Isaiah was getting at here, and here is why Paul is telling us to also put not only gear up but specially putting on the breast plate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation.
The believer, the one who believes in Jesus, puts them on to do righteousness and to receive salvation.
Christ’s salvation is the ultimate assurance of protection.
The helmet of salvation is part of this defensive armor, designed for our protection and safety.
Now this can also be taken as a gift of salvation from the penalty of sin.
The penalty of sin that was bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus.
But what if it goes even further?
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
That on that day when Jesus comes to bring us home- The hope of salvation that we will be finally delivered from the very presence of sin.
AND IF WE DO NOT HAVE THIS HOPE- we can be easily wounded and attacked.
YET when we have this hope, OH what a hope indeed that this battle that is unseen will be done and we are told to not just put on a helmet for war but a helmet of victory.
You know who wears victory helmets?
THE WINNERS!
Those who are victorious.
It shows us— it reminds us that the battle is already won!
Victory has already been claimed.
But here’s the deal.
Maybe this salvation— this hope that is found in Jesus— maybe you have not experienced this yet.
Maybe you are searching for something— and everything else just comes up empty,.
And maybe that is how you feel right now is just empty.
and you keep getting attacked over and over again.
and you keep getting knocked down.
and this enemy is surrounding you and you feel hopeless.
you are at the bottom of the pit looking up looking for something, anything, anyone!
Salvation is found in Christ.
Hope is found in Christ
Love is found in Christ.
Love is what compelled this rescue plan with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit- God allowed it, Jesus to come to earth to live a perfect life to be your substitute.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
You needed someone or something to pay this price with blood, and before Jesus it was a perfect lamb.
But through our perfect lamb- the way the truth and the life, the resurrection and the life— Jesus freely shed his blood so that your sins would be covered once and for all!
and you now have this open channel of communication with God
You see salvation is for all who believe in Christ.
And when you have this salvation you are protected/ you are in the flock as a sheep who looks to the shepherd to guide and direct your path.
YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE— IT is impossible for you to pull yourself up at out of the pit— It is only possible when you give your life to Jesus!
HE OFFERS THE PROTECTION BECAUSE HE IS THE SALVATION THAT YOU TAKE AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH.
O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Allow Christ to protect you.
Come to the Father who shields you from the attack of the enemy.
I pray that you turn your life over to Jesus today.
Its as simple as saying, Jesus— I have messed up, i am guilty, please forgive me, my life is yours, I believe in you, I put my trust in you and you alone for only you have the power to save. I’m yours.
If you prayed that i want you to reach out and let me know, let your breakout leader know, let your friends know, your parents! Everyone!
Because you are now in God’s family! Tell someone!
Now if you have already accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior we still put on the helmet of salvation.
Here is why; I love this quote from John Stott
The Message of Ephesians 3. The Armour of God (Verses 13–20)
“But whether our head piece is that measure of salvation which we have already received (forgiveness, deliverance from Satan’s bondage, and adoption into God’s family) or the confident expectation of full salvation on the last day (including resurrection glory and Christ-likeness in heaven), there is no doubt that God’s saving power is our only defence against the enemy of our souls.”
No matter where you are at in your walk with the Lord the helmet of salvation is critical for your walk.
Our best offense to combat the battle that is unseen, is trusting in God, carrying your sword- in God’s word, drawing close to the Lord when the flaming arrows are coming your way and offering up prayer to the Lord to give you a hand.
That is how we combat the enemy— it has very little to do with you and everything to do with God.
As you head out from here remember to GEAR-UP
Pray