Outline: Shoes & Shield for War | Ephesians 6:15–16

Title: Shoes & Shield for War

Text: Ephesians 6:15-16

Series: Strength in Spiritual Warfare

Introduction:

Are you properly equipped for the most important struggle of your life?

Illustration:

Miamisburg Turkey Trott: full scuba-diving outfit — flippers included.

Why we need this message:

Positively

Someone who sees evil in this world but cannot make sense of it.

A Christian teenager who has been knocked down by the fighting/arguing and lack of love between his parents

A Christian husband who is married to a wife who must have control.

A believer who finds out that she was slandered by another person in the church.

A Christian husband who has become bitter towards his wife.

A Senior Saint who is constantly worried about what will happen to family when he/she gone.

A parent who is continually being lied to her by son or daughter.

Negatively

A Christian husband secretly indulging in pornography

Professing Christians who are having illicit sexual relations

A Christian wife who must have control

A teenager who is angry at parents who said, “No.”

A Christian woman who is not self-aware of her gossip and slander

As I look at the Church today I see large numbers of people whose feet are not shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. I see them slipping and sliding—Evangelicals as well as others! Men are no longer standing, they are no longer resolute, they no longer know what to believe, and they do not told to it, come what may. - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Are you properly equipped for the most important struggle of your life?

Subject

Ephesians 6:15-16 commands us to be strong and to put on the armor of God.

Even though Jesus has dealt the decisive blow to Satan, there is still resistance which we encounter, and we must stand against this opposition.

Existential Question

Am I properly equipped for the war?

Preview

(1) The Problem of Spiritual Warfare

(2) The Solution for Spiritual Warfare

Point(s)

(1) The Problem of Spiritual Warfare

Statement of Idea

We are too weak by ourselves to stand in the midst of real spiritual warfare.

Illustration

How weak are we really? Luke 22:31-33

We still have the same enemy, and we are engaged in war, but we are too weak by ourselves to stand in the midst of this real spiritual warfare.

Explanation

How do we deal with our weakness?

Ephesians 6:10. Be strong in the Lord [Identity and continual progression]

What are we expected to do?

Ephesians 6:11. Stand by putting on the armor of God.

What should I believe about this warfare?

Ephesians 6:12. That it is real even though it is not against flesh and blood.

Example/Application

Whatever the external symptoms of the problem are, we must see them as manifestations of spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 4:26-27

(2) The Solution for Spiritual Warfare

Statement of Idea

The solution for standing in spiritual warfare is putting on the specific weaponry of God.

Illustration

October 13, 2001

Tyson v. Nielsen, with around 35 seconds left in the third round, Tyson was able to land a six-punch combination to the head of Nielsen that sent Nielsen into the ropes and down onto the canvas in what was only the second knockdown of his career. Nielsen was able to get back up and the fight resumed with 16 seconds...As the bell rang to start the seventh round, Nielsen remained seated in his corner and informed referee Steve Smoger that he could not continue...

The solution for standing in spiritual warfare is putting on the specific weaponry of God.

Explanation

(1) Belt of Truth - the gospel has established what is true, and we are to be people who live by and speak the truth.

(2) Breastplate of righteousness - because we have received the righteousness of God through the faith in Jesus Christ, we should be people committed to living right among one another.

(3) Gospel Shoes (Ephesians 6:15)

Historically: firmer footing...

Doctrinally. the gospel of peace.

What does gospel of peace mean?

Ephesians 1:2, God is the Source of this peace.

Ephesians 2:12, the Ephesians were without God. They were not at peace with God.

Ephesians 2:13-14, Jesus is our peace. There are two aspects of this peace:

There is peace with God in Jesus Christ through the gospel.

Doctrine of Reconciliation - “To overcome our separation from God, we needed someone to provide reconciliation and thereby bring us back into fellowship with God.” - Grudem

There is peace with one another in Jesus Christ through the gospel. Ephesians 2:15-17.

"By reconciling you to himself, God also reconciles you to his family, the church, and enables you as his people to represent together his own holy character and triune glory." - Leeman

If Jesus has fulfilled this, how do WE put this on?

Notice the preparation of the gospel of peace which means the readiness. How are we to be ready? Two aspects:

Unity in Life

Unity in Light

"Believer's preparation for standing firm and prevailing against the alienating and fragmenting powers of evil is the harmony produced by the gospel." - Lincoln in WBC

Unity in Life (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Christians adorn the readiness of the gospel when they intentionally maintain unity by:

Unity through Speech:

Honesty (4:25)

Transparency (4:26)

Example #1 Apology to one of our staff members because of gossip about someone NOT in our assembly.

Unity through Practice:

Giving (4:28)

Example #1 There a few kinds of people. There are those who give but are too proud to take. There are those who don’t give but they selfishly take. Then, there are those who give and are humble enough to receive.

Pure Speech (4:29)

Forgiveness (4:32)

Example #1: The unmarried. One of the ways you exercise the gospel of peace is when you seek to live purely. Ephesians 5:2-3

Example #2: The married. One of the ways you exercise the gospel of peace is when you seek the unity of your marriage.

Unity in Light (Ephesians 5:1,8)

Christians adorn the readiness of the gospel when they

LOVE: (5:2)

REPENTANCE (HEART SIN) (5:3)

Example: Satan appealed to Jesus with the kingdoms of the world and with food. He is the master manipulator and he appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life.

- a lack of contentment with job

- a lack of contentment with parents

- a lack of contentment with your clothing style

- a lack of contentment with singleness

- a lack of contentment with current status (mom, mother…etc)

Christians who are putting on the gospel shoes are those who are at peace with God through Jesus, and are pursuing peace with brethren. You are bringing the good news to other Christians and this becomes the testimony to the dark world.

Matthew 5:9 KJV 1900

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

(4) Faith Shield (Ephesians 6:16)

Historically: two pieces of wood, iron bands, leather coating; protect the full body; drench their shields in water just before battle..

Doctrinally. Faith is trust or belief or reliance

What is a shield of faith?

Ephesians 1:15 Reliance upon Jesus Christ

Ephesians 2:8 Salvation received

Ephesians 3:12 Resolute route to the Father (2:18)

Ephesians 3:17 Increasingly reflect - character of Christ.

J.I. Packer calls the shield of faith "active trust in Christ and his promises" (Packer, JI, 18 Words, p. 88)

How do I use the shield of faith?

Thus, faith is a growing reliance upon Jesus Christ that is manifested by active love toward all the saints, and increasing obedience to the truth as the body of Christ.

We choose to rely on Jesus when darts of doubt are hurled at us.

The darts of TWISTED SCRIPTURE. [as Satan in the wilderness] Matthew 4:6

The Christian Soldier: An Exposition of Ephesians 6:10–20 Chapter 20: Stand Fast

If people paid attention to the context most of our problems of interpretation would be solved. Most heresies have arisen because men have lifted a word or a phrase entirely out of its context and elaborated a false theory or a point of view out of it.

Today, these are darts that lead people to either attend or leave churches because of misapplied scripture.

Ex #1: “God broke the law for love.” - S. Furtick

Ex #2: “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way...”

Ex #3: “The words of the Lord pure words…Thou shalt keep them, O LORD...”

These are ways that faith in the truth is replaced by faith in forms of truth.

The darts PEER PRESSURE. [i.e., Peter’s denial of Christ/Gospel, lying, stealing…circumstances that lead us to rely on loveless acts towards brothers and sisters in Christ]. Galatians 2:12

Ex #1: Are you so afraid of what people will think that you are willing to lie?

Ex #2: What about sexual pressure? Are you so moved by the prevalence of illicit sex that you allow yourself to see this is a goal of your non-covenantal relationship?

These are ways in which faith in the scripture is subverted by faith in the thoughts of people.

People are led to replace trust in Christ with trust in personal vengeance, perceived control, or willful neglect.

Application:

Be a student of the word as part of your church.

Be a student of your motives as part of your church. Is there anyone in the body of Christ who you allow to help examine your motives?

Bridge to Conclusion:

Am I properly equipped for the war?

The problem is that we are too weak to stand on our own. The Solution is the armor of God: the gospel of peace shoes and the shield of faith.

Conclusion:

Bare foot and unshielded Christians are those who are vulnerable in their marriages, in their homes, in their parenting, in their employments…etc. Don’t be ill-equipped for the real warfare at hand.

Illustration: “I never thought this would happen to me...”

Volleyball game in VA. Can in mud/cut foot...

Negative/Positive:

Some are speaking to their husbands in a way that is not in pursuit of peace.

Some are students of the latest car magazine but have difficulty stomaching the study of the word.

Others have become comfortable with attempting to live isolated from the body.

Some feel like everything is falling apart.

Be strong in who you are in Christ.

Speak kindly to each other.

Forsake not the assembly.

Final Clear Statement

Standing in the midst of spiritual warfare demands that we armor up our feet with the gospel of peace and have an active faith against fiery darts of doubt.