Becoming Who We Are (Pt. 5)

INTRO

Be strong

BODY — The Final Charge(Ephesians 6:10-20)

BE STRONG (Ephesians 6:10-12)

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. (Ephesians 6:10)

Our Strength

You don’t have to be strong all by yourself

His Strength

You can depend

But how can we be strong?

PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD(Ephesians 6:11-12)

Putting on God’s armor is our hope.

We must realize, though, that our battle is not against each other, but against the enemy himself.

THEREFORE ...(Ephesians 6:13-18)

The Pieces (Ephesians 6:14-17) NOTE: “The order in which the pieces of armour are described is the order in which the soldier would put them on." (Francis Foulkes)

The Belt of Truth

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary (a. The Christian Conflict (6:10–20))

The metaphor of girding is often used in the Bible because it describes a preparatory action necessary for a person with the flowing garments of those days before work could be done, a race run, or a battle fought

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary (a. The Christian Conflict (6:10–20))

As ‘the girdle … gives ease and freedom of movement’, so ‘it is the truth which gives this freedom with ourselves, with our neighbours and with God. Lack of perfect sincerity hampers us at every turn.

Girding ourselves with the truth of who we are gives us the freedom we’ve been looking for. This freedom cannot be granted to us diplomatically. This freedom cannot be bought or sold. This freedom is already ours. We just need to put it on.

Jesus is the truth we put on. Jesus is the truth sets us free.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

The Message of Ephesians 3. The Armour of God (Verses 13–20)

To have been justified by his grace through simple faith in Christ crucified, to be clothed with a righteousness which is not one’s own but Christ’s, to stand before God not condemned but accepted—this is an essential defence against an accusing conscience and against the slanderous attacks of the evil one, whose Hebrew name (‘Satan’) means ‘adversary’ and whose Greek title (diabolos, ‘devil’) means ‘slanderer’.

The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

“having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace”

This metaphor encourages us to always be ready to share the good news of Jesus. No matter the situation that we are in.

Shoes. Basketball shoes.

How many of you guys like to play basketball?

If you like to play, you know how important it is to have the proper shoes.

If you want to play, but you don’t have your shoes, you can’t play as hard as you’d like.

The Shield of Faith

The large, leather shield would protect the soldiers almost entirely.

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary a. The Christian Conflict (6:10–20)

The apostle knew that only faith’s reliance on God could quench and deflect such weapons whenever they were hurled at the Christian.

There is also something interesting:

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary a. The Christian Conflict (6:10–20)

It is of interest also to recall that the Romans had a system of locking these large shields together for their corporate defence against their enemies and for attack.

“The true safeguard in the evil day lies ever, not in introspection, but in that look wholly outward, God-ward, which is the essence of faith.” (Moule)

The Helmet of Salvation

Helmets not only served as protective equipment, but also decorative equipment. It communicated to other soldiers your position and place.

“That which adorns and protects the Christian, which enables him to hold up his head with confidence and joy, is the fact that he is saved.” (Charles Hodge)

Trusting in your salvation and freedom will protect you from the wildest of self-doubts.

The Sword of the Spirit

It is key to understand that all of these pieces, especially the sword of the Spirit, are meant to be defensive, not offensive.

Too often have Christians used the Bible as a reason to divide instead to unite. We must not use the Bible against its own purposes.

Instead, we must be like Jesus and use it against the powers of Satan in our lives.

“For we are not battling against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers.”

THE MOMENT I ATTACK ANOTHER HUMAN BEING IS THE MOMENT I AM IN THE WRONG. Attacking another child of God, and not defending them is an act of weakness, not of strength.

BE STRONG

CONCLUSION

To conclude, I would like to read Ephesians 6:18

Ephesians 6:18 ESV

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,

Be strong

WE MUST PRAY FOR EACH OTHER.

Tell your neighbor be strong. You might be sitting next to someone who’s had the toughest week, hiding behind the formality of church. But God has brought you here to let you know that you don’t have to be strong by yourself. You need only to be strengthened in the Lord.