Pastor's Connect Blog
Connect Blog
Ephesians 6:10-18
February 18, 2018
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Ephesians 6:10-18
The Apostle’s Challenge to the Soldiers of the Lord
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
“Finally” not in the sense of the last word, but a word of vital interest to the believer who would live in victory …
Paul reminds the saints of their own weakness and the availability of God’s power, while hinting at the military prowess of the enemy, Satan.
The admonition – Abandon what you can do and draw your strength from the Lord; let His power be your power
How do the stories of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17), and Hezekiah’s prayer (2 Kings 19:14-19) apply?
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).
You can live in defeat or you can live in victory …. You can overcome or you can be overcome… the choice is yours
The Real Enemy of the Soldiers of the Lord
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Islam is not our enemy but the power behind it.
Iran’s Ayatolla is not our enemy but the power behind him.
Kim Jon-un, the brutal dictator of North Korea is not our enemy but the power behind him.
Isis is not our enemy, but the power behind them.
N O W and GLAD, … are not our enemies, but the power behind them.
Our enemies are the spiritual authorities empowered by the devil, the spiritual organization empowered by the devil, the spiritual kingdoms empowered by the devil, ….
DISCUSS – Was the Florida shooter demon possessed? Was this a spiritual assault? Who was ultimately behind this atrocity
From the beginning of time Satan has sought to destroy the work of God … to defeat those who would live their lives for the Lord
Some Examples of Satan’s Tatics
Satan used deception in the Garden to cause Adam and Eve to disobey God and fall
Satan used pride to cause David to number the armies of Israel and bring God’s judgment
Satan used sickness and death in an effort to cause Job to turn from God
Jesus told Peter, Satan has a desire to have you, that he might sift you as wheat
Jesus spoke a parable about seed sown and stolen away by the devil
He also shared a parable about the enemy, Satan sowing false seed in the church in order to wreak havoc
Paul said that the devil sent a messenger to buffet him
Paul said Satan transforms his demons into messenger of light in order to preach a gospel that will not save.
You fight flesh and blood differently than principalities and powers … what works in flesh and blood will not work against the warriors of wickedness, the forces of fire, the demons of darkness, the sinister soldiers in Satan’s service.
The Armor for the Soldiers of the Lord
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
The Girdle of Truth
“… having your loins girt about with truth”
The girdle was used to secure the soldiers robe so that he could fight unencumbered
Truth, guards the believer against slander or gossip, shielding against false accusation so as to destroy one’s testimony.
A life marked by moral, financial, social and spiritual integrity defends the believer from character assassination …
The Breastplate of Righteousness
“having on the breastplate of righteousness”
Part of the Roman’s soldier’s equipment that protected the vital organs in the chest area.
This is not the imputed righteousness of Christ, for every believer is adorned with the cloak of Christ’s righteousness at the moment of salvation … this is moral correctness, righteous living, a holy lifestyle so as to protect the believer from personal guilt and public accusation
The Sandals of the Gospel of Peace
“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace”
The Roman soldier wore sandals which were bound by leather strips over the instep and around the ankle. The sandals would have been thickly studded with nails so as to give him a firm footing when pressing the attack.
This speaks of the believer’s foundation; understanding Christ’s accomplishments through His death, burial, and resurrection. It defends against doubt and discouragement
The Shield of Faith
“taking the shield of faith”
For the common soldier this would have been a large oblong shield used, not so much in hand to hand battle, but to ward off arrows, spears, and darts.
For the believer, our shield of faith is our trust in the sufficiency of God, His ability to do all things, His power over all things.
The Helmet of Salvation
“the helmet of salvation”
More than protection, the helmet was worn by the Roman soldier to identify rank and allegiance.
For the Christian soldier the helmet of salvation is the assurance of Whose we are, and to Whom we belong.
“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9
Destined for defeat is the saint who lives his life in doubt, but to know who you are and whose you are is to live in victory.
The Sword of the Spirit
“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
While the previous equipment was primarily used to ward off attack, the sword was used to inflict injury.
For the soldier of the cross, our sword, is the Word of God.
The only effective weapon against the Enemy is God’s Word, for God’s Word is God’s power.
IF YOU WILL LIVE IN VICTORY THEN YOU MUST BE ADORNED IN ALL THE ARMOR OF THE LORD … TO LEAVE ONE PIECE WILL LEAVE YOU VULNERABLE TO THE ATTACK OF SATAN.
The Power of Prayer for the Soldier of the Lord
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Prayer brings the power of God to the soldier
D. L. Moody said, “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” Prayer brings God’s power and provision to your situation.
We have a responsibility to be vigilant in prayer … being aware of how Satan is launching his assaults against believers
Seeing Satan’s strategy should cause us to pray and pray more effectively. Instead of passing new gun laws maybe we should try prayer!
Pray … “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).