Strength To Stand-9 Series

STRENGTH To STAND-IX—Ephesians 6:10-20

Attention:

HERO CHIHUAHUA:

Summer 2017--GAINESVILLE, FL...

Gainesville Police said 7-year-old Coco was out being walked this week, when a robber approached them from behind as they walked near their apartment complex. The robber proceeded to strike Coco’s walker over the head with a glass bottle & demanded money. Little Coco bit the man’s leg, sending him running into nearby woods.

The dog actually belongs to the woman’s caregiver who lives with her. The woman who did not want to be identified for safety reasons, suffered a bruise on her temple.

Coco was rewarded with lots of treats. The Gainesville Sun reported the dog had been abused before being rescued four years ago. His owner said she plans to get Coco a badge.

Thieves beware—this Chihuahua may be little, but he won't mess around if you threaten his owner.

Coco found strength in his owner & the one walking him.

Likewise, God’s people must find their Strength to Stand firm in Christ & in our Heavenly Father.

Need:

Courage—to stand firm for & in Christ—against the lost world’s direction.

Confidence—knowing that we cannot compromise with the opponent.

Perseverance—knowing that the Lord’s armor holds & protects thru every battle.

Paul urged the Ephesian church to find their strength in the Lord by effectively arming themselves.

The church must acquire God’s strength to stand victorious.

Where & How can the church find strength to stand victorious?

12 distinctions of the Christian soldier’s strength for victory.

We have found that—

...God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious..or..acquire victory thru a distinct...

1. STRENGTH(:10)

2. ENSEMBLE(:11)Clothing/Array/Dress

3. CONTENTION(:12)

4. RESISTANCE(:13)

5. REALITY(:14a)Truth

6. MANNER(:14b)Righteousness

7. PEACE(:15)

8. FAITH(:16)

9—God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious thru a distinct...

SALVATION(:17a)

Explanation:(:17a)

:17—“And take the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”

The soldier of Christ who successfully wrestles against the “spiritual forces of wickedness”(:12) equips himself with both “helmet” & “short-“sword.” “Salvation” & the “word of God” complete the Christian’s ensemble which allows him/her to stand victorious.

“And take the helmet of salvation”:

The Roman soldier’s “helmet” was constructed of heavy leather which was covered with layered metal plates or entirely of molded or beaten metal. It covered the entire back & sides of the head & sometimes most of the face.

The Roman soldier’s “helmet” obviously protected the head. If the head was compromised/damage/injured, then the individual direction & motivation of the individual soldier, as well as the overall mission of the ranks/team, was compromised. With injury to the head, one’s ability to reason & properly remain in rank-&-file was compromised.

If the “helmet” was missing the soldier was unprepared for battle. His security would be compromised in having to constantly carry himself in a protective posture being conscious of his extreme vulnerability.

“Salvation” acts as the Christian’s “helmet.” It protects his/her ability to think clearly in regard to God’s ideals. You could say that “our way of thinking needs preservation”(Jerry Miller) as well as our perception of what is around us.

“Salvation” affords the Christian unhindered vision—understanding God’s plan for us & all of mankind in Christ. “Salvation” affords the Christian an ability to deftly/skillfully employ all available defenses & offenses.

*If your “helmet of salvation” is not in place...If you don’t ‘keep your head...If your “salvation” is not in place, then you will become, at a minimum, disoriented & overwhelmed in a wicked world. You will become vulnerable to spiritual injury, as your eternal security is compromised. Your “salvation” must be settled & certain! It is not something which you can gain or lose at any given moment. Salvation is a done deal. You must be ‘born again’ or ‘born from above.’(Jn. 3:3-7)

?Are you unsure of your salvation?

“Take”(See :13—“Take up”; :17)—decomai—Verb—1) To take with the hand—1a) To take hold of, take up; 2) To take up, receive—2a) Used of a place receiving one, 2b) To receive or grant access to, a visitor, not to refuse intercourse or friendship—2b1) To receive hospitality, 2b2) To receive into one's family to bring up or educate, 2c) Of the thing offered in speaking, teaching, instructing—2c1) To receive favorably, give ear to, embrace, make one's own, approve, not to reject, 2d) To receive. i.e. to take upon one's self, sustain, bear, endure; 3) To receive, get—3a) To learn. Strong—middle voice of a primary verb; To receive (in various applications, literally or figuratively).

“Helmet”—perikefalaia—Noun Fem.—1) A helmet; 2) metaph.—2a) The protection of the soul which consists in(the hope of) salvation. Strong—Encirclement of the head, i.e. A helmet. Used 2X.

From—peri—1) About, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near. Strong—properly, Through(all over), i.e. Around; figuratively--With respect to.—&—kefalh—1) The head, both of men & often of animals. Since the loss of the head destroys life, this word is used in the phrases relating to capital & extreme punishment.; 2) metaph.--Anything supreme, chief, prominent. Strong—from the primary kaptw(in the sense of seizing); The head(as the part most readily taken hold of), literally or figuratively.