The Spiritual Warrior’s Divine Armor - Part 2 Series

EPHESIANS 6: 16-18

THE SPIRITUAL WARRIOR’S DIVINE ARMOR - Part II

[Isaiah 59:15b-17 / 2 Samuel 22:31-43]

A young football coach was hired as a scout for his college. Before his first assignment, he said, “Coach, what kind of player are you looking for?

The coach said, “Well, there is the kind of guy who when you knock him down, just stays down.”

“We don’t want him do we Coach?”

“No. Then there is the kind of guy who, when you knock him down, gets up. But if you knock him down the second time, he just stays down.”

“We don’t want him either, do we, Coach?”

“No, we sure don’t. But there is the kind of guy who, when you knock him down, gets up; knock him down, and he gets up; knock him down, and he gets up; knock him down again, and he just keeps getting up every time.”

“That’s the guy we want; right, Coach?”

“No, we don’t want him, either. What I want you to do is find the guy who is knocking all the other guys down. That’s the guy I want.”

I say amen to that. I’m glad God enables us by His grace to keep getting up and starting over every time Satan knocks us down.

But it would be better if we could avoid being knocked down in the first place. If we could avoid falling, we wouldn’t have to start over again. The Lord holds this promise out to all who will put on the armor of God.

[ Alternate introduction-- Emperor NAPOLEON once went to a very skillful workman, and inquired of him if he could make a bullet-proof jacket or under garment, one that he himself would feel safe to wear as a protection against bullets.

The workman assured him he could make just such a garment; one he would feel entirely safe to wear himself. The Emperor engaged him to make the article, requesting him to take time, and see that it was bullet-proof.

The workman took much time and pains in its construction. The jacket was finished, and the Emperor notified that it was ready for him. Napoleon, after carefully examining it, asked the maker if he still felt sure a bullet could not pierce it. The workman said he was sure no bullet could penetrate it; that he himself would feel entirely safe with it on in a shower of bullets. The Emperor asked him to put it on, that he might examine it more fully. The maker put the jacket on himself, that the Emperor might see how finely it fitted and protected the body.

After a careful examination of its make-up and apparent safety, Napoleon stepped back a few feet, and drew his pistol on the man, who cried out: "Don’t try it on me!"

But the Emperor said: "You told me it was perfectly safe," and fired. The armor proved itself bullet-proof. ]

Christ has made an armor that renders its wearer perfectly safe against all spiritual warfare hurled against us. Christ used it. He was led out into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. For forty days and nights Satan tried to pierce this armor, but all his attacks were repelled by it. It could not be penetrated. It was thoroughly tested on Christ, that all who put it on might feel safe.

Each soldier of Christ is told, at his start, to "put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." This armor covers the Christian’s loins, his breast, his feet, and is a complete shield to his whole being against any temptation or trial he may encounter. Christ was "tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin."

Let me say to all who feel a little timid about the Christian’s armor, that it has been tested by our "Captain" and thousands of his soldiers, and those who proper wear it find it un-pierced by our enemy’s bullets. ]

In verses 16 and 17 we find the fourth, fifth, and sixth pieces of God’s armor with which we need to be equipped in order to defeat the enemy. These next three pieces of spiritual armor are distinguished from the first three. The verb type for putting the piece of armor on is consistent with the first three pieces (past, middle participle) and varied with the last three. The wording “in all these things” or in addition to all is an indication that faith is necessary with all pieces of the Christians armor.

I. The fourth piece of God’s divine armor with which we need to be equipped is:

THE SHIELD OF FAITH

I could not help but notice what the Bible say about this particular piece of armor. It has told us twice to “put on the WHOLE ARMOR of GOD” Now, in verse 16 Paul informs us that this particular piece of ARMOR, is most important for he says, ‘above all’ or “In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”