Are You Really Ready For The Battle?

ARE YOU REALLY READY FOR THE BATTLE?

EPHESIANS 6: 10-20

PREACHED DURING WOMEN’S WEEK @ PGBC

MINISTER JOYCE SCOTT

1st Lady, Pastoral Asst, Co-Founder of E.L. Ministries

IN THIS CHAPTER(6), PAUL IS ON HIS THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY, WHERE HE SPENT 3 YEARS IN EPHESUS. EPHESUS BECAME A CENTER OF EVANGELISTIC OUTREACH TO THE REST OF THE PROVINCES. PAUL SPOKE TO THE CHRISTIANS ABOUT THE BELIEVER’S WALK (EPHESIANS 4:1-6-9). IN THIS EPISTLE, PAULS HAD ALREADY STATED THAT THE BELIEVER IS TO

(1) WALK WORTHY OF HIS CALLING. WITH LOWLINESS

WITH MEEKNESS

WITH LONGSUFFERING

WITH LOVE

THE PURPOSE FOR WALKING WORTHY IS TO KEEP THE UNITY OF FAITH, AND THE BOND OF PEACE. THE BELIEVER IS TO :

(A) WALK USING HIS GIFTS – EPH. 4:7-16

(B) WALK AFTER CHRIST; PUTTING OFF THE OLD MAN – EPH. 4:20 AND TO PUT ON THE NEW MAN.

(C) THE BELIEVER IS TO WALK- FOLLOWING GOD

(D) WALK AS A CHILD OF LIGHT (CAREFULLY & STRICTLY)

PAUL, IN CHAPTER 5 LIFTS THE STANDARD FOR WALKING IN LOVE, LIGHT, AND THE ILLUMINATION OF A NEW WAY OF THINKING AND WALKING IN WISDOM.

THEN, SUDDENLY…PAUL CHANGES HIS COURSE WHEN SPEAKING TO THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS AND SUGGESTS THAT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THE BELIEVER’S LIFE IN CHRIST. HE BEGINS TO SPEAK OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN MILITARY TERMS. FOR EVERY BELIEVER IS LIKENED TO A SOLDIER WHO IS ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF LIFE. FOR IMMEDIATELY, UPON RECEIVING CHRIST, THE BELIEVER FINDS HIMSELF/HERSELF IN A CONSTANT STRUGGLE, AN UNCEASING FIGHT, AN UNENDING WAR, A CONTINUING BATTLE AND STRUGGLE WITH EVIL. THE BELIEVER IS A COMBATANT, A SOLDIER IN SPIRITUAL CONFLICT. AND THE BATTLE IS REAL, DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS! FOR ALTHOUGH SALVATION IS FREE,,,,,,IT IS NOT MAINTAINED WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT. NO TRUE SOLDIER OF CHRIST CAN EXPECT TO BE IMMUNE FROM THE ASSAULTS OF THE ENEMY AND NO CHRISTIAN CAN AFFORD TO BE NEUTRAL IN THIS CONFLICT. There are two basic reasons to have soldiers. One is to prevent, deter or be ready in case of war, and the second is because there is a war going on. In our case, there is a war going on. IN LIGHT OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS WARFARE, THE CHRISTIAN CANNOT BE SELF-RELIANT, BUT WE HAVE TO BE “STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT”.

I. THE SOLDIER’S CALLING; HENCE,……LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE SOLDIER’S CQALLING IS NOT TO A LIFT OF ENJOYMENT AND EASE, BUT TO A LIFE OF CONFLICT, A CONTINUING BATTLE AND STRUGGLE WITH THE ENEMY. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN CAPTURED BY THE ENEMY AND ARE A SPIRITUAL PRISONER OF WAR!

II. THE SOLDIER’S CHARGE: “FINALLY MY BRETHREN’ BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. AND PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL.

III. THE SOLDIER’S ENEMY: (VS11)…PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. THE DEVIL IS SHOWN HERE TO BE AN ENEMY TO BELIEVERS. HE IS THE SERPENT OF OLD……ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, HE IS THE SAME ONE WHO IN THE GARDEN: created doubt -- "Has God indeed said...?" Then he accused God of lying -- "You will NOT surely die..." Finally he accused God of withholding good things from His creatures -- "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God..." HE IS THE FATHER OF LIES, AND MURDER AND ONLY HAS A 3 POINT AGENDA…..TO KILL STEAL OR DESTROY. HE IS THE ENEMY!

IV. THE SOLDIER’S WARFARE: IT IS NOT HUMAN, BUT SPIRITUAL. “FOR WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES.

V. THE SOLDIER’S DUTY: “WHEREFORE, TAKE UNTO YOU THE WHOLE ARMOR OF TOD, THEY YE MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTQND IN THE EVIL DAY AND HAVING DONE ALL…TO STAND. WE MUST PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, (THE COMPLETE ARMOR) THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY. THAT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU’VE GOT ON THE ARMOR…..

1. YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY RESIST THE ENEMY

2. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND YOUR GROUND

3. YOU WIL BE ABLE TO STAND STEADFAST AGAINST CRAFTY ASSULTS

4. YOU CAN STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S SUBTLE WAYS

5. YOU CAN STAND AGAINST THE DECEITFULNESS OF THE DEVIL.

AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST WE FACE A WICKED ENEMY IN THE DEVIL. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE SAY “ I DO NOT HAVE AN ENEMY IN THE WORLD?” PERHAPS YOU ARE AMONGST THOSE WHO CANNOT POINT TO A SINGLE HUMAN ENEMY, BUT ALL OF US HAVE AN ENEMY IN THE DEVIL. I PETER 5:8 CALLS THE DEVIL A ‘ROARING LION” WHO WALKS ABOUT SEEKING WHOM HE CAN DEVOUR. IN MATTHEW 13:19……THE DEVIL IS CALLED “THE WICKED ONE”. IN JOHN 8:44……SATAN IS CALLED A LIAR AND A MURDERER. IN 2 COR. 4:4….THE DEVIL IS THE ONE WHO BLINDFOLDS THE MINDS OF PEOPLE, TRYING TO STOP THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF CHRIST FROM ILLUMINATING THEM SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED. IN REVELATION 20:8 THE DEVIL IS CALLED A DECEIVER. IT IS NOT GOD’S WILL THAT WE, HIS CHILDREN, BE DEFEATED, DEVOURED AND DESTROYED BY THE ENEMY. FOR WE KNOW THAT THE ENEMY SEEKS TO BRING ABOUT OUR DEFEAT AND DESTRUCTION IN BOTH TIME AND ETERNITY. BUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, EMPOWERS US AS WE WALK IN OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD.