Sermon Central
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Battle Ready: Suit Up - Part 2 Series
Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 14, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: Each piece of the armour of God that we are asked to put on is directed to one of the ways in which Satan attacks Christians. Satan accuses, strikes like a snake, tempts and deceives. There are six pieces of armour and these five protect us. If we are going to be battle ready, we better suit up!
Big Idea: Each piece of armour that we are asked to put on is directed to one of the ways in which Satan attacks Christians. Satan accuses, strikes like a snake, tempts and deceives. There are six pieces of armour and these five protect us. They stand for truth, righteousness, the peace that comes from the Good News, faith and salvation. If we are going to be battle ready, we better suit up!
Ephesians 6:13-17 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armour so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armour of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.[a] 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.[b] 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
God’s Armour - victory in spiritual warfare is not automatic, which is why Paul tells us to put on the full Armour of God and stand our ground against Satan. It’s not that God gives us this Armour, Armour which he supplies. Rather it is God’s own Armour, the Armour that he himself wears.
Where did the apostle Paul get his ideas from regarding using Armour as a metaphor for spiritual warfare? It could be that he got it by looking at a Roman Guards Armour, given that he was in prison, but more likely he got the idea from Scripture. Isaiah 59:17 & 52:7
Isaiah 59:17 (NLT) 17 He put on righteousness as his body armour and placed the helmet of salvation on his head.
Isaiah 52:7 (NLT) 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel[a] reigns!
it is after all suggested to us that it’s not “our Armour” or “the Armour” but rather “God’s Armour”.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armour so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
“Then after the battle you will still be standing firm”
- I can’t help but think about the prophet Elisha at Dothan. The northern kingdom of Israel was under attack from the Syrians. Israel was the weaker of the two nations. Whenever Benhadad would set a trap for Israel, God would reveal it to Elisha, Elisha would tell the king of Israel, the plans would be changed, and Israel would escape unhurt.
Benhadad thought there was a traitor among his officers. His officers tell him the truth: “It’s not us, my lord the king,” one of the officers replied. “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!” 2 Kings 6:12
The king issues in order to capture Elisha who was living in Dothan. Benhadad’s troops got together and marched to Dothan and surrounded the city by night. Imagine… Enough military men to surround the city to capture one man, Elisha.
2 Kings 6 (NLT)
15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.
16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
On the one hand, it says that the enemy we face is greater even than the enemy we see. When we only see things from a human perspective, we may feel overwhelmed. But when the spiritual forces are taken into account, God’s servants are stronger.
Stand firm - stand your ground, stand firm, stand.
This is a call to commitment. The first four pieces of Armour explain how we can stand. The last two (the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit) are the means by which we are equipped to stand.
When is a guard at their weakest? When they are distracted (by the enemy, laziness, boredom) and they are weakest because of a lack of training (be aware of the enemy and put on the Armour).
The five defensive pieces of Armour
1. The belt of truth - it can mean the truth of God or truthfulness, sincerity of heart.
