Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God. I stand here today, brimming with anticipation and joy, knowing that we are gathered in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? Not just because the sun is shining outside, but because the Son is shining in our hearts, bringing us together in fellowship and love.

Today, we are not just gathered to hear the Word of God but to clothe ourselves in it, to arm ourselves with it, to stand firm in it. Our Scripture for today comes from the book of Ephesians, chapter 6, verses 10-18. The Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, says: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

A profound passage indeed. It speaks of a spiritual battle, a fight not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil. It speaks of the full armor of God, a divine arsenal that we are called to wear. It speaks of prayer, a constant communion with our Heavenly Father.

As we prepare ourselves to understand this passage better, I am reminded of a quote by the great Christian theologian, J.I. Packer, who once said, "Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord." Today, we are here for that main business - to know God, to understand His Word, and to apply it in our lives.

So, let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for this gathering, for Your Word. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive Your Word today. Help us to understand the spiritual battle we are in, to put on Your full armor, and to persist in prayer. We ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Preparing for the Spiritual Battle

The spiritual battle we face is not one that can be seen with the naked eye. It's not a battle fought with physical weapons or human strength. It's a battle that takes place in the spiritual realm, a battle against forces of evil that seek to steal, kill, and destroy. This battle is real, and it's happening every day, whether we realize it or not. So, let’s break up the 6 or 7 pieces of the armor of God into two parts. The first few with this point of our preparation for the Spiritual battle.

We are not left defenseless in this battle. God has provided us with everything we need to stand firm. He has given us His full armor, a divine arsenal that equips us to resist the devil's schemes and stand our ground. This armor is not something we can put on once and forget about. It's something we need to put on every day, consciously and deliberately.

The first piece of armor mentioned in the Scripture is the belt of truth. The truth here refers to the truth of God's Word, the truth about who God is, who we are in Christ, and what He has done for us. The belt was an essential part of a Roman soldier's armor, holding everything else in place. Similarly, the truth of God's Word holds everything else in our lives in place. It's the foundation upon which we stand, the standard against which we measure everything else.

The breastplate of righteousness is the next piece of armor. Righteousness here refers to the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to us when we put our faith in Him. The breastplate was designed to protect the soldier's vital organs, especially the heart. Similarly, Christ's righteousness protects our hearts, our innermost being, from the accusations and condemnations of the enemy.

The shoes of the gospel of peace are another essential part of the armor. The shoes of a Roman soldier were designed for stability and mobility, enabling the soldier to stand firm and move quickly. Similarly, the gospel of peace gives us stability and mobility in the spiritual battle. It gives us stability by reminding us of the peace we have with God through Christ, a peace that surpasses all understanding. It gives us mobility by compelling us to go and share the good news of peace with others.

In this spiritual battle, we are not alone. We have God on our side, and He has already won the victory. Our role is to stand firm in His strength, put on His full armor, and fight the good fight of faith. We are not fighting for victory, but from victory, the victory that Christ has already won on the cross.

Transition. Let us therefore take up the full armor of God, stand firm in the truth, live in the righteousness of Christ, walk in the gospel of peace, shield ourselves with faith, protect our minds with the helmet of salvation, wield the sword of the Spirit, and pray in the Spirit on all occasions. This is how we prepare for the spiritual battle. This is how we stand firm against the devil's schemes. This is how we resist the forces of evil and stand our ground.

Putting on the Full Armor of God

Now, let’s consider the next few pieces of the armor of God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO