God’s Armor (A)

God’s Armor (A)

September 21, 2008 Evening Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: God gives us what we need to fight the spiritual battle.

Focus Passage: Ephesians 6:10-17

Introduction:

Note: The armor of God is not something you put on everyday like a pair of jeans. They are not items you put on only before you prepare for battle, like a football player putting on his equipment before a game.

Truth: Each piece of the armor is a characteristic and quality that is reflected in one’s daily life. They’re lifestyle characteristics of a sincere and significant faith. They are not articles of Christian clothing to be leisurely put on and worn, but convictions and beliefs that are to be lived and maintained as a regular pattern of our lives.

I. Belt of Truth

a. Fact: Satan is a liar who is constantly attacking the truth in an attempt to make it appear to be relative.

b. Contrary to popular belief – truth is not relative – it is absolute. Truth does not change over time or at the whims of political correctness. What is moral, right and true today, was moral, right, and true yesterday, and will be moral, right, and true according to the standard set by God tomorrow.

II. The Breastplate of Righteousness - A piece of armor made from metal plates or thick leather that protects the vital organs from one’s neck to their waist – in particular it guards the heart.

a. In our struggle w/ Satan, he has determined to try to pierce our hearts w/ his flaming arrows of accusations. Just as he attempts to sabotage the truth w/ his lies, so too does he attack our hearts w/ his accusations.

b. But God calls us to protect our hearts – Pr. 4:23 states – Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it.

c. There is but one thing that protects our hearts against the devil’s accusations – righteousness.

III. The Shoes of Peace

a. One of Satan’s favorite tactics is to load us w/ guilt and fear that leads us to doubt the omnipotence and goodness of God.

b. • A peace that passes all understanding.

• A peace that knows that forgiveness and forgetfulness go hand-in-hand.

• A peace that knows that God can take bad and make it good.

• A peace that understands that there is nothing too big or bad for God.

Invitation:

A list of combat rules:

1. If the enemy is in range, so are you.

2. Don’t look conspicuous, it only draws fire.

3. The easy way is always mined.

4. Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy someone else to shoot at

5. If your attack is going well, you’ve walked into an ambush.

6. Don’t draw fire it only irritates the people around you.

7. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.

8. When the pin is pulled, “Mr. Grenade” is not our friend.

9. If it is dumb but works, then it isn’t dumb.

10. When in doubt, empty the magazine.

11. Anything you do can get you shot – including doing nothing.

12. Make it too tough for the enemy to get in and you can’t get out.

13. Mines are equal opportunity weapons.

14. A Purple Heart just proves that you were smart enough to think of a plan, dumb enough to try it, and lucky enough to survive.

15. Don’t ever be the first, don’t ever be the last, and don’t ever volunteer for anything.

16. Five second fuses only last three seconds.

17. It is inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.

18. The enemy invariably attacks in one of two ways:

a. When you are ready for them.

b. When you are not ready for them.