It Is Worth Fighting For Series

Series: Accounting [#23]

IT IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR

Ephesians 6:10-17

Introduction:

On this Father’s Day, we are going to continue in our Ephesians series. You may be wondering how a sermon from the text about the Armor of God fits on Father’s Day; but it fits. The last 13 verses in Ephesians 5 and the 1st 9 verses of Ephesians 6 give counsel to men on how to be submissive, how to be good husbands, how to be good fathers, and how to be good employees. Today’s text reminds us that this is all a spiritual battle- Being a good father, being a good mother, being a good spouse, being a good employee, being a good child of God, etc...

On this Father’s Day, I want to ask a question, “Where has all of the godly fathers gone”? It seems that godly fathers are becoming a thing of the past. That’s because they don’t see the need to keep fighting. Have you ever heard the question, “Is this the hill you want to die on”? This statement is really teaching us a few things- Not every fight is worth fighting; and some fights are worth dying for. Our families are worth dying for. Christians, we are part of God’s Army.

Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

A Christian father needs…

1. Power.

A father faces many challenges. He needs to provide for the family, lead the family, and follow Christ in all things. Where does a person get that kind of strength? That strength comes from God. That is why we must be strong in the Lord. Strength from any other source is not enough. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians can experience God’s power. As Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is my strength”.

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

12 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.

A Christian father needs…

2. Purpose.

What should a Christian father’s purpose be? His purpose should be to live for Christ and lift up Christ to his family as often as possible. He also should know the enemy that he is at war with. Christians, our enemy is not an enemy that you can see. Our enemy is the devil and all of the demons that follow him. We need to understand that while our enemy is powerful, they are not as powerful as God. If you do not want the enemy to know your weaknesses and struggles, then stop telling him. “Greater is he who lives in me than he who lives in the world.”

Your enemy, the devil is predictable. He does not change his antics. He speaks lies, and he tries to create doubt. He already knows that he is defeated.

Ephesians 6:11-17 (NIV)

11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 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.13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

A Christian father needs…

3. Protection.

Men, you cannot protect others until you are protected yourself. Christians, you are told to put on the full armor of God and after you have done that, stand firm.

Put on the…

? Belt of truth.

The belt holds up your pants. Now, you must understand the most basic purpose of wearing a belt is to keep your pants from falling down. This may sound crazy; but imagine going into battle having to hold up your pants with 1 hand. That means that the soldier now has to put the sword away or put down the shield. Spiritually speaking, if you are not wrapped in the truth of God, your belt is weak. This belt has to be strong all the way around the body. Lack of the truth in a Christian’s life exposes the body to damage.

The belt holds the scabbard for the sword. Now, most of the time, I believe that the soldier is holding the sword in their hand; but when the army is marching and moving, they can place the sword in the scabbard. Without the belt, there is no place to put the sword; which could result in fatigue. Spiritually speaking, the Sword of the Spirit is where the truth of God comes from. It needs to be close to our side at all times. That only happens if the scabbard is there holding the sword.