INTRO:Fads today: Bungee jumping, tight jeans (ankle), video games, nude berkly Past: Big bell bottoms, hola hoops, frisbees, 3-D glasses, streaking (take all your clothes off and put on a mask and run)
Song about this: Ray Stevens "The Streak" [play it]
- Many have come to church nude spiritually speaking and you are beat up and battered and you are confused and don’t know why.
REVIEW: Dressing for Success "Spiritually speaking" PRAY
1. Eph. 6:10-18 (read) Theme: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power!" HOW: Putting full armor of God
WHY: So we can stand against our adversary
WHO: Devil and his clan
WHEN: Day evil comes
Interesting: 4 times were told to. stand (sit, run, flee)
II Timothy 2:3 "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus"
2. All soldiers know what GI stands for government issue equipment they will need to engage the enemy). GI - God issued [God gives us to stand against the devil]
A. 6 pieces of armor - first 3 [belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, Gospel shoes of peace) are in the past tense!
- Meaning strong indication GK grammar that upon being born again (exception Christ as your Savior) or conversion experience
1. Read 14-16 (NIV); should actually read "Having girded your loins
about with the truth, and having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, and having shod the feet with the preparation of
the Gospel of peace."
2. Paul writes book of Ephesians from Rome where he is under house arrest there. He had some soldiers who watched over him.
- I imagine Paul as he’s writing to the church at Ephesus, he is observing guards that are watching him and he begins to reflect on the parts of his equipment and relates this to the spiritual weapons God provides us.
I. Belt of Truth - about 6’ to 8’ wide wrapped around his waist.
A. Begins belt truth - I believe one of the most important pieces of equipment.
- Most of the other pieces of equipment where dependent on this. ex.. Truth is like China - it can be broken. It can be mended. But it can never be the same again!
B. Truth may appear different at times.
ex.. Eric breaking light bulbs, blaming on Felicia because she was not watching him (his mind believing she was really at fault).
1. How many times do we think something as truthful, but years later it was error.
- Christians are weak
- Parents don’t know what they are talking about. I’m right.
- God, you missed this one. You made a mistake, You’re wrong.
2. See this religiously - Saul who was persecuting the Lord’s disciples (turn Acts 9:1-6 read)
a. Saul - Pharisee of Pharisee (commitment to God was unmatched for people his own age).
- Thought he was right (doing the truth) eliminating God’s enemies.
1. So devastated - didn’t eat or drink for 3 days because he knew the scriptures. How could he miss the Messiah?
**He thought he knew the truth but he was wrong. In fact he was used by the enemy.
THOUGHT: Being used by the enemy, where in fact we are children of God, followers of Christ.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE: Matt. 16:13-18 (read)
1. Question: Jesus is trying to show them something "who do you say I am?" Peter has right answer, learned it by going in prayer to God the Father.
a. Complemented by Jesus - "On this rock I will build my church."
*Complemented for learning this spiritual truth!
[Read 16:21-23]
2. Peter rebuking - implying that he knows more of God’s will than the Messiah himself.
a. Jesus rebukes - "Get thee behind Me satan!"
Temptation Jesus was already tempted with (kingship with no suffering)
1. Satan using Peter to tempt Jesus, he gets fired up and rebukes
- Interesting look at types of rock (rock church be built on) know calls him a different kind of rock (stumbling block).
II. Enemy attack
A. Most popular - deception, deceit purpose to discredit ex. Adam/Eve
1. Gen. 3:13 "Did God really say. You must not eat from any tree in the garden" - enemy trying to bring doubt!
* Discredit God’s word
Gen. 3:5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good & evil."
*Discredit God’s character
B. Attacks mind - to discredit others as well as our own self.
1. Discredit ourselves- my opinion one of the most unrecognized sins is low self image
"Telling yourself the truth" William Backusa. Misbelief - something you think is the truth but it’s really not. 3 stages process to overcoming
1. Locate misbelief
2. Remove it
3. Replace misbelief with truth
*Satan is going to do his best to turn, twist, hide the truth.
C. Communication - sender and receiver but have to go through a channel where there is noise.
1. This is where problems arise
ex- Do ex with Tammy
- Tammy, you look nice (I’m sender)
Receiver: Tammy may not get what I actually meant May think: speaking on lice, dice, mice
Hear exactly what I said "Boy Tammy, you look nice"
2. Problem on her interpretation of those words.
- Maybe growing up used phrases like that to get her to do things around the house (manipulation)
- If that the case she will think I’m manipulating her because I want something. Where in reality I just was complementing her.
D. Truth is the key: antidote to the problem - remember God gives us a weapon to counter the enemies attack of deception--It’s truth.
- John 8:31-32 "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
III. Truth - What is it?
A. Lord teachings, His principles, and Spiritual truths we learn from His word.
1. When we hear and obey - picking up belt of truth & buckling it around our waist.
a. Matt. 7:24-27 (read) House on rock or on sand
- Rains came, day of evil, will happen
- Warning if don’t practice what I teach, will come to destruction.
2. Through the years - counseled people who have come and want different solutions, results in their lives but they are not willing to make different choices!
B. Learn to feed yourselves: we need to realize we have the ability to be used by God as much as we want.
1. Need to learn how to feed yourself - God’s word doesn’t depend on others!
- I believe that’s why America is having the problems they are having.
C. Minister beliefs
Women’s journal a few years ago had an article "Startling beliefs of our future ministers"
- Taken from leading seminaries in the country graduating class
REPORT: Do you believe in the virgin birth of JC? 56% "NO"
Do you believe in a literal Heaven & Hell? 54% "NO"
Do you believe in a physical resurrection? 54% "NO"
Do you believe in the second coming of JC? 99% "NO"
*Sadly to say these are men/women in our pupits today who hold these beliefs.
1. That’s why it’s so important to feed yourself--know God’s truths for your lives.
ex.. Yellowstone Park signs warning people not to feed the bears, because about 15 years ago people were feeding bears, bears became dependant on humans. Bad winter, roads closed.
- Next spring shocked to find dozens of bears dead because they lost their skills in hunting. They became dependant on humans feeding them.
- Let us not become dependant on someone else for our spiritual maturity.
CONCLUSION: Belt of Truth - importance, holds other parts of the armor in place.
- Let us not only know the truth but act upon it. Martin Luther - 95 hesecies problems Catholic church.
Gets into trouble with religious establishment brought trial in verms refuses to recant.
"My conscience is held captive by the Word of God, here I stand!"
Let us take a stand on the Word of God!
