Ephesians 6:10 – 18 reads, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all saints –“ Blessed be the reading of God’s Word.
“We are at war.” We’ve heard these words from our Secretary of State, our president and the media since declaring war on terrorism. Billions of dollars have been poured into international and domestic security. American troops have been deployed and fighting in Afghanistan. A whole new color-coded system has been invented to make the American public aware of how high the terrorist threat is every day. Our nation has been preparing itself for the next possible terrorist threat.
But there is an enemy that is more dangerous that Al-Qaeda. There is a foe that is more insidious than Osama Bin-Laden or Saddam Hussein. This enemy is what our Scripture speaks about this morning. The Scripture talks about the principalities, the powers and rulers of darkness, the spiritual hosts of wickedness. What makes it so easy for us to get riled up about characters like the terrorists is that we can see them. We can at least get a mug shot of the guy who wants to hurt innocent people. It’s a lot harder to fight an enemy that is unseen. It’s like trying to hit a punching bag in the dark. We can’t see the target. We don’t know where it is.
That’s a perfect illustration of how we are if we are only relying on our abilities when it comes to fighting our enemies. Now you might be saying, “Enemies? I don’t have any enemies. I get along great with people around here.” That may be well and true. You might not have anybody that gets on your nerves. You might not have anybody that is trying to cause you harm. But as Christians especially, we have a target painted on our backs and chest. It reminds me of a “Far Side” cartoon. There’s two deer in a forest and they’re both standing up talking to each other. One deer notices a target-like shape on the other deer’s chest and says to him, “Bummer of a birthmark, Stan.”
Satan and all his powers are trying to bring us down in big and small ways. Anything to keep us from God. Anything to keep us forgetting that He is Lord of our life. Scripture tells us that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking to devour anyone. Yes, Satan is real and so are the forces that he commands.
It shouldn’t take me long to give a short list of what Satan and his demons use to keep us distracted, to keep us thinking that there is no real hope. Depression, Anxiety, Anger, FEAR – that’s a big one – envy, bitterness, apathy. The problem is that many Christians are confused about the presence and activity of demonic influence in the world today. We think because we have come up with better drugs, better therapy, and better scientific rationalizations, we have taken care of so-called evil influences.
The problem is that because so many of us are confused about these evil powers we can stay in bondage to something that we don’t even know about. Because you don’t know that you have a sign on your back that says, “Kick Me!” doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
If that is the case, if that’s really true, can you explain to me what possessed the terrorists as they killed thousands of innocent men, women, and children. Can you explain to me why a mother would kill all of her children in a post-partum depression? Can you explain to me why homicide is the number one killer of teenagers in the United States? Can you tell me why so many of our youth and adults have found drinking and partying to be the reason to live, the focus of their life? Paul writes that it is not flesh and blood (people and things that we can see and tough) that we wage war against but it is against evil, supernatural powers.
Working for a division of Turning Point in Sioux Falls I had many chances to witness evil powers at work. The young men that I helped were what you would call, the ‘extreme’ cases. Child molesting, rape, attempted murder. These children not only suffered from psychological and social damage but from spiritual damage.
There was a time when one of the youth who was involved in physically assaulting pregnant women and satanic worship had gotten the chance to smuggle in a small pointed file that you find on nail clippers. I had just sat down with him to watch some TV and for no apparent reason pulls his fist back like he’s going to hit me in the eye. But before he does that he makes sure that I see the metal file pointing between his fingers, now curled in fist, ready to stab me in the face.
There wasn’t any time to duck but there was time to pray. “Lord, protect me.” And as he brought his fist closer to my face he stopped. What was once a sneering and laughing turned to a blank expression that went across his face. I continued praying, this time out loud. “Jesus loves you Bruce.” “Jesus wants you Bruce.” The blank expression still remained. The file dropped from his hand and he put his head down; he gave me the file and went to his room.
God protected me and took care of the forces that were controlling Bruce. But often, in our lives, we are faced with the same situation. Do we have people about ready to stab us in the face, no. But often we are faced with fear. We sense something threatening us. We feel frozen or unable to deal with our fears. What matters is, “What do you do in that situation?”
John 10:10 reads, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” Those words were spoken by Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. He gave His life for us, His sheep, so that we might experience life abundantly and life eternal. But for too many believers the words of that promise sound empty and the reality of them seem far away.
Do the words of Jesus’ promise sound empty to you? Do you feel far away from the joy and peace that other Christians seem to experience? Instead of a life of freedom in Jesus Christ, do you seem to be fighting with fear, anger, or depression? Are you struggling with habits you can’t break, thoughts or inner voices you can’t silence, or sinful behavior you can’t escape?
Many Christians that I talk with don’t complain about hearing voices, but their minds are filled with such confusion that their daily walk with Christ is unfulfilling and unproductive. When they try to pray they begin thinking of a million things they should be doing. When they sit down to read the Bible or a good Christian book they can’t concentrate, and they read for several minutes and suddenly realize that their thoughts have been a million miles away. When they have an opportunity to serve the Lord in some way they are brought up short by discouraging thoughts of self-doubt, “I’m not a strong Christian,” “I don’t know enough about the Bible;” “I’m still plagued by sinful thoughts;” “I really don’t have many spiritual gifts.”
Instead of being victorious, joy-filled Christians, they trudge through life under a cloud, just trying to hand on until Jesus comes. Some of this can certainly be a lack of our own mental discipline, but it also can reflect deception from the enemy. Where, if at all, do you see yourself in this description? Where might the enemy be deceiving you or robbing you of the joyful Christian life?
That is why Paul writes these things. These are guidelines, our playbook, our strategies, our full armor of God that we can put on to tackle those things that Satan tries to use against us. We are not supposed to let evil win. We can be protected from God. First John 5:18 reads, “We know that the person who has been born from God does not go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one cannot harm them.” Jesus has you covered; he wants you ‘dressed for success.’ This has to be done daily. Making a decision to follow Jesus is just the beginning. We must be ready for spiritual conflict. So when you get dressed for the day, think of the full armor as you put on your clothes:
First, Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God – not just a piece here or there. He wants us to be fully prepared without any openings for evil or temptation to get in. He wants us to put on a belt of truth. The belt that was used back in Paul’s day was what held everything else up. God’s truth is important to support all the other things we do – prayer, righteous living. If we do these things without God’s truth, without His foundational support, then we are open to any false truth that points away from God. And when the day comes when you need His truth and you don’t have it, it’s like being caught with your pants down without the belt of God’s truth.
Secondly, Scripture tells us to have the breastplate of righteousness. Back in the days of the Roman army, the soldiers would only have to wear armor that covered the front of their body because they marched forward shoulder – to –shoulder in battle. The breastplate was to protect the chest in battle and was usually made of leather overlaid with metal. Why would you protect the chest? The heart is protected by our rib cage. The breastplate of righteousness is what protects our heart, it is our integrity. If we let little sins and negative behavior get to our heart, our integrity, our spiritual armor loses its usefulness. We need to maintain our integrity, our honesty, and godliness in order to be a world class Christian warrior.
Thirdly, Paul tells us to put on our feet the sandals of the gospel of peace. Roman warriors wore sturdy, half-boots to keep their footing on all types of fighting fields – whether muddy, sandy, or rocky they had these half-boots that helped them stand their ground when the enemy came. So it is the same with us, we are to have firm footing in the Gospel. We are to be sure of our salvation, that Jesus paid the price and our sins are forgiven. Satan can bring up our past and make us self-doubting and afraid. But with the knowledge that God has paid our sin price we can stand firm when evil attacks. We can rest in Jesus when old guilt comes up.
It is interesting that Paul says, “above all” when he speaks of the next item of spiritual armor. He says that above all we are to have the shield of faith that can, “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” For a long time I had a hard time with this passage because I didn’t understand how a shield could extinguish a fire.
The Roman soldiers were not only brutally strong and strategic but they were clever in their warfare as well. What they would do with their shields before battle is what helped prevent flaming arrows from causing panic and destruction. They would soak their wooden shields in water for several days before going to battle. So that when the attack came they were prepared for any fiery weapons. What is more interesting about their shields is that they interlocked with one another’s. They depended on each other when the flaming attacks began.
That is a good lesson for us today. No where does it say in here that we are to face spiritual forces all by ourselves. Paul continually uses ‘we’ when referring to spiritual warfare. As he does in verse 18 when he says that we are, “with prayer” to be, “watchful with perseverance for all saints.” Do you feel that you are fighting your temptations and doubts alone? Then you need to find a Christian brother or sister who can line their shield of faith up with yours and help you fight those fears and anxieties that are from the Devil. God never intended for us to fight sin on our own. He never intended us to go into battle by ourselves.
The question is, “How big is your shield of faith?” If you are not trying to make your faith bigger and soaking your faith in the scripture, then you are opening yourself up for spiritual attack. Our faith, our openness to God that allows Christ’s full living in us and His deep love, this is what shields us from believing the lies that we’re not good enough, that we’ve sinned beyond hope, or that we simply don’t need God.
Fourthly, we are to take up the helmet of salvation. We are to protect our minds with the knowledge that God has saved us from our sins. You know that a blow to the head, if hard enough, can kill a person. If we are not able to fight those false truths with the understanding of our salvation, then Satan can deal a spiritual death-blow. Think of the people who have decided to leave the church because they think they don’t need salvation. That they can save themselves or that they don’t need saving. Knowledge of our salvation, our helmet, requires humility – understanding that we’re not perfect and that we do need Jesus’ victory over our sins.
The last weapon mentioned that we are to use is different from all the others in the fact that it is an offensive as well as a defensive weapon. The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is what defends us from all attacks and it is what can wound the evil that attacks us. But we must remember that the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is also a ‘gospel of peace.’ This is what makes it radically different from weapons used often today. It is a uniting and living Gospel in Christ that we use.
We must remember that we are fighting spiritual powers, not human ones. Just like when I was praying and telling Bruce Jesus loves him, I was using the sword of the Spirit to disarm the evil that was using him. But in order to use the Word of God, like using a sword, you have to know how to use it. You can’t expect to win a fight with a sword you’ve never used and you can’t expect to win a spiritual trial with the Word of God you’ve hardly ever looked at.
(Holding the Bible) You have to learn how to use what has been given to you. The power of the Word of God is what Jesus used when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. Three times Jesus fought back Satan’s temptations with Scripture. He tells Satan, “It is written – Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It is written – You shall not test the Lord your God. It is written – You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall serve.” Pick up your Bible, read it, learn it, live it!
Just like the locker room pep talk before a big game. Warriors and soldiers today get ready by mentally preparing themselves. So we too, like them, must spiritually prepare for battle with prayer for each other that is grounded in the Spirit. What we need is alert prayerfulness. We must be ready to pray at the drop of a hat when temptations and trials come our way. Before we worry, before we start anticipating all outcomes, before we work ourselves up in anxiety – drop what you’re thinking and doing and pray to the One who gives real spiritual power. Then you will be prepared for the days and trials ahead.
That is why Paul saves prayer for the last, he knows that through all of our battles and trials and temptations we need to be in communication with God. We need to come to God in prayer asking for His spiritual power and presence in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. We need to confess our arrogance and independence, thinking that we can do it on our own. Or that we can help others by our own powers. Before we march into the world we need to get on our knees.
Please pray with me, “Dear heavenly Father, You have said that rebellion is a sin of witchcraft and insubordination as is iniquity and idolatry. I know that in action and attitude I have sinned against You with a rebellious hear… I ask Your forgiveness for my rebellion and pray that by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ all ground gained by evil because of my rebelliousness would be canceled… I pray that You will shed light on all my ways that I may know the full extent of my rebelliousness and choose to adopt a submissive spirit and a servant’s heart. Help me put on your full armor of truth, righteousness, the Gospel of peace, faith, salvation and Your holy Word to be your spiritual warrior. In the name of Christ Jesus my Lord. Amen.”
