THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD
EPHESIANS 6:13
We've been examining the subject of spiritual warfare...and last week we saw that the war we're involved in is against a highly organized kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan. And it is a kingdom of demons...evil spirit-beings whose headquarters are in the heavenly realms.
Now the real battleground, as we've already discussed, is in the mind. Satan's main strategy is to build up strongholds of prejudice and unbelief in the minds of people to keep them from receiving the truth of the gospel.
So as Christians, our task is to tear down these mental strongholds...to release these people from Satan's deception...and then bring them into obedience and submission to Christ. That's what spiritual warfare is all about...that's what we've been called to do. And our ability to achieve this God-given task depends upon 2 things:
First - we must see from Scripture, and believe without any doubt, that Jesus totally defeated Satan on our behalf...and as we saw last week - it is now our responsibility to demonstrate the victory that Christ has already won. Second-it's imperative that we make proper use of the spiritual weapons God's given us so we can demonstrate that victory.
Now, the spiritual weapons we've been given fall into 2 main categories...weapons of defense and weapons of attack. Today I want to begin to examine this first category - weapons of defense...and I'll be using Ephesians 6:10-17 as my guide. (READ)
We are in a life and death struggle with the forces of Satan's kingdom...and because of that it is crucial that we put on the full armor of God. I think it's very significant that Paul mentions this fact twice - in verse 11 & 13. This is a clear warning that we must be fully equipped when we engage the enemy of our souls.
One of the major reasons for our spiritual difficulties and defeat is the simple fact that, aside from not knowing who our enemy is and how he works, we go off to fight the devil in our own strength...with "willpower"...what we believe is common sense...and usually with no thought about planning any strategy or relying on the power of the Holy Spirit.
But Paul says so clearly that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal...and if you look up the word carnal in the dictionary it'll say this..."pertaining to the flesh - as opposed to the spirit." The spiritual fight goes against everything our natural inclination would lead us to do. That's why there is so much destruction in the church...because we fail to understand the truth of just how we are to engage in this spiritual warfare.
Paul also says in verse 13 that we need the full armor to be able to stand our ground when the day of evil comes. Now what does it mean by the day of evil? Some would say this refers to a last days event when the anti-christ is revealed on earth...a time during the tribulation period. But the context shows no such thing.
This refers to something that every Christian will go through. This is the time when you will be confronted by the forces of evil...this is where your faith will be challenged...it is a time when it seems like every kind of opposition and problem you could imagine will come against you.
And according to Paul...this is a certainty for all truly born-again Christians - you will face the evil day. And if you truly serve the Lord wholeheartedly - it will happen more than once in your lifetime.
*** Do you remember the parable Jesus gave about the 2 men who built houses? The wise man built his house on rock...but the foolish man built his on sand. The first stood firm but the second collapsed.
The difference between these 2 wasn't the tests that came...because each one faced the same test. It was the same wind, rain, storm and flood that came against them. The difference was the foundation on which they were built...this was the defense against the wind and the rain that came.
Nowhere in Scripture do we find any indication at all that we'll escape the tests and trials of Satan. In fact, there are many, many Scriptures that show the exact opposite. We will not escape the day of evil when the onslaught of the enemy comes. We better be prepared for it. You better have a good foundation. And that is why Paul says to put on the FULL armor of God!
And I think this is one of Satan's greatest triumphs...because he's got so many of God's people so deceived about spiritual warfare and also the power of the Risen Lord - that at the first sign of trouble...or after a little opposition they turn and run. They just quit...and it would be bad if they just quit church but what really happens is...they quit God!
They turn their back on vows and commitments they made to God...and let me tell you, God will hold you accountable for commitments you make in His name... And all you who stood before this congregation in January and promised that as an officer of this church you would be faithful in your attendance...in your support financially...in using your gifts and talents...and uplifting this body in prayer. And you made that promise to God not me!
But most of you lied to God...you stood up here in front of these people and looked us right in the eye and lied right through your teeth. You knew good and well you'd only attend when it was convenient...and you knew you'd never be coming to Bible study...which is where you could be learning about many of these things...
you knew good and well you would never be faithful in tithing - only when you had a few bucks left over...and using your gifts and talents... Well, most of you don't know what your gifts are because you didn't come to Bible study when we spent weeks going through them - so you never found out what yours may be and how you could use them in the church.
So it's not just those that quit and never show up at all...its many of you who have not kept your commitments to God who most of the time end up doing the very work the enemy wanted to accomplish in the first place.
When we experienced the recent difficulties in this church it was many in leadership who were involved in the gossip and division either by feeding on it...or by not having the spiritual fortitude - the guts - to stand on God's Word and stop it in its tracks. You were so worried about not offending anyone that you instead were a monstrous offense to God!
Now, does that mean you are bad people...NO! Does it mean you intentionally set out to cause trouble and division and chaos in this church...for most of you NO! Most of you probably had good intentions but with no strong biblical foundation Satan will rip those good intentions down just like that house built on sand.
What happened was that many people lost sight of who the enemy really was...and how he was using the mind to battle against any desire to faithfully serve God and fulfill your commitments to Him. And by doing so you become a willing tool in the hands of the devil...one who only wants your destruction and the destruction of God's church and His work in this world.
And what makes it really sad is that it is all so unnecessary. Jesus won the ultimate victory...Hallelujah....and He gave us the tools to carry out His work here on earth... regardless of how much opposition and trouble the devil may stir up or bring against us.
Well, we may have lost a few battles...but we will win the war...AMEN? We can turn things around and just like Job...the end will be better than the beginning. If we are ready to get down to business...and ready to do God's work faithfully...if we're ready to fulfill the commitments we made to God - then we will, without a doubt, be victorious! I believe with all my heart that this will be our finest hour if we just do it God's way.
Well, let's look at these spiritual weapons we've been given. As we read in our Scripture...there are six pieces of equipment that are mentioned...and Paul uses as an illustration the equipment that a soldier in the Roman legion would normally wear. This is something that everyone in his day could relate to.
The first item of equipment is the belt of truth. In many translations this is called a girdle. And this was a very important part of his equipment. Now, remember that in those days men (& women) wore a loose garment that came at least to the knees. And for a soldier it was a kind of tunic - loose, usually sleeveless pull-over garment.
But when the soldier was required to do something active...like fight or use his weapons, the first thing he would do was tie his belt tightly around his waist so that the tunic wouldn't flap freely and wouldn't hinder his further movements. And this was essential... in fact it was the basis for everything else. That's why Paul mentions it first.
Paul says that for us the belt represents truth. And he's not talking about some abstract theological truth...but truth in daily living. It means honesty..sincerity...openness. And this is the first thing we need in our fight...but one that I'm afraid is sadly lacking.
In the church we are often so hindered and restricted by sham and hypocrisy...we say and do things we don't really mean simply because they sound good. There are things we do - not to please God or because we really want to do them - but we do them because we want to please other people.
Much of our religious activities are just like that loose, hanging garment...they get in our way and prevent us from doing the kind of things that God really wants us to do. And this prevents us from being the active, energetic, effective Christians we are called to be. It also prevents us from using the other items of equipment we need.
Truth must be our first defensive piece of armor. We must become a people who can be trusted. We must live a life that is the same in public as it is in private when no one is looking. This is what makes a firm foundation.
Next we have the breastplate of righteousness...and this was the thing that protects - above all else - one vital organ of the human body...the heart! This would be the ancient equivalent of the flak jacket or bullet proof vest. And we can see the importance of this.
Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for from it flow the springs of life." This tells us that what you have in your heart must ultimately determine the course of your life - whether for good or evil. And guarding the heart meant protecting it from evil influences...things that would affect your soul.
Now, we need to ask what is meant by righteousness in this context. Paul uses this theme of armor in another letter...in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 he says about having put on the breastplate of faith and love. And when we look at these 2 together, we can see the kind of righteousness Paul has in mind.
It's not anything accomplished by works...or by the religious law...but it is the righteousness that comes only by faith. And the idea is this...as long as we are wearing a breastplate which is simply our own righteousness or our own goodness...Satan can find many weak points that he can penetrate with his attacks...and he will damage the heart.
And the way Paul describes it throughout the N.T. is this - no outward type of ritual or ceremony or form of godliness without power will ever protect our heart - only a faith that works through love. And this is not some passive thing...it is faith that is active (James-faith w/o works is dead)...it's a faith that is working to advance the cause of Christ because of love...love for Christ...love for other believers...love for the lost!
Righteousness that comes by faith and love will never be defeated. And it is this type of godly love that protects us from negative forces like resentment...unforgiveness... bitterness...discouragement...and despair - things that can corrupt our hearts and spoil our lives. READ 1 Cor. 13:4-8
This is the kind of breastplate we need...one that never fails....one that has no weak points where Satan can penetrate. This is essential in our fight ...a breastplate of righteousness...a righteousness that comes by faith and love.
Next are the shoes. Now, the shoes that the Roman legionaires usually wore were strong, heavy sandals with thongs - or laces - to keep them in place. And they were usually laced at least half-way up the calf with these leather thongs.
And they also were a very important part of the soldier's equipment because they enabled him to march long distances with speed. They gave him mobility. And this made him available to his commander at the time and place he was needed in battle. So the shoes provided mobility and availability.
I've read of a particular armored division that served very near the front lines in Northern Africa during W.W.2. And in the desert it was not easy to know exactly where the enemy lines were because of their mobility.
So the Commanding Officer always gave orders that they were to sleep with their boots on...and the reason is obvious. When you wake out of a sound sleep you're not usually at your best. If you wake up and there is confusion all around and you are groping around in the dark for your boots - valuable time can be lost...and maybe valuable lives.
But if you have your boots on you are instantly available. So the key is availability or mobility. And this is also true spiritually. Paul calls the shoes "the preparation of the gospel"...and that means to be ready with something.
As Christians we are to be ready with an intelligent understanding of the gospel. And yet so many people claim to be saved...and saved for many years...but they can't give an intelligent account of how they were saved...or explain how someone else could be saved.
And personally, I believe this is behind the great fear so many have of witnessing. It's pretty hard to explain something to someone that you know so little about yourself. If you've never had a real, life-changing experience yourself - how are you going to tell someone else how to get it.
I believe, from reading the Word of God, that this preparation includes the study of the Scriptures...memorization of the Word...and the ability to communicate intelligently the gospel message. And notice that Paul calls it the gospel of peace. It is a gospel that produces peace of heart and mind...but only to those who believe it and obey it!
And there is one thing certain about peace ... we can only transmit peace to others if we have peace ourselves. We can't give to others something we don't experience ourselves. We can talk about it...we may have ideas about it...but we'll never be able to share it with others in a way they can understand and respond to.
There is an important passage that we need to look at regarding this...Matthew 10:12-13... where Jesus gave instructions to the disciples when He sent them out for the first time to preach the gospel....this is part of His instructions...(READ)
Notice that phrase..."If the home is deserving, Let your peace rest on it" But again, you can't leave something you don't have or are not experiencing yourself. Let me give you an example of how this might work.
Let's suppose you are waiting in a checkout line at a store...and you notice the person beside you is very nervous and jittery...in fact they look like they are on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And God speaks to you...down inside...that you need to help her in some way. What would you do?
Come up with some religious sounding quote from Scripture...ask them to come to church on Sunday...make a hollow promise to pray for them? None of that would ever meet their need. If that's all you could do...you have no shoes on.
Having your shoes on - as Paul refers to - means that you are ready to do something right then and there as God leads you. First of all you must have peace. Then you must let that person feel that you have something that they don't have...something they desperately need. And people can feel peace in other people.
And when they reach out for that peace...you must be able to tell them in simple, non-religious terms just how they can find peace. You must be able to communicate the gospel. That is what is meant by having on the "shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace.
And folks, this is not an option...this is not just something a preacher is supposed to do. Jesus tells each of us to GO!...Make Disciples...Tear Down Strongholds...Win the Lost! If you truly love the Lord and would be true to your commitment to serve Him as you promised when you received your salvation...then you need to share that peace with others.
Next week we'll finish with the weapons of defense...but in the meantime...we need to start somewhere in our battle with the forces of evil. I want you to pray that God will speak to your heart about laying aside all the excuses....that He'll show you how it is Satan that is keeping you from doing what you know is right... and begin putting on the armor that will ensure us victory in our fight of faith.
Let's put on the belt of truth...being honest and trustworthy before God in all we do. Let's put on the breastplate of righteousness - so that we can protect our hearts from all that would keep us from living a life of faith and love...godly love...1 Cor. 13 kind of love!
And let us put on the shoes of preparation...that we are always ready and available to share the peace and truth of the gospel that we claim is the answer for the world today. Let's suit up and prepare not just for battle...but prepare for our greatest victory.
