Introduction:
A
B Every believer is a worshiper & warrior - - - saint & soldier - - -in the faith & in the fight.
1 Fighting from a position of victory, power, strength.
2 We are the best equipped warriors on the ground.
a Belt of truth
b Breastplate of Righteousness
c Shoes of peace
I
A Great generals have said that in warfare an army moves on two vital things. Food (strength) & feet. (Especially true in the ancient Roman army.)
1 The Roman shoes, think leather sole with hobnails as cleats. (Tied to feet/legs with leather laces.)
a To provide firm footing. (Cleats)
b To furnish protection. (Enemy would put pegs in ground - barefoot soldier had a bad day.)
c To give mobility. Move quickly from point A to B.
2 Our shoes serve the same purpose. (Solid foundation & keeps us moving.)
B The identity of the shoes. “Gospel of Peace”
1 What’s the gospel? “Good News” (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
a Death, burial, & resurrection of Jesus Christ unchanging.
b Many people are sliding in their faith; substitutes of the gospel.
2 Only one way to be saved! Acts 4.12
C The stability of the shoes.
1 These are the deep of spiritual tumble weeds, blown about by circumstance & false doctrine.(Shoes make you stick.) Eph. 6:15
a You can be in battle with the enemy & still be at peace with God. (State of well-being, state of contentment.)
b Romans 5.1-2
2 When you know where you stand with God in peace, then Satan can’t worry you to death.
a Allow devil to trouble your mind, causes anxiety - whole life is unstable.
b James 1.8
c Don’t allow the enemy to take your shoes off
aa In Christ you have what the world longs for. (Rom 5.1-2) PEACE
bb Gal 5.1 FREEDOM
D The mobility of the shoes.
1 The “preparation” is translated from a Greek word that means “readiness” (idoru; read to move into battle at a moment notice)
a The Christian life is a walk.
aa Eph 2.2 We are not to walk wrongly
bb Eph 2.10 We are to walk in His works
cc Eph 4.1 We are to walk worthy
dd Eph 5.1-2 Walk in love
ee Eph 5.8 Walk in the light.
b You can’t walk properly without your gospel shoes in place.
aa Too many sluggish, slow-footed, wounded, crippled.
bb Church is paralyzed & muscle bound
2 Before WWII Gen. Charles De Gaulle wrote essays warning french about a new kind of warfare coming “Maginot Line” - stop German troops.
a Warned jet fighters, tanks & France refused to hear, change, move.
b France became a captive nation!
3 If a church draws their line of defense, will stand still.
a Must be ready to advance, serve, spread.
b Move to the front where the battle rages.
c Stand on the truth of Christ. (Even in the heat of battle.)
II The Faith Shield
A In the ancient world, the opposing soldiers would dip their arrows in combustible material & shoot it at you.
1 Burn clothing, cause infection.
a Romans developed a shield to combat against the fiery arrows; 4"x2" leather stretched around a frame & prior to battle they would soak the entire shield in water.
b The soldiers shield was made of leather; Paul says the believers is made of faith.
2 N.T. faith is believe to the point of commitment.
a (IL.) Man pushing wheelbarrow across a 2' steel cable, “Get in.)
b Faith is acting on/trusting in what God has said.
aa Faith is only as valid as the object on which it rests.
bb Faith is to be a shield, if I‘m going to trust my shield, I need to know a little bit more about
B Abraham (Gen. 14/15) wins victory over 5 kings, King of Sodom offer him reward & Abraham refuses, give his tithe to Melchezidek.
1 God speaks to Abraham (Gen. 15.1)
a Psalm 3.3; 84.11; David also took the shield of faith.
b The prophet Habakkuk prophesied during a time when the wicked prospered, enemy threaened, God’s people needed revivl.
aa Asked God tough questions.
bb Habakkuk 2.4, “The just shall live by faith”
cc Romans 1.17; Gal. 3.11; Heb. 10.38
2 I’m saved by grace through faith in God’s Word says about His Son, but faith is also the way I live my life.
a Gal. 2.20
b Stuff is going to happen that will call me to just have faith in God.
aa The shield of faith does not protect us from life. (Paul wrote Ephesians from Prison.)
bb The shield of does not stop fiery arrows from being shot @ us.
cc They come as temptations, depression, distraction, accusations.
c The shield can take care of all that Satan will fire @ you, but God won’t let any dart through w/o His permission.
3 When doubt & fear come knocking, let faith answer the door.
a Let the Word of God, cross of Christ, answer the enemy.
b IL. Package you can refuse, refuse the flaming missiles of the enemy.
c 1 John 5.4; Faith is always victorious.
aa Faith is how we live & we can’t please God w/o it.
bb Faith is always victorious.
T.S. As we face an enemy that is intelligent, aggressive, well-informed, (gk. Diabolos, means “false accuser, slanderer, one who hurls through), remember he is the accuser of the brethern.
III The saved helmet (Eph. 6.17)
A The Roman Soldiers helmet covered his head, check bones from death blows by the enemy.
1 The “helmet of salvation” protects us specifically from the devils attack of our minds. (The devil attacks our mind)
2 We live in a world where people are controlled by “reprobate mind.” (Rom. 1.28 KJV)
a We’re warned not to walk “in the vanity of their mind.” Eph. 4.17 KJV.
b We live in a world that rather push safe sex/ moral living; Alternative lifestyle/than perversion.
3 Churches are not immune (Gay is okay; another gospel; rather make the prodigal son comfortable in the pig pen) Rom. 8.6.
a Jesus warned about this battle of the mind in Luke 12.29.
aa “doubtful” is meteorizo, where we get meteor, “up in the air, suspended, or unsettled.”
bb With this uncertainty comes anxiety, lack of direction. (Phil. 4.6; Be anxious for nothing. .)
b Just because you’re saved, it does not mean you stop getting pelted w/ darts.
B The helmet is to prevent attacks on our salvation.
1 Salvation is the deliverance from a lost/condemned position, to life in God’s kingdom.
a Salvation is a past event.
aa I was convicted in 1978, I received it, but itwas sealed in the spring of 33 A.D.!
bb It was at the cross my salvation began.
b Salvation is a present experience.
aa Phil. 1.6
bb I believe I’m saved everyday, every moment, my life.
c Salvation is a promised expectation.
aa Rom. 13.11, “Now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed . . .”
bb I believe in Rapture (bride), millennial reign; heaven (its beauty)
cc Titus 2.13; Heb. 6.18,19
dd My Jesus has already went to heaven & he’s already pulling me home!
2 Here is how we control our mind sets/thoughts.
a Must repent w/ the mind.
aa Repent (gk. Metanoia) “a change of mind.”
bb Something must change.
b We must receive w/ the mind.
aa Phil. 2.5; 1 Cor. 2.16; 1 Peter 4.1
bb His mind!
c We must renew our mind . . . daily.
aa Rom. 12.1,2
bb By surrendering our bodies to Him & refusing to be conformed to the world brings renewal of the mind.
3 (IL.)
Conclusion:
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Mike Fogerson
