Satan is a con artist. He sells death and he's the best at it. Paul teaches us we are engaged in a spiritual war so, we should be aware of what this means. Satan is a con artist. He deceives. Paul tells us how to arm ourselves in this battle and we'll take a quick look at these spiritual tools of warfare. Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Bible, and Prayer. Each of these are just as vital as the other, so the question we need to ask is, am I wearing and using the spiritual armor and weapons God gives me?
The smartest people can be conned so its not just about how much you know about these spiritual tools. Even spiritual leaders are caught having affairs, or embezzling church funds. Everyone sins. This isn't about how much you know. You want to know what makes these spiritual weapons effective? Your motive. Your motive means everything. So let`s address the first weapon Paul tells us about, Truth. Remember the greatest commandment? Paul confirms the teaching of Jesus when he said, " If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."
Here's the Truth. Take the heart out of religion and what is the result? Some people who go to church, but they have a lot of questions, and doubts, and they don't care to live for Jesus, except for what they do for a couple hours on Sunday. Ask yourself have you considered that denying yourself every day to follow Jesus might seem too difficult? Does prayer seem ineffective or too abstract? Have you ever doubted your faith? If you have answered or are answering these questions affirmatively, you can be assured that you were or are allowing the deceiver to operate his con on your mind.
Please notice the emphasis on the heart and the motive. If you love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, are you going to mess up? Yep. But if you love God with all your heart, soul strength and mind, how are you going to feel when you mess up? The Truth is I'm going to feel sorrow for those things I do that are sinful. A heart of repentance is the difference between someone who is being deceived and someone who is genuinely following Jesus as a flawed but forgiven person. The armor and weapons God gives us are Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Bible, and Prayer. Am I wearing Truth? Do I love God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind? Is love the motive for why I do what I do? I wear Truth by answering with a resounding, "YEAH!"
The second piece Paul mentions is Righteousness. This is a big churchy word that means something really simple. Think of it this way, Jesus put his clothes on you. Is that weird? It's probably not for girls because they share clothes all the time. But guys, we don't really go out of our way to wear each others clothes. "Hey, dude, nice pair of Levi's there, mind if I try them on sometime?" Yeah, that would get you a black eye with most guys I know. Paul explained it this way, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Jesus became sin for us. Jesus was "right with God" because Jesus didn't sin. He "had no sin." Jesus clothed us in His righteousness.
You'll notice that Paul calls Righteousness a "breastplate". Think body armor. So the better question is, do I have this body armor on? You have to reflect on your motive again. Jesus alerts us that the Pharisees in his day were unrighteous. One of His big complaints with these religious leaders was that they worshiped God with their lips but their hearts were far away from Him. Are you right with God? The armor and weapons God gives us are Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Bible, and Prayer. Righteousness isn't about doing the right things, the right way. That's what the Pharisees did. Am I wearing Righteousness? Do I love Jesus more than myself? Do I obey Him because I love Him? If you're wearing Righteousness then you're answer to these questions is, "YEAH!" And a heart that is sold out to follow Jesus is not easily deceived by the con artist.
Paul teaches us that Peace comes from the Good News and is a part of our armor, too. How do you feel when you hear good news? How about when you hear bad news? When Kristi and I were told that Jared had a cancer in his leg, I can't tell you how dejected, defeated, sad, and even angry I felt. This bad news brought up all of these feelings and emotions all at the same time. It was a terrible moment. But then when we were told the good news that Jared was finally cancer free and in remission I felt all the opposite emotions. I felt elated, victorious, happy, and full of joy and peace all at the same time. We like to hear good news.
The Good News of Jesus is the best news. This is the news that says, "We're forgiven." "We're saved." When we wear Truth and Righteousness we also wear Peace. There is something special that this part of the armor does for us. Paul says, "you will be fully prepared." Another word that means the same thing here would be confident. How do you feel when you are fully prepared to do something? How do you feel when you have something very important to do, but, you don't feel very prepared? Confidence is the difference isn't it? When we wear Peace, we are at peace, we are confident with the Good News. Followers of Jesus are always ready to share the Gospel with those who want to know about our eternal hope. The armor and weapons God gives us are Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Bible, and Prayer. Am I wearing Peace? Am I confident enough to share the Good News of Jesus with others? If I'm wearing Peace then my answer to this questions is, "YEAH!"
Faith and Salvation are also an important part of our spiritual armor. You'll notice that Paul refers to Faith as a shield and Salvation as a helmet. It's not that difficult to assume the role of a shield or a helmet in battle. These protect the soldier from weapons that are aimed in his general direction. Plastic shields are often used today in crowd control situations. Police, typically will create a wall of shields as they advance on an unruly crowd in an attempt to break it up. Soldiers today, as they did in Jesus day wear helmets for protection. Faith and Salvation work the same way.
Remember the story when the Apostles saw Jesus walking on water in the middle of a storm? Once Peter recognized that it was Jesus he asked if he could step out of the boat and walk toward his rabbi. And for a second Peter did fine, but, what happened? Jesus clues us in, as Peter, a seasoned fisherman is flailing around in the stormy waves, begging Jesus to save him, Jesus says to Peter, "You have such little faith, why did you doubt me?" Faith and Salvation protect us from the blows of evil, especially in the heat of battle.
The armor and weapons God gives us are Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Bible, and Prayer. Am I carrying Faith and Salvation? Do I rely on the truth and confidence of my salvation, do I rely on the power of my resurrected Jesus, every day, including when I experience a tragedy, a bad day, or a stressful situation? If I'm carrying Faith and Salvation then my answer to this questions is, "YEAH!"
Of all the things we've discussed so far in Paul's description of how Jesus followers are protected in our Spiritual war, the Bible is the only weapon designed to use on offense. Paul refers to Scripture as a sword. Actually a sword can be both an offensive and defensive weapon at the same time. The Hebrew writer also refers to the Bible as a sword. The Bible cuts the heart we're told.
How many Christian people really use their Bible? I don't know, are there several who see the Bible as more of a decorative piece, or maybe it goes forgotten under a pile of books, magazines or other things? It doesn't matter if you use a book or an Ipad, the Bible is the Word of God. In Paul's day, a soldier who went into battle without a sword was doomed. He could have all the other pieces of his armor, but, if he didn't have a sword, there was no way he was walking away from that battle alive.
I wonder if there are some Christian people who don't walk out of their spiritual battles alive. Do some of us die, tragically, spiritually, because we're in a battle without the Bible. Jesus tells us that we live spiritually by every word that comes from the mouth of God. The Hebrew writer tells us that those who are followers of Jesus for some time should be able to discern right from wrong and be able to teach others. There are those the Hebrew writer calls babies, and these infants are those Christians who should know right from wrong, but, still need someone to teach them the basics of faith.
One of the greatest responsibilities for parents is to teach their children the commands of God. And this is one of the reasons we are going to begin the D-6 curriculum in the fall. We need to teach each other and our children the Bible.
The armor and weapons God gives us are Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Bible, and Prayer. Am I carrying the Bible? Do I know what the Word of God says? Do I live by every word that comes from the mouth of God? Can I teach the Bible to others, especially my loved ones? If you're carrying the Bible then your confident answer to this question is, "YEAH!"
The Paul tells us to Pray. Sometimes we are easily overwhelmed by the wickedness in our world and so Paul teaches us to live in daily awareness that God is stronger than all of it and that his Spirit and his Word live in our hearts. In this way and through the power of Jesus we have the power to overcome every struggle.
We Pray because we rely on God’s mercy. We Pray to confess sin and repent. We Pray because praying helps us to see God for who He is. He is the AWESOME God. And we Pray because when we do, we honor God. Think about the confidence you have through your spiritual armor, Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Bible, and Prayer and read this.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Paul says in Ephesians 4:27 that anger provides a step for Satan to enter your heart. What happens when we're angry? Typically we disengage. When we're mad at someone we will stop speaking to them, or we'll go into a shell. When we disengage from the Holy Spirit, when we are not motivated by love to speak Truth, live Righteous, and in Peace with everyone, then we will be gullible to deception. When we doubt our Faith, and our Salvation, or question the authority of the Bible, or wonder if God really cares about our Prayer, then, we are gullible to deception. Are you are vulnerable to the enemy? Or do you possess, fully and confidently the spiritual armor God has given you.
Colossians 2:12, "For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead."
