A former boxing champion, eager to regain his status, got into the boxing ring with a newer and much younger champ. After five or six rounds of pummeling, the old champ came back to his corner and sat down. He was cut several times, and both of his eyes were nearly swollen shut. Even so, his trainer with great optimism tried to encourage the old champ. “You’re doing great,” he told him. “That guy has barely touched you!”
The old boxer, squinting at his trainer and about to keel over, replied: “Then you better watch the referee because somebody keeps hitting me!” (Daniel Richter, SermonCentral.com, June 2007)
That’s the picture of many churches today. Their members have been beaten and battered by life. There is immorality and addiction in the pews. Families in the church have been torn apart, but are still trying to keep up appearances for Sunday morning. Church members can’t stop fighting. Churches are splitting, and many are accomplishing nothing for the Kingdom of God.
Even so, there are people telling us that we’re doing great, that there is nothing really wrong with the church today, but most of us know it isn’t true. No matter what people say, we know that someone keeps hitting us! Someone keeps landing some pretty hard blows, and someone is leaving scars behind. That “someone” is Satan, a very real person, and he will do anything he can to stop the church dead in its tracks.
But we don’t have to take it anymore. We don’t have to let that old devil defeat us, because we have some supernatural resources he cannot overcome. We may be “down” in the middle of the fight but we’re not “out” yet. In fact, the victory is ours if we’ll only utilize the supernatural resources God has put at our disposal.
You say, “Phil, what are those supernatural resources?” Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Ephesians 6, Ephesians 6, where God tells us how we can get it together again and defeat the enemy.
Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV)
We are fighting a powerful enemy, but we have the “strength of [the Lord’s] might” at our disposal. So if we want to defeat those “spiritual forces of evil” that are tearing us apart, then we must fight with the Lord’s power. We must do battle with His strength. We must…
UTILIZE GOD’S ENERGY.
We cannot overcome in our own strength. Instead, we must “be strong in the LORD, vs.10 says, “and in the strength of his might.”
If we were to fight the forces of evil in our own strength, it would be like trying to operate a tank on the battle field without knowing it comes equipped with a motor. Imagine a puny, little soldier trying to push a multi-ton tank across the battle field. He’d get nowhere fast!
Even so, that’s how many Christians try to operate their lives, and that’s how many church members try to run their churches. They seek to storm the gates of hell without the power of God’s Spirit¸ and then they wonder why they are so ineffective.
Whenever we go to do battle with the evil one, we must depend on God’s power; we must connect with the Lord; we must seek His help. It’s like putting the key in the ignition and feeling the rumble of power beneath you. If we’re going to defeat the evil one in our lives and in our churches, then we must utilize God’s energy. In addition, we must also…
UTILIZE GOD’S EQUIPMENT.
We must take up all the Lord’s gear. We must put on the full armor God has provided.
Ephesians 6:13-14a 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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth… (ESV)
The Apostle Paul is writing these words under house arrest in Rome. And no doubt, there is a Roman soldier right there in the room with him. He looks at that Roman soldier and sees that he is wearing a long tunic – a big, square piece of material with holes in it for the head and arms. Now, normally that tunic hung low and loose over the body, except when that soldier went into battle. Then, he would put on a belt, clasp it around his waist and tuck the four corners of that tunic in his belt. That way it wasn’t flapping in the breeze or tripping him up when he tried to fight.
In the same way, we must put on the belt of truth, in order to get ready to fight the evil one. If we are going to win the battle against Satan and his forces, we must be totally honest with God, with ourselves, and with each other. We must be men and women of integrity.
Gary Thomas, in his book, The Beautiful Fight, talks about a businessman in the service industry who got tired of being yelled at. He grew weary of getting sprayed with angry spit from dissatisfied customers who expected five-star service at Motel 6 prices. Then one day, he became oddly detached during yet another customer tirade. He felt as though he were watching a movie. In fact, he couldn't help but think that the angry woman's antics made her look like a monkey.
That observation gave him a brilliant idea. He posted a giant mirror behind the front desk – and the customer tirades all but ceased. When people saw how rude and hateful they looked while yelling and screaming, they stopped yelling and screaming. (Gary Thomas, The Beautiful Fight, Zondervan, 2007, p. 63)
It does us no good to ignore the truth about ourselves when we’re fighting the enemy. In fact, the only way we can get ready to fight the evil one is to face the truth about ourselves. We need to look in the mirror of God’s Word, which teaches us the truth not only about ourselves, but also about God and our enemy. Then, once we know that truth, we are prepared to do battle. If we want to win the war, we must put on the belt of truth.
Then, we must put on the breastplate of righteousness. We must protect our mind and emotions with right actions.
Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. (ESV)
On a Roman soldier, the breastplate was a metal chest plate, which covered his body from the base of his neck to the top of his thighs. It protected the extremely vital areas of his body, especially the heart and the bowels.
Now, in the Bible, the heart is often a reference to the mind (Eph 1:18; 4:18), and the bowels are a reference to the emotions, probably because when a person is emotionally upset, they often feel it in their gut. Thus, righteousness, like a soldier’s breastplate, protects our minds and emotions from Satan’s attacks.
In other words, doing right helps us to think right and to feel right so we can make the right decisions to defeat the evil one. It’s only when we do wrong that we find ways to justify our sin, mentally and emotionally, and we open ourselves up to Satan’s attacks.
In ancient China, the people wanted security from the barbaric, invading hordes to the north. To get this protection, they built the Great Wall of China. It's 30 feet high, 18 feet thick, and more than 1,500 miles long!
The Chinese goal was to build an absolutely impenetrable defense – too high to climb over, too thick to break down, and too long to go around. But during the first hundred years of the wall's existence, China was successfully invaded three times.
It wasn't the wall's fault. During all three invasions, the barbaric hordes never climbed over the wall, broke it down, or went around it; they simply bribed a gatekeeper and then marched right in through an open door. (James Emery White, You Can Experience a Purposeful Life, Nashville: Word, 2000)
The lack of righteousness literally opened a door to the enemy, and that’s what happens when we lack righteousness too. We open ourselves to enemy attack. Satan comes right in and wrecks havoc in our lives and in our churches.
Don’t let him! If we want to win against the spiritual forces of evil, 1st, we must put on the belt of truth. 2nd, we must put on the breastplate of righteousness.
And 3rd, we must put on the shoes of peace. We must be at peace with each other, experiencing the benefits of reconciliation Christ Himself purchased for us on the cross.
Ephesians 6:15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. (ESV)
The “gospel of peace” in Ephesians is the good news of our reconciliation with each other. The word, “peace,” is used only three other times in the book, and each time it speaks of believers who are at peace with each other (2:14-16; 4:3; 6:23). And such peace provides the stability and protection we need from Satan’s attacks.
A Roman soldier’s shoes protected him from the little sticks the enemy often planted on the field of battle. Those sticks were sharpened to a razor point and pushed into the dirt under some loose ground cover with those points aiming straight up. It was very effective, especially when a soldier didn’t have the right kind of shoes. It stopped him dead in his tracks with broken and bloody feet. But if the soldier wore the right kind of shoes, he could run over those sticks without any harm.
In addition, the Roman soldier’s shoes had little pieces of metal sticking out the bottom, like cleats on a soccer shoe. That way he could hold his ground and make quick moves without slipping or falling.
In the same way, our unity, like those shoes, protects us and gives us stability against the forces of evil. But if we are not unified, we slip and fall and find ourselves broken and bloodied on the field of battle.
In an old Peanuts cartoon, Lucy sashays into the room, makes a fist, and demands that Linus change TV channels. “What makes you thing you can walk right in here and take over?” Linus asks her.
“These five fingers,” says Lucy. “Individually, they’re nothing, but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold.”
Linus responds, “Which channel do you want?” Then turning away, he looks at his own fingers and says, “Why can’t you guys get organized like that?” (Bruce Shelley, What is the Church, p.38)
We must come together, living out the reconciliation Jesus purchased for us on the cross, if we’re going to win the battle. We must stand together, or we’ll fall separately. If we want to win the war against the evil one, then 1st, we must put on the belt of truth. 2nd, we must put on the breastplate of righteousness. 3rd, we must put on the shoes of peace.
And 4th, we must take up the shield of faith. We must trust God in the battle, believing that His Word is true and that His way is best.
Ephesians 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. (ESV)
The Roman soldier’s shield was 4½ feet high and 2½ feet wide. It was covered on the outside with metal and sometimes also with an especially treated, thick leather. That way, when the enemy shot their flaming arrows, the Roman soldier could deflect those arrows with his shield or else they would be extinguished in the leather.
That’s what faith does when Satan shoots his flaming arrows of temptation and discouragement. When we truly believe that God’s way is best and that He will keep His promises, then Satan’s lies are deflected or extinguished, and they bother us no more.
Harry A. Ironside, former pastor of the Moody Memorial Church in Chicago in the early part of the 20th Century, used to tell the story of how he would play “bear” with his little boy. Often, he would get down on all fours and chase the toddler into a corner, all the time growling like a bear. Once, when the boy was hopelessly cornered, he said boldly, “I’m not a bit afraid. You’re not a bear at all; you’re my daddy.” (Carl D. Windson, On This Day, p.148)
Too often, we run away from God as though he were an angry bear, bent on our destruction. Instead, we need to run to Him, realizing that He’s our Daddy. He loves us more than anything, and He only wants what’s best for us. If we really believe that, then Satan’s lies are easily deflected. He can no longer discourage us or lead us astray.
If we want to win the war against the evil one, then 1st, we must put on the belt of truth. 2nd, we must put on the breastplate of righteousness. 3rd, we must put on the shoes of peace. 4th, we must take up the shield of faith.
And 5th, we must put on the helmet of salvation. We must go into battle with the assurance of victory!
Ephesians 6:17 “Take the helmet of salvation.”
This is the assurance of our ultimate victory in Christ, and it protects us from the broadsword of discouragement.
Christ HAS saved us from the penalty of sin when we first put our trust in Him. Christ IS saving us from the power of sin as we continue to trust Him, and Christ WILL save us from the very presence of sin when we come to glory. Philippians 1:6 says, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
When you know that you know that you know you’re going to win, then there is nothing that can stop you. You keep on going until you realize the victory that is already yours in Christ.
On the 50th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy (June 6, 1994), all the major television networks ran programs that included interviews with aging veterans.
One of the programs paired two contrasting interviews back to back. The first interview was with a marine who had landed on Omaha Beach. He recalled horrors of that landing, seeing the bloody casualties that surrounded him, and concluded, “We're going to lose!”
The next interview was with a U.S. Army Air Corps reconnaissance pilot who had flown over the whole battle area. He viewed the carnage on the beaches and hills, but he also witnessed the successes of the marines, the penetration by the paratroopers, and the effectiveness of the aerial bombardment. He looked at everything that was happening and concluded, “We're going to win!” (Leith Anderson, Leadership That Works, 1999, pp. 164-165)
In the heat of battle, we need that perspective – we’re going to win! It’s guaranteed. God has declared it from Heaven, and there is no stopping us. Believe it and you will see it yourself.
If we want to win the war against the evil one, then 1st, we must put on the belt of truth. 2nd, we must put on the breastplate of righteousness. 3rd, we must put on the shoes of peace. 4th, we must take up the shield of faith. 5th, we must put on the helmet of salvation.
And 6th, we must take up the sword of the Spirit. We must hit the devil with Scripture when he attacks.
Ephesians 6:17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (ESV)
This sword is a short sword used in hand-to-hand combat. It was a precise weapon used in a precise way, and that’s how we must use the Word of God when we are tempted. We cannot say to the devil, “Well I know it says it somewhere in the Bible.” Like Christ did when He was tempted, we must say to the devil, “It is written,” and be able to quote specific verses.
That means we must be spending regular time in the Word, memorizing and meditating on its words. Seven days without the Bible makes one weak (W.E.A.K). If the only Bible you’re getting is here on Sunday mornings, then no wonder you’re floundering during the week. We need to spend daily time in the Bible if we’re going to experience victory in our everyday lives. Don’t neglect it. It’s your sword, which strikes at the heart of Satan Himself. He can’t stand against it.
If we want to win the war against the evil one, then 1st, we must put on the belt of truth. 2nd, we must put on the breastplate of righteousness. 3rd, we must put on the shoes of peace. 4th, we must take up the shield of faith. 5th, we must put on the helmet of salvation. 6th, we must take up the sword of the Spirit every day.
And finally, we must pray. We must flood the throne room of heaven with our prayers in every way, at every time, for every one.
Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Did you notice the four “all’s?” Pray… at ALL times with ALL prayer and ALL perseverance, making supplication for ALL the saints. This is fervent prayer which never gives up on anybody at any time.
We’re right back where we started from, aren’t we – in total dependence upon God. Prayer is the engine that runs the tank. Prayer is the power that defeats the enemy. “Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees” (William Cowper and John Newton, Leadership, Vol. 16, no. 1). That’s because he knows that our prayers focus the powers of heaven against Him, and he cannot stand against such power.
Today, our missiles are able to strike strategic targets with pin-point accuracy. That’s because Special Operations Forces (SOF) deep behind enemy lines provide the bombing coordinates for military targets. Standing on the ground, they can request a laser-guided missile strike from an aircraft high overhead. Then, using a hand held laser, they point the beam at the target. The missile hones in on that target and strikes right at the beam.
That’s the way our prayers work in spiritual warfare. They focus the attention of God’s power from on high (Steve Schertzinger in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching, Baker).
It’s the only way we win! We are the church triumphant, but only if we utilize the energy and the equipment God supplies. My friends, let’s not live in defeat any longer. Instead, let’s overcome through the power and provision of our Lord.
Soldiers of Christ arise and put your armor on,
Strong in the strength which God supplies through His eternal Son;
Strong in the Lord of hosts, and in His mighty power,
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts is more than conqueror. (Charles Wesley)
