Intro:
- When you stand on the word of God and do what is right in His eyes you are drawing a line the sand.
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I. Be Strong in the Lord v.10
- Isa 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!
- 2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
- 2Co 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
II. The whole Armor of God vs. 11-17
a. In order to stand strong
b. We wrestle not against flesh and blood
- It is easy to focus on people in conflict instead of the one truly behind the conflict
- John 8:1-10 read it
c. The belt of truth v.14a
- Philippians 4:5-8 Truth keeps your heart and mind at God’s peace and is guarded by it.
d. The Breast plate of righteousness v.14b
- Walking in purity
- 1 Kings 11:1-4
- Sin turns our hearts away from God
e. Shoes of the gospel of peace v. 15
- The soldier’s boots had nails in them much like cleets worn in sports today. This gives us a strong footing or hold on the ground. Peace with God is the strongest footing we can have.
f. The shield of faith v. 16
- This protects us from the unknown
- Job 1:20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.
- Job 1:21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
- Job 1:22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
g. Helmet of salvation v. 17
- Assurance of our salvation is important
- 1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
- Doubting eternity and our salvation can cause us to lose hope
- John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
- John 21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
- H. Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God
- This is the only offensive weapon
- A small sword about 18 inches long with a curve at the end
- Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart
Conclusion:
- Keep alert with all perseverance.
- Be in your watchtower
- Satan is a real bad dude
