STRENGTH To STAND-II—Ephesians 6:10-20
Attention:
A Palm
It has strength to withstand hurricane force winds(145mph) & remain standing when all around it blows away.
How?...
1)It has a flexible trunk—it can bend 50° without snapping—It is composed of interlocking bundles of wood fibers built to bend & flex, unlike the majority of trees composed of stationary wood(built to bear tremendous weight from above).
2)It’s trunk is rounded—It produces less wind resistance.
3)It’s trunk is rarely branched—Wind resistance is minimized.
4)It’s leaves are flexible yet firmly attached—They fold up in a bundle in the wind, producing less wind resistance.
5)It grows from the apex only—Producing a smaller area of resistance.
6)It’s roots are somewhat short & multiplied around the entire compacted root ball—Makes the rootball essentially act as a bottom-heavy counterweight.
The storm does not negatively effect the palm’s integrity!
The Palm’s God-ordained design—Gives it strength to stand!
Likewise, God’s people need strength to stand in the storms of life!
Paul closes his revelation/direction to the Ephesian church by encouraging them to find their strength in the Lord by effectively arming themselves.
The church must acquire God’s strength to stand victorious.
Where is the church’s strength to stand victorious?
How can the church find strength to stand victorious?
12 distinctions of the Christian soldier’s strength for victory.
We have previously found that
1—God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious or acquire victory thru a distinct...
STRENGTH(:10)
2—God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious thru a distinct...
ENSEMBLE(:11)
Explanation:(:11)Clothing/Array/Dress
:11—“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
The Ephesian Christians are to access God’s strength(:10) thru actions(“put on”) which they take on voluntarily—by compulsion of the Spirit—in obedience to Him.
Christians will only be strong in the Lord when they “put on” specific “armor.”
*The entire array/ensemble of armor is to be “put on” in order for it to be effective.
Likewise, the entire array/ensemble of their “armor” is supplied by God.
The full(versus partial) “armor’s” purpose is that the man or woman of God should & will be enabled to “stand against” the trickeries/schemes/methods “of the devil.” These methods the devil ever employs in order to undo the Christian’s potential effectiveness. But with the same token, the armor of God never fails it’s bearer!
Thru using God’s “whole armor”, Christians are fully equipped & empowered(:10). They are equipped to put their limited strength—flesh only—into play by surrendering it to God in Christ. In our so doing...in our “putting on”, in our being equipped...so God is ‘freed’ from allowing the confines & limitations of disobedient physical flesh—which quenches the power of His might(:10).
In that newfound freedom & power of God’s might, the one thus protected(by God’s armor) is “enabled to stand.”
The Christian not only “stands” but “stands against” or opposed to something.
Every opposition is met with some type of friction(1Pet. 4:12-14):
1Pet. 4:12-14—“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory & of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.”
The Christian & the Christian Church “stand against” any & every method of trickery(“wiles”) which “the devil” might attempt/employ.
Every moment of every day the Christian encounters some form of manifested wickedness/evil/worldliness, which MUST be countered, gone “against”, undermined, & overthrown by God working in the believer thru Christ.
God’s people absolutely must be found to “stand” firm in the face of subversive demonic activity & their deceptions.
Just because you do not have ‘poltergeists’ in your house does not mean that you have overcome the enemy! “The devil’s” primary work is thru subtlety. He masquerades as an angel of light(2Cor. 11:14), as do his ministers...
2Cor. 11:12-15—“But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves[outwardly] into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”
“The devil’s” “wiles/schemes” are manifold but, “Satan’s evil schemes are built around stealth & deception.”—MNTC
There is no complete tabulation of the devil’s evil schemes, because it is ongoing & changes with each situation.
However:
The “devil” brings direct persecution. Hatred from others attempts to destroy the witness of God in the Christian. Such physical destruction & removal of lives removes a potential witness. However, mortal persecution also has a counter-result, in that it emboldens those of true faith to share more fervently. It offers a testimony to others of one’s overarching commitment to God. It proclaims the certainty of Jesus being the prophesied Messiah/Christ.
As has been said thruout the centuries, ‘The seed of the Gospel is the blood of the martyrs!’
The “devil” seeks to dissolve the unifying nature of the Holy Spirit in the local & universal church by removing the bond of peace among believers. He does this largely thru encouraging selfishness. This dis-unity is a major concern of the apostolic writings.
Eph. 4:1-3—“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness & gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Js. 4:1-12—“Where do wars & fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust & do not have. You murder & covet & cannot obtain. You fight & war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask & do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers & adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil & he will flee from you. Draw near to God & He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; & purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament & mourn & weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning & your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, & He will lift you up. Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother & judges his brother, speaks evil of the law & judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save & to destroy. Who are you to judge another?”
The “devil” twists God’s word(written & spoken(reminded)), & the desire of God(doctrinal confusion) in order to make believers & unbelievers question God’s motives. In so doing “the devil” subverts God’s authority, & supplants it with his own. This he does & gains advantage over & thru the believer!
Gen. 3:1-6—“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, & you will be like God, knowing good & evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, & a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit & ate. She also gave to her husband with her, & he ate.”
2Tim. 4:1-5—“I charge you therefore before God & the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living & the dead at His appearing & His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; & they will turn their ears away from the truth, & be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
“Put on”(See :14)—enduw—Aorist Middle Imperative 2nd Plural—1) To sink into(clothing), put on, clothe one's self. Strong—To invest with clothing(literally or figuratively).
English=?’Endow’?
From—en—1) In, by, with etc.. Strong—a primary preposition denoting (fixed)position(in place, time or state), & by implication--Instrumentality(medially or constructively), i.e. A relation of rest(intermediate between eiv[into, unto, to, towards, for, among] & ek/ex[out of, from, by, away from]).—&—dunw/dumi—prolonged forms of an obsolete primary duw(to sink); to go “down.”
“Whole Armor”(See :13)—panoplia—Noun Fem.—1) Full armor, complete armor—1a) includes shield, sword, lance, helmet, greaves, & breastplate[per Polybius]. Strong—Full armor.
English=‘Panoply’
From—pav—1) individually—1a) Each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; 2) collectively—2a) Some of all types.—&—oplon—1) Any tool or implement for preparing a thing; 2) An instrument. Strong—An implement or utensil or tool(literally or figuratively, especially offensive for war).
“God”(See :13, 17)—yeov—Noun Masc.—
“Able”(See :13, 16)—dunamai—Verb—1) To be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability & resources, or of a state of mind, or through favorable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom; 2) To be able to do something; 3) To be capable, strong & powerful. Strong—To be able or possible.
“Stand”(See :13, 14)—isthmi—Verb—1) To cause or make to stand, to place, put, set—1a) To bid to stand by, [set up]—1a1) in the presence of others, in the midst, before judges, before members of the Sanhedrin;, 1a2) To place, 1b) To make firm, fix, establish—1b1) To cause a person or a thing to keep his or its place, 1b2) To stand, be kept intact(of family, a kingdom), to escape in safety, 1b3) To establish a thing, cause it to stand 1b31) To uphold or sustain the authority or force of anything, 1c) To set or place in a balance—1c1) To weigh: money to one(because in very early times before the introduction of coinage, the metals used to be weighed); 2) To stand—2a) To stand by or near—2a1) To stop, stand still, to stand immovable, stand firm—2a1a) of the foundation of a building, 2b) To stand—2b1) Continue safe & sound, stand unharmed, to stand ready or prepared, 2b2) To be of a steadfast mind, 2b3) of quality--One who does not hesitate, does not waiver. Strong—a prolonged form of a primary staw(of the same meaning, used for it in certain tenses); To stand(transitively or intransitively), used in various applications(literally or figuratively).
“Against”(See :12)—prov—Preposition—1) To the advantage of; 2) At, near, by; 3) To, towards, with, with regard to. Strong—a preposition of direction; Forward to, i.e. Toward(with the genitive case) the side of, i.e. Pertaining to; (with the dative case)--By the side of, i.e. Near to; (usually with the accusative case)--The place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. Whither or for which it is predicated.
“Wiles/Schemes”—meyodeia—Noun Fem.—=‘Travel With’—1) Cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery. Strong—Traveling over, i.e. Travesty(trickery). Used 2X.
English=“Method or Methodical”
From—meta—1) With, after, behind. Strong—a primary preposition; properly--Denoting accompaniment; “Amid”(local or causal); occupying an intermediate position between apo[off, away from] or ek, ex[from, out] & eiv[to, into] or prov[toward, near to]; less intimate than en[in] & less close than sun[with, together]).—&—odeuw—To travel(from odov a road, way, route).
“Devil”—diabolov—Adj.—= ‘Thru throwing/casting.’—1) Prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely—1a) A calumniator, false accuser, slanderer,; 2) metaph.--Applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him. Satan the prince of the demons, the author of evil, persecuting good men, estranging mankind from God & enticing them to sin, afflicting them with diseases by means of demons who take possession of their bodies at his bidding. Strong—A traducer; specially--Satan [compare Njs].
English=‘Diabolical’
Argumentation:
Mal. 3:1-2—“Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderer’s soap.”
1Jn. 4:17-19—“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”
Lk. 21:29-36—“Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, & all the trees. When they are already budding, you see & know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven & earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, & cares of this life, & that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, & pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, & to stand before the Son of Man.”
Rom. 13:11-14—“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, & let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry & drunkenness, not in lewdness & lust, not in strife & envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, & make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”
Lk. 14:25-33—“Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned & said to them, “If anyone comes to Me & does not hate his father & mother, wife & children, brothers & sisters, yes, & his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross & come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first & count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--lest, after he has laid the foundation, & is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build & was not able to finish.’ “Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first & consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation & asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
Col. 3:1-11—“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, & your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, & covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, & have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all & in all.”
Jude 1:24-25—“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory & majesty, Dominion & power, Both now & forever. Amen.”
Eph. 4:11-16—“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, & some pastors & teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to & fro & carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined & knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Mk. 13:21-23—“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. For false christs & false prophets will rise & show signs & wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.”
Illustration:
THE SOLID ROCK
Hymn # 337
1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood & righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high & stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope & stay.
4.When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
A soldier’s ensemble/ENSEMBLE
A Duke Power lineman’s workclothes/Protective clothing & gear to get the job done/ENSEMBLE
A woman’s ensemble/ENSEMBLE
My Sunday Morning Ensemble/I put on a dress-shirt—if it’s thin & light colored, then I wear an ‘A’-shirt under it/I break out my dress shoes & dark socks that complement my suit color/I attach my dark suspenders which also complement my suit color/I may wear a tie which takes a little while to tie properly sometimes I don’t get the length right until the 3rd attempt/I hold it in place with my gold Cross tie clip/I brush my hairs into place one final time before I put the jacket on which matches my suit color/I put my red ink pen into the pen pocket on the left inside of the suit jacket/ I switch my smartphone to silent mode, taking it out of it’s holster, & insert it into the right inside pocket on the other side of the jacket/All this just so I can Stand before you with some degree of confidence that you will not be attentive to something about me personally, but will instead give the Lord opportunity to speak His truth into your life!/ENSEMBLE
Application:
?Your ENSEMBLE give you & others, strength to stand victorious?
?You acquired Strength for victory over wickedness?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The Palm’s God-ordained design—Gives it strength to stand!
Action:
God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious thru a distinct...
2. ENSEMBLE(:11)Clothing/Array/Dress
1. STRENGTH(:10)
Pt. 2 only! Presented 06/04/2017am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
