THE ARMOR OF GOD
Eph. 6:13-17
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: SECRET OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE
1. Noah and Ruth were celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. Their long lasting and happy marriage was the talk of the community. They were asked the secret of their successful marriage.
2. "Well, it dates back to our honeymoon," explained Noah. "We visited the Grand Canyon and took a trip down to the bottom of the canyon on mules. We hadn't gone very far when Ruth’s mule stumbled.
3. She looked at the mule and quietly said, 'That's once.' "We had only proceeded a little farther when the mule stumbled again. Once more Ruth looked him in the eyes and quietly said, 'That's twice.'
4. "We hadn't gone more than a half-mile more when the mule stumbled a third time. This time, Ruth promptly removed a revolver from her purse and shot the mule dead.
5. "I started to protest over her treatment of the mule when Ruth looked at me and quietly said, 'That's once'.
B. TEXT
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Eph. 6:13-17
C. HUMOR: SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS REAL
1. There was once a boxer who was being pummeled in the ring by his opponent. Blow after blow left him with a bloody nose, swollen eyes, and an enormous amount of pain.
2. The bell dinged & he went to the corner. His trainer, trying to encourage him, kept telling him, “You’re doing great, Fred. That bum is barely touching you.”
3. To which he responded, “Then you better keep your eye on that referee, because somebody’s killing me!” Maybe YOU feel like that! We’re in a spiritual war that takes its toll on nations, families, our work, and often results in hardship.
4. You became part of this war the day you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. But I’m glad to tell you that it’s the Lord’s battle, not yours!
5. Today we’re looking at 6 pieces of Armor God has given us so that we can fight the good fight of faith. First is...
I. THE BELT OF TRUTH
A. 5 PURPOSES OF THE SOLDIER’S BELT
1. It KEPT the SOLDIER’S CLOAK from getting tangled in their legs or grasped by an enemy during battle.
2. 2NDLY , it HELD THE SCABBARD, the location of the sword.
3. From it "hung strips of leather to PROTECT THE LOWER BODY."
4. Matthew Henry says the belt TIED EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
5. The Belt was wide enough, as a girdle, to PROTECT the soldier’s kidneys and other VITAL ORGANS.
B. BELT OF “TRUTH”- 4 FACTS about the Bible’s truth
Q- HOW DOES TRUTH HELP US? Satan is the "father of lies" and deception is one of the Enemy's oldest tactics. Knowing GOD’S TRUTH gives us a critical edge against wrong thinking.
1. TRUTH IS ABSOLUTE. Truth gives us a moral and directional compass for our lives.
2. TRUTH IS IMMUTABLE. Truth doesn’t change over time or at the whims of political correctness. What’s true yesterday, will be true tomorrow!
3. TRUTH IS IMPERATIVE – commanded; it’s to be applied to our lives. Hearing without obeying is disobedience!
4. TRUTH IS FREEING. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:32.
5. To “PUT ON” the Belt of Truth is to TEST whether things are true (1 Th. 5:21), to “LIVE-OUT” the truth, and TAKE “ACTION” on the truth, 1 Pet. 1:13.
II. THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
A. PROTECTS THE HEART
1. The purpose of the Roman Breastplate was to protect the HEART! Prov. 4:23 says, "Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." WE ARE RESPONSIBLE to make sure the ground of our hearts is good ground and receives the seed of the Word of God & bears fruit.
2. God commanded us, “Never let your fire go out” Lev. 6:13. He was referring to letting your hearts grow cold or the fire of your zeal go out. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Lk. 12:34. God must always be our chief treasure.
B. Why “BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS?”
1. Satan’s strategy of attack is to get us to question or doubt our salvation, or our acceptance to God. “Am I really a child of God? Is God really pleased with me?”
2. Satan attacks our confidence to deprive us of faith. He tries to get us into negative thought patterns about ourselves, to get us to say, “I give up! I quit! I can’t do it. I’m tired of trying.”
3. God’s answer is Christ’s imputed righteousness. In 2 Cor. 5:21; “For [God] has made Him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” God swapped our sin for His righteousness! We’re now perfectly righteous. Rom. 8:1, "There’s now no condemnation!”
4. The Breastplate gives us the assurance to say “God loved me at my worst, surely He loves me now! His love for me hasn’t changed.”
5. If your Breastplate isn’t in place, you need to repent & trust in Christ's blood to forgive, & receive His righteousness!
III. FEET SHOD W/ PREP. OF GOSPEL OF PEACE
A. FOOTWEAR TELLS WHAT YOU’RE DOING
1. Shoes may not seem essential, but it’s been said that the Roman soldier’s boots were the secret of Roman victory.
2. Imagine a fully armed soldier, wearing flip-flops! Wouldn’t that be crazy? In a fight, footing is everything. Have you ever tried to scuffle on a slick floor with socks on? In athletics, traction wins the day. Good footing has won many boxing matches.
3. “Fitted Feet” represents our DECISION to go out to tell others about Jesus (Isa 52:7). We’ve made up our minds – put our shoes on – to go! We bring the Gospel of Peace between God & man.
B. ILLUS.: WHEN THE FOOTWEAR LOST THE BATTLE
1. Centuries ago the Danes decided to invade Scotland. They moved their great army in during the night to take the Scots by surprise. To be as noiseless as possible, they came barefooted.
2. As they neared the sleeping Scots, one unfortunate Dane stepped on a bristling thistle and yelled in pain. The Scots were alerted, and the Danes were driven back. One could say they came within one “foot” of victory!
3. In memorial, the ‘thistle’ was adopted as the national emblem of Scotland! [Glenn Pease]
IV. THE SHIELD OF FAITH
A. MILITARY PURPOSE OF THE SHIELD
1. THE SHIELD is the primary defensive piece of armor; it’s out in front of all the other pieces of armor and takes the first onslaught, whether by sword, ax, arrow, etc.
2. When enemies begin firing arrows, Roman soldiers would close ranks and form a "turtle" formation. Together, they could keep moving forward, even when under collective attack.
3. Roman shields were made of laminated wood covered w/ hardened leather and lined around the edges w/ metal. During battles, the enemy would shoot flaming arrows which had been soaked in oil or tar, and set on fire.
4. The leather covering on the shields was often soaked with water. The shield would stop the arrow, and the water would extinguish the fire before it could catch the shield on fire. Satan shoots fiery arrows of trials, temptations, tragedies, and disappointments, but God gives us water to put them out!
B. HOW FAITH ACTS AS A SHIELD
1. The SHIELD OF FAITH is an unshakable trust in the Person of God and His care over us. Faith transcends what our senses tell us. We often don’t understand why God has allowed something, but we can still be at peace because we trust God. As Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (13:15).
2. ILLUS. When the Golden Gate bridge was being built, a few workmen fell the 250 feet to the water and were killed. The workmen’s fear of falling shut down the job. At last, despite enormous expense, they hung a gigantic net under it. The fear was replaced by faith and the job advanced quickly.
3. God has also hung a gigantic net under you so you don’t have to be afraid of falling; Moses said, “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” Deut. 33:27!
V. THE HELMET OF SALVATION
A. HELMET NEEDED: HEAD EASY TO DISABLE
1. Boxers know -- one good blow and you can lose consciousness. The brain is the command post of the body, the decision-making headquarters.
2. Our minds are especially susceptible to attack: from temptations, negativity, fear, unbelief/doubt, and error.
3. There is grave danger the fallen mindset may take-back over. "... But the carnal mind is enmity against God" Rom. 8:7. The battle is in the mind. Satan is "... Warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity..." Rom. 7:23.
4. Re-orienting the mind is Key to transformation. "And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds..." Rom. 12:2. Our goal: "But we have the mind of Christ" 1 Cor. 2:16.
B. HELMET “OF SALVATION”
1. Why is it called the Helmet of “Salvation?” God HAS saved us, IS saving us, and WILL save us! This should give us great encouragement.
2. ILLUS. A 12 year-old boy became a Christian during a revival. The next week at school his friends questioned him about the experience. “Did you see a vision?” “Did you hear God speak?” “NO.” They asked, “Then how did you know you were saved?”
3. The boy said, “It’s kind of like when you catch a fish; you can’t see the fish, or hear the fish; you just feel him tugging on your line. I just felt God tugging on my heart.” [Jon Sigler - Sermon Central].
VI. THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - THE WORD OF GOD
A. THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
1. The sword is the only piece of offensive armor! Even if we have all the rest of the armor, without our sword, we’re just moving targets. The enemy wants you weaponless! If you don’t know the Word, you’re at the mercy of the enemy (and he doesn’t have any).
2. We’re told: “TAKE THE SWORD!” Jesus expects us to take the offensive; to get out and fight against the devil.
3. The Word is the “Sword of the Spirit” because it was inspired by the Spirit. 2 Tim. 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed (Gr. theopneustos)....” God’s breath is connected to the Spirit of God (Ezek. 37:9).
B. THE BIBLE IS THE SWORD
1. “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword...” Heb. 4:12. It discerns, judges, cuts, and dissects. IT’S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. One side to fight our enemies. And the other one to cut off our sinful natures, Col. 2:11.
2. When tempted, we’re to quote the Scriptures back to the tempter and contradict his suggestions (as Christ did when tempted, Mt. 4:1-11). This has the effect of countering the devil’s blow and smacking him back with the power of God. When we resist the devil, he WILL flee!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: THE BATTLE FOR JALAPA
1. The people of Jalapa, Nicaragua were caught in a battle zone. Warring cartels in Nicaragua caused fighting and unrest, especially in the mountain villages. At the same time, an even fiercer battle—a spiritual one—raged in Jalapa; believers prayed for revival!
2. Although it was very unsafe, 2 missionaries, David Spencer and his father, Lewie, began holding hold crusades in Jalapa. Slowly the crowds grew and people learned about Jesus, even as the sound of gunfire echoed around the town.
3. During the weeks of crusades, the devil threw many sicknesses & threats at the missionaries, but they kept preaching. At last, they got word a group of men planned to kill him that night. After prayer, they decided it was time to leave, and they sped away down the mountain to safety.
4. Satan might have thought he won the battle, but he was wrong. It was too late because the little village church had grown to 3,000 people. Revival continued to spread in Jalapa.
5. Several years later, missionary David Spencer and his wife Bonnie went back to Jalapa. As they visited the Christians, a pastor told them a thrilling story.
6. Just before they had left 3 years before, a young man – a terrorist – had brought a machine gun to a service. He planned to kill Missionary Spencer while he preached.
7. But when he looked toward the platform, he couldn’t believe his eyes; Missionary Spencer was surrounded by tall, shining angels. Frightened, the man dropped his gun and fled. The man could not forget the sight of the angels and the power of God he sensed that night.
8. He accepted Jesus, became a believer, and later became a deacon in the church. Today the church in Jalapa is a testimony that nothing can stand in the way of people who pray! [Courtesy Assemblies of God World Missions, BGMC]
B. THE CALL
1. How many of you have a spiritual battle going on right now? The battle is the Lords! He will fight for you! Let’s pray!
2. Word from God, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” Gal. 6:9, ESV. Have you become weary in the fight? God wants to renew your strength! Isaiah 40:31.
3. Do you need forgiveness of your sins? Jesus is ready to forgive you! PRAYER
