Dress Appropriately
1. Does it seem you have more trouble after becoming a Christian
than you did before? May not be imagining it. When you accept
Christ as Savior, you enrolled as agent of Heaven & gained enemy.
2.Commitment to Jesus, enlisted as soldier in the army of the Lord.
Some thought only making eternal destiny secure. Others thought
simply dealing with sin. Others thought just subscribing to a higher
moral code. More to it than escaping hell, forsaking sin, or living
righteously.
3. We have joined forces with God & each other in a spiritual
conflict. As Christians, we must struggle with God’s enemy. Our
fight is not against humans: Verse 12 We are fighting a war that
can’t be visualized. We are not fighting against flesh & blood.
4. War not against governments, people, religious institutions,
politics, etc. Not against things we can touch or see. Majority of
people are visual. See to believe. Can’t see, doesn’t exist. Can’t see
demons of world, so you don’t believe.
5. In modern world many things we can’t see, touch, smell, or taste,
yet we have no problem believing they exist. Confusing.
a. Do you watch T.V.?
b. Do you listen to radio?
c. Do you use a beeper?
d. Do you use a cell phone?
6. Answer yes to any of these, you believe in things you can’t see.
7. Get home, turn on T.V., watch show. Don’t like it change
channel.
Easy though you can’t see signal. Same as signals, Satan has
demons all around us.
8. Satan is wise. Knows our moves. Watches our game films. He will
take advantage of any let down.
9. We are in a desperate, life & death battle, where there are real
weapons and very real enemies and very real casualties. It reminds
us that there is a very personal opponent against us. An evil,
ruthless spirit dedicated to destroying us .
10. Our enemy is Satan, chief of the fallen angels. The army of God
is on the march and we are part of that army. Let Satan do his
worst. Fight the fight of faith. The enemy is armed and dangerous,
but so are we.
11. Verse 10 Our strength comes from the Lord, not ourselves. Paul
states there is strength & power available beyond our own. This
strength comes from the “armor of God” We must put on this
“armor”. There is “divine strength” that we can put on to protect
us in the battle we must face.
12. Only God can protect us. Only God can empower us. The right
armor and the right weapons must come from God.
13. Belt of Truth Train people to spot counterfeit money. We
should be so familiar with God’s truth that when we hear a lie we
can spot it. Roman soldier’s belt was essential part of armor. Belt
gathers armor together & secures sword to side. Secures long
garments so they don’t interfere with fighting. Belt ties it all
together.
14. Breastplate of Righteousness Protects vital organs. Heart,
lungs, stomach. Paul makes point this is essential for Christian to
avoid a mortal wound. Not our righteousness. Ours not sufficient to
save us. Isaiah likens our righteousness to filthy rags. We have a
bulletproof vest of righteousness held in place with the belt of truth.
15. Shoes of Gospel of Peace Imagine soldier with best rifle,
warmest clothing, safest helmet, but he’s barefoot! How effective
will he be in battle? Roman soldier wore certain kind of shoe.
Open-toed spiked shoe laced up past ankles. Variety of shoes for
different purposes. Dress, work, athletic, slippers. Romans shoes
served same purpose as football players spikes. Helped stand
ground or advance. Traction. Most combat hand-to-hand. Soldier
could not afford to be pushed backward or slip. Neither can we.
16. Shield of Faith Beginning with this we find 3 pcs. of equipment
which must be taken up again & again. Belt, breastplate, boots
never taken off. Shield, helmet, sword taken up when actual
fighting began. Valuable pc. of equipment. 2 1/2 ft. wide by 4 1/2 ft.
high. Solid pc. of wood covered with metal or leather. Because of
it’s size, it could protect other pcs. of armor. That’s why Paul
says...in addition to all this. This (shield of) faith is a simple trust in
God.
17. Helmet of Salvation May live w/o arm or leg. May survive shot
to vital organ, but head is critical area that needs to be protected.
God gave us a skull. Human eggshell. Protection of your thoughts,
your mind, is the fact of your salvation.
18. Sword of the Spirit Word of God Most common weapon used
in hand-to-hand combat. Used offensively & defensively. Jesus used
this weapon when Devil tempted him in desert. Satan tried to get
Jesus to doubt God, doubt himself & who he was. Sword stored
away does no good. Must be available. Become familiar with the
Word of God. Your mind will be trained to think like God thinks.
19. Wearing the full armor of God is essential, but to stand in the
battlefield with nothing but armor is not enough. Must have plan, a
strategy. Must have tactics. Must have an additional weapon. This
weapon is prayer.
20. Make difference between defeat and victory. Prayer is talking to
God. Communication. We must know how to fight. That is why we
must pray. Prayer is the weapon Satan fears most.
21. How often should we pray? Pray at all times. How? Not possible
if we mean a verbal prayer. If prayer is viewed as an attitude of
constant devotion to and communion with God, then it is possible to
pray without ceasing.
22. Belt of Truth, breastplate of Righteousness, shoes of the Gospel
of Peace, shield of Faith, helmet of Salvation, sword of the Spirit.
“Full Armor of God” Not in this alone.
23. Living in an apartment complex illustration.
