HANGING ON PART 1: TAKING A STAND
EPHESIANS 6: 10-20
NOVEMBER 9, 2003
INTRODUCTION: Josh Turner - Long Black Train Buy this album!
There’s a long black train Coming down the line Feeding off the souls that are lost and crying Tails of sin only evil remains Watch out brother for that long Black Train
Look to the heavens You can look to the skies You can find redemption
staring back into your eyes There is protection and there is peace the same, burn in your ticket for that Long Black Train
cause theres victory in the lord i say Victory in the lord
Cling to the father and his holy name and dont go riding on that long Black Train
Theres a enginere there on that Long Black Train making you wonder if your ride is worth the pain hes just a waitin on your heart to say let me ride on that long black train
but u know theres victory in the lord i say victory in the lord Cling to the father and his holy name and dont go riding on that long Black Train
Well i can hear the whistle from a mile away it sounds so good
but i must stay away that train is a beauty making everybody stare but its only destination is the middle of nowhere But u know there¡¦s victory in the lord i say
victory in the lord Cling to the father and his holy name and dont go riding on that long Black Train i said cling to the father and his holy name and dont go ridin on that black train yes watch out brother for that long black train the devils a ridin that long black train.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Let me ask you a question. Do you believe we are in a battle? Do you believe that we have an enemy? You see, he has a long black train and its whistle is calling you. It is calling you to ride on that Long Black Train, and the devil is the conductor and he wants to take you on a ride going to the middle of nowhere. The reality is that many hear the whistle and are going for a ride and in the end everything worth having is lost! You see we are in a battle. In this battle, we have a choice to make. We can stay away from the call of the whistle; you can make a stand. Or, you can hear the whistle call and go running for the train! ARE YOU READY FOR THE BATTLE?
THESIS SENTENCE: OUR GOD CALLS US TO STAND IN THE BATTLE, NOT FALL AWAY!
SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO TAKE A STAND FOR JESUS?
I. TAKING A STAND IS STANDING AGAINST THE DEVIL! VV. 10-11
A. STANDING AGAINST THE DEVIL IS KNOWING HIS GAME
1. The Devil¡¦s game is called the Devil¡¦s schemes.
2. Listen to what scripture has to say:
„« He is the sower of weeds and not grain, He sows that we may be destroyed (Matthew 13:39).
„« His desire is to take you into the eternal fire prepared for him and his angels, for those who do not help their brothers and sisters in need (Matthew 25:41).
„« His scheme is to take away the word of God from your hearts so that you may not believe and be saved (Luke 8:12).
„« His scheme is to get you not to love Jesus and when you do not Jesus says you belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father¡¦s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
„« His scheme is to prompt you to betray Jesus (John 13:2).
„« His scheme is to keep you from coming to your senses and not escape from the trap he has set for you, because he wants to make you a captive to do his will (II Timothy 2:26).
„« His scheme is that you not resist him (James 4:7).
„« Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. His scheme is to devour you (I Peter 5:8).
„« His scheme is to get you to do what is sinful, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning (I John 3:8).
„« His scheme is to lead the whole earth astray (Revelation 12:9).
„« From this time, many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him. His scheme is to get you to turn away (John 6:66).
3.What we are seeing throughout scripture is the devil is filled with fury because he knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12).
B. STANDING AGAINST THE DEVIL IS KNOWING WHO HE IS
1. His name is satan in Hebrew and diabolos in Greek.
2. The word satan means to attack or accuse with the connotation to resist or be an adversary.
3. The word diabolos means to be a traducer, a false accuser, a slanderer, to lead across, lead along as a spectacle, bring into disgrace.
C. STANDING AGIANST THE DEVIL IS TAKING A STAND
1. Our text begins with the Apostle Paul making a statement: ¡§Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (verse 10).¡¨ These are fighting words!
2. He continues by adding the how to: ¡§Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil¡¦s schemes (Verse 11).¡¨
3. The point being, we are commanded to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power and to take a stand against the devil¡¦s schemes.
4. Do we have a choice? Can we do it on our own?
ILLUSTRATION: Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst;
he promises honor and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure and pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life and pays with death.
Thomas Brooks.
TRUTH: THE DEVIL IS SCHEMING TO BRING US DOWN/TO RUIN!
QUESTION: ARE YOU PLAYING THE DEVIL¡¦S GAME OR TAKING A STAND?
II. TAKING A STAND IS KNOWING THE DAYS ARE EVIL VV. 12-13
A. STANDING IN EVIL DAYS IS KNOWING YOUR FIGHT
1. The Apostle Paul makes something very clear here, we are not the enemy. Who do you think the enemy is? Is it your wife or husband? Is it children or parents? Is it co-workers or fellow church attenders? Whomever you think it is, you just might be wrong.
2. ¡§For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (v.12).¡¨ 3. With whom is your fight? Who is the one wanting to tear your life apart? Who is it that wants your destruction?
4. BUT, with whom do we fight? We fight each other! What does this accomplish? How is the Kingdom built while we attack each other? Why do we make each other the focal point?
5. The reality of it all is that the Kingdom is built somewhere else and not here and the reason why is we are focused against each other and not the enemy!
B. STANDING IN EVIL DAYS IS BEING READY TO FIGHT VV. 12B
1. Who is the enemy the Apostle Paul points us to? It is the rulers, the authorities, and the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
2. We must be ready to fight for there is a battle raging and there are those that want us to lose the battle. The battle is taking place here on earth and in the heavenly realms and Evil is its name!
3. Are you ready to fight the RIGHT enemy or has the enemy already won? 4. Realize this great truth learned in John 6:67-69 ¡§¡¥You do not want to leave too, do you?¡¦ Jesus asked the twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ¡¥Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.¡¦¡¨
C. STANDING IN EVIL DAYS IS STANDING
1. The whole point of this text is the ability to stand in the evil days!
2. God has one desire for us and it is to make it into the Kingdom standing! 3. The problem is that the devil wants you down for the count. This word stand wouldn¡¦t be mentioned over and over again if it wasn¡¦t an issue.
4. Look at the end of verse 13 and the beginning of verse 14. They point to this solo truth, ¡§And after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then¡K¡¨
ILLUSTRATION: Dwight Moody said, ¡§I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace of God, I will do.¡¨ With that simple commitment, God used him to bring revival to England and America!
TRUTH: WE DO NOT FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER; WE FIGHT AGAINST EVIL!
QUESTION: WHO ARE YOU FIGHTING WITH, EACH OTHER OR THE ENEMY? ARE YOU TAKING A STAND?
III. TAKING A STAND IS STANDING IN THE ARMOR OF GOD VV. 11A, 13A, & 14-20
A. STANDING IN THE ARMOR OF GOD IS FULL ARMOR
1. When we realize we are in a battle, we must go at it with full force.
2. The Apostle Paul demands that we don¡¦t do this thing half way.
3. Almost from the beginning of our text we have been told to put on the FULL ARMOR OF GOD.
„Ï Verse 11a: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil¡¦s schemes.
„Ï Verse 13a: Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground¡K
B. STANDING IN THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD IS WAGING WAR
1. So what does it look like when the war is raging?
2. First you work on a great defense:
o With the belt of truth buckled around your waist: against the devil¡¦s lies, ¡§speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:15).¡¨
o With the breastplate of righteousness in place: Right standing with God. See how it fits? Once we know that in Christ, through God¡¦s grace, we have been accepted. We are right with God, and that is powerful armor in deed. Let that protect you when the Powers begin to whisper in your ear and try to entice you to their side. You belong to God. You wear God¡¦s breastplate. Let no one tell you other wise!
o Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Your faith in Christ is your defense!
o Take the helmet of salvation: Salvation is God¡¦s gift alone. It is what our faith is in. We put our faith in God¡¦s ability to win over evil, and salvation is God¡¦s promise to bring that about.
3. After we are ready defensively, we go on the offensive:
ľ And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace: These shoes are our willingness to share the gospel, and the sword is the gospel itself. It is our willingness to live right before God, to talk right, and to keep spreading the word of Jesus love. This is a major assault on the enemy!
ľ And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. How did Jesus battle the enemy in His desert of temptation: He quoted the word of God (Matthew 4:1-11).
ľ AND PRAY in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal after the word of God. Together they make an invincible combination!
ľ With this in mind, be alert and always keep on PRAYING for all the saints. Prayer is mentioned 5 times in this text! Our Lord through the Apostles Paul make sure that we know that Prayer is a formidable weapon.
ƒæ PRAY ALSO FOR ME¡K
ľ PRAY THAT I MAY DECLARE IT (THE GOSPEL) FEARLESSLY, AS I SHOULD.
ILLUSTRATION: A bunch of recruits were having a written examination when on e of them was asked why he wasn¡¦t working. He replied, ¡§Sir, I have neither paper nor pencil.¡¨ ¡§Well!¡¨ exclaimed the instructor, ¡§what would you thing of a soldier who went into battle with neither riffle nor ammunitions?¡¨ The recruit thought for a moment, and then answered, ¡§I¡¦d thing he was an officer, sir.¡¨ Unfortunately, too many of us today think we are officers in god¡¦s army and have no need for the Spirit¡¦s weapons. Don¡¦t underestimate the power of the enemy!
TRUTH: WE CAN ONLY FIGHT IN THE ARMOR OF GOD AND NOT ON OUR OWN!
QUESTION: ARE YOU DRESSED READY FOR BATTLE? Or are you an officer behind the lines??
CONCLUSION: Where are you today, and what are you wearing? Did you know we are in a battle that will not end until we die or Jesus comes back to get us? Did you know that the devil has been gunning at you all your life? Did you know that we don¡¦t really fight each other but the devil himself? Did you realize that God has an Armory that cannot be beat? Did you know we could Stand in the face of the enemy through the Power of Jesus alone?
What are you wearing? Are you wearing the colors of the enemy? Have you put on the lies that the Powers try to sell you? Take them off, and dress yourself in God¡¦s armor. Put on your armor, pick up your sword, and take up your post once more. We need you, and you need us. Close ranks with us, and help us to share the gospel, the Spirit¡¦s sword, the only sword that brings life instead of Death. Help us as we face the devil and the Powers that be to be redeemed and not destroyed, for this is our task, and it is time that WE TOOK A STAND!!
BENEDICTION: JUDE 24-25
