Sermon Notes 11-24-01
Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-18
I. I am not sure if anybody caught that, but we are in a war. We are warned here to put on the Armor of God and to prepare for this war.
A. You see we are told how to put on the armor and how to prepare for this war. In essence Paul is telling us how to be prepared, how to get on track and how to use the armor God has given us.
B. Cause even when you’re on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there.
C. So let see what the Lord desires form us.
II. Vs. 10
A. You see Paul is reminding us of our relationship with the Lord. That it is by him and through him we receive our strength not on our own accord but only by the Lord. For you see the Lord has the mighty power we need.
B. 1. John 15:5 apart from me you can do nothing
C. As we see here Paul reminds of us that.
III. Vs 11
Put on the whole armor of God. God has provided the armor, but it is up to us as individuals to take the responsibility of putting it on. It seems so simplistic but you could have a whole closet of clothes but if you didn’t put them on they would do you no good. Paul states put on the full armor of God. This has to be a conscious choice to use the power the Lord Jesus Christ makes available through him. The armor is described in detail, as well as the enemy we must face. Without the armor of God we are unable to stand against the enemy.
Imagine going to war with no weapons, without a shield of any kind. Think about it a platoon of marines have just landed on the beach ready for war, they are facing the worst opposition in 50 years, their enemy is armed with every weapon known to man, missiles, guns, grenades, chemical warfare, and even nuclear bombs. We charge toward them yelling and screaming with no weapons no armor what are we crazy.
We all know that would not be a wise decision to make, but each and everyone of us has been guilty of facing a much more powerful and deceitful enemy than any man or nation we have ever faced. This is why Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God and to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. Not our might but his.
IV. Vs. 12
A. You see our enemy is not flesh and blood but a power, a ruler of darkness, the evil one.
B. He has been around a very long time and he is very good at what he dose.
C. Have you ever noticed the more you do something the better at you get? Our enemy has thousounds of years of experience at killing, stealing, and destroying lives.
D. We will never have enough experience on our own to defeat him but through the power of Christ and his spirit that lives with in us we can overcome all attacks.
E. You see you cannot defeat an army with out a strategy and Paul has outlined one here for us To be strong in the Lord and his mighty power to put on the full armor of God and to be prepared for the enemy’s evil schemes.
V. Vs. 13
A. Paul tells here to put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes we can stand our ground.
B. This is a daily conscious choice we as Christians must make.
C. Think about America if we waited until we were attacked to put on our armor we would surely have been destroyed years ago.
D. No we as Christians have to do the same as nations. Prepare daily for what may come. We must go through spiritual boot camp. We must train daily and we must put on our armor.
VI. Lets talk about The Armor
A. THE BELT OF TURTH
B. BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
C. READINESS ABOUT OUR FEET THAT COMES FROM THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.
D. SHEILD OF FAITH
E. HELMET OF SALVATION
F. THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
Think about all of these piecies of armor if you miss one piece of the armor you are left venerable to the enemy.
Belt of Truth
All Christians must be belted with truth. God desires truth and sincerity from within our inward parts.
Breastplate of righteousness
The righteousness of Christ implanted in us is our breastplate to fortify the heart against the attacks which Satan makes against us.
Readiness about our feet that comes from the gospel of peace
The preparation of the gospel of peace about our feet signifies a prepared and resolved frame of heart, to adhere to the gospel and abide by it, which will enable us to walk with a steady pace in the way of Christ
Shield of Faith
You see our enemy is the devil and the protection we must use against his fiery darts is the shield of faith. Not so that they won’t hit us but so when they do they don’t hurt us
Helmet of salvation
The helmet secures the head. It holds the hope of our salvation; we must protect ourselves with the helmet or our salvation.
Sword of the spirit
The word of God is very necessary, and of great use us as Christians it is our manual and will offer guidance as we continue to walk in and with God.
VII. Vs. 18
A. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
1. Paul tells us that we must pray, not only pray but also to pray in the spirit on all occasions.
2. The word spirit here is translated as pneuma (pnyoo’-mah); from NT:4154; a current of air, breath (blast) or a breeze; a spirit, the rational soul, vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy Spirit.
3. What Paul is telling us here is that we need to pray with everything we are and also with the very Spirit of God that lives within us.
4. He tells us to make all kinds of prayers and request and to pray for all the saints.
5. We should remember to pray for other Christians just as Paul describes and that it dose not matter what we pray about but to pray for everything.
You see the enemy would have us to stay stagnant to stop growing once we have seen the light of Christ. We must continue in prayer, reading and studying the scriptures. As we see here God has prepared a strategy against the enemy for us but it is up to us to use it. Once again The Lord gives us the Choice. Will we choose to live defeated and beaten or will we Choose to take up the armor of God, and to be ready with the power of his might.
The alter is open If you desire prayer tonight if you never want to be the same again if tonight you will commit to trust in the Lord, to pick up the armor and to put it on we will pray with you We can be strong in the Lord and the power of his might.
