"How To Use 10 Weapons That Can Disarm the Devil in Your Life"
(Many of ideas in this series are from Chuck Lawless’s book The Discipled Warrior, (Grand Rapids, MI, Kregal Publications) 2002.
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Eph. 6:10-18 (NIV) October 2, 2003
Chester’s First Baptist Church, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A In his book Fuzzy Memories, Jack Handey writes:
There used to be this bully who would demand my lunch money every day. Since I was smaller, I would give it to him. Then I decided to fight back. I started taking karate lessons. But then the karate lesson guy said I had to start paying him five dollars a lesson. So I just went back to paying the bully.
Too many people feel it is easier just to pay the bully than it is to learn how to defeat him.
B Over the next four weeks we will be looking at how to disarm the devil.
EPH 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Paul told the early believer what weapons to use against the enemy of the church. (ETS)
Discipled warriors battle the enemy that is waging war against God’s Kingdom. (ESS)
I hope you will decide to prayerfully put on God’s full armor every day. (Objective)
How prepared are you for battle? (Probing Question)
T.S.: Let’s look at 3 commands that can help us disarm the devil in our lives.
I The first command that can help us disarm the devil is. . .Be Strong. (v. 10)
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."
A Paul told the early Christian that God was the source of their strength.
a He, Paul, assured them that it wasn’t their strength , power or might that would bring them victory.
b Phil. 4:18 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
B Church, God is strong and he want you to be strong.
a The power that beat the fire of death, the grave, and hell; the power that spilt the light and darkness, sea and land is the power that the God of Creation has made available to you.
b Before the first piece of armor is put on, the heart must be strong in the Lord.
"I can do all things through who strengthens me. I can do nothing through my own strength."
C A soldier can have the best fitted & strongest armor, if he doesn’t have heart he will be horrible failure as a soldier.
a You can have perfect attendance in Sunday School, attend every bible study ever offered, have every sermon Charles Stanley has ever preached.
b IF you heart is not fueled by the power of God. . .you are going down.
T.S.: Once we are strong in the Lord we are able to fulfill the next command.
II The second command that can help us disarm the devil is. . .Put On. (v.11)
"Put on the full armor of God. . ."
A The Ephesian believer was commanded to put on every piece of God’s armor.
a Panolia: Full armor. (Complete/All of it/Defensive & Offensive)
Hopla: Various parts of the armor. (Put on all the hopla!)
b Complete armor protects completely.
B We don’t have armor of our own. (We’ve gotta use God’s)
a ISA 59:17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
1 Thess. 5:[8] But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
b God wants us to put on the full set of armor. (Complete protection.)
*We were made in his image!
C I had a friend in seminary who told me to honk before I got out of my car to go to his door. "Why?" We walk around w/ very little clothing. (Ugh!)
a As "disturbing" as that is. . .many of us leave the hours spiritually naked or pick-and-chose the armor we’ll use. . .sword/belt of truth. (
b If we don’t put on all the armor, we’re vulnerable/exposed. He aims at where were exposed/vulnerable.
T.S.: Once we’ve become strong & put on we find our last command.
III The third command that can help us disarm the devil is. . .stand firm. (v.11b-12)
". . .so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
A Paul told the first century believers to stand strong against a sneaky enemy.
a STAND FIRM (Stete) Holding a position. (Can’t stand firm w/o armor)
b The devil didn’t fight the first century fair. (Schemes (NIV, NAS), Wiles (KJV), Evil Tricks (New Century Version)
*The devil doesn’t fit face to face. Cheats & terrorist!
B We are to stand & wrestle against this sneaky enemy. (Wrestle, not WWF. Close contact sport)
a v.12 "For our struggle is not against flesh & blood. . ."
*Far too many of us are fight each other and not fighting the enemy.
*That’s the wrong battle. . .the enemy wins.
b We are fighting the devil, demons & all the dominions of darkness.
*The arch enemy of the Christ and his Church.. . .& he don’t fight fair.
Schemes:
Keeping unbelievers blinded. (2 Cor. 4:3-4)
Fostering discouragement and defeat among believers. ( 2 Cor. 12:7)
Promoting unforgiving spirits among believers (Mt. 6:14-15), thereby creating disunity in the church. (Jn. 17:20-21)
C This is a battleground, not a playground!!!
- Sniper Camp - U.S. News And World Report carried this story. The U.S. Marines conduct a secret sniper program in Quantico, Virginia. The school admits 25 men for an eight week course of sixteen hour days. Very few pass. To graduate, each goes on a mock mission into a well defined area where instructors search for the sniper. If they can find him, they can fail him.
To get in range of the target, a sniper may move forward at a rate of one inch per hour. He may sit for days absolutely still, despite cold, rain, insect bites and fear. No one gets out without singleness of heart. (April 21, 1986)
The truth is that we expect that kind of intensity and focus from these guys, from doctors, Olympic champions, concert pianists. But God expects it from us. God deserves singleness of heart and focus, because He is God and because He has loved us with such an intense and sacrificial love.
Conclusion:
Paul told the early believer what weapons to use against the enemy of the church. (ETS)
Discipled warriors battle the enemy that is waging war against God’s Kingdom. (ESS)
We’ve looked at three commands we must follow in order to disarm the devil.
1 Be strong.
2 Put on
3 Stand firm.
I hope you will decide to prayerfully put on God’s full armor every day. (Objective)
Be weak or Be strong
Naked or Put on God’s Armor
Fight or flight
How prepared are you for battle? (Probing Question)
A round stone had been surrounded by water for thousands of years.
Break the stone open. . .dry.
Many of us have been surrounded by "Christians" & "Christianity" but it hasn’t made it inside of us. On the inside we are bone dry!!!!
A When we do. . .we will have what it takes to Be strong, Put on, & Stand firm!!!
B
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