Strength To Stand-4 Series

STRENGTH To STAND-IV—Ephesians 6:10-20

Attention:

Read & recount Numbers 13:1-33--14:1-4, 5-10

Highlight the disparity among the majority of the Israelite leaders(who spied out the land of Canaan), vs. Caleb & Joshua(13:30, 31; 14:6-9, 10).

God’s people had POTENTIAL(13:31-33) to stand victorious!

God’s people were ENCOURAGED(13:30; 14:5-9) to stand victorious!

But God's people REFUSED(13:31--14:4, 10) to stand victorious!

Need:

Courage—to stand firm for & in Christ—against the lost world’s direction.

Confidence—knowing that we cannot compromise with the opponent.

Perseverance—knowing that the Lord’s armor holds & protects thru every battle.

Paul closes his revelation/direction to the Ephesian church by encouraging them to find their strength in the Lord by effectively arming themselves.

The church must acquire God’s strength to stand victorious.

Where is the church’s strength to stand victorious?

How can the church find strength to stand victorious?

12 distinctions of the Christian soldier’s strength for victory.

We have found that—

...God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious..or..acquire victory thru a distinct...

1. STRENGTH(:10)

2. ENSEMBLE(:11)Clothing/Array/Dress

3. CONTENTION(:12)

4—God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious thru a distinct...

RESISTANCE(:13)

Explanation:(:13)Withstanding

:13—“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, & having done all, to stand.”

Because all Christians contend in a known & collective spiritual wrestling, it is imperative that we follow through with the one means of attaining success or winning that match. We not only must but we can win the match, the battle, & the war!

1Cor. 9:19-27—“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; & to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body & bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

“Therefore” God’s people are to “take up the whole armor of God”(:11) in order that they might “withstand” throughout “the evil day” in which they currently live.

Eph. 5:15-16—“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

“The evil day” implies any aspect of our present & future wherein we face “evil.” Any day where the principalities, powers, & rulers of darkness & wickedness have even a limited degree of freedom, is an “Evil Day.”

When Christ returns to receive those who are His, in order to meet Him in the air(1Thess. 4:16-17), then we will have ‘escaped’ that which is an “evil day.”(Rev. 3:10) “Evil days” will remain for all those on earth.

Rev. 3:7-11(:10)—“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens & no one shuts, & shuts & no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, & no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, & have not denied My name. “Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews & are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come & worship before your feet, & to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

Mat. 24:23-25—“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs & false prophets will rise & show great signs & wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.”