The Breastplate Of Righteousness Series

Sermon June 06, 2009

Sermon Series: Spiritual Warfare

Sermon #03: The Breastplate of Righteousness:

Scripture Ref: Ephesians 6:10-18

10: “Finally, my brethern, be strong in the LORD & in the power of HIS might. 11: Put on the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12: For we wrestle not against flesh & blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13: Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of GOD, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, & having done all, to stand. 14: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the TRUTH, & having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15: & your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17: & take the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the SPIRIT, which is the word of GOD: 18: Praying always with all prayer & supplication in the SPIRIT, & perseverance & supplication for all saints.’

Introduction:

How many of you will declare along with me this morning: ‘Greater is HE that is within me, than he that is in the world?’ {I John 4:4} Who is in us? The “GREAT ONE”

In this series on Spiritual Warfare we’re talking about us Defeating the Enemy rather than the Enemy Defeating us. Church --- we’ve COME TOO FAR --- to BE DEFEATED TODAY!

V#12: ‘We wrestle against powers, against principalities, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’

If we were to stop at verse # 12 it would bring fear into our hearts for what Paul describes there are some very evil forces coming against us.

Strong DEMONIC FORCES are coming against our church & its ministry.

Strong DEMONIC FORCES are coming against our homes & our families & our children..

Strong DEMONIC FORCES are coming against us as an individual & against our soul & against our health & against our finances & against our happiness & against our sound minds & against our sanity.

But we’re not stopping there. Paul goes on to say that we can put on the whole armor of GOD & with that armor we can STAND against the wiles of the devil. Praise the LORD!

So we come to this series on SPIRITUAL WARFARE to remind us that we don’t have to LIE DOWN & TAKE what the DEVIL has to bring us --- but that we can STAND STRONG in the STRENGTH of the LORD --- & FIGHT the ENEMY on his own terms --- & use the SPIRITUAL WEAPONS which the SCRIPTURE teaches us --- are MIGHTY THROUGH GOD to the PULLING DOWN of STRONGHOLDS.

With this armor of GOD upon us we don’t have to live BOUND & DEFEATED LIVES. We don’t have to FALL INTO SIN every time the DEVIL comes & brings TEMPTATION into our lives because we are TOO WEAK to STAND.

With the armor of GOD upon us we can LIVE STRONG & VICTORIOUS LIVES. We don’t have to be WEAK & DISCOURAGED & in DESPAIR & in HOPELESSNESS 3/4th of the time. We don’t have to BE DOWN & all that others can see from us is GLOOM & DOOM & MISERY & DESPAIR.

With the armor of GOD we can STAND STRONG when the DAY of EVIL comes our way --- & when the DAY has PASSED we can STAND & give a TESTIMONY that shares ---- ‘I CAN DO all things through CHRIST which STRENGTHENS me.’

The BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS:

The BREASTPLATE was an important piece of the soldier’s armor. It covered both the front of the body & the back of the body & it protected the most vital organs of the body.

Of course, the most important part of the body the breastplate protected was the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Oh how our enemy would like to strike our heart!

The heart is the center of our emotions.

The heart is the center of our devotions.

The heart is the center of our relationship with GOD.

In Spiritual Warfare there is one part of us in particular the DEVIL sets his site for & that is our HEART. If the DEVIL can get control of our heart --- he can then control our emotions & our devotions. If the DEVIL can get control of our heart he can very quickly destroy our relationship with GOD. There’s a lot of professing CHRISTIANS whose HEART is CONTROLLED by the DEVIL.