We're At War!

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18

January 19, 2020

When you think about it, it’s amazing to think about all of the ways in which we try to protect ourselves. We try to protect ourselves - physically, emotionally and financially. We make sure that as best as we can, nothing will harm us or our family.

We plan and we prepare - - we get things like

Homeowners Insurance Life Insurance Auto Insurance New wipers

Goggles at work Wills Oil Changes car seats

Coats in winter seat belts Mouth pieces Safety gloves

Cribs Training wheels bicycle helmets annual physicals

washing hands flu / pneumonia / shingles shots Immunizations

With all of that in mind, how many of us are actively protecting ourselves spiritually?

Most of the time, we don’t think about spiritual protection, we just assume we have God on our side. In Romans 8:31, Paul asked –

31 If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

That’s a great question, because Paul was certain that nothing could ever separate us from God’s love in Christ. And Paul was and is 100% correct. But we need to utilize God’s power and strength, and if we don’t, then we’re on our own and we’re in trouble. That’s why Paul added these words -

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You see, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. What Paul really wants us to grasp is the fact that Jesus isn’t going to abandon you. He’s not going to bail out and run from us.

Paul asks what will separate us from the love of Christ?

NOTHING!! Life and death won’t separate you, spiritual warfare won’t separate you, nobody will separate you. Paul tells us NOTHING IN ALL CREATION WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST!

That’s great news! It’s powerful news that we need to hold onto and trust! Our enemy wants us to disbelieve that statement from Paul. Because when we don’t think we’re worthy or believe that God is for us, then we have a defeatist attitude and we go into our daily lives at a disadvantage in whatever we do.

Last week I spoke about Revelation 12, and the fact that we’re in a spiritual war. Like it or not, our battle is against satan. As we battle satan, we need to be equipped for the war which faces us. Just like that long list of ways we protect ourselves, we need spiritual protection. And that protection only comes from God. In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul commands what we’re supposed to do in order to combat satan.

As Paul is coming to the close of his letter to the church, he tells us --

10 Finally, be STRONG in the Lord and in His mighty power.

The word strong literally means to be growing in strength. We are increasing in strength. It’s from the Greek word DUNAMOS - which is our word (dynamite)

God’s mighty power is really just that. It’s God’s power which is unstoppable. It is God’s complete and perfect exerted power! Then Paul adds --

11 Put on the FULL armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

A compound word which simply means FULL or WHOLE ARMOR

To STAND - STANDING READY AND PREPARED

HOLDING YOUR GROUND!

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.

It’s a reminder our battle is not against one another, that’s what satan wants us to believe, but in reality it’s a spiritual battle.

13 Therefore put on the FULL armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Put on the FULL or WHOLE ARMOR

Stand your ground - refusing to be moved; strongly resisting an opponent.

STAND - STANDING READY AND PREPARED

HOLDING YOUR GROUND!

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

STAND FIRM - STANDING READY AND PREPARED

HOLDING YOUR GROUND!

As we move forward think about how many times Paul has commanded us to stand firm! 4 times he tells us! It’s so important to stand firm, not to back up or give ground. And we can only do that in the strength of the Lord. Paul continues,