Ephesians 6:10-20
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Heavenly Father, we come before you today. Help us realize the reality of the spiritual warfare that surrounds us. We ask for your guidance and strength as we delve into your Word. Equip us with your armor so that we may stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Grant us wisdom, courage and faith to rely on your protection and to live out our calling as your children in Jesus name, amen, the battle is real. Ephesians 610, through 12 says, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil, for we do not wrestle against the flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over which this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places live. This passage is part of the Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. In these verses, Paul emphasizes a need for Christian Christians to recognize the spiritual nature of their struggle and the importance of relying on God's strength. Ephesians six is Paul's exhortation to believers to put on the whole armor of God, a metaphor for spiritual preparedness and defense against the evil with saving protection from God. The reality of the spiritual battle is often overlooked or underestimated. How many of you wake up each morning and think of the spiritual battle ahead for you that day in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is easy to forget that you are constantly amid a spiritual struggle. The demands of work, family and other life responsibilities can distract you from that reality that every day you are in the battle for your soul, faith and witnesses. As Christians, our enemies are not merely physical or visible. They are spiritual forces that seek to undermine your faith and lead you astray. Thankfully, the ultimate victory over these spiritual forces has already been won through Jesus Christ, first, Corinthians, two, verse 15, says, says His death and resurrection defeated the power of sin, death and the devil with God's armor and the victory won by Christ, we are equipped to stand firm, trusting in his protection and provision as we navigate The challenges of this spiritual battle, my hope is that you remember two things from today's sermon, the first that you recognize that there is a spiritual battle going on, and second, that God saves you From the devil's schemes with his armor Satan's attacks are real. Think about the many ways the devil tries to attack you, through temptations that entice you to stray from God's path, deception that distorts the truth, discouragement that causes you to doubt your worth and God's promises. We see spiritual blindness and resistance to God's truth manifest in both individual lives and cultural influences. Persecution and cultural shifts try to lead you away from your Christian values. Your battle is not against people flesh and blood, but against spiritual powers. God is your saving protection. God's protective armor is. Crucial in your battle, it is God's strength and protection that empowers you to withstand the spirits Second Corinthians, chapter 10, verse three to six, tell us, For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh, For the weapons of our welfare are not the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lot of opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete, God fights for you and enables you to remain steadfast in your faith. Let's take a closer look at the six pieces of the armor of God. Number one, the belt of truth. Truth is the foundation of the life of a Christian. The belt of truth represents the certainty of God's Word and Christ's teachings, which ground believers in reality, not dreams, wishes, thoughts or feelings, and protect against deceptions in a world where Subjective Truths are promoted, the objective truths found in Scripture provides provides clarity and stability. God's truth enables you to discern and reject lies coming from the devil and the world number two, breastplate of righteousness, the breastplate of righteousness protects your heart from guilt and accusations. This piece of armor represents the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to believers through faith. It guards the heart the center of emotions and desires against the accusations and temptations of the devil, your righteousness is secured not by your own efforts, but by Christ's perfect obedience and sacrifice. This reminds you that you are justified before God, through Jesus work, not your own work, and helps you to live in alignment with his standards. Number three, choose of the gospel of peace. The gospel of peace provides stability and confidence. The gospel of peace gives the Christian a firm footing in the midst of spiritual battles, in moments of anxiety or fear, you are reminded that God's peace, given through Christ, surpasses all understanding. This peace assures you of your reconciliation with God and replaces fear with hope. Number four, the shield of faith. The shield of faith is your defense against the attacks of the devil. As Psalm 18, verse 30, says this God, his way is perfect, the word of the Lord proves true. He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. Our faith, grounded in God's promise and his word helps you maintain, remain secure in God's protection. Faith acts as a shield, protecting believers from the fiery darts of the evil one, such as temptations, doubts, fears and spiritual attacks. Number five, the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation assures you of your identity in Christ. It guards against the doubts and despairs that the devil may try to instill in you. Your salvation is secure, not in your fluctuating feelings, but in the objective reality of Christ's redemptive work. This assurance protects your minds from doubt and despair, affirming your place as children of God. Provide. You with hope and confidence to withstand any mental or spiritual assault.
And finally, number six, the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit, this is the word of God. It is our only offensive weapon against the devil's lies. Just as Jesus used scripture to counter attack the Satan's temptation in the wilderness, you are empowered to confront and overcome falsehoods with the truth of God's word the living and active nature of the word brings conviction, guidance and strength to in advance, to advance. The scripture spiritual battle, the word is powerful, serving as both defense and offense in spiritual warfare, allowing Christians to counter the lies and of the devil and to proclaim the truth of the gospel. Let's consider God's protection and actions. Let me share a personal experience to illustrate how God's protection works in our lives. One Wednesday afternoon, I was driving home after going with pastor to hold a church SERP to hold a church service at Stillwater post acute care facility on Washington Avenue over here. As usual, I had my clerical shirt on and just came from the service. The traffic was stopped over here on avocado Avenue, going south, where it goes from two lanes to one lane. I was sitting there with the car or with the windows down, waiting for the traffic to move, I started hearing a voice from the car beside me. The car had about four people in it, maybe in their 30s. Anyway, a young man was making rude comments about God, I think he saw my clerical shirt. The other men and women in the car. Thought his comments were very funny. I didn't know what to do, other than to become afraid of where this encounter might go. I thought, number one, should I ignore them? Number two, should I reply from a lesson from a Bible or number three possibly go over to their car and show them their ways with words and physical action. Just Just kidding about number three, even in seemingly mundane situations, God is present and actively protecting his people. My experience on avocado Avenue illustrates that God watches over us and provides guidance in how we respond in challenging situations, in moments of confrontation or ridicule, the natural human reaction might be to respond in anger or fear. However, in trusting in God, I was able to exercise restraint. Sometimes the best witness is God to God's love and protection is how we conduct ourselves, even in difficult situations. The situation also underscores the reality of spiritual warfare, where believers face temptations to respond sinfully to provocation. God protected me from what could have been a serious outcome. Thank you, God, recognizing God's hand in your life deepens your faith and encourages others to trust in His protection as well. In conclusion, standing firm in faith, the spiritual battle you face daily is serious and demands your full attention. To stand firm in this battle, you must rely on God's strength and put on the full armor he provides by equipping yourselves with his truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and word, you were empowered to resist the devil and remain steadfast in your faith. An interesting thing about the armor of God is. There is no mention of what kind of protection we have if we are retreating from the spiritual battle the armors is situated toward some threat always attack, because that is where God's protection is located. Again, please remember the two things from to God from today's sermon. Number one, the serious spiritual battle is going on. And number two, God saves you from the devil's schemes with his armor. Let us pray, Heavenly Father, we thank you for the armor you provide to protect us in this spiritual battle. Help us to put on each piece of your armor daily and to stand firm against the devil's schemes. Strengthen our faith, grant us wisdom and protect us with your truth, righteousness, peace and salvation. We trust in Your strength and protection, knowing that you are our field, shield and defender. In Jesus name, we pray amen.
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