The Armor
Spiritual Warfare
October 6, 2024
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.
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.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. —Ephesians 6:10-18A
5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. —Isaiah 11:5
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head… —Isaiah 59:17
JESUS IS THE ARMOR OF GOD
WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE DRESSED FOR THE BATTLE
HOW DO WE ENGAGE IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE?
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place… —Ephesians 6:14
1.) Belt and Breastplate - Live with Integrity
13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. —Romans 6:13
2.) Gospel Boots - Remain Ready
15 …and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. —Ephesians 6:15
7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! —Isaiah 52:7
3.) Shield - Focus on His Faithfulness
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. —Ephesians 6:16
4.) Helmet - Confidence in Christ
17 Take the helmet of salvation… —Ephesians 6:17A
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. —Ephesians 1:4
5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. —Ephesians 1:5
6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. —Ephesians 1:6-7
8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. —Ephesians 1:8
5.) Sword - Slash with Scripture
17B … and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. —Ephesians 6:17B
6.) Prayer - Simple Strategy
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. —Ephesians 618A
Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief.
It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. —John Piper
WE LIVE LIKE JESUS AND WITH JESUS