Pastor Mike : THE FINAL COUNTDOWN : A Ministry of CHRIST-LIVES MINISTRIES

Today, we will consider the final piece of “the whole armor of God.” Allow me to spend a moment reminding us of the other pieces of the armor and what they represent.

Once again we turn our attention to the pieces that make up “the whole armor of God.”

Lets read from Gods word!

Ephesians 6:13-18

King James Version

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And 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 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Verses 10-13 teach us that the saints of God are engaged in a great spiritual conflict against a powerful, relentless enemy. Our enemy is identified in verse 11 as “the devil.” This “devil” comes against the people of God with various “wiles,” v. 11. He does everything in his power to destroy our faith and to draw attention away from the God of glory.

Ephesians 6:16

SPIRIT-FILLED WARFARE PART 2c THE BUCKLER OF FAITH

Intro: We are continuing to examine the various pieces that constitute “the whole armor of God.” I am taking my time and preaching on each piece of the armor because there is coming a day in each of our lives when we will need to know what “the whole armor of God” is, and we will need to know how to use it in our lives. The truth is, we need to know about and use the armor every day. We don’t always think about it, but it is vitally important in our spiritual lives.

According to Verses 10-13 the saints of God are engaged in a great cosmic battle against a powerful, relentless enemy. Our enemy is “the devil,” v 11. He attacks us by using his “wiles,” v. 11. He employs “tricks, schemes, and methods” to undermine our faith, and to attack the glory of God.

God desires that we be able to “stand” against the attacks of the enemy, vvs. 11, 13, 14. To “stand” means “to hold a critical position during a time of enemy attack.” Biblical standing is the image of “a soldier refusing to yield even one inch of ground to an attacking foe.” It is the image of a soldier on the defensive, protecting the ground that has already been taken from the enemy.

God has blessed His people by giving us some very precious things.

• We have truth.

• We have His church.

• We have His Word.

• We have His grace.

• We have His salvation.

• We have His blessing.

• We have so much more too.

The problem is, our enemy, the devil, does not want us to have the things we have been given by the Lord. He will do everything in His power to strip all those things away from us. What he can’t take away from us, he will so everything in his power to nullify. If he can’t take it, he wants to strip it of its power in our lives.

If we would keep what we have in the Lord, we are going to have to “stand” and hold the precious ground we have been given.

As we continue to study “the whole armor of God,” we continually need to be reminded why this is such an important topic. Verses 10-13 introduce the subject of spiritual warfare. We are told that the saints of God are engaged in a great cosmic battle against a powerful, relentless enemy. Our enemy is called “the devil,” v 11. Our enemy is said to employ “wiles,” v. 11. This word refers to “the tricks, schemes, and methods” the devil uses to undermine the faith of the saints, and to attack the glory of God.

God’s command to His people is that they “stand” against the attacks of the enemy, vvs. 11, 13, 14. The word “stand” is a military term. It means “to hold a critical position during a time of enemy attack.” It is the image of “a soldier refusing to yield even one inch of ground to an attacking foe.” It is not the image of someone on the offensive, but rather, it is the picture of a soldier on the defensive, protecting the ground that has already been won.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And 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 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Can you read the last one Annie?

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The verses before us speak about spiritual warfare. They remind us that we are in the fight of our lives. Against a relentless, powerful enemy. We are engaged in battle with a spiritual being who is intent on our destruction. We are fighting against an enemy who hates our God, and who hates us too. He wants to devour our families, destroy our testimonies, devastate our church, and discredit our God. But, this enemy of whom I speak is not all-powerful. The God we serve is, 1 John 4:4.

While Satan is intent on our defeat, the Lord is interested in giving us the victory. The Bible tells us very clearly that, in the end, God will have the last word, and Satan will be forever defeated and banished to the Lake of fire, Rev. 20:10-15. In the meantime, God has provided us with everything we need to “stand” for Him against everything the enemy can throw at us.

Today, we will begin to consider the resources the Lord has given to us to help us “stand” for Him, and to enjoy victory in the spiritual battles of life.

In our modern, relatively peaceful world it is easy to forget that we are a people at war. In verse 12, we are reminded that we have a very powerful and insistent enemy. Our enemy, Satan, is doing everything in his power to defeat, dismantle, and destroy the kingdom of God. We must fight him in God’s power, wearing God’s armor. Unfortunately, many believers do not see the need for the armor of God.

Ephesians 6:10-18

King James Version

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And 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 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

We rejoice when we experience small victories here and there. When we make it through the month with enough money, we count that a spiritual victory. When there is no conflict in our lives, we think that is a victory as well. While those things are important in our day to day lives, they are really victories without battles. They are conflicts without enemies. They are moments enjoyed by people who are really not fighting a war. People who think such moments in life represent spiritual victory are not interested in armor, because they don’t recognize this truth: if they are saved, they are at war! There’s far more to spiritual warfare than being able to pay your bills on time.

Ephesians 6:1-4

SPIRIT-FILLED HOMES

Intro: The Holy Spirit wants to control every area of your life. That is the clear teaching of Ephesians 5:18. When are “filled with the Spirit”, He will be in total control of our lives. When He is in control of our lives, we will live lives that please the Lord; we will worship in a manner that glorifies the Lord; and every relationship in our lives will honor Him as well.

Ephesians 6:1-4

King James Version

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

When the Spirit is in control of our lives, He will cause us to place others ahead of self, Eph. 5:21. This will change every relationship in which we are involved. Paul has already written to us about The Spirit-Filled Marriage, Eph. 5:22-32. Now he writes about Spirit-Filled Homes. Here, we will learn a little more about the relationship between children and their parents. This is important teaching that every family needs to hear.

Ephesians 5:22-33

King James Version

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Intro: One of the most neglected aspects of our walk with the Lord is the necessity for every child of God to be filled with the Spirit. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit in verse 18. Being filled with the Spirit is the only way we ever hope to be Christlike in our daily walk. When we are filled with the Spirit, we will display the fruit of the Spirit in our daily walk, Gal. 5:22-23.

The characteristics that set Jesus Christ apart from the rest of the world will be fleshed out in our lives. Characteristics like “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance,” will mark us, and they will transform every relationship in our lives.

In verse 19-20 teach us that being filled with the Spirit will affect our worship. When we are Spirit-filled, we will see God as He is, and we will give HIm the worship and praise He is due. Being Spirit-filled will transform our relationship with God.

Verse 21 teaches us that being filled with the Spirit will transform our way of thinking, so that we do not place ourselves ahead of others, but so that that we walk in humility and mutual submission. Thus, the Holy Spirit, when He controls a life, will not only revolutionize our walk with God, He will also revolutionize every relationship in our lives.

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

King James Version

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

5 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Intro: Let me describe for you a typical scene of family conversation. The father and his favorite son are having a private meeting. The other family members are not included. They are talking about some things that they are intending to do and some plans they are making between one another.

The mother is eavesdropping on the conversation. What she hears is not satisfactory to her at all. So she gathers in her favorite son, the other one, and tells him what's going on between dad and the other boy. They devise a plot so that they can override what the father and that son are doing.

In the course of the affair, the mother’s favorite son deceives the father’s favorite son and steals his inheritance. The one son finds that his inheritance has been stolen. He is filled with anger and outrage about the matter; and he has made the threat that just as soon as the old man dies, he's going to kill his brother. The mother realizes they have a serious situation on their hands and so she sends her boy away. She says, “When this thing calms down a little bit, I'll send for you.” The truth of the matter is that she never saw that boy again.

Am I describing a family conversation that may have taken place in Lenoir? The truth of the matter is I am not. Actually I am describing to you a scene which took place 3,000 years ago, and it is recorded for us in the Bible. The family is the family of Isaac and Rebekah and their twin sons, Esau and Jacob. But it is an illustration of a typical family conversation.

I want to talk to you about how to improve communications within your family. Communication is the sharing or exchanging of information, along with the emotions which accompany the information shared between individuals or groups of individuals. When you communicate you not only share what you think about a matter, but you also share how you feel about that matter.