The Force of Spiritual Conflict

Transcript

GRM 913
09/05/2004
The Force of Spiritual Conflict
Ephesians 6:10-17
Gil Rugh

I want to continue a theme that we’ve been talking about, we talked about it in our study out of Romans 1. It’s related because it’s part of the package. What is man’s basic problem? He refuses to acknowledge the God who has revealed Himself. Thus, he is the enemy of God. As Romans 1 described him, he is a hater of God and thus God’s enemy. We as believers need to understand the depths of the issues involved in the conflict we are in in the world.

Turn to John 15. The gospel of John the 15th chapter, here this is, remember, part of Jesus’ instructions on the evening in which He was betrayed following what we call the Last Supper. He shortly will be betrayed in the Garden and crucified early the next day. We read in John 15 verse 18, if the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hates you. If you are of the world the world would love its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. We understand there is a depth of animosity that we sometimes think is not there, that even though we disagree on some theological matters basically we can get along well with the world. You understand the world hates the believer. That’s what Jesus Christ said. Because I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the words that I said to you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake because they do not know the one who sent Me. Jesus notes in verse 23, he who hates Me hates my Father also. Then He talks about the coming of the Holy Spirit who will bring revelation to them.

It clarifies some of the things that go on even in the broader realm. I’m sometimes amazed at the animosity directed toward people in public positions and particularly believers. We’ve had some clear cases where we have prominent men in political offices, men like John Ashcroft as Attorney General, our President as a professing believer in Jesus Christ. I sometimes wonder about the animosity and the depths of it. Even secular commentators will sometimes raise the issue. We need to understand wherever a believer is, he is the object of the hatred of the world. We talk about the world, we’re not just talking about some nonentity, general group. We’re talking about the people of the world. Because remember John writes in his first epistle in chapter 5, the whole world lies in the evil one. He is called the god of this world. Satan and all of his subjects hate believers. Every single believer chosen by the sovereign grace of God is the object of the hatred and animosity of satan and all of those who are the subjects of satan.

Turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 6. We talk about Paul’s unfolding of this dimension of the conflict that we are in. Somehow believers have been deluded into thinking if we are nice, and we must be nice; if we are kind, and we must be kind; if we are gracious and we must be gracious, if we do all these things the world then will really like us. They may not agree with us, but they will like us and appreciate us. That will never happen, because it’s not an issue of doing certain things or not doing certain things. The issue is you belong to the living God, and they belong to satan, the enemy of God. And there is no peace between God and satan, there is no peace between the people of God and the people of satan.

So, Paul speaks to this issue which is the basic foundational issue behind what seems to be, we might say, the more superficial issues are, in writing to the Ephesians. We’ll pick up with chapter 6 verse 10. Paul is going to wrap up this letter. We’re going to focus on a series of verses here. There are a series of commands, maybe I’ll mention those to you, and you can mark them, and we’ll see them as we work through. Five commands are given in the verses we’re going to look at. In fact, they’re the only five commands in the rest of the book. There are 24 verses but there are five commands, all these commands are found in verses 10-17. The first one is in verse 10, be strong. The second one is in verse 11, put on. The third command is in verse 13, take up. The fourth command is in verse 14, stand firm. Then down in verse 17 is the final command, take. These series of commands really everything else hangs on them, and he’s instructing believers regarding the spiritual warfare in which they are involved. We must never lose sight of the fact—all our conflicts and all of our battles are rooted in the fact that by God’s grace we have been born again into His family through faith in Christ. That sets us in opposition, makes us the object of hatred, animosity and conflict by those who do not belong to the living God. Behind all of that is the enemy of our souls, the devil himself.

So he begins, verse 10, finally. He’s wrapping up his letter here. Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. This is in the passive, this is a present command, a command in the present tense and it’s in the passive voice, we call it. Passive simply means something is being done to you. Be strengthened in the Lord. He strengthens us as we submit to Him, and the conflict in warfare in which we are engaged goes beyond human strength and energy and ability. This is a supernatural conflict, and it will take the strength, might, power of God, being powered by God, strengthened by God. In the strength of His might. It’s the Lord who strengthens us, it’s His strength, His might that becomes ours.

Back in chapter 1 of Ephesians verse 19, Paul says he wants the saints to know what the surpassing greatness of His power toward us is who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might, which He brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority, power, dominion and every name that is named. He put everything in subjection under Him. Now we come back to that same emphasis. This mighty power of God, His strength, the same strength that raised Christ from the dead and set Him sovereignly over all, including all angels, is the power and strength that now must be our strength if we are to do battle successfully against the enemy. Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.

Put on the full armor of God. So how am I strengthened in the Lord? Well, I put on all of His armor, His provision for me. So, I find my resources in His strength and the armor He has provided for me. This is something we have to do; we are strengthened by Him and now we are responsible to put on the armor so that we can stand in the battle. We talk about the passive voice in the preceding command. That’s where something is done to you. The command to put on is in the middle voice. That’s where you do something to or for yourself. Put on for yourself. So be strengthened by the Lord and put on for yourselves the armor of God. This is God’s armor, it’s what He has provided. It comes to us through His strength. It’s His provision for us, but it’s not just something automatic. I must put this armor on for myself, I must be clothed in it. Without it I don’t stand a chance. Just like I don’t stand a chance in my own strength, I don’t stand a chance without the armor of God. You’ll note, put on the full armor of God. It’s not just some of the armor, all the armor of God, the complete equipment required as a soldier. That’s what Paul’s going to do now, he’s going to unfold the armament of a Roman soldier, connect that to the provision God has made for us and how we must be clothed to do battle as His servants. He’ll talk about the details of that armor beginning in verse 14.

We need God’s strength; we need the armor that God has provided. Why? So that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Now we see. It’s not so that we can defeat certain people. But the real enemy, the one who is behind all the opposition, and Paul experienced much opposition. He experienced much of it from individual people in his ministry at Ephesus when he was there. But the real enemy he was doing battle with was not those particular human beings. They were being empowered and enabled and used as instruments and servants of the devil. Paul is not concerned as much about the schemes of men, but the schemes of the devil. Now there’s an issue. We need God’s strength, we need God’s armor so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes, the craftiness, the strategies of the devil.

Back in chapter 4 of Ephesians verse 14, as a result we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves, carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming. What we’re going to see as we move through this, we’ll explain it more, is that there is a warfare going on in the human realm, but it is really playing out a warfare that is taking place in the heavenlies. It’s a war between God and satan, it includes the angels who are involved in this conflict, fallen and unfallen angels. It includes all the people on the face of the earth who are part of this ongoing battle and warfare. We have to be prepared to do battle against the schemes and the strategies of the devil. The devil is a personal being. According to scripture the devil was created by God as Lucifer, son of the morning, that anointed cherub that covered the throne of God, Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. But an act of rebellion against God, he fell from his exalted position as the anointed cherub who covered the throne of God. A whole host of angels followed him in his rebellion against God. You can read Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, we won’t take the time to go back there. Where God says that he was perfect, Lucifer, in the day he was created until iniquity was found in him; and that iniquity of rebellion against God resulted in his fall. He’s a supernatural being of great power, even Michael the archangel deals with him with respect, according to the book of Jude. He is a being, he is not God, but he is a spirit being of great power, and he is the enemy of God and the enemy of all those who belong to God.

So that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Now he explains this. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. We talked out of Romans chapter 1, and many people today, many who claim to be evangelicals, many who are evangelicals I assume and are just confused by a failure to carefully study and understand the scriptures, think that our battle is against flesh and blood. Our battle is against liberal Supreme Court justices, our battle is against legislators who pass bad legislation, and our battle……..that’s not where the battle is. Paul had been in a lot of battles, he had suffered a lot at the hands of humans, had been stoned and left for dead. You can read the account in II Corinthians chapter 11, the number of beatings and so on. In spite of all that he says you know what? Our battle is not against flesh and blood. The real conflict we have is not with other human beings, they are instruments in the conflict. It’s like in a war—we say I’ve been to battle with that soldier. Well, that’s not really the one you battle with, you battle with the power behind that soldier, the force that he represents. That’s the way it is here. Our battle is not against flesh and blood.

But against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies. You can really sense it here, and he’s referred to these powers and rulers and so on earlier in Ephesians and we’re not going to go into that, instead he’s dealing with the angelic forces. They are arranged, fallen angels, under their leader, satan, just as the unfallen angels are arranged under the authority of God. That’s who we are doing battle with, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies.

Let’s pick up that expression, in the heavenlies. It’s used 5 times in the book of Ephesians. Back up to Ephesians chapter 1, we’ll just look at those. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. In the heavenly places, in the heavenlies, in Christ. First use of it in Ephesians 1:3 tells us this is where our spiritual blessings are focused—in the heavenlies, in Christ. The heavenlies, I take it, in Ephesians, refer to the place where God is. We’re talking about the realms of heaven, that’s where my spiritual blessings are focused, aren’t they? That’s where all the blessings I receive come from, they come from the heavenlies. That’s where every spiritual blessing bestowed upon us has come from, from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with these blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. We’ve laid up and have this treasure in heaven. Remember Jesus said don’t lay up treasures for yourself on earth, lay them up in heaven; and in Him we have these spiritual blessings, in the heavenlies.

Look at verse 20 of chapter 1. Talk about what He brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand. Where? In heavenly places, in the heavenlies. Where is Christ seated? At the right hand of God. Where is God? Where He focuses His presence and manifests His presence fully is heaven. God is omnipresent, He is everywhere. But He has focused His presence and manifests it fully before His creation, angelic beings at the present, in heaven. Jesus Christ is seated at His right hand in heaven, in the heavenlies. This is what we’re talking about when we talk about in the heavenlies. It’s where God is, where Christ is, seated at the right hand in the heavenlies.

Look at chapter 2 verse 6, we were dead in our transgressions but by grace we have been saved, and through God’s mercy we have been raised up with Him, verse 6 of chapter 2, and seated with Him in the heavenlies. So that’s our position in Christ. Obviously, I’m here talking to you, but I have a position. Relates to who I am now as a redeemed person in Christ. I have an exalted position in the heavenlies. That’s my position in Christ, that’s what we are in Him and some day we will be present there in our glorified bodies. But we have that position now. So, we have been seated with Him in the heavenlies in Christ. We ought to be sure we know what we are talking about when we talk about in the heavenlies. It’s the place where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. It’s where we have our position, belonging to God by virtue of our relationship to Christ, where all our spiritual blessings are centered.

Look in chapter 3 verse 10. Now we make the transition where the focus will be more on angelic beings. We’re talking about the wonder of God’s program in bringing Jews and Gentiles together into one body, the church, the marvel of the redemption He provided in Christ. This is something He hadn’t made known before, that the sons of men, we’re told in chapter 3 verse 5, to be specific the Gentiles, are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, fellow partakers of the promise in Christ, fellow members, fellow heirs with the Jews. This mystery not before revealed, but now unveiled by God. Been made known, brought to light, verse 10, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies. Angelic beings are learning from the church, the wonder and marvel of God’s multi-faceted, multi-colored wisdom, His manifold wisdom, multi-faceted wisdom, multi-colored wisdom. The manifold wisdom of God might be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies. These are angelic beings, fallen and unfallen angels, who learned of the manifold wisdom of God in grace in bringing about salvation of Jew and Gentile, through what He is doing in the church. Remember angels never experience redemption, Hebrews chapter 2. There is no Savior provided for angels. Satan sinned; a whole host of angels followed him in his rebellion. They were lost for eternity. God is not obligated to provide salvation; He is not obligated to show them mercy; He’s not obligated to show them grace. He’s obligated to deal with them in justice. We need to understand God is not obligated to save sinners. In mercy and grace, He has chosen. The angels learn of the wonder of God’s wisdom in bringing Jews and Gentiles alike into His family by looking at the church and its function, at what God is doing there. You note here that it’s through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies, those beings in heaven, angelic beings are learning as they observe the church. The church becomes the central focus of God’s work in the world in this day.

The last reference is where we are in chapter 6, the last reference to the heavenlies. Now we find out we are doing battle with the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies. All angels, fallen and unfallen, observe the manifold wisdom of God and His program of redemption in the church. Now we find out that fallen angels who are in the heavenlies are those with whom we are doing battle. What we have is warfare being played out. Just like you have earthly warfare, we have our soldiers overseas. The Commander-in-Chief is here in Washington, but the forces of his army are doing battle in Iraq. So, we have the forces of satan, who is in heaven, and the forces of God, who is in heaven, doing battle here on the earthly battlefield. Now we understand we are part of a much more serious picture than we sometimes realize. Now satan lost his position in heaven when he rebelled against God. Don’t want anybody to be confused here. But he still has access to heaven. The fallen angels still have access to heaven.

Go to Revelation chapter 12. At a yet future date, halfway through the 7-year tribulation, 1260 days left so that’s half of the 7-year period. Look at verse 7 of Revelation 12, there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war. They have Michael, head of the unfallen angels, representing the nation Israel often in scripture also, and you have the dragon, satan, Lucifer, and you get his whole list of names in this chapter also. There is war between these. Now what happens? The dragon and his angels waged war, they were not strong enough, there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil, who deceives the whole world, he was thrown down to the earth. His angels were thrown down with him. You say well maybe that happened in the past. No, when that happens, he has 1260 days or 42 months or a time, times and a half time. You can read the context of this in chapters 11-12. God has put it down specifically—1260 days. If you can’t count that, count 42 months. Drawing on the book of Daniel, a time, 2 times and a half time—3½ times, 3½ years. So satan still has access and functions in heaven.

Go back to the book of Job, very familiar portion. You see how this battle is being played out. Job chapter 1 verse 6, there was a day when the sons of God, referring to the angels, came to present themselves before the Lord. Satan also came among them, and the Lord engages satan in conversation. Have you considered my servant Job, verse 8. What a God-fearing, righteous man he is. Satan says let me at him, give me the opportunity to work on him a little bit, we’ll find out he’s not so God-fearing, and he’s not so righteous. God says in verse 12 to satan, behold all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him. All right, but you can’t kill him. Now here is Job down here, there’s a battle taking place. But where’s the real battle? Who’s opposing Job? His three friends? His wife that says curse God and die? The forces of nature that cause a building to collapse on all his children and he loses them all at one time, and all these things? This is spiritual war going on here, it’s satan attacking Job. It’s clear, you can read Job 1-2.

Come back to I Kings, that’s going back toward the front of your Bible. If you’re in Job turn about a quarter of the way back toward the front and you’ll hit Kings. If you don’t, keep trying. We’re going to I Kings 22. We get another view into heaven. Ahab, godless Ahab, married to Jezebel. Ahab is on the throne of Israel. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (the kingdom is split, remember, into the northern and southern kingdom by this time), and he’s going to join forces with Ahab to go to battle against Ahab’s enemies. Jehoshaphat should have had nothing to do with Ahab, but he does. Well Ahab calls all his false prophets; Jehoshaphat is not comfortable with that. He says, isn’t there a prophet of the Lord? So, they go get Micaiah, and those who go get Micaiah say you know everybody has prophesied a successful campaign to Ahab. Why don’t you do the same thing? Don’t be troubled. Micaiah says I’ll tell them what the Lord tells me to tell them, not what you tell me to tell them. And so, he comes, and what does Micaiah say? Oh sure, Ahab, head up to battle. You’ll succeed, the Lord is going to give it into your hands. Ahab can tell the way Micaiah does it, it is sarcasm. Because the king said to him, how many times must I adjure you to speak nothing to me but the truth in the name of the Lord. Don’t just go along, tell me the truth. Micaiah tells him the truth and Ahab comes unglued; but he doesn’t want to hear the truth. Why? He’s an unregenerate man. What do unregenerate men do? They suppress the truth. But note what Micaiah said, what God gave him a vision of verse 19-23. Micaiah said, “Hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.” Here you have all the angelic hosts, fallen and unfallen angels, assembled before the Lord. The Lord said, “who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? One said this while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said I will entice him. The Lord said, how? He said I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of his prophets. And He said you go and entice him, and you’ll prevail. Now therefore behold the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these prophets, the Lord has proclaimed disaster for you.” Here you have in the courts of heaven how this is going to be played out. Here it is, Ahab going to battle, but there is a spiritual battle taking place. The forces of satan are involved here, the plan of God.

One other passage and then we have to go back to the New Testament. Go to Daniel chapter 10, Daniel chapter 10. Daniel has been praying to the Lord, he was fasting and in mourning for three weeks, the first part of Daniel chapter 10 says. Then an angel appears to him from heaven and people think they are going to be brave in the presence of God. You can’t even be brave in the presence of an angel. Look what happened to Daniel in chapter 10 verse 8, “I was left alone, I saw this great vision. No strength was left in me, my natural color turned to a deathly pallor. I retained no strength. I heard the sound of his words. As soon as I heard the sound of his words I fell into a deep sleep on my face.” Clunk! He’s done. This is an angel. “Then he reached out and touched me, raises me back up, set me trembling on my hands and knees. Then Daniel, man of high esteem,” well-known in heaven, “I was sent to you. Don’t be afraid.” Verse 12, “for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I came in response to your words. Three weeks ago, you prayed, I was sent, but I got delayed. But the prince of the king of Persia was withstanding me for 21 days.” Here is a fallen angel who had authority over the kingdom of Persia, opposing Michael, an angel from God. Daniel living now under the Persians who defeated the Babylonians. Michael, one of the chief princes came to me for I had been left there with the king of Persia. See what happened? Here’s an angel sent from God. The fallen angel has authority over Persia under satan’s organization, he’s doing battle with his angel. The angel from God is not able to overcome and proceed to Daniel. It takes an angel with greater authority from God. Even though angels have fallen, they still maintain great authority and power. That’s why in the book of Jude when Michael disputed with satan over the body of Moses he didn’t directly rebuke him, he said the Lord rebuke you. There is still the recognition of satan’s greatness, even among the angels. He was the anointed cherub who covered, he was given the most exalted position. We see the travesty of people professing to be believers wandering around as though they are ordering satan around, and demons around. What silliness. Even the angels who serve in the presence of God have a respect for their authority. Here you see the angel from God needed help from Michael and so then he proceeds. Just want you to see there is conflict going on. Daniel is praying, he’s in great agony in prayer, he’s fasting, and he’s part of a spiritual warfare that is going on.

We come back to the book of Ephesians and here we have……. You know you are well known by the devil and his forces. You are well known by the God who has called you to Himself and His angels. We are involved in this conflict. We won’t take time to turn to the book of Acts chapter 19, when Paul was at Ephesus he cast out demons. The seven sons of Sceva tried to do it and the demons said we know Jesus, we know Paul, who are you guys? You don’t have any power, and they beat them up. We know Paul. Of course, he’s an enemy. Be assured you are well known by the demons. They know you as an enemy, they know you as one who must be opposed, that they would love to ruin. You oppose them, you are a servant of the living God. We’re involved in this conflict, there is no escaping it.

We are involved not in the battle against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies. Therefore, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to resist. So really, he has retreated. He told them in verse 11, put on the full armor, explain to them why it’s necessary. Now he comes back to explain the armor. You’re doing battle against forces beyond yourself. This is not a matter of defeating this human being, getting this person into a position versus this person. The forces we’re dealing with go far beyond human forces. Human forces are simply the foot soldiers, if you will, in this battle. But don’t be deluded into thinking you’re stronger than this person, because that’s not the force you have to deal with. You have to deal with the force of the devil himself. We have supernatural power involved here, and that’s why it takes the strength of the Lord and the armor of the Lord.

You take up the full armor that you may be able to resist in the evil day and having done everything to stand firm. Take up the armor, put it on, and that will enable you to resist, to stand. You are going to be attacked by the devil. Now all he says about the armor has to do with being able to stand under attack. None of this gibberish about taking the devil’s territory and attacking the devil. Here’s the armor, you know what we’re going to do with the armor? We’re going to be able to stand. You’re going to be attacked, you’re the enemy, the enemy of the devil, the enemy of the god of this world. He hates you. His desire is to destroy you. He will attack you. Paul’s not saying here only we apostles need the armor because we’ll be the subject of assault. No, you Ephesians need to put on the armor so you can resist in the evil day, having done everything to stand firm, be able to hold your ground. Stand firm therefore, another command. Lot of commands to get into the subject, here, of what the armor is. Be strong, put on the armor, take up the armor so you’ll be able to stand firm. Now let me command you, stand firm. How do you do it? Having girded your loins with truth. You know Paul could describe a Roman soldier pretty well. He writes to the Ephesians as a prisoner of Rome. He spent much of his time chained to a Roman soldier. I imagine he had all the details of Roman armor pretty well memorized, and of course Rome maintained its power by the power of its army. Everyone was familiar with the armament of a soldier. You put on the girdle of truth. I don’t think here we’re talking about objective truth, primarily the Word of God. All of this flows out of that; but here you put it on, the truthfulness. We’ll get to God’s Word later. But he’s talking about the idea of sincerity or truthfulness here. That’s to characterize us as believers. We are people of the truth, so truthfulness and sincerity characterize us. That’s the girdle that goes around our loins as protection. Truthfulness, sincerity. What happens if truthfulness breaks down, genuineness in our conduct and behavior? We become very vulnerable, do we not? You think the devil overlooks that? Wasn’t he looking for a weak spot in Job? He put pressure on him. Job has to be characterized by truthfulness. What do his friends say? You’re having all these problems, there must be a breakdown, Job, in what you really are. You’ve looked good, but you probably haven’t been as good as you’ve looked. But we have to be careful. You have a breakdown in your truthfulness, your genuineness in your behavior and your conduct in what a believer ought to be, the devil will go for it. Don’t think he won’t notice. Other people may not notice, the devil doesn’t miss it. It’s what he’s looking for, that kind of opportunity. Faithfulness, truthfulness. In Isaiah 11:5 when the Messiah comes, He’ll wear the girdle of faithfulness or truthfulness. We have that as protection.

The breastplate of righteousness in verse 14. Again, this is not the imputed righteousness of Christ, although it flows out of that. But this is righteousness in our conduct, personal righteousness. We have positional righteousness, that’s why we are secure in Christ. And now we are talking about practical righteousness, functioning as a righteous person, doing what God would have us do.

Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 2, give you an example here. Just going to highlight a few of these because time is moving by as we move through each of these pieces of armament. Note what God says about the devil, verse 10 of 2 Corinthians 2, but one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also. For indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ. Note this, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes. Now we’re putting on the armor so that we can stand against the devil and the schemes of the devil. Paul tells the Corinthians, if you fail to show forgiveness as you should to a fellow believer, you are opening yourselves up for attack by the devil. We’re not ignorant of his schemes. He’d like to be whispering in your ear why you shouldn’t forgive him. Then if you don’t, you’re no longer functioning righteously because we are to forgive others as we have been forgiven in Christ. Now we have become vulnerable, and we’re not ignorant of the devil’s schemes. We know the devil would like us not to show forgiveness to one another. That’s part of his scheme. Now then our breastplate of righteousness is not covering us and now he goes to work, and we really get bloodied.

Come back to Ephesians 6. How many believers have had their testimony shattered because they failed to function righteously. They thought they did it in the darkness, in secret, nobody knew. Then the devil launches his attack and families are ruined, testimonies are destroyed and the scheme of the devil works. So, you put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect the vital organs, as the Roman soldier would have a breastplate.

You have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Again, we have peace with God, but this is the peace of God. Remember Philippians chapter 4 verse 7 talks about the peace of God shall stand guard at your heart and mind. We are secure and ready for the conflict because the peace of God is standing guard in our heart and mind, because we are relying upon Him. We’ve put aside our anxieties, our worries. We have cast them all on Him, casting all our cares on Him for He cares for us, Peter wrote. Or as Paul developed in the passage in Philippians 4, be anxious for nothing but in everything with prayer and thanksgiving make your requests be known to God. These are practical things I have to put on. If I’m not dealing in sincerity, in righteousness in my conduct, being sure that God’s peace characterizes me, then I am opening the door of opportunity to the devil. I’m not on firm footing if His peace is not characterizing my heart.

In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The shield of faith. The word for shield here is really based on the Greek word for door, and that’s why they call this the door shield. We’re all seen Roman movies; they have those round shields they carried on their arm for when you see them in a sword fight and they’re using that shield that was on their arm. Then you’ve seen the other big shield, they’re like a door and basically the word for door is what they’ve adapted to used for this shield. Because it stood high and you see them, they get down behind it. It was geared to protect them from the javelins and the arrows that would be fired at them. Often, they had been dipped in oil and would start fires and that. Well, it’s this shield of faith, they would often as they went into war dip these into water and the leather covering. That way when the fiery arrows hit them, they were extinguished.

Again, this is not our initial saving faith, this is our ongoing relationship with the Lord of living by faith, of trusting the Lord. What comes into our lives, I’m going to trust the Lord and find Him to be my sufficiency. That keeps the devil from getting at me. What does he want to do? He wants me to drop that shield so he can get a fiery arrow in there, because something comes into my life and I begin to doubt whether I can trust the Lord, whether this is really for good in my life. I know all things work together for good, but I can’t see anything good coming out of this. I begin to doubt the Lord and you know what I’m doing? I’m lowering the shield. Pretty soon I get hit with one arrow, then another. Pretty soon I can’t get my life sorted out anymore and how did I get so confused and bloodied and beat up? Well, I lay the shield down. I was watching the history program, something about the Civil War and not Roman times, but a commander came to take over in the Civil War because of the conflict from the commander who was seriously wounded in the battle. When he came, he gave the command to his soldiers, but he gave the wrong command for them to go the wrong direction. They ended up turning and running. He couldn’t get them back in order again and they were slaughtered. All their defense was gone. We’ve seen the picture of the Roman soldier when all of a sudden, they are holding their line, they’re standing fast, they’re holding their position. But if there’s a breakdown, they drop the shields. Pretty soon what? They get run over. The shield of faith is simply my pattern, I trust the Lord. These are little things but I’m trusting Him. These are a little bigger things, that’s all right, I’m trusting Him. I established that pattern. I don’t give the devil any opportunity. One thing I had to learn as a believer is I don’t dwell on doubt. I’m going to take the Lord at His Word. Here’s what He said, Lord I’m going to take you at your Word. But what if it doesn’t work out? Well, if the Lord fails, I have no hope, you’re right. But I’m taking Him at His Word. That’s the pattern I have to do, this is what the Lord said. I’m taking Him at His Word. That’s the shield of faith. If not, you throw your life into turmoil. We all have reasons why we don’t have to function this way. I don’t have to put on all this armor, or at this time it is inconvenient, and I don’t think I need it and it’s a rather quiet time. Don’t mistake. In another analogy the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. You’re not smarter than he, I’m not smarter than him. You think you lay down the armor, he’s just waiting for the opportunity. I’m going to trust Him, taking Him as His Word. I’m going to live a life of faith.

I take the helmet of salvation. Again, I’m saved if I’m putting on the armor. He’s talking to children of God. But this is the assurance, the confidence I have in my salvation. There are certain things I must get settled on. When Job is going through the fire, now is not the time to try to sort these things out. You grow through these times, but I must be ready. The enemy launches his assault. That’s not the time when he goes and starts to look for his armor. It’s too late. You put this on so you are ready for the evil day, you are ready for the assault, and you will be able to stand firm. I’m confident in my relationship with the living God, my salvation in Him is a certainty. I belong to the living God and though He slay me, yet I’ll love Him. What’s the worst that can happen? The devil succeeds in destroying my physical life. That’s all right, my hope is in the Lord. I’ve settled that, I belong to Him. So that settled assurance of our salvation is the helmet of our salvation.

We take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. This is the only part of our armor that could be used offensively, but it is used for our protection as well. It is used in conflict. Example—Matthew chapter 4. What did Christ do when He is tempted by satan? He responds with scripture. Now be careful. What did satan do when He responded in scripture? He responded with scripture. But what did Christ do? He responded with scripture. That’s the sword of the Spirit. That’s the battle.

I’m all ready to stand firm and fend off the assaults of the devil, because I have all my armor on, I have the sword. Whatever he throws at me, I have the Word; and I stand. When all is said and done, verse 13, having done everything, I’ll be able to stand firm. It’s not so difficult, is it? You know the life of a Roman soldier was a hard life. It was not that complicated. Put on your armor and stand in your position. You know how to use your armor, know how to use your sword. Be ready for the battle. We have the strength of the Lord, we have the armor of the Lord, we have a supernatural opponent, but I have God and His provision for me. Am I afraid of the devil? No. Do I respect the devil? Yes. Do I fear his assaults? Only in the sense, I don’t want to become careless. Because if I have the strength of the Lord and the armor of the Lord, I can stand firm. Not in my own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. Not in my own provisions, but in the provision of the armor of the Lord. So, then I proceed. Oh Lord I’m being attacked; I’m being beat on……… So what? That’s what a soldier does, isn’t it? I mean what are you all dressed up in your armor for? Watch television? You get dressed up in your armor for what? A battle. Didn’t say I put on my armor, but I never get attacked. I don’t think anybody here would raise their hand and say that. The devil knows what attacks are most successful on us. I mean they’re not just theological attacks. Job lost his kids, Job lost his wealth, Job lost his health, Job lost all respect from people who used to honor him, and on it goes. I mean the devil works. He knows where our vulnerable spots are, he knows where our weak points are. All he is looking for is the opportunity to hit that. I don’t want to give him that opportunity, so I have to keep in perspective, I’m part of a bigger picture, I’m part of a warfare that centers in the heavenlies. You’re part of that warfare. If you belong to the living God, you are part of it, if you don’t belong to the living God, you’re part of it. Everybody is part of it. Jesus said he who is not with me is against me. There are no observers in this, everyone is a combatant. The redeemed on the side of the living God, the non-redeemed on the side of satan. That puts everything in perspective. All the difficulties of my life—well this is just a natural thing that happens. I mean it was a storm, the roof fell in on the house and all Job’s kids got killed. That’s just something that happens. No, that was part of a spiritual war, spiritual warfare in the heavenlies. How Job handled that was essential to this warfare, and his testimony as a servant of the living God. And so it is, you see all the details of your life, what happens at work, what happens at home. I’m in warfare. Praise God His sufficiency is my sufficiency. Let’s pray together.

Thank you, Lord, for your provision for us. Simple truths but of eternal importance. Lord how careless we have become we get caught up in the affairs of this life in our activities in our pleasures, we become careless; but the enemy of our soul is never careless. He is always watching for opportunity to bring ruin and misery and heartache to shatter our testimony and ruin our lives. Lord how honored we are to represent You in the world in these days. May we take these truths to heart, to be strengthened by You to put on your armor that we might stand firm under the assault of the devil. Thank you, Lord, that the victory is ours in Jesus Christ some day we shall enjoy the fullness of that victory in the glory of Your presence. We praise You in Christ name, amen.