Body Armor Warfare Part Two of Three Ephesians 6:13-15 Pastor Dan Turpin WestCoastChurch.com Objective Sentence: Everyone can fight a good fight by putting on the six defensive weapons outlined by Paul in Ephesians 6:13-15 Introduction: As a follower of Jesus we are involved in a continuous conflict with the enemy. In this world and in the heavenlies there exists formidable hosts of principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places. We are involved in a Global conflict with an enemy determined to destroy our faith in God. There is never one day where we can relax and not be prepared to attack or counter attack the enemy. Read Ephesians 6:10-15 NKJV + NLT Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God that you may be to stand firm against the strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God s armor so you will be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God s righteousness. 15 And for boots, put on your feet the Gospel of Peace. Above all, take the shield of faith with which you will be able to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. We must defend ourselves against a barrage of attacks aimed at the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. #1. Truth (Ephesians 6:12-13 AMP Put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger] stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist. )
2 A. Francis Foulkes: We may conclude that it is not the truth of the gospel that Paul is alluding to here, but the girding of truth in the sense of integrity, truth in the inward being. Truth gives us freedom with ourselves, with our neighbors and with God. Lack of perfect sincerity hampers us at every turn. 1. Desensitization a. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. b. Pastor Dan: Lying deadens and desensitizes the conscious and the heart to truth. c. Francis Foulkes: Paul says to the Ephesians, You must recognize the grim power and resources of your spiritual adversaries and put on the whole armor of God. Only at great peril can you neglect to put on God s complete armor. d. Pastor Dan: God gives us His Word to protect us anything we do that He tells us not to do will hurt us. God gives us His word so that in keeping His commandments we receive peace, purpose, power, purity and prosperity everything that makes like meaningful to you and to me. e. John 14:6 John 8:31-32 John 17:17 #2. Righteousness (Ephesians 6:13, 15 Put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger] having put on the breastplate of righteousness [an upright heart]. A. Fransis Faoulkes: The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:15 is not referring to the righteousness that is imputed to us by God but here he is alluding to uprightness of character, loyalty in principle and the action of obedience to the Word of God. To neglect what we know to be righteous action is to leave a gaping hole in our armor. 1. Integrity a. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 b. Colossians 3:1-8 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the wrath of God is coming. c. 1 Peter 2:1-3 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord s kindness d. Ephesians 4:26-27 e. Romans 12:2
3 #3. Peace (Ephesians 6:13, 15 Put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger] having strapped on your feet the Gospel of Peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firmfooted stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. A. Eerdman: The Roman sandal was equipped with nails that gripped the ground firmly even when it was sloping or slippery it is the good news of peace keeps us upright and firm. The mind is to be steadied, kept from fear and flutter, by means of the good news of peace with God, and if God be for us who can be against us. 1. Knowledge Knowing (Philippians 3:10-12 That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me). a. Philippians 4:6 Don t worry about anything. Worry rates high on the scale of those things that destroy our peace. b. 2 Peter 1:2-8 Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. c. Romans 5:1-3 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God. Guilt is a peace destroyer that must be reckoned with through faith. d. Isaiah 41:10 Fear not for I am with you. Fear destroys our peace. #4. Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:13, 16 Put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger] so above everything else, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. A. Bruce Shields: There were 2 types of shields that the Roman soldiers were using at the time Paul wrote Ephesians. One was a small 2-3 foot round shield for dress parades. The other was the one they actually used for battle and it was a large 30 X 60 rectangular shield. In Greek it was named a door, because it looked like the soldier was actually carrying a door into battle. They were covered in leather which was soaked in water before battle so if they were hit with a flaming arrow the fire couldn t spread. 1. Reliance (Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you). a. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. b. Psalm 56:3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. c. Bruce Shields: Any part of the Whole Armor without the previous part of the armor is useless! We are instructed to Put on the Whole Armor of God. Not just whatever piece of armor we my need at that moment. We must ready ourselves BEFORE the day begins. You don t go onto a battle field, wait until you find your enemy, THEN put your armor on to protect yourself. You always put your armor
4 on BEFORE you go out, knowing that somewhere along the way you WILL encounter the enemy. d. Isaiah 43:1-3 Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior c. 1 John 5:14 d. Psalm 91:1-2 e. Jeremiah 29:11 #5 Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:13, 17 Put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger] and put on the helmet of salvation.) A. Dr. William Riley writes in 1919: The entire person needs spiritual protection. An individual is vulnerable at every point; but the greatest danger point is the head. More soldiers have lost their faith through the intellect than in almost any other way. Christianity is not unreasonable, but it absolutely refuses to compromise its values by embracing false reasoning and unproven theories. Christianity recognizes true science, believing that biblical truth and true science are twins. Our worldly educational system today challenges our student s faith and attempts to influence their thinking, beliefs and values by their godless views of life. These educators know full well that the mind influences the soul, and that when ones intellect is taken captive there will follow a spiritual collapse. 1. Arguments Imaginations (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments [imaginations] and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ). a. Eerdman: In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 we read put on for a helmet the hope of salvation. The glorious truth that we are saved will protect even so vital a part as the head and will keep us from intellectual surrender and rationalistic doubt. b. Romans 5:5-8 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God c. Ephesians 4:22-23 Put off your former conduct of the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness Closing and Invitation: The attack [of Pearl Harbor] took place [December 7, 1941] on a sunny Sunday morning. A minimal contingent of soldiers was on duty at the time. Most offices on the base were closed and many servicemen were on leave for the weekend. New technology,
5 including the new radar mounted on Opana Point, were in place, manned and functioning at the time of the attack. The incoming Japanese attack planes were detected by the radar and reported, but were mistaken for an incoming group of American planes due from the mainland that morning. While on practice maneuvers outside the harbor that morning, an American destroyer spotted a Japanese submarine attempting to sneak into the harbor. The submarine was fired upon, immediately reported and ignored. Despite these and many other warnings, Pearl Harbor faced great loss that day. The losses and ill preparedness came from one major cause no one believed it could really happen. We are in spiritual warfare. Sometimes we call it a bad day or blame it on mean people, but many times we are under heavy assault from the devil.