PREPARING FOR BATTLE GET ER DONE (Pt. 2) Ephesians 6:13-18 I. WHAT WAR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? II. III. WHO ARE WE AT WAR AGAINST? HOW DO WE FIGHT AGAINST AN UNSEEN ENEMY? Answer this by asking 6 QUESTIONS. WE rejoice in "victories" that involve no battles and in a kind of peace that is merely the absence of conflict. Ours is the victory and peace of the draft dodger or defector who refuses to fight. We are not interested in armor because we are not engaged in the war.(from The MacArthur) (1 Peter 2:11). "Beloved," Peter implores, "I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul" The terminology of the warfare we talk of is, in many ways, a GREATLY DIFFERENT VOCABULARY than what is used in talking normal warfare. aliens, strangers, the flesh, fleshly lusts, and war against the soul 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 3 For 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,
GET ER DONE Pt. 2 Page 2 of 8 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6(THE MESSAGE) 3 The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way never have and never will. 4 The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 6 Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. QUESTIONS 1 & 2: Do I really want to fight Satan off at all? Am I sincere about this spiritual warfare? Ephesians 6:12-13(THE MESSAGE) 12 This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. 13 Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Ephesians 6:14 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth
GET ER DONE Pt. 2 Page 3 of 8 D. Martin Lloyd Jones THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER In other words, it is we who have to do this. The girdle is not put on us, and we have to put it on; and we have to put it firmly in position. 1. THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WORD OF TRUTH. 2 Timothy 2:15 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 0 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy * Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 3. THE CHURCH IS THE PILLAR AND FOUNDATION OF TRUTH. 1 Timothy 3:15... these things I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. QUESTION3: Am I living the kind of life that enables me to engage in this conflict?
GET ER DONE Pt. 2 Page 4 of 8 Ephesians 6:14c... having put on the breastplate of righteousness, BREAST PLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Living in obedience to God s Word and the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 2 types of RIGHTEOUSNESS - Paul is not speaking of: 1. Self-righteousness 2. Imputed righteousness The breastplate of righteousness that we put on is the practical righteousness of a life lived in obedience to God's Word MY STRENGTH IS NOT FOUND IN HOW COURAGEOUSLY I STRUGGLE BUT IN HOW COMPLETELY I SURRENDER. QUESTION 4: Am I prepared to fight? 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; The word "preparation - in the original is- firm foundation. GOOD FOOTING Preparation - has the idea or general meaning of readiness ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND JULLIUS CAESAR S SUCCESS. HOB-NAILED BOOTS. The Roman soldier wore sandals which were bound by throngs over the instep and around the ankle, and the soles were thickly studded with nails. This would give him a firm footing in case of attack. COVER LONG DISTANCES IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. In this passage the gospel of peace refers to the good news that believers are at peace with God.
GET ER DONE Pt. 2 Page 5 of 8 We now have experienced salvation thru knowing Christ, experience peace with God, and the peace of God. The unsaved person is helpless, ungodly, sinful, and an enemy of God. The gospel of peace is the marvelous truth that in Christ we are now at peace with God and are one with Him. Therefore, when our feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, we stand in the confidence of God's love for us and that we are at peace with Him. "and having shod your feet," This is the responsibility of the Christian soldier ALL OF THIS IS UP TO EACH ONE OF YOU TO TAKE UP AND PUT ON.... and having DONE ALL, to stand. GET ER DONE QUESTION 5: AM I ABLE TO DEFEND MYSELF AGAINST SATAN S ATTACK? 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. I hope your remember as we started this series on WHAT IS SO SUPER ABOUT THE SUPERNATURAL, I said we fight from VICTORY, not for victory. Job 1:8-10 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
GET ER DONE Pt. 2 Page 6 of 8 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. Psalms 5:12 12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. These 2 passages are good examples of the shield of faith. shield two types of shields. 1. Small circular shield for hand to hand combat 2. LARGE ONE - this one provides COMPLETE protection. FAITH itself is not what is important, but the OBJECT of our faith. RHONDA -------- ASK ME ABOUT THIS NEXT QUOTE???? Proverbs 30:5 says,... He (God) is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. FLAMING ARROWS tactic in warfare. ILLUSTRATION: 2 houses in California that did not burn down during forest fires. THE MADE PREPARATIONS! THE SHIELD OF FAITH QUINCH ALL the darts of the wicked one.... with which you will be able... GET ER DONE! 17 And take the helmet of salvation, THE MIND IS THE BATTLEFIELD!!!
GET ER DONE Pt. 2 Page 7 of 8 Ephesians 2:3 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Colossians 1:21 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled Romans 8:6-7 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. PUTTING ON CHRIST OR THE MIND OF CHRIST. O.T. YAHSHUAH GOD IS SALVATION NO OTHER NAME THAT MEN CAN BE SAVED 1 Thessalonians 5:8 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. Romans 8:5 5 For 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.
GET ER DONE Pt. 2 Page 8 of 8 QUESTION 6: HAVE I LEARNED THE ART OF OFFENSIVE WARFARE? and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints FILE: SPIRITUAL WARFARE/#10 GET ER DONE Pt. 2/01.20.13