Armor of God
Ep 6:10 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. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. 21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. 23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (NIV).
Introduction:
Written around 62AD when Paul under house arrest awaiting appeal before Caesar. Paul was a Roman citizen and had this right. He was NOT in Mamertine at this time and hardships were not as dire as his second imprisonment. Paul was ultimately freed from this imprisonment – the ending of which correspnds with the end of Acts. Paul’s second imprisonment – around 65AD led to his death.
Ac 24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
Felix ruled from 52-58AD
Festus ruled from 58-60AD
Albinus rule started 60AD
Ac 24:10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself: Speaking of Felix.
Ac 28:30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Speaking of a two year house arrest.
Therefore Paul was imprisoned in Caesaria 58-60AD and his subsequent Rome imprisonment must have 60-62AD.
Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, Phillipians written during this imprisonment.
1Ti and Titus written after release.
2Ti written from Mamertine – is darker in wording reflecting the conditions – around 65-66AD.
The miltary flavor of the metaphors included are surely related to the military style of his house arrest.
Ac 28:16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him (NIV)
God Himself (as Jesus) wears armor:
Is 59:15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head;
Based on Marilyn Hicky’s Spiritual Warfare
Ep 6:10 - Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power.
It doesn't matter what people think - only what God thinks.
If God is for us, who can be against us - including Satan.
God doesn't care about education, clothes, earthly power - only that we follow Him and meet Him with faith.
Ep 6:11 - Strong mandate to fight the Devil.
Devil's weapons: people, employees, government.
Devil's biggest weapon: death. (PS 23:4)
Devil takes what is rightfully ours.
Stand in the military sense against satan.
Ep 6:12 - Against principalities, powers, rulers and wickedness in high places.
Powers of the dark world - Halloween.
Spiritual power of Satan.
Devil is organized.
We must be organized against him.
Ep 6:13 - What is evil day?
Any day of problems, trials and despair.
Ep 6:14 - Stand - stand - stand!!
Doesn't say run.
Doesn't say fight.
We have already won through Christ.
We own the ground with Him.
We fight from victory.
Jesus has already done it.
Therefore all we have to do is stand.
We don't have to counter attack.
Our 3 biggest enemies:
World - Calvary.
Flesh - Died and rose again.
Devil - Bruised his head. Gn 3:15.
Jesus has already won over all three.
He is bigger than all three.
Standing in Victory:
Gn 26:1 - 26:6 - God gave promise.
26:1 Now there was a famine in the land--besides the earlier famine of Abraham's time--and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring {[4] Or seed}all nations on earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws." 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar. (NIV)
Gn 26:7-11 - Lied but repented.
7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister," because he was afraid to say, "She is my wife." He thought, "The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful." 8 When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 9 So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, "She is really your wife! Why did you say, `She is my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her." 10 Then Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us." 11 So Abimelech gave orders to all the people: "Anyone who molests this man or his wife shall surely be put to death." (NIV)
Gn 26:12 - Did this in year of famine- but got blessed 100 X anyway. redeemed by faith & belief in victory.
12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him (NIV).
Gn 26:13-19 - Trials & tribulations.
13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. 15 So all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. 16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us." 17 So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them. 19 Isaac's servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. (NIV).
Gn 26:25 - Built an altar.
25 Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well. (NIV).
Gn 26:32 - Well produces
32 That day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well they had dug. They said, "We've found water!" (NIV).
Never stopped digging.
Never gave up.
Devil tried to stop him.
Redeemed by faith.
Belief in victory.
Isaac did not become involved in strife.
Did not win in the flesh - won over the flesh.
Why could Abimelech come back to Isaac?
Isaac never entered into strife with him.
Abimelech saw how God blessed Isaac.
Isaac was a great testimony to God by example.
See James 4:1 - 5.
4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely (NIV).
Isaac let opposition be a positive force in his life. Proverbs 27:17.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (NIV).
Opposition can reveal a need for change - Pv 18:15.
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out. (NIV).
What is God trying to teach us?
Disagreement promotes tolerance of the views of others. - Mercy through suffering.
The real enemy is not people - the real enemy is Satan.
Pan Handler Story - $3 vs $25. Guy wore a suit and got more money begging than guy who wore rags: The world (and consequently Satan – Satanis "prince" of this world Jn12:31, 14:30, 16:11) is influenced by what you wear.
Paul wrote Ephesians while chained to a soldier in prison.
Paul was looking at the soldier - prob saw armor - prob got revelation from God on Armor.
There are seven pieces of Armor - Seven is the number of completion in Ancient Hebrew Culture.
Ep 6:12 - Battle the Devil.
Principalities - Demons that harass & possess unbelievers.
Powers - Sergeants over demonic forces - hence ability to attack from many sides at once - when it rains it pours.
Rulers of Darkness - More authority and higher ranks - come against leadership.
Rulers of Darkness in High Places - These control Leaders and Countries.
Story of Daniel praying for 21 days. God heard immediately, but Angel delayed due to the Prince of Persia. God's word won over all at end - King of Persia paid for the rebuilding of the Temple.
Ep 6:13 - Don't leave any piece of armor off.
Can be attacked at weakest point or strongest unarmored point.
All can be attacked and lose at our strongest point.
David - integrity - fall due to compromise.
Abraham - faith - fall due to lying.
Peter - courage - denied Jesus 3 times.
Moses - Meekness - Hit the rock.
Ep 6:14 - Gird loins with Truth. - Devil will try to divide by mistruth.
Basis of truth is God's word.
Right is right eternal - truth doesn't change.
Romans 16:17-19 - Stay away from troublemakers.
Girt with belt – to hold sword and keep breastplate in place. Keeps pants from falling down when fighting.
Breastplate of Righteousness - Does this mean that we must be perfect?
No - we are made perfect in Christ's righteousness by faith.
Breastplate protects the heart – the center of moral discernment.
Devil will try to demean us by our sins and make us out to be failures.
Devil destroys through weaknesses.
God builds from weaknesses.
Ep 6:15 - Shod feet with gospel of peace.
The foot is the place where our bodies contact the world.
We fight stan only.
We can't fight each other.
Can't have a war with one party.
Pray for enemies - Wheeler/Cavorsi story contrasted with those times fought against people.
Return good for evil.
Ep 6:16 - Shield of Faith.
Doubt is the Devil's tool.
Why would God help us when He wouldn't help _____.
The shield deflects doubts.
Believe the words and promises of God.
You can also protect others with your shield of faith.
Survival in crisis is a matter of mental attitude. Those who fend off negativism in crisis stand a significantly better chance of positive oucome. (Re: Illustrated man – rain forest). (Toughest advice to take: Don’t panic when lost in the woods.)
Ep 6:17 - Helmet of salvation.
Devil is the great discourager.
Salvation means victory - we will triumph - no need for discouragement.
God says we are victorious.
Jesus is our victory.
Anything done to us can't matter if in the end we have victory through Jesus.
The battle is what makes the victory sweet.
Ep 6:17 - Sword of the spirit.
This is the only offenisve resouce mentioned. It is the only one needed. Nothing else is appropriate. Perhaps defensive only strategies are offensive.
How did Jesus respond when tempted by satan in the dessert? With scripture only.
Mt 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'{[4] Deut. 8:3}" 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "`He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'{[6] Psalm 91:11,12}" 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'{[7] Deut. 6:16}" 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'{[10] Deut. 6:13}" 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (NIV).
Best weapon to bring to a knife fight is a gun. God’s Word is a much closer to a Gun than a Sword
Devil is the great denier.
Devil will deny what is rightfully ours.
Sword of the Spirit is the word of God.
Sword of the spirit is the Bible.
Romans used 5 swords:
Rhomphia - very big powerful almost a two man sword.
Zephos - Sharp point only - not sharp on edges.
Kenacase - Ornamental - worn by pirates - jewels in hilt.
Dolan - Disguised inside a case - such as a cane.
Macharia - The most used sword by the Romans and the most useful. 18" short blade - with both edges and point very sharp. Very maneuverable & dangerous. Good for hacking and poking. the Bible is the closest to this sword. It works from any direction, in close quarters and is very versatile.
Jesus used the word of God to counter the devil's temptations.
The above are the reasons we must read the Bible as much as possible.
Works of the flesh - remember recent SS lesson - Gal 5:19-21.
Gal5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (NIV).
Prayer is the answer to works of the flesh.
If we pray regularly God will deal with our flesh.
Examples
Account of Paul's nephew role in the rescue of Paul. Acts 23:12 - 24
Courage.
Overturned Devil's plot.
Armor of God.
Not size, position, age or worldly status - but faith.
Give God a chance to work.