I was attending a zoom meeting with different people in recovery from across the country, and a gentlemen shared about his recovery journey. He lived in New Orleans, and that very night just a few days ago, as he was trying to stay sober, regain his life, find a new life from being sloshed every day and partying, a parade was going by his apartment, a chaos parade.
That is what it’s like sometimes to be a Christian in this world. The chaos parade is going day and night through this world. And they want us to join in the chaos parade. But we are not going to join that chaos parade, we are going to walk the narrow way of life.
So if you can relate to that feeling of trying to stay sober with the chaos parade shaking the walls of your apartment, if you can relate to feeling bombarded by the world’s chaos, if you can relate to seeing the madness going on around you and saying no, thank you, then this message is for you today.
We are going to discussing the complete battle plan for spiritual warfare today, because it get summed up perfectly at the end of the book of Ephesians, this is our last message in the spiritual warfare series.
How can we stand in this battle? But how can we do more than stand? How can we prosper, march forward, take ground from the enemy, defeat the hordes of hell, and spread the gospel to the lost world?
The real question is how can we be and live victoriously in the spiritual battle.
Ephesians is a discourse on spiritual warfare, every chapter deals with it. Now, we come to chapter six, and it all comes together with the armor of God.
Let’s dive into the word.
Verse 10: "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."
First, and most importantly we have to remember where our strength comes from. The Greek word for strength here is endynamoō which means to be strengthened by God. Not our own strength, but accessing his strength, it is translated in 1st Timothy 1:12 as “enabled.” God enables us to be strong, where? In the Lord.
And we know from Proverb 18:10 that, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
That’s a prayer of mine from time to time, when I feel “under attack” in spiritual warfare, "Lord, you are my strong tower, I take refuge in you right now, in Jesus name amen."
And I find safety. Be strong where? In the Lord. And where? In His mighty power. So we have two access points, first we’re taking shelter in God. We make God our strength and tower. Second, we’re accessing the power source of God, His power.
Just as we know that “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us” (Philippians 4:13) so we also find a tower of strength from God of Heavenly Father.
So in the spiritual battle, very importantly, when we start feeling weak, we need to spend time alone with God in prayer, get on our knees, and pray. And we will find strength for the battle.
Next, verse 11: “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”
A soldier must have all of his armor and weapons ready for warfare, or they will not be prepared. If a soldier has his rifle, pistol, utility belt, and armor, but no helmet, he is not ready for combat. The enemy has a weak spot he can target, the exposed area.
Similarly, we as Christians must be ready for all the strategies of the devil. This word translated strategy can be understood as methods of the devil, or trickery of the devil. The enemy has different schemes and tactics he works against us. As a pastor you notice the patterns very clearly in how the devil takes out believers.
He targets their weak spots, if they have a weakness for women, he targets it. If they have alcoholism in their past, the enemy brings that up. If they are prone to get angry, the enemy provokes anger. If they run when a controversy takes place, he brings a series of controversies. But if you know the enemy’s target, you can protect against the attacks.
Notice also it says “stand firm.” Why? The armor does not protect your backside. If you are running from the enemy, the enemy has an easy target. But if you stand firm, and fight, you will win, the enemy you must remember is an already defeated foe. He was defeated at the cross.
Next, verse 12: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
The enemy's kingdom is arranged in a certain way. There are groups of demons assigned to attack one particular church. There are larger groups of demons assigned to attack cities. There are leader demons over cities, counties, states and entire nations. That is who we are fighting in spiritual battle, that is who we are undermining and overthrowing.
Next, verse 13: “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”
I think it’s better translated as, "resist the enemy in the evil day." We’ve all had a day in our lives that we remember as having been an evil day. I think of the day that Jesus was crucified was of course an evil day. But it was also a day of great opportunity, because from that death came eternal life for all who would believe in Jesus.
Sometimes we have tough days when the enemy attacks us and we need to stand firm. On those days we must have all of God’s armor... To take the hits, strike down the devil with the sword of the Spirit, and be found standing firm afterward.
After the battle we feel hurt, damaged, scraped up, tired, and a bit heavy. I’ve felt that on certain days of intense warfare, exhausted with the battle. But I was still standing firm.
Verse 14, here we see that phrase again: “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth”
Don’t run from the devil. Don’t ever run. Stand your ground.
“Putting on… the belt of truth.”
The King James Version renders this passage more accurately, as having your loins girded up in truth.
In ancient times in the middle east people wore robes, and to get ready for action, they would gird up their loins for battle, so they could fight more effectively.
If we are going to live a successful Christian life, we need something from God called discernment. We need to ask God over and over to help us to see the truth in our world. To see the truth in the church, the truth in politics, the truth in media, the truth in education, and as we continuously ask God, we will have discernment. We’ll be able to instinctively know when something is wrong, or when something is right. And if we can’t tell, we do research, and we pray and God reveals it to us.
Keep asking God for wisdom and discernment, God will give it, seek after it, and then study His word regularly, and you’ll be counted among the wise.
Second part of verse 14: “…and the body armor of God’s righteousness.”
We have to know who we are, our identity in Christ if we’re going to defeat demonic forces. Demonic forces are always trying to lie to us, to convince us of things that are not true.
So many times I’ve wrestled between two opinions, the lie of the enemy vs. the truth of God. The enemy will lie to us, try to use clever arguments to convince us that the lie is the truth. But if we’re wise, we will wrestle, and pray, and declare the word of God over ourselves, and the lie will not take root.
Lies are dangerous, because if we believe a lie, deception starts to cloud our thinking.
Imagine something like this: I start to believe that if I drive at night I will crash. So I start having to avoid driving at night at all costs. It begins to twist and change my whole life as I have to avoid driving at night no matter what. It’s ridiculous, but we do it with God all the time.
Many people, so many people think God is mean and is out to get them. They think God doesn’t love them, he just wants to punish them. This is a lie. And when someone believes this lie, they spend their lives avoiding God at all costs, and as a result it ruins their lives.
Many people today believe the lie that evolution adequately explains the origin of the human species. They therefore see no need for a creator, and this lie again ruins their lives, because they can find no connection to a loving God who wants to save them from their sins.
Lies are very dangerous. Hitler taught the people of Germany that the Jews were secretly working to take all their wealth. And this led to a whole nation doing evil things beyond imagining.
But Jesus said, the truth will set you free. -John 8:32
Next verse 15, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.”
What gives you peace in life? My peace comes from Jesus. And then Jesus shows me His will, and as I walk in His will, I find a peace that overcomes me. If I want to have the courage to spread the gospel everywhere and disciple people toward Jesus, I need peace from the Master.
Also, shoes are for a journey, and remember your walk with Christ through this world, in all the spiritual warfare, is a journey.
And you should be spending your life slowly climbing the mountain of God. What do I mean by that?
The mountain of God for me symbolizes seeing your relationship with God as a grand adventure in which you are constantly getting closer to Him and constantly learning new things about Him.
And as you climb that mountain you find a new revelation at each new level up the mountain toward the heart of God.
The bottom level is basic, it’s salvation. The battle for lost souls. Other levels deal with things like spiritual gifts, death to self, holiness, and so many other things.
Climb the mountain. Grow, and grow and grow, always be hungry for more of God, be hungry to learn about evangelism, about Christian apologetics, about holiness and the practice of holiness, about spiritual gifts, prophecy, church leadership, the overflowing love of God, and everything in between.
It's a journey, an adventure, see your life that way, and you’ll see life as an exciting journey to heaven. Read the Pilgrims’ Progress or watch the movie, it’s one of my favorites, and you’ll begin to see this as a journey.
Next, verse 16:, “In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.”
I remember in Owosso I was praying at the altar, and one of my church members her name was Destiny, saw the enemy firing arrows at me constantly, one after another, but I had a shield that was blocking every arrow.
In that time in my life I was in constant warfare, and the Lord had dealt with me, to show me, you need to put on your armor every day, and that’s how I began to pray the armor of God prayer every morning. And I never forget to this day. The battle is real, it’s not imagery. Put on your armor!
The shield of faith is key. We’re understanding that we need discernment from God to know right and wrong. We need truth from God to prosper.
We also need to know who we are. We are righteous in Jesus Christ. Know your identity and walk in it.
We also need our shoes on, the peace of the gospel, spreading the gospel, climbing the mountain of God, seeing this life as a journey.
But just as much we need faith, trust, a trust in Jesus, that Jesus really is who he says He is. That Jesus really is protecting us. That Jesus really will do everything he has said.
Next, verse 17: “Put on salvation as your helmet…”
The enemy is always trying to get us to question our salvation, to get us to question that Jesus is really going to bring us to heaven.
But if we put on the helmet of salvation, we’ll know that we’re saved. We’ll know we’re redeemed. And our mind will be protected.
If you know you have salvation, you are strong and brave and bold. If you are constantly questioning your salvation, you are weak, afraid and unstable.
Now don’t get me wrong, we should guard against the danger of falling away, and guard against sin, but that’s no excuse to live in constant fear of losing our salvation. We can have an assurance.
Second part of verse 17: “…and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
There are two things here that flow together, the Spirit and the word of God. If we have the Spirit without the word of God we won’t know truth. If we have the word of God without the Spirit, we will interpret the truth wrongly.
The Spirit of God fills us, as we fight the enemy, and that sword that comes out strikes the enemy down. The word of God is powerful, a sword that comes out of our mouth as we speak it, and it cuts right through and into the depths of those we speak it to, but it’s double-edged, it also cuts down into us, to reveal the truth in us.
Remember the enemy’s main weapon is lies. So, the word of God is our weapon that cuts the lies to pieces with the truth.
That’s why when you see a Christian debating an atheist, you'll see the struggle between lies and truth. Watch William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens once, the lie can’t stand against the truth. Craig blows up Hitchen’s main argument in the opening section. The lie is dissolved by the truth, it just disappears. The truth is powerful!
Lastly, verse 18: “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
You could say the hidden piece of armor is prayer. Often when I pray the armor of God I say, "I put on the breath of the Holy Spirit." And what that means is I pray in the Spirit at all times.
Notice that the word of God is your weapon. But just as much prayer is your weapon. The enemy can’t stand it when we start praying, because prayer brings God into the situation.
Stay alert, be persistent in prayer, not just for your family and friends, not just for your fellow church members, but, for all believers everywhere.
But pray how? Pray in the Spirit. The Spirit will lead your prayers if you allow Him to. And those prayers are very powerful.
How? Invite the Holy Spirit to pray through you, and then let the Spirit lead your words. It happens naturally as you allow it.
Paul writes in verses 19-20: “And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”
Pray for your leaders my friends. Pray for your pastor. Pray for church leaders. Pray daily for them. They face severe demonic attacks. The enemy knows if he can take out the pastor, it can often cause the congregation to scatter. We need your prayers very badly.
Skipping down to verses 23-24: “23 Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.”
As we conclude the spiritual warfare series, I say, peace be with you. God will give you, as you seek Him, love, deep love, and faithfulness, he will build your faithfulness. Even when the chaos parade is marching past your apartment, you will not fail, for God is greater than the chaos and He protects you.
May God’s grace be eternally upon you all who love the Lord Jesus Christ! His grace is always available to us when we make a mistake, if we fall into a sin, his grace is available, call on His name.
Fight the battle. Keep climbing the mountain. Trust the word. Seek discernment. Know your identity. Faith protects you. The word is your weapon. Pray always. Hallelujah, with this equation, we cannot fail. We will succeed, defeat the devil, and walk into heaven victorious.
Review of Main Points:
1. Be strong in God’s power, God is your strength and your power source
2. Belt of Truth – seek discernment from God to know right and wrong in the world
3. Breastplate of Righteousness – know your identity in Jesus and believe it
4. Shoes of Peace – God will give you peace as you carry His word
5. Shoes of Peace – Climb the mountain of God – see it as a journey
6. Shield of Faith – trusting Jesus actively is powerful it deflects lies
7. Helmet of Salvation – know you are saved, don’t let fear disrupt that
8. Sword of the Spirit – the word of God is your weapon to cut through lies
9. Pray in the Spirit – pray constantly, it’s a key weapon in the armor
10. With the Full Armor on – you will succeed, defeat the devil, and live victoriously
