1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,120 Well, good morning, everybody. It is a great day to be here 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,120 together. It's a wonderful day to worship 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,080 our God. I'm happy to be here and I'm 4 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:09,760 happy you're here. And we have a wonderful set of 5 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,840 scriptures to study if you want to open to Ephesians chapter 6. 6 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,560 We're going to be finally finishing this book after many 7 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,560 months of going through this, and we're finishing up with the 8 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:24,000 topic of the armor of God. And I know many of you in here 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,880 know what this is, but I hope that it will mean something to 10 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,520 you today in a way that is fresh for you today. 11 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,960 I have confidence in God's Word that way. 12 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,600 God's Word is living and powerful and it has ways of 13 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,640 working on us through all of our life circumstances that can be 14 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,840 fresh today. And maybe it's not the same way 15 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,000 that you thought of it in the past or, or maybe it's not the 16 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:45,760 same thing that stuck out to you in the past. 17 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,640 But I hope you get something today that will equip you 18 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,680 because this isn't just some background information. 19 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,520 We're talking about our armor today. 20 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,520 We're talking about survival. We're talking about life and 21 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,200 death today. We all, I think, can learn 22 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,720 something or refresh on something that we needed today. 23 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,200 I definitely know there's a long list of things that I needed 24 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,520 from this. So I hope you do as we get into 25 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,840 the study. And if you don't know what the 26 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:11,400 armor of God is today, wonderful. 27 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,680 You need to know because this is a life or death matter. 28 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,720 So he starts out in this section of verses Ephesians chapter 6 29 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:24,680 verse 10 by saying finally my brethren, so this lesson is not 30 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,880 an isolated study on the Christian armor. 31 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,120 It is a extension of the thought that has begun throughout this 32 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,480 whole book. And he started by reminding 33 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,760 Christians of their spiritual blessings in Christ. 34 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,240 The first 3 chapters were all about reminding them that they 35 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,040 have spiritual possessions from the Father, that they have 36 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,400 spiritual possessions from the Son and from the Spirit. 37 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,640 And therefore he prays that they would be enlightened, that they 38 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,960 would have their minds awakened to see the wonderful blessings 39 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,920 that they have as Christians, and that that would help them to 40 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,400 see their position in Christ raised and seated on the throne, 41 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:00,680 reconciled and set in the temple. 42 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,400 And that they would then have an enablement because of that, that 43 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,480 they would turn and do something with that. 44 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,039 And the first thing that they would be walking in unity, that 45 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:13,080 they would walk unified with one another in the Holy Spirit and 46 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,640 God's Word. And that that we would walk in 47 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:19,840 purity, not as Gentiles, but that we will walk in love as 48 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,560 children of light, as wise, and that we would submit to one 49 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,840 another and love that husbands and wives would have the correct 50 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,040 relationship, that parents and children would have the correct 51 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,320 relationship, masters and servants. 52 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:36,600 And because of all that, because of the wonderful blessings, the 53 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,440 wonderful and great responsibility, and also because 54 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,200 of the task that he's just given us. 55 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,360 Therefore we need this. We need this teaching on the 56 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,680 armour based on everything we've learned because the last things 57 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,160 we study were challenging and they were may not maybe not 58 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,800 complicated, maybe it's not complicated the things he 59 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,960 taught, but they're not easy. And so we need armour. 60 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,520 We need to hear this last call for victory and call for the 61 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,240 armour of God to strengthen us and enable us for this great 62 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,080 work. So he says in verse 10, finally, 63 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,480 my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His 64 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,960 might. As I've studied this in the 65 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,320 past, I've read over this, but this, this is a key statement #1 66 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,560 he says be strong. What's the implication there? 67 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:29,960 The implication is that it's not going to be easy. 68 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,080 The implication is that if it your spiritual walk easy is 69 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,000 easy, maybe there's nothing going into your spiritual walk. 70 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,400 Maybe we are not putting strength into our spiritual 71 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,280 walk. It is going to require it of us 72 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:48,880 because of the enemy that we. Have and I don't have. 73 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,720 My notes open this so I need to fix the mode. 74 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:08,940 Sorry about that. We're we're rolling out OK. 75 00:04:08,940 --> 00:04:11,180 So we need to know that it is going to be hard. 76 00:04:11,180 --> 00:04:13,980 There is going to be challenges that we face in this walk. 77 00:04:14,940 --> 00:04:17,860 That's part of the Christian walk, but it also reminds us 78 00:04:18,019 --> 00:04:21,100 that where our strength comes from is the Lord. 79 00:04:21,500 --> 00:04:23,900 We do not need to take our strength in ourselves. 80 00:04:24,140 --> 00:04:26,460 We do not need to go out into this world confident in 81 00:04:26,460 --> 00:04:28,720 ourselves. People talk about all the time 82 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,200 it's they bolster the individual so much that there's a lot of 83 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,920 pressure put on you and me to be something special. 84 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,000 And you know what? I'm special in the Lord and I am 85 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,120 capable in the Lord, not on my own. 86 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,800 And because of that, we can take power in his might. 87 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,000 Some commentators draw a distinction between power and 88 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,160 might. Some of them say might is 1's 89 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,640 kind of potential ability. If you look at a mighty man, 90 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,960 they're standing there maybe with a great physique, a great 91 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,200 powerful presence. That's might, they would say. 92 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,000 But then power is the exertion of that might. 93 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,040 Power is the ability to take that might and do something with 94 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,040 it. And our God says that we want to 95 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:14,320 take our strength in him, not just for potential, Not that you 96 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,320 would say, you know, I've got God on my side, but that that 97 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:22,480 would have a physical and a a real manifestation that that 98 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,600 would manifest itself in your life and in my life to the point 99 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,640 that we have the power of God working through us. 100 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,120 Not just God's might on a shelf as a trinket or something to 101 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,080 reference and comment about, but something that would take real 102 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,680 and impactful work in our life. Now if you think about it, 103 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,440 common sense wise, a soldier must have strength. 104 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,040 Before a soldier even gets into battle. 105 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,280 He has to go through basic training because his armour does 106 00:05:50,280 --> 00:05:52,440 him no good if there's no strength behind that armour. 107 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,840 And you could maybe there's too many analogies going on here, 108 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:00,800 but if for you and I, we should be prepared to be strong with 109 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,680 the armour God's going to give us, that we would be armed, but 110 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,320 that we would be strong in the Lord to wear this armour and to 111 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,880 wield this armour of the Lord, that we will be strong in his 112 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,440 might. And that we will be prepared. 113 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:21,280 To use that strength, verse 11 says put on the whole armour of 114 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:24,960 God that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the 115 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,920 devil. So before we dive into the rest 116 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:31,840 second-half of this verse, the armour of God and we often think 117 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:35,480 of it as the armour that that God is giving us to put on. 118 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,400 But I ran across an interesting reference to the Old Testament 119 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,360 here in Isaiah 59 verse 9. This is not the first time this 120 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,560 is referenced. The armor of God and 121 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:47,400 specifically certain pieces of the armor. 122 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:55,920 In Isaiah 59, the prophet says this justice is far from us, nor 123 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,360 does righteousness overtake us. We look for light, but there is 124 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:04,720 darkness for brightness, but we walk in blackness. 125 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,320 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had 126 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,120 no eyes. We stumble at noonday as at 127 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,320 twilight. We are as dead men in desolate 128 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,040 places. The prophet is painting a very 129 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,000 bleak picture. He's saying as he's making 130 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,200 analogies, he's saying spiritually and maybe their 131 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,800 nation, their hope, their the things they're looking to, 132 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:32,200 they're they're lost. It's dark, it's hopeless. 133 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:38,680 We all growl like bears and moan sadly like doves. 134 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,240 We look for justice, but there is none for salvation. 135 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:48,840 But it is far from us. Justice is turned back, and 136 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,200 righteousness stands afar off, for truth is fallen in the 137 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:56,600 street. Verse 15 But listen to what it 138 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,600 says. Then the Lord saw it, and it 139 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,720 displeased him that there was no justice. 140 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,200 He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no 141 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:10,200 intercessor. Therefore his own arm brought 142 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,640 salvation for him. If you're familiar with that 143 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,520 phrase, the arm of the Lord is is how Isaiah references Jesus, 144 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,280 specifically the arm of the Lord that reaches down to man. 145 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:24,840 Therefore his own arm brought us, brought salvation for him, 146 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,480 and his own righteousness it sustained. 147 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,160 Him. For he put on righteousness as a 148 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,960 breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head. 149 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,080 He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was 150 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,919 clad with zeal as a cloak. So I don't know to the extent at 151 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:45,760 which we should dissect this because this is an Old Testament 152 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:51,080 reference and I believe this is a connection to Jesus and Jesus 153 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,200 putting on the righteousness himself and the helmet of 154 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,400 salvation and these things. But then it gets into much of 155 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,400 the Old Testament talk was of vengeance and repaying the 156 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,320 enemy. And that's not necessarily the 157 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,040 full picture of Jesus in the New Testament. 158 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,320 So I don't want to dive too much into this Old Testament 159 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,720 reference, but I'll just say this to make this point. 160 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:14,040 You could say, and, and I believe rightly say that this is 161 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,520 God's armor himself. Maybe you could say in the sense 162 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,840 that Jesus put on this armor when he was here on earth. 163 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,760 However you want to interpret that this, it says He put on 164 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:27,080 righteousness as a breastplate. Our own God has put on this 165 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:32,800 armor of breastplate of righteousness and a helmet of 166 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:38,640 salvation, It goes on to say according to their deeds. 167 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:43,160 Accordingly, He will repay fury to his adversaries, recompense 168 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:45,960 to his enemies. The coastlands He will fully 169 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:47,960 repay. So as we talk about the armor 170 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:51,120 today and who the real enemy is, this definitely applies to the 171 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:55,560 devil and his forces. The Lord will have vengeance at 172 00:09:55,560 --> 00:10:00,360 the very least on these enemies. Verse 19, So shall they fear the 173 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:04,520 name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of 174 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:06,440 the sun. Wow. 175 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,680 Verse 21, skipping on down, he says, As for me, says the Lord, 176 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,760 this is my covenant with them, My Spirit, who is upon you and 177 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,280 my words which I have put into your mouth, shall not depart 178 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,240 from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor 179 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:23,600 from the mouth of your descendants. 180 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:28,320 Descendants, says the Lord, from this time forevermore, what 181 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,840 we're studying today about using the sword of the Spirit, using 182 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,480 God's Word, using truth. I hear echoes of this in this 183 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,600 passage as well. He didn't say just for the Old 184 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,440 Testament, but for on this time and forevermore, the Lord's 185 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:48,000 people, we'll have the words of the Lord in their mouth and I'm 186 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,520 comforted by that. So this armor of God that we 187 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:53,240 were to put on, yes, it's for us, but in some. 188 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,520 Sense it is God's. Armor. 189 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:57,480 It is the armor of the even he wore. 190 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,080 Maybe that's in the sense of Jesus when he was walking the 191 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:04,680 earth, but this is a powerful armor that we're reading about. 192 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:06,160 And I don't know about you, but I want it. 193 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,560 If these are the the truths about it, I want this armor 194 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,920 verse 11. So he says put on the whole 195 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,520 armor of God. Does he say know all the facts 196 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,760 about the armor of God because I know many in here if I were to 197 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,840 ask for a show of hands would be able to say I know what the 198 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,040 armor of God is. Does he say know it? 199 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,280 Does he say have an understanding know he says put 200 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:31,240 it on and if nothing else from today you get from this study 201 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,680 and from refreshing this, I hope you take away that we have to 202 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,480 put it on. It is not enough to know. 203 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,920 Of these different pieces of armor, but that we would must 204 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,200 daily pick up our armor and put it on. 205 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,840 I have realized that there are things that I can do in my daily 206 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:59,520 walk to arm myself and specific habits, specific time I can take 207 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,600 to arm myself with my Christian armor in many different ways. 208 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,480 And, and some of them we're going to we're going to discuss 209 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,800 today. There are ways that I know I can 210 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,240 better prepare myself for my day, for the second-half of my 211 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,440 day, for the last portion of my day. 212 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,760 I know that when I prepare myself, I am better off for it 213 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,160 spiritually. So what's my one of my main 214 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,000 issues? One of my main issues is not 215 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,640 putting it on is not taking the time. 216 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:30,280 Why not? Because time maybe maybe there's 217 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,400 other stuff to do. Maybe there's other distractions 218 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:38,000 or the responsibilities you have or I have, but a soldier does 219 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,360 not go into battle and say I don't want to take the time to 220 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,400 put my armor on. I'm just going to get out there 221 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,000 and do it right. A soldier does never do that. 222 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,080 Why? Why do they have sufficient 223 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,520 motivation and action and always putting their armor on? 224 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,560 I doubt you had soldiers run out there and go, oh man, I got to 225 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:58,360 run back and get my stuff because they realise the danger, 226 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,200 because they realise the fight that they're in. 227 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,680 And that's what he's going to say next, that you may be able 228 00:13:04,680 --> 00:13:07,520 to stand against the Wiles of the devil. 229 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:12,040 So if I start my day without preparing myself in my Christian 230 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,840 armor, I'm as ignorant as a soldier walking out into battle 231 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:17,800 without his breastplate in his shield. 232 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,640 What a ridiculous thing to do to walk out there and go, I don't 233 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,160 need it, and then catch an arrow right in the face and then 234 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,520 you're dead because you didn't do the basic thing you should 235 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:31,160 have done. May we remember to pick up our 236 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,240 armor at the beginning of every day at whatever point, never 237 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,560 whatever point in the day that you need to remind yourself and 238 00:13:37,560 --> 00:13:41,680 that I need to, I say at least daily, I have to do that to 239 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:47,880 remember to put on my armor, the armor of God, because we need 240 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:49,840 to. He said that you may be able to 241 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,520 stand against the Wiles of the devil. 242 00:13:54,680 --> 00:13:57,920 A soldier puts on his armor and never has trouble remembering 243 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,880 because he understands the danger and the battle that he is 244 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:05,320 facing. Any other care to a soldier 245 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,320 becomes back burner. Secondary concern. 246 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,000 Why? Because of the Wiles of the 247 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,480 devil. This word can also be translated 248 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:16,720 schemes and from what I understand it comes from a word 249 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,560 that meant to stalk like an animal stalking. 250 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,760 That's prey, and that's not new language. 251 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:28,640 In first Peter 5 verse 8, we're told to be sober, to be 252 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:33,800 vigilant, because the adversary, your adversary, the devil, walks 253 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:38,240 about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 254 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,040 If that doesn't scare you a little bit, I would question 255 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:47,360 whether we're breathing or coherent or aware of the battle 256 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:51,040 that's in front of us. I would say today, though, one 257 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,120 of the largest parts of this study is reminding us, getting 258 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:58,600 my brain back in a position that will recognize the battle, that 259 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,120 I will not be deceived by comforts and air conditioning 260 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:06,960 and four smooth walls, but that I would realize the battle 261 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,920 that's going on because the devil is walking and he is 262 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,200 scheming. That's that's scary. 263 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,120 You have somebody working against you who is very good at 264 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,040 what he does. Not only is he very good, he's 265 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,760 been doing it for a long time and a lot longer than we've been 266 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:26,160 fighting against him individually. 267 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,760 He has been doing this since the beginning of the world. 268 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,480 So don't you think we need some armor? 269 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:37,520 Don't you think that we need something to protect us against 270 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:39,840 such a force? But you know what? 271 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,680 Sometimes I think about if I were to go up against an army, 272 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:49,200 maybe a foreign government that had some super special schemes, 273 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,000 advanced tactics, I would need something that's very, very 274 00:15:55,840 --> 00:16:00,320 equal in in scheming to fight against that. 275 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,560 And I would think that I would need to be very prepared and 276 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,200 very trained to fight against such an enemy. 277 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,720 The beautiful thing is the things God has equipped us with 278 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,800 aren't so complicated that you can't do it today. 279 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:17,040 You couldn't fight a foreign governments Central Intelligence 280 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,280 Agency on your own right now, but you can fight the devil 281 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,280 today using the simple steps that God gives you. 282 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,400 They're not easy, but they are clear and they're not something 283 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,520 that can't be started today if you are a new Christian or if 284 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:35,160 you're trying to start this, he said goes on to say, for we do 285 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:37,040 not wrestle against flesh and blood. 286 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,720 What's he saying there? We don't wrestle against people, 287 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,560 against the humans that are around you. 288 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:45,520 Have you ever been frustrated with somebody? 289 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:47,360 Were you frustrated with somebody this week? 290 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,160 Have you ever wanted to lash out and anger at somebody? 291 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,920 Somebody really made you mad or really just made you think, man, 292 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,360 this world's gone to gone down the drain and they're just 293 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,840 frustrating you and that's all your brain is wrapped around. 294 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:05,640 It's how ridiculous or dumb that person is or frustrating Part of 295 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,720 this. He's saying we're not wrestling. 296 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,680 It's flesh and blood. That's not what this is about. 297 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:18,200 May we not get stuck in this kind of thinking because we are 298 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,079 wrestling, he says. But against principalities and 299 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:25,040 powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, 300 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,640 against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly 301 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:33,240 places, That's a lot of words used to describe things that we 302 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,200 don't have all kinds of clarity on. 303 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,920 But what we do know is these are this is the devil and his 304 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,360 forces. And scholars break this down and 305 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:47,240 basically describe that there are rankings of demonic power 306 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,040 just like there are rankings in military today. 307 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,160 Or maybe like you see with the angels that Michael is in 308 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:55,920 Archangel. Maybe there are angels and 309 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:00,240 archangels, angels and different hierarchies of angels and godly 310 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,640 ministers. There are also levels and tears 311 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,440 of demonic powers. Are you getting the sense that 312 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,160 there's a lot going on behind the scenes that maybe we don't 313 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:18,000 typically think about? We are fighting levels of power 314 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,480 that are beyond our ability to comprehend. 315 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,920 Some people get very deep into this, but the reality is we 316 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,560 don't know every nook and cranny about this. 317 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:30,880 We don't know every detail, but that's not an accident. 318 00:18:32,120 --> 00:18:36,480 We have to accept that God gave us exactly what he felt like we 319 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:41,160 needed to know about demons, and it's not always a ton of 320 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:44,080 information. What do we know? 321 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,280 We know, as we try to state from I think up here all the time, 322 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,040 the devil has no power that we do not give him. 323 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,720 It's been described as a dog on a chain. 324 00:18:55,120 --> 00:18:58,280 Great analogy. There is no power that that the 325 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,080 devil has against us that we do not give him. 326 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,000 In the New Testament, you read of some people being demon 327 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,280 possessed. Well, remember that's they were 328 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,960 acting insane. They were acting in ways that 329 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:12,960 were harmful to their physical body. 330 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,360 Does that mean that they were walking around being made to 331 00:19:15,360 --> 00:19:16,760 sin? No. 332 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,880 The denominator possession we read about in the New Testament 333 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,120 was people throwing themselves into the flame. 334 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:22,760 It's like they couldn't control themselves. 335 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:28,680 It was an uncontrollable state. When you're talking about sin, 336 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:32,440 the devil and his and his helpers do not make us do things 337 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,760 sinful that we don't control. We have control over our own 338 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:41,400 mind and our own body. The devil has no power over him 339 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,480 that we do not give him. Now, the scary part is that 340 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,960 that's the comforting part. The scary part is there are ways 341 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,880 that we can give him power. We can actively give him power 342 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:54,960 when I actively sin and when I know what I'm doing is wrong. 343 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,480 Because we do that. We do things where we know what 344 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,520 we're doing is wrong, but whatever reason, we do it 345 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:05,680 anyway. Or maybe I just choose to go. 346 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,720 In the face of it, whatever you might say, actively giving the 347 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,400 giving the devil place in our life is one way. 348 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:18,000 Passively being passive in a Christian walk absolutely makes 349 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,320 room for the devil to come right in. 350 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,000 If we are passive in our Christian life, the devil has 351 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:28,960 already won the battle. You could say passivity in any 352 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:33,120 angle of your life, passivity and with the word of God and 353 00:20:33,120 --> 00:20:35,400 with our Christian walk will always lead to the devil's 354 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:37,280 victory and it'll lead to his power. 355 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,960 Subconscious allowing. That's very similar to passive, 356 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,160 you might say. But letting the devil work 357 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,080 subconsciously, maybe you don't realize it. 358 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,480 Maybe I don't realize it. The devil can still do it even 359 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:54,640 when we're unaware. Paul thought he was doing what 360 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,640 was right and he was opposing. God's people. 361 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,520 Just imagine how many things we do. 362 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,680 At least Paul was zealously pursuing God subconsciously. 363 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,040 Or maybe in things that don't really matter. 364 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,400 Does this really matter? I mean, does God really care 365 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:13,680 about this? I don't think God really cares 366 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:17,160 about this. That can be a great way for the 367 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:18,480 devil to get a foothold in our life. 368 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,000 Does this really matter? Well, absolutely it does to the 369 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,400 devil because there are ways he can work his way in to our 370 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,160 lives. The devil has no power though 371 00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:29,680 that we do not give him. We need to be very intentional. 372 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,960 Now, why don't we know more about how the devil works? 373 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:35,720 Because there are so many things we don't know. 374 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:38,600 We know just little snippets throughout the New Testament, 375 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:40,320 throughout the Old Testament, we know snippets. 376 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,200 Why don't we know more #1 Like we already said, God gave us 377 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,080 what we need to know. We have to have faith in that. 378 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,040 We have to have faith in any area of Scripture. 379 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:51,960 If we've done the research that there is to know, because 380 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:53,440 sometimes we just do need to do research. 381 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:58,000 But if there are things that that that we've researched and 382 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,840 there's not more to learn, we just need to have faith. 383 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:02,920 You know what? God. 384 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,320 God said this is enough. So obviously He's right. 385 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,760 He gave me exactly what I need to know #2 maybe knowing. 386 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,680 More wouldn't be good. Your thought about that? 387 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,160 You ever thought about that? If we knew more about what was 388 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,000 going on, maybe we would be consumed with it. 389 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:24,480 Maybe we would get so deep into demonology, Satanology. 390 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:30,280 That it would be too scary, too overwhelming, too much for our 391 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:32,480 human minds to to wrap our mind around. 392 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:39,240 Maybe so. People go rabid with demonology 393 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:40,440 already. Imagine if there was more 394 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,400 information. But I think maybe most 395 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,560 importantly #3 the story is not about them. 396 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,240 It's not about the devil and his forces. 397 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:53,080 God gives us enough information to know what we need to do and 398 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,080 how to fight him. But it's not about their story. 399 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,080 God doesn't isn't here to tell the story of the demons and 400 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:00,960 those who fell. He's here to tell the story of 401 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,680 salvation and to equip us with what we need to fight the devil 402 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:09,440 and to overcome him. So therefore, he says, after 403 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:13,240 telling us that we are fighting against the rulers of the 404 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,520 darkness of this age and against principalities and powers, He 405 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:23,800 says therefore, because of that, take up the whole armour of God, 406 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:27,480 that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and 407 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:32,200 having done all to stand, first of all you are able to 408 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,000 withstand. How many times do you get the 409 00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:37,400 get through a struggle or get through a temptation and you 410 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:38,440 just feel like I just can't do it. 411 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:40,800 I've just messed up again and I've failed again or I've done 412 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:42,920 XYZ again and I'm just. This is where I'm. 413 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:47,040 Stuck. The message from God is you are 414 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,960 not stuck, you may withstand, you can withstand, and with His 415 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:56,520 power you will withstand. 1st Corinthians 10 verse 13 says 416 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,680 that He will not give us a temptation that does not have a 417 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,520 way of escape, but He will always give us a way of escape 418 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:02,920 so that we can bear a temptation. 419 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,480 We can win the war today. And that gives me confidence to 420 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:13,600 know that today's a new day. And he goes on to say in the 421 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:17,000 evil day that you may be able to stand in the evil day. 422 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,640 What is the evil day? It's any day that has evil in 423 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:20,960 it. So that's today. 424 00:24:22,120 --> 00:24:25,040 That's today where the devil can have an influence and can work 425 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:29,720 on us that we can stand in the in the evil day, if that's 426 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,320 today, if we have a temptation or struggles in front of us. 427 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:37,200 But I like how he says it like it's a like it's an event, like 428 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,520 this day is an event. It's like a day of battle when 429 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,840 they're getting ready for war. This is the day of battle. 430 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,920 And he describes it like that, that you may be able to stand in 431 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:50,040 the day in the evil day. If we look at today like it is 432 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,720 not that, if we forget today and when I don't remember that today 433 00:24:53,720 --> 00:25:00,880 is the day of evil where I have a battle to fight, then I'm not 434 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:02,920 going to be able to withstand because I'm not engaged in it. 435 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:09,560 Like today matters that much. Today matters that much for 436 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:15,480 every single person. Today matters that much every 437 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:19,880 single today day that you may be able to stand withstand an evil 438 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:25,800 day and having done all to stand after all is said and done, 439 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:31,320 having done all you know you can walk through a fight, the fight 440 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,320 of a day, the fight of a lifetime, and you can be 441 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:40,640 standing at the end of it. That's amazing to think that we 442 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,320 can win this war against such great forces. 443 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:47,080 You can be standing after a fight with the demonic forces of 444 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:52,240 the world, but you have to look past what's right in front of 445 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,720 you. Verse 14, stand there for having 446 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,000 girded your waist with truth. So the first item on the 447 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,640 Christian armor is truth. He says now he starts here 448 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,920 building this armor and I think it was partly because of the 449 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,560 Roman armor how it was built. It was set up from the from the 450 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,680 weight from the belt up because so many other things were tied 451 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,000 to this. Your sword goes in the sheath. 452 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:16,800 It's on your belt. If you look at their 453 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,160 breastplate, the breastplate is anchored into a belt. 454 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:23,240 If you have ever carried a big backpack with a lot of weight on 455 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:24,920 it, they always anchor on the belt. 456 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,040 It is a place of strength and stability. 457 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:29,800 And that place, he says, is truth. 458 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:35,280 We are to be girded with truth. Again. 459 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:37,880 I'm going to go back to daily suiting up. 460 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:44,160 It's not just have you know or have you learned, it's are you 461 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,560 putting it on? Are you putting on truth? 462 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,480 How do you put on truth? I believe learning truth is 463 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:52,800 definitely part of putting on truth. 464 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,600 Implementing truth, absolutely putting it on truth, marinating 465 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,200 in truth. If I know something but don't 466 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:06,560 marinate in it and don't soak in it, is it really part of my 467 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:10,320 armor? If I don't marinate in a daily, 468 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,840 is it really part of my armor? Or is it just something that I 469 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,360 have a piece of armor on the shelf? 470 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,440 Do I wear it? We have to put it on for battle. 471 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,600 Now why is truth so important? Because it is the exact opposite 472 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,440 of what the devil is. John 8 verse 44 says when he 473 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:30,000 speaks a lie. Speaking of the devil, he speaks 474 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:34,400 from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it. 475 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:39,000 The devil can deceive and that is his greatest technique 476 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,760 throughout the Bible. If you read everywhere, it's 477 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:44,760 deception, deception. Deception and deception can be 478 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:48,160 conducted in many ways. Many, many ways. 479 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:55,040 Truth is the exact antidote for the devil's greatest tactic. 480 00:27:55,600 --> 00:28:00,120 It's against his greatest strategy #2 having put on the 481 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:04,480 breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate covers the vital 482 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:08,160 organs on a soldier and if a soldier takes a blow to the 483 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,880 chest area. You have a rib cage, but that's 484 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,120 not enough to get through to protect you from a lot of things 485 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:17,440 in battle. All these vital organs behind 486 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:20,920 the breastplate will be destroyed in an attack without 487 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:25,240 the breastplate. And spiritually, if we do not 488 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,360 have righteousness, what is righteousness? 489 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:30,920 It's being right, it's living right, it's living godly. 490 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:36,200 That doesn't mean we're perfect, but if we are not actively 491 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:42,080 striving to do what's right in every area of our life, and if 492 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:47,040 sin is just having its way with us, there is no shot of us 493 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:50,200 standing. I don't care how much we know 494 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,080 about truth. I don't care how much your feet 495 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:54,880 are prepared to share the gospel of peace. 496 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,680 As we're going to see in a minute, if I don't have 497 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,320 righteousness, it's a waste. There are times where I have 498 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:04,400 been weak in that area and I know people in my life who stay 499 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,600 in that area where they have man, they think they have the 500 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,480 shield of faith. I got strong faith. 501 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:10,720 I've got, I love the gospel of peace. 502 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,560 I want to share it with people, and maybe they know all the 503 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:17,760 things about truth that they need to know pretty much, but 504 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:22,200 they don't want to live holy and righteous, and they are dead 505 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:29,520 spiritually because of it. The breastplate will protect us 506 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,920 in all the ways and all the vital organs that will keep us 507 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:36,040 from the devil's attacks that would cripple us spiritually and 508 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:40,560 kill us otherwise. The breastplate of righteousness 509 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:46,880 is right living verse 15 and having shod your feet with the 510 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,120 preparation of the gospel of peace. 511 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:53,280 As the writer was talking, you know, this was during Roman 512 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,200 soldiers times. The Roman soldiers were fierce. 513 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,640 They were well equipped in so many areas. 514 00:29:57,640 --> 00:29:59,760 And one of the ways they were well equipped was in their 515 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:02,240 shoes. And their shoes would often have 516 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:06,000 studs in them, a a kind of nail that would grip the terrain. 517 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:09,240 You know, as I think about the closest thing I have to battle 518 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:13,320 in my life is sports where you're, you're competing at the 519 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:16,360 highest level because it really matters, right? 520 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,600 You, you are, you are going toe to toe with someone. 521 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:21,760 And in our battlefield, you go toe to toe because you're 522 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,600 fighting for your life. And sports, we care that much 523 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:26,760 sometimes about sports that we do our very best. 524 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:29,920 We go as fast as we can. We go as long as we can and we 525 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:34,200 try as hard as we can. So in sports, if I am not 526 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:36,800 quicker than the other person, then I lose. 527 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:40,080 So take basketball. If I don't have basketball shoes 528 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,480 on in the gym, I will slip all over the place and I am no, I 529 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,440 have no chance of beating somebody else in basketball. 530 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:50,960 In baseball, if you try to run, swing without cleats on. 531 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:52,960 You lose your. Footing. 532 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:57,480 You have no shot without the right shoes because those anchor 533 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,320 you to the ground. That's part of your foundation, 534 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:03,680 keeping your foundation secure. You could go on and on. 535 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,240 The sports, every sport has a specific shoe to get them 536 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,880 prepared in the right way. And it's a small item, but it 537 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,720 really has a big impact on your success and whatever it is. 538 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:19,040 So he says we are to shot our feet with the preparation of the 539 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:22,760 gospel of peace. In the Bible, feet are a symbol 540 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,920 of what we are going to do. The Bible says blessed are the 541 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:28,840 feet of those who preach the gospel. 542 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:32,720 That's because they're going about going to do great things. 543 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:34,480 Hands are reference of our actions. 544 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:39,320 Feet are where we go the things we do and and strive for the the 545 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:40,800 frontlets. You're in your forehead. 546 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,000 That's a reference for what you think about South. 547 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:50,720 Feet are what we are going to do and he wants us to be prepared 548 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,920 with a gospel of peace. What does that mean? 549 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:57,840 Maybe it means that he we are motivated by the gospel of 550 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:00,360 peace. Now as we go about to the world, 551 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:04,440 as we are driven, the thing that is driving us to go and to do 552 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:07,400 everything we do is the gospel of peace. 553 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,040 It's what motivates us to share with people and to live our 554 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,440 life. Whether you're a preacher or 555 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,360 whether you're working a normal day-to-day job, our job is the 556 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,600 same. It's just in a different place. 557 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:23,240 Maybe it's how we're guided. We are guided by the gospel of 558 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:26,640 peace, that the things that we would share, maybe not just why 559 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,040 we share what we share, but the things specifically that we 560 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:32,160 share, those are the gospel of peace. 561 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:36,320 That we would reach the World with the gospel of peace and 562 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,760 that it would some in another way protect us. 563 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:41,920 If they didn't have shoes on their feet, sometimes they would 564 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:44,880 have nails on a battlefield. They would have spikes set up, 565 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,000 and if they stepped on a spike, it was set up in the 566 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:48,040 battlefield. They were done. 567 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:50,240 You cannot fight without your feet. 568 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:55,920 The gospel of peace protects us. It guides all of our 569 00:32:55,920 --> 00:33:01,160 motivations, all of our reasons why may we be motivated and and 570 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:03,800 prepared with the gospel of peace. 571 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:08,800 Verse 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you 572 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:12,720 will be able to squat to quench all the fiery darts of the 573 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:17,040 wicked one. Often times these Roman soldiers 574 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:20,920 would have a layer or a shield made of either leather or wood 575 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:25,600 that was soaked in water because that water would quench fiery 576 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:27,920 arrows. If you shot a flaming arrow and 577 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:31,160 it hit a regular wooden shield or something else, it would 578 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:34,920 start a fire and it would destroy maybe the things around 579 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:37,720 you or it would cause havoc in your battalion. 580 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:42,200 But if you had a shield that was wet, it would quench those fiery 581 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:45,800 darts. So these fiery darts at 582 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,480 different points in my life, I have really identified with 583 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:51,720 this, this analogy of the temptation. 584 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:55,280 It seems like maybe sometimes there are great swings of 585 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:59,880 temptation and great blows to us, maybe from our life's 586 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:02,760 challenges or maybe from the devil, there are great swings. 587 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:07,640 But other times it really feels like it's just one arrow after 588 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:09,719 another. It just doesn't let up. 589 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:12,360 If you've ever seen a battle scene, what they'll do, what 590 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:15,360 they would do is they would line up a bunch of Archers and they 591 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:16,840 would shoot an arrow all at once. 592 00:34:17,199 --> 00:34:19,719 Then they would have a second group reload, come to the front 593 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:21,840 and they're shooting while the other ones reloading and the 594 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:28,000 arrows just keep coming. Maybe your spiritual walk has 595 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:29,360 felt like that at different times. 596 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:34,440 Maybe now the shield of faith is what protects us from these 597 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:39,120 constant and devastating blows of the arrow of the devil's 598 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:41,880 work. The shield of faith will 599 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:48,920 overcome through it all. Something else they would do in 600 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:50,920 order to protect from the enemy. They would rally around each 601 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:54,440 other, they would square up together and you would have an 602 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:58,280 impenetrable shield if you were trying to attack them with a 603 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:02,080 with a normal infantry below. But if you came in with arrows, 604 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,560 no problem. They've got Shields that they 605 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:06,680 would interlock together. You ought to have people stand 606 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,880 behind them, protecting from above and around them to to 607 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,440 protect from the sides. There's good news with your 608 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:14,240 faith. You're not the only one. 609 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:17,400 There are people around you here. 610 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:22,120 There are people around you to support you, to help fight this 611 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:23,880 fight. You would interlock Shields with 612 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:27,400 that when the devil comes attacking, you don't have to be 613 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,720 exposed. That you would be able to lock 614 00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:34,760 Shields and have strength and protection in your challenge and 615 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:41,320 your trial from the wicked one. Don't forget that verse 17 and 616 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:49,680 take the helmet of salvation. The awareness, the hope and the 617 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:53,240 perspective of salvation in our lives is a helmet to us. 618 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:57,640 It is enough to protect the mind. 619 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:01,040 A mind that has to process the temptations, the 620 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:03,760 responsibilities, the challenges, a mind that could be 621 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:07,120 beaten down by struggle, temptation, you name it, 622 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:10,680 salvation. Having a view of salvation in 623 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:15,240 our minds is enough to protect the mind, to strengthen the 624 00:36:15,240 --> 00:36:17,560 mind, and to give us what we need. 625 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:24,160 Salvation is a wonderful blessing to protect us in our 626 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:27,040 minds. But I think it's pretty cool on 627 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:32,280 a on a more maybe a neurochemical level in the 628 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:35,040 brain, there's a chemical you've all heard of, dopamine, and 629 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:37,800 often times we think of getting dopamine once you know when 630 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:41,120 something good happens. But dopamine is actually a very 631 00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:43,760 strong motivator. It's what happens when I see a 632 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:45,800 piece of fruit on a tree and I am hungry. 633 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:49,000 Dopamine, I get a rush of dopamine that motivates me to go 634 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:52,480 and pick that fruit. Or when the house is dirty that 635 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:55,520 I want and I look forward to having the house clean. 636 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,400 And so my brain gives me dopamine that urges me to into 637 00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:02,400 action. I think. 638 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:08,000 Well, first they did a study in which they set up the subject 639 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:11,280 with a something to chase and they had, they had the brain 640 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,200 hookups and stuff and the dopamine levels were very high 641 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:16,560 when they had a reward that they were seeking. 642 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:20,000 But once they achieved that reward and once they received 643 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,720 that, the dopamine levels dropped back to normal level. 644 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:28,120 What does that tell me? Salvation is one of the ways God 645 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:31,520 sustains our mind because we've never seen it. 646 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:34,840 We've never gotten it. And that's a blessing in some 647 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:38,400 ways neurochemically, because there is always something for 648 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,000 you to chase. You never get to the point that 649 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,680 you've seen it all, got it all, done it all, because there is 650 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,640 always going to be something that we are searching and and 651 00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:51,200 hoping for. This salvation would give us the 652 00:37:51,240 --> 00:37:54,800 edge and the motivation that we need for our day to protect our 653 00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:56,720 mind and give us hope for tomorrow. 654 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:02,400 Hope is a massively powerful thing and hope is partly there 655 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:05,800 because we don't have it yet. You don't have hope for the 656 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,360 things that are that you have so far. 657 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:13,720 Praise God that he allows us to be not there yet because it 658 00:38:13,720 --> 00:38:17,760 gives us drive that we need as Christians to protect our minds 659 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:19,720 with such salvation. Now everything we've talked 660 00:38:19,720 --> 00:38:23,680 about we're finishing up here is all defensive armor so far we 661 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:25,280 have. And also there is nothing to 662 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,640 protect your back. So retreat does not work here. 663 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,640 There is no retreat that you're going to be protected in a 664 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:35,120 situation where retreat is going to be protected in your armor. 665 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:40,360 But the last thing we do have is an offensive weapon and it is 666 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:44,000 the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 667 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:51,200 The sword of the spirit is how we parry or respond to an 668 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:55,280 encounter attack the devil's attacks, and we have a heavenly 669 00:38:55,280 --> 00:38:56,720 fight scene where you see it used. 670 00:38:58,120 --> 00:38:59,760 Are you ready for a heavenly fight scene? 671 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:02,400 Matthew 4 verse one. Then Jesus was led up by the 672 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:05,440 Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, and when 673 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:08,880 he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights afterward, he was hungry. 674 00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:11,920 Now when the tempter came to me, said, If you are the Son of God, 675 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:14,400 command these stones become bread. 676 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:21,160 But he answered and said, It is written, man shall not live by 677 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:23,720 bread alone, by by every word that proceeds from the mouth of 678 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:25,400 God. Have you ever thought of that as 679 00:39:25,400 --> 00:39:29,600 a heavenly fight scene? This is given to us so that we 680 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:36,480 can see how to fight the devil. It's not complicated, but are 681 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:40,120 you seeing that the sword of the Spirit, Jesus is actively using 682 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:41,600 the sword of the Spirit? What does he use? 683 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,800 He uses scripture. Sometimes we can feel like. 684 00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:47,680 But yeah, but what else? That's not enough. 685 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:51,920 That was enough for Jesus. He recited scripture. 686 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:54,280 He had to have scripture memorized. 687 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:56,880 He had to have scripture embedded in his mind. 688 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:01,120 And he said that Scripture, how is it? 689 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:04,200 It doesn't mean that's it like, well, that's not enough. 690 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:09,040 It means that's all we need to counter attack the devil and he 691 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:12,240 fled. The sword of the spirit is our 692 00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:15,360 counter attacking weapon. And Jesus goes on to do it two 693 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:17,800 more times, but the pattern is exactly the same. 694 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:22,560 Now I might add a word of caution as to actively attacking 695 00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:25,960 the devil. That's not really how what we 696 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:28,960 see in Scripture. You know, there's some people 697 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,880 you might see have these long drawn out conversations with the 698 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:33,920 devil. They're rebuking him and and 699 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:37,240 passionately tell them all the things they're going to do and 700 00:40:37,240 --> 00:40:39,240 how powerful they're going to send out their power on the 701 00:40:39,240 --> 00:40:41,000 devil. That's not really what we read 702 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,680 in the Scripture. Actually in Jude one verse 9, it 703 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:47,560 says yet Michael the Archangel high-ranking Angel in contending 704 00:40:47,560 --> 00:40:51,080 with the devil when he disputed about the body of Moses dared 705 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:54,520 not bring against him and revile the accusation, but said the 706 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:57,840 Lord rebuke you. So I don't need to go into all 707 00:40:57,840 --> 00:41:00,400 that deep or have a strong position on that. 708 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:02,160 We know Jesus responded with Scripture. 709 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:06,720 He responded to the devil with telling the truth of God's word 710 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:10,040 in the face of the devil. But I would caution you not to 711 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:12,880 get too caught up in talking to the devil because that's not 712 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:19,080 really what we see in Scripture. Verse 18 praying always who you 713 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:21,120 talk to. Don't worry about talking to the 714 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:25,080 devil, Talk to God praying always with all prayer and 715 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:28,440 supplication in the Spirit that is to be real. 716 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,600 What being watchful to this end with all perseverance and 717 00:41:32,600 --> 00:41:36,320 supplication for all the Saints. All that means is make sure you 718 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:39,240 do this and keep on doing this and keep trying this where you 719 00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:43,360 talk to God and you plead with God and you honor God and pray 720 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:46,480 for each other and you pray to God. 721 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:50,480 And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open 722 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:54,400 my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel for 723 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:58,840 which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may speak boldly 724 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:01,720 as I ought to speak. You don't have to be timid with 725 00:42:01,720 --> 00:42:03,560 your faith. You may be figuring out how 726 00:42:03,560 --> 00:42:06,040 you're going to say what you're going to say, but don't let 727 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:09,120 there be a timid spirit, because God has boldness for you in 728 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:11,840 sharing His truth, even in chains. 729 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:15,760 We could be an ambassador, a representative from 1 nation to 730 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:18,760 another, the nation of God to the nation of the world, that we 731 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:22,360 would share the gospel. Verse 21 but that you also may 732 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:24,240 know my affairs and how I'm doing. 733 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:27,440 Titricus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, 734 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:31,240 will make all things known to you, whom I've sent to you for 735 00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:34,400 this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that He 736 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:38,080 may comfort your hearts. Peace be to the brethren, and 737 00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:41,040 love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus 738 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:43,880 Christ. Grace be with all those who love 739 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,640 our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. 740 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:49,480 Amen. And that is the close of 741 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:53,320 Ephesians of the letter to Ephesians in our study here. 742 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:57,920 That's our study today. And I hope you are challenged 743 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:03,880 and comforted and scared and then comforted again because of 744 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:06,400 what our reality is. What is truth? 745 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:10,000 Truth is reality. Our God wants us to know 746 00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:13,680 reality, live reality, and stay in reality. 747 00:43:14,240 --> 00:43:17,720 And it's a hard one, but we have every bit of the strength and 748 00:43:17,720 --> 00:43:20,640 protection we need in the Lord, in the power of his might. 749 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:23,280 Let's do that this week. Let's put on the whole armour of 750 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:25,160 God. And if you've not started this 751 00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:29,080 walk, if this is new to you and you don't haven't even joined 752 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:33,520 into the family of God and to his saving work so that helmet 753 00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:35,960 of salvation can protect you, you can start today. 754 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:39,040 The Bible tells us that we have to common sense here to believe. 755 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:40,400 So we have to hear the word of God. 756 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:44,040 We could believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and 757 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:47,920 repent, change our life, that we would live righteously and be 758 00:43:47,920 --> 00:43:50,880 protected by righteousness, that we would repent of our past 759 00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:54,280 life, confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and be 760 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:56,040 baptized for the remission of our sins. 761 00:43:56,360 --> 00:43:59,360 If you've done that, we have a second advocate with the Father, 762 00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:03,200 Jesus Christ the righteous, and he continually cleanses us. 763 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:06,560 But we have to confess our faults one to another so that we 764 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:09,240 will be healed. If you need help in one of these 765 00:44:09,240 --> 00:44:11,280 ways, or if you'd like the prayers of the brethren, we'd be 766 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:13,720 happy to help you today while we stand and see.