Don't Forget We Are In a War: Ephesians 6:10-20

If you would this morning in your bulletins or in your Bibles, if you would turn to the book of Ephesians, Ephesians chapter 6.

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

And we will begin reading at verse 10, Ephesians chapter 6, and we'll be reading from verse 10 down to verse 20, Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10 through 20.

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention Ephesians 6:10–20

And it reads as follows, follows Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

For we do not wrest flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all is stand firm.

Stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication, to that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that the words may be given to me and opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak.

Let us pray.

Father, we we come before you this morning and we ask, Lord, that you would, by the power of your spirit, speak to us this morning.

Lord, we pray, Lord, that you would um that your word would find good soil, as it were, in each of our hearts, and that where we need correction, encouragement, conviction, that the Spirit of God would take the word of God and apply it to each of our hearts.

Speak to us, Lord, this morning.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

As a church, for the last couple of months, we have gone through the book of Hosea, a powerful book where God was calling the nation of Israel to repentance.

They had had wandered off from the path.

They had gone to worship other gods and God was calling them back.

And I think that as we went through this book, we were challenged.

Many of us were challenged that that God, what who are the gods that I am chasing after?

In chapter 14, he talked about the that they would no longer go to Assyria.

And we were asking the question, Lord, what are what are my Assyrias?

What are the people, the places, the things, the circumstances that I am looking to to bring satisfaction in my life?

And we were repenting of these things.

We have been taking up words with God, as it were, and confessing our sin.

And God has been doing a great thing in our hearts as a church as we've been going through this book.

We've been encouraged by souls being saved here at APC and members joining and Bible studies, men's Bible studies on Thursday and Wednesdays and women's Bible studies and our CFGs.

And there's a sense that God is about something here in our midst.

And that's an exciting thing.

But we would be foolish to think that that if that as we are striving to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we'd be foolish to think that the devil, that the enemy of our soul, is gonna sit back and let us at APC grow and have an impact on the world and our communities for the name of Christ.

We'd be foolish to think, and you'd be foolish to think that if you commit your life to Christ and you commit yourself to Jesus, that all of a sudden everything's gonna be alright.

No, no, all hell sometimes is gonna break loose.

Because the enemy of our soul, the enemy of this church, the enemy of Christ is not going to sit still and let us just grow in grace.

That just isn't gonna happen.

He's coming after you, he's coming after your family, he's coming after your job, he doesn't matter what he's doing, he's gonna come to wreak havoc in our lives so that we might take our hand, as it were, off the plow and turn our backs and go another way and say, Well, I didn't sign up for this.

This is not something that I wanted to do.

You know, in the church today, there's there's two extremes, and we think about the devil.

We there are some who see the devil and the demon under every rock.

Everywhere you turn, this was the devil.

But then you also have some who don't see Satan at work anywhere.

Sometimes we as Reformed and Presbyterians, we can become so intellectual that we forget that there is a spiritual realm out there.

I want you to listen to the words of Tom Terrence.

He in some of his writing.

Listen to these words.

Every era has had its own blind spots, and ours is no exception.

A notable example in our day is the denial of the existence of the devil.

Secularization driven along by naturalism that denies the existence of anything spiritual or metaphysical has had a profound effect on Americans, whether they are believers or not.

In 2002, Barner Research reported that six out of ten Americans, 59% rejected the existence of Satan, indicating that the devil or Satan is merely a symbol of evil.

In 2009, Barner reported that 59% of professing Christians also rejected the existence of Satan.

That's mind-boggling.

That Christians would deny the existence of Satan.

Only 26% strongly agree that they believe Satan is real.

Unlike our ancestors, we hear a few sermons today about things unseen, such as heaven, hell, angels or demons.

We don't hear that anymore.

We hear sermons like that, and we say, well, that was back then to those uneducated, but we're more sophisticated now.

We we don't want to hear about heaven or hell.

We don't want to hear about angels or demons.

We want to be told things that we want to hear, and that happens to us today.

Church historian Richard Lovelace says a study of this subject throughout the history of the Christian experience reveals that leaders in most other periods of the church's history have found conflict with fallen angels to be a regular feature to their daily existence and have sought to cope with it in biblical terms.

Commenting on this strange state of affairs, John Stott said it is unfashionable nowadays in the church, even while Satanism flourishes outside it, to believe either in a personal devil or personal demonic intelligences under his command.

But there is no obvious reason why church fashion should be the director of theology, whereas the plain teaching of Jesus and his apostles, not to mention the church of subsequent centuries, endorses this malevolent experience.

C.S.

Lewis also commented on our tendency toward imbalance in this area.

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils.

One is to disbelieve in their existence, the other is to believe and to feel an excessive unhealthy interest in them.

Clearly, American society and the church have swung strongly to the first era.

No doubt the devil is very pleased with this development.

Just as spy rings can be more effective when their existence is unknown, so the devil and his angels are more effective when people are unaware of their existence and activities.

As Lovelace notes, most of the devil's advantage depends on the ability to move among humans unaffected and move among humans undetected.

Now, beloved, let me let me just say this.

You watch the news.

You know something's wrong when we as a society can't figure out and can't remember what a man and a woman is.

And you know we need to stop kidding ourselves.

We need to stop joking and and believing that, oh, everything's alright.

No, everything isn't all right, and and something's happening in our midst.

Something's happening in our world, something's happening in our schools, something's happening in our universities, something's happening in our government, and something that's happening is that the enemy of our soul is doing his thing, and we as times, as Christians, sit back and don't even act like we know what's going on or what time it is.

And what he is calling us to, and what he is telling us, is that you and I better not forget that we are in a war.

There's a battle going on, there's a war going on.

Now, now, beloved, if there was a real war going on out here right now, if there were bullets flying, and if there were people that were after us, you and I would not walk about in this world in a sense of casualness, casualty, or whatever.

We'd be nice, we'd be on our guard.

For you walk out that door, you'd be looking left and right.

Because you would be aware that there's war going on.

But yes, for some reason, spiritually, we get up every single day and we leave the armor, leave it sitting in the closet.

We make sure we look good, we got our tithes or whatever it is we gotta work and put on, but yet do we pick up the armor of God so that we might do battle in a world that's after you?

The enemy's after you, and we're gonna see that as we go on.

Now, it is not my intention this morning to obsess with satanic or demon or the demonic, but it's my intention to remind us that of this reality and the tactics to give us the sure hope that we have in the gospel of Christ that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

I don't have to watch the news and get frightened and get turned off and get all messed up about what's gonna happen because I know because of God's word that greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.

That's what I want us this morning to focus on.

That's what I want us as a church to be aware of that as God is moving and God is working, be on your guard.

The enemy could use you.

The enemy could get in you and you could start confusion in the body of Christ.

So we want to be on our guard.

So this morning we will look at three things.

We will look at the reality of the conflict, the methods of our enemy, and our victory in the battle.

Now, our text this morning clearly states, clearly lets us know that there's a conflict that's going on.

You look in chapter chapter 6, verse 10.

He says, Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

He's tricky, he's slick, he's he's he's he's crafty.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.

Your fight isn't with me, your fight isn't with the other person.

But he says, But we wrestle against rulers, against authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the against the against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places.

Beloved, understand what's going on here.

There's a there's an unseen realm out there.

There's a world out there that you and I can't see, but there's activities going on.

The demons of hell, the angels of God are in battle.

Remember when Daniel was praying in the book of Daniel and he was asking God for an answer, and the angel came, he says, Look, I would have got here earlier, but I was held up in the third heaven because of another angel, because of the demons that were holding me back.

There's war going on, beloved.

There's battles going on among us, and we can't see them, but the scriptures are clear, they're plain, they're saying, look, that's who you are in battle with.

Not only the demonic forces, but the world's system and the way the world functions and our own flesh.

All these things are conspiring against you and I that you and I would not live victorious lives in Christ Jesus.

Another passage of scripture, and I'll just read these off since time is running away.

He says, Be sober, be be watchful.

1 Peter chapter 5, verses 8 through 9.

1 Peter 5:8–9

Peter writing, he says, Be sober, be watchful, for your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to have a nice conversation with.

That's what he says.

Just think of somebody to hang out with.

That the devil is just walking around just to see who he could be friends with.

No, that's not.

But Love, let us understand here.

Let us understand.

Satan means you no good.

And if he could, he would devour you.

Oh, you remember what remember what Jesus said to Peter when Peter was there?

He said, Satan has desired to sift you like wheat.

I remember R.C.

Spro saying, he says, if I was Peter, I said, Well, I hope you prayed for me.

But he's I have prayed for you.

Satan desires to destroy us.

Satan desires to destroy our homes.

Satan destroys to destroy our marriages.

Some of you who are struggling in your marriages right now, and there are things that are going on, and there's this conflict, and it seems like it just can't work.

And I need to get out of this because I'm not happy.

That's the enemy of your soul trying to come in and destroy what God has established.

Don't just think that this is irreconcilable differences.

This is demonic, satanic forces moving in to mess up your home.

That's what's going on.

Been listening to the lies of the enemy and saying, Well, I'd be happier.

And you know, it's best for the kids.

These are lies.

These are flies from the pit of hell.

Not only that, let me read a couple more.

Um, I gotta move on.

1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 17 through 18.

1 Thessalonians 2:17–18

Notice here, he says, But since we were torn away, this is the apostle Paul talking, your brothers, from you brothers, for a short time in person, not in heart.

We endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face because we wanted to come to you.

Aye, Paul, again and again, but Satan hindered us.

There's there's there's ministry, there's work, there's things that are going on that that just seems that that you can't make progress, that that your ministry can't make progress.

Why?

Because Satan is trying to hinder the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul says there were things that couldn't be done because Satan was hindering.

It's a category, beloved, that we must have.

Now, let me let me hasten on.

That's the reality of the battle, but but what are his methods?

His methods are found in his name.

He says in verse 44 of John, John chapter 8, verse 44, you are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.

John 8:44

He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.

When he lies, he speaks of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

How do you know how the enemy works?

How do you know how Satan works?

Well, one thing, you know Satan is at work where you see murder, where you see death, where you see a culture of death, you know the devil is at work.

Why?

Because he's a murderer.

That's who he is.

That's what he does.

Oh, beloved, I don't know where you stand on abortion, and maybe I'm not even even opening that up and say that out of my mouth.

But understand this that something's wrong.

When we as a nation will say to ourselves, it's good even up until the time of birth.

Oh, beloved, that's demonic.

That's straight from the pit of hell.

Why?

How do I know that?

Because he's a murderer.

That's who he is.

But not only is he a murderer, he's the father of lies.

The truth is not in him.

He can't tell the truth.

He can't do it.

Because he's a liar.

He's a liar.

That's who he is.

All the lies you and I hear, and we absorb, and we embody and embodied day in and day out through music and that we don't pay any attention to, through television shows that we don't pay any attention to.

How do you think that they made changes in our society?

And next thing you know, before we know it, our world is a whole different world because we kept watching TV shows and things that just glamorized and made normal sinful behavior.

And more week after week and month after month, you and I have been desensitized to sin.

Right, because he's a liar.

That's what he does.

That's all he knows to do.

If you think that the devil's gonna sit there and tell you the truth, you're crazy.

He can't, he's a liar.

But but not only that is he a liar, but he all also is an accuser.

In Romans, Revelation chapter 12, verse 10, it says, And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come.

Revelation 12:10

For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before God.

What is that verse saying?

God, Satan is an accuser.

You and you've you've heard those accusations.

You've you've heard him working you over.

You've heard him telling you, how can you be a Christian and doing this?

You've heard him tell you and and and say to you, you're no good and you can't follow Christ and all these various things.

You've heard all the accusations about how bad you are and how unworthy you are, and you ought to just quit and give up.

He accuses you day and night.

He works us over, he tries to get us and discourage us day and night, making accusations.

And beloved, a lot of the accusations are true.

But just like in Zechariah, where Joseph was standing before the Lord and Satan was accusing him of all these various things and having filthy garments, and he did have filthy garments, but then the Christ stands and says, I have died for him.

He didn't deny his garments were dirty, he didn't deny that my prayer life is raggedy, he doesn't deny that I don't witness as I ought to witness, he's not denying any of that, but he says, But I have died for him.

And the accuser of our souls, he does that.

Let me just read these others off and I must move on.

He's an angel of light.

In other words, he can look like light.

He can stand in pulpits and he can preach and he can say things.

And if you're not, if you're not, if you're not up on your word, you'll get tripped up.

He's an angel of light, he's crafty.

Says now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast in the field that the Lord God had made.

So so here are the things, here are the ways that he works in our midst.

And and beloved, we're we you gotta be up on your game.

You can't you can't be walking around here lazy.

You can't be walking around here spiritually nonchalant.

It's wartime, it's a battle that we're in.

And and Paul says here in Ephesians, put the armor on.

If you are going to stand, if you're going to make it, put the armor on.

Stop walking and living and moving as if there's nothing going on.

Because indeed there is something going on.

Now, how are we to defend ourselves against him?

Well, he says in verse 10 finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the scheme.

Of the devil.

He's not asking you to be slick.

He's not asking you to go to the gym and work out and get stronger physically.

He's not asking you to try to outsmart the devil.

He says, look, be strong in who?

Who?

In the Lord.

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

That's where you rest.

That's where we stand.

All these songs we've been singing this morning in Christ alone.

He we stand in him.

All of these things, our safety, our ability to stand is in Christ.

It is not in yourself.

It is not in how clever you are.

It is not in how long you've been a Christian.

Your ability to stand is in who Christ is.

The armor God gives us to defend and protect us against Satan's onslaught is the armor that he has already worn in the decisive battle on our behalf.

This is from Ian DeWitt in his book on spiritual warfare.

He says, look, what these these things that we're putting on, Christ has done it and done it for us already.

He's not asking you to come up with your own armor.

He's not asking you and I to come up with our own deals.

He's telling you and I, look, put on what is proven, put on what works, put on what Christ has done for you and I already.

He says we fight against, we fight and stand against firm against Satan only in the strength that comes from the victory that Christ has already won for us.

That is why each of the various pieces of the armor points to Christ.

Now let me just run through these quickly.

The belt of truth is the belt that girds the messianic king in Isaiah.

Isaiah 11, chapter chapter 11, verse 5.

Notice here, this is what the belt of truth represents.

Righteousness shall be a belt above of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loyalty.

We need truth to combat the lies.

You can't combat the lies if you don't know the truth.

And you don't know the truth if you don't read your Bibles.

Beloved, you don't you you can't fight him.

If you if our minds and our hearts and our souls are not saturated with the words of God and the principles of God and the truth of God, he'll come and he will twist it and he'll tweak it just a little bit.

And if you and I don't know our Bibles, if you and I don't know the scriptures, we will be fooled.

He says, I need to belt a truth that holds everything together.

I gotta know the truth.

I gotta know what somebody's lying to me.

I've got to have the discernment to hear all the voices that come at us in this world to be able to discern and determine that's a lie.

And I don't care if everybody in the school believes it.

I don't care if everybody in the city believes it.

God said that's not true.

Period.

Need the belt of truth.

We need the breastplate of righteousness, and the helmet of salvation come from the divine warrior's arsenal.

In Isaiah chapter 59, verse 17.

Isaiah 59:17

He says this he put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head.

He put on garments of vengeance for for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

This is speaking of what Christ has done.

He's this is speaking of Isaiah prophesying of the one who would come, and this is what he's done.

He put on a breastplate.

Why do I need the breastplate of righteousness?

Because my righteousness ain't gonna work.

It's not gonna work, beloved.

I mean, if if my righteousness, if if if if my prayer life was the thing that determined why God would let me in, I'm not getting in.

Because my prayer life ain't what it ought to be.

If my knowledge of God's word and and the scriptures are work that's going to get me into heaven, I'm not getting in, beloved.

Because I don't know God's word like I ought to know God's word.

But who has?

Who does?

Jesus has done it.

His word, God's word with all his life, and I have received his righteousness.

Says put that breastplate on so that when the enemy tells you how bad you are, you can say, Yes, that's true, but Jesus has given me his righteousness.

The helmet of salvation is that helmet that recognizes and realizes that that God will carry out his promises that salvation is true.

I am secure in Christ.

I don't have to worry about what happens in this world.

I don't have to worry about what the doctor says.

I don't have to worry about what happens in my finances.

When I have the helmet of salvation on, I stand firm because regardless if it all breaks loose, if the bottom drops out, I am still secure in Christ.

What shall separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus?

There's nothing, nothing higher that the Lord, no animals, not even myself, can separate me from the love of Christ.

So when I'm doing battle with the enemy, I need a helmet on my head that reminds me that no matter how hard the blow, no matter where he's attacking, I am still secure in Jesus Christ.

I need my feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Beloved, and notice what it says here in Isaiah 52, verse 7 how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who sets design your God reigns.

Isaiah 52:7

You know what I'm saying?

What he's saying here?

He's saying that's what speaking, speaking about Christ.

Christ's feet were shed with the pre-preparation of the gospel of peace.

And he's saying to us today that the answer to the problems in our world are still Jesus saved.

You don't need another politician, you don't need another Democratic or another power party in this world.

What this world needs is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That message and that gospel that people say that's foolishness.

Yeah, that message is the message that this world needs.

And so our feet need to be set with the gospel of peace, going out and telling them, you need a savior.

And his name is Jesus.

And then he the shield of faith.

In John chapter 15, verse 15, John chapter 15, he says this, after these things, the word of the Lord came to Abraham in the vision, fear not, Abraham, I am your shield, your reward, and you shall, and your reward shall be great.

John 15:15 John 15 · chapter mention

The shield of faith is God Himself.

God himself.

So that when when Satan pulls the arrow back and he and he aims at your children, you you you hide behind the shield of God.

Abraham was afraid.

See, in that context, Abraham was afraid because what he had done, he had gone and he had delivered Lot, and so all these kings were around him.

And Abraham was like, well, you know, these brothers might gang up on me.

But God came to him and says, Look, understand something, Abraham, I'm your shield.

No weapon formed against us in Christ shall prosper.

No weapon, beloved, formed against you shall prosper, because he is your seal, shield.

And the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, is the weapon wielded by the promised servant of the Lord Isaiah.

In Isaiah 49, verse 2.

Isaiah 49:2

Listen to me, O coastlands, give attention, you peoples from afar.

The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother.

He named my name.

He made he named my name.

He made my mouth like a sharp sword in the in the shadow of his hand, he hid me.

He he made me a polished arrow.

In his quivers, he hid me away.

Jesus knew how to wield the sword.

Remember when the enemy came against him and said when the spirit took him into the wilderness to fight against Satan?

How did Jesus fight?

Did he did he come up with a whole lot of cantations?

Did he do a lot of different deaths?

No, no, no, no.

He said, Thus saith the Lord.

It is real.

That's just a little too simple.

But God said that these are the clothes, these are the things that you and I are to wear.

And then finally, he says this.

He says in verse 18 of Ephesians chapter 10.

He says, praying at all times in the spirit with all prayer and supplication to that end.

Keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints and also for me, that the words may be given to me and opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador and change that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak.

How do we how do we keep all this together?

He says, pray.

And then he says, pray.

And then he says, keep on praying.

And he says, keep on praying.

He says, pray.

Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, church, pray, pray.

He says, pray.

After you got all this armor on, he says, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray.

That ties it all together.

That connects us with the Father.

That that helps us get our march in orders.

That helps us to get our mind and our heart right.

Pray, pray, pray.

Prayer is just not some secondary thing.

It's your lifeline.

It's our lifeline.

Pray.

Pray.

Beloved, we are we are in a war for our families, our hearts, our church, our city, our world.

How will we survive the onslaught?

By resting in his power and being dressed in his armor.

Oh, beloved, this is not to discourage us, this is not to make us feel guilty.

I pray that this is to encourage us and to maybe awake up call that as I am striving to live for Christ and walk in his ways and in his word, that I need the armor of God.

And that this is something that he has provided for me.

This is something that he has done for me.

And all he is asking you and I to do is to put it on.

As we close this morning, there's a prayer in our bulletins.

And I would ask you if you would take that and if we would say and share this together as we close.

A prayer of dedication.

It says this, and let's read this together.

O Lord, I bless you because the outcome of the battle between yourself and Satan has never been uncertain.

My soul extols the mighty conqueror who crushed the serpent's head at Calvary.

Yet I receive wounds in this great conflict.

Too often I gather defilement, my faith damage, my hope is less than bright, my love is not fervent, and my soul sinks in the pressure of the fight.

O Lord, whose every promise is balm, and every touch is life, draw near to your weary warrior.

Give me true refreshment from the eternal fountain of your immutable, everlasting love and decree.

Then and only then my hand shall never weaken, my feet never stumble, my sword never rest, my shield never rust, my helmet never shatter, my breastplate never fall, as my strength rest in the power of your might.

Amen.

Father, we we ask that you might do this for us this morning.

Forgive us, Lord, for going into the battle unprepared and wondering why we're taking losses.

Thank you, Lord, that you through Christ have won the battle and done the warring for us and you've gone before us.

And you're telling us and you're showing us how we can stand strong and firm.

Oh Father, forgive us and clothe us this day.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.