P Levy Eph 6 Spiritual Warfare (II)

And turn to Ephesians chapter 6. If you were here last week, I'm going to take a new series just on Christian armor, looking at the subject of spiritual warfare. I've been reading, as I said last week, William Gurnall.

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

These kind of three great volumes, this English Puritan on Christian warfare. And nothing I'm going to say over these weeks is going to be original. All the best insights will be William Gurnall's. So don't read those books until I'm finished.

I'm going to come back to the series. Chris Roberts is going to preach in the next little bit. And then we'll come back to the series in the summer. But do listen to last week.

So I want us to begin to look in the armor. There's lots of different ways I think of preaching the Bible. Normally we go through a passage, working through a book.

But I think it is helpful sometimes to take an in-depth look at a passage and to kind of dig down and see the sweep of Scripture behind it. And that's what we're going to try and do in this series.

So we're looking at the resources that God has provided for us. And so the first handpiece of armor is in chapter 6 and verse 14.

He says, stand, therefore. I'd remember the three stands from 13 and 14. Keep standing. I'm having fastened on the belt of truth.

That's just what I want to look at tonight. Having fastened on the belt of truth.

I don't know if you have a routine in the morning. When you get up in the morning to get dressed.

And I'm not going to tell you my routine. But I always get dressed in the same way. And so do you. I'm sure you do.

Whatever routine you use when you get dressed. I'm pretty certain you don't put your belt on first. Do you?

That would be particularly odd if you wear a belt.

And a belt is normally something you put on last, isn't it?

Something that holds the rest of our clothing together.

And yet here, when the apostle describes the Christian's dress.

The Christian's protective clothing, his armor.

He mentions first of all, can you see it?

The belt of truth.

Now as a matter of fact, that's how Roman soldiers dressed in South of Battle.

They would put their belt on first for the simple reason.

And then it was in a way a kind of foundation.

Garment.

Everything else was fastened to it.

The breastplate of righteousness.

The breastplate was fastened to the belt.

You couldn't wear the breastplate.

Unless you had your belt of truth on.

The sword was probably stabbed to the belt.

And for that reason, you'd have to put the belt on first.

And another reason is, apparently in those days,

they were loose tunics.

Kind of like an old-fashioned nightgown.

A loose, flowing garment.

So before you're going to fight,

and before you're going to run and charge at the enemy,

the first thing you'd have to do is fasten in

this loose, flowing garment.

You fasten in your tunic.

And that's what the belt is for.

It was to pick up the loose, flowing garment

and fasten it

so they were ready for action.

Now again, you see the picture again through Scripture.

You go to Exodus.

Do you remember the Passover?

And do you remember how they were to eat the Passover?

In the Old Testament,

the people, they were told to eat it

with their belt on.

They were to gird up their loins.

They were to gird up their garments.

And they were to eat the Passover

with their belts on

and with their sword in their hand.

Their staff in their hand.

They're told to eat that meal,

ready to move at a moment's notice.

And Jesus picks up the same idea in the Gospels

in Luke 12, 35.

He uses the same picture.

Tells his disciples that

to be ready for action at a moment's notice.

And again, he's picking up on Exodus 12,

on the Passover.

And he says there,

kind of gird up your loins.

They're to be ready at a moment's notice.

Apostle Peter,

in his first epistle,

he calls on them to kind of gird up,

to fasten,

to gird up the loins of their minds.

The ESV misses it.

It's exactly the same picture

that Paul is bringing before us now.

And it's a picture of preparing,

of preparation.

There is a sense, isn't there,

where the belt of truth

isn't actually a part of the armour.

in the way that the other pieces are.

It's preparatory for the fight.

And the first thing we've got to do

before anything else,

is we've got to make sure,

can you see verse 14?

We have a belt of truth on.

Our lives are girded by the truth.

Now, a few recent commentators

on what does this mean?

What does this belt of truth mean?

They're a little bit puzzled.

There are some who suggest,

well, it's just the gospel.

It's just the gospel

that he must be talking about.

Because he's describing for us

the armour of God.

And he must be, therefore,

speaking about something

that God himself provides.

And most people

take it as a reference

to the gospel itself.

But the problem is,

in verse 14,

is there's no definite article.

Did you spot that?

Paul doesn't think,

put on the belt of the truth.

And he uses the indefinite article.

He says, no,

just put on the belt of truth.

There are others

who notice that,

and they go to the other extreme,

and they say,

well, he's only talking about truth

in a general way.

Now, he's talking about being true,

about being honest,

and about being sincere,

and about being open.

And lots of lots of commentators

interpret it in that way.

In terms of sincerity,

and openness,

and honesty.

But it seems to me

that we shouldn't really take

either of those ways

solely looking at the passage.

And we must take it

at face value.

And we must take it

as it reads.

And I think we need

to understand truth

in its widest possible sense.

Now, that includes

gospel truth, doesn't it?

But it includes the truth

that is in Jesus Christ,

but it's much, much wider than that.

And I think it's important

for us to see it in that way.

And Paul is saying,

if you're going to stand

in the evil day,

if you will stand

in the warfare

against the devil,

that if you are in Christ,

you are involved in,

you need an accurate perception

of the way things are.

Well, I think that's

where we need to begin.

That if we're going to stand

against the evil one,

then the first thing we need

is an accurate perception

of the way things really are.

We need to know the truth,

firstly.

You see, that is where

the devil attacks us,

isn't it?

That is his favourite

and most successful

line of attack.

Children, do you remember,

that is how he ruined

the human race.

That's how he ruined

Adam and Eve

in the Garden of Eden.

And so we find ourselves

in the state that we're in,

this fall in the state

we've been talking about

with the children

for the last few weeks.

That was his line of attack,

was it?

Eve in the garden.

He says, do you remember,

has God really said?

What Eve should have done,

of course,

was to say,

yes, God did really say.

And that's good enough for me.

She should have put on

the belt of truth,

shouldn't she?

But instead of that,

she began to listen

to the devil.

And the devil is a master

at distorting truth

and distorting reality.

Is that how it really is?

Says the devil to Eve.

Surely it's not like that,

is it?

It's not that extreme.

You know, Genesis 3.

And if you and I

have to stand against the devil,

then the first thing

we have to do

is to put on the belt of truth.

And I want to try

and help you to do that tonight

in the most practical way I can.

And to give you a few examples

of what does it mean

to face the devil

in this way.

The first thing you have to do

in any situation,

and it seems to me

in any situation at all,

is to ask,

what is true?

What is true?

That's the first thing

I want to ask this week.

Whether it's in the church,

or in the world,

or in our families,

whether it's in work,

whatever context you're in,

you and I are not

to lose touch with reality.

You need to ask the question,

what is true?

In every situation.

We're first to ask ourselves,

what is true?

Because the devil is a master

at distorting reality.

Do you remember

what the Apostle Paul says here?

In verse 14,

he says,

this is the first thing

you've got to do.

Once you've done that,

you can put on

the breastplate of righteousness.

And a Roman soldier,

as I said before,

couldn't put on

his breastplate of righteousness

and didn't put his belt on.

It was impossible.

And you and I

cannot,

and we will not

ever be able to do

what is right,

unless we know

what is true.

So let me give you

a simple illustration.

Let me imagine

you've got a teenage son

or a teenage daughter.

And you've laid down the law

and you say,

well yes,

you can go up with your friends,

but you have to be in by

eleven.

Half time.

Half time.

And she comes in

at two in the morning.

What's your immediate reaction?

Well,

your immediate reaction,

if you've said,

come in at half ten

and she comes in at two,

is to hit the roof.

To fly into a rage.

And before you know it,

there's a blazing row,

isn't it?

And you've got real problems.

Well,

what's the first thing

you've got to do

in that situation?

Are you going to

establish the truth?

Why has he or she

come in at two o'clock

in the morning?

Well,

the facts,

it may not be

what it looks like.

So the first question,

if I'm going to avoid

damaging a relationship,

if I'm going to avoid

doing the wrong thing,

the first thing

I've got to ask is,

what is true?

I could have called

the belt of truth.

What are the facts?

And there may be

a simple and innocent

explanation of what is true.

Because the devil

always wants you and I

to act

without considering

what is true.

But if you're going to

do the right thing

in any situation,

first of all,

don't discover the truth.

let me give you

another example.

One of the most

damaging things in

church life in the UK

in the life of the church

are problems in

relationships between

Christians.

And you know,

don't you,

how easily these things

can arise in church life.

Someone says something

quite innocently,

they don't mean anything

by it at all,

but it is

misconstrued.

Someone says something

quite innocently,

they don't mean anything

about it,

but it's misconstrued.

Or you overhear

something,

or someone passes

on something

that somebody else

said,

and you begin

to brood on it.

Suppose you're day,

suppose you're week,

suppose you're sleep.

And before you know it,

you're living with it,

it's day and night,

you're dreaming about it,

and the devil has got in.

And you know,

if you know church life

at all,

you will know how

these things can blow up

out of all proportion.

And before you know it,

people are beginning

to take sides,

and there's a split

in the church,

and the work of the

gospel is ruined

in the lives of the

neighbourhood,

and in the lives

of the children

of that church.

And the credibility

of the church's witness

and message is gone.

And all because

you and I have not

put on the belt of truth.

All because we go

about our daily lives

or our church lives

without wearing

the belt of truth.

If we were wearing

the belt of truth

and we heard something,

we wouldn't brood over it,

would we?

Because we would know

the truth of God's word,

it tells us,

that love

thinks no evil.

And so we don't

misconstrue

what people say.

We don't put the

worst possible

construction on what

people say.

If we're Christians,

if we have the belt

of truth around us,

do you remember,

love thinks no evil.

Love is patient,

love is kind.

David Watson,

not my father-in-law,

the kind of church

of Angelus

who died in the

Sonties.

He's got a book

on Christian warfare,

it's not really very good,

but he's got a good

little story in it.

And he tells the story

of a missionary,

a young missionary

who went out

to the mission field

and she was put

with an older missionary

who had been on the

mission field

for about 30 years.

And this older

missionary had become

kind of

spiritually fossilised.

This older missionary,

she had become

hard

and cynical

and very difficult

to live with.

And she made

that poor

new missionary,

that poor girl's

life of misery

to the point

where the girl

was really questioning

whether she should

stay on the mission field.

Do you know

how the situation

changed?

Every day

that young girl,

she got out

1 Corinthians 13

and she prayed

through it.

She said,

it's impossible

Lord to live

with this woman.

But she read

through 1 Corinthians 13

and she prayed

through it

and for a whole year

every day

she put on

the belt of truth.

she tried

to live

with that woman

according to

God's word.

1 Corinthians 13

and by the end

of the year

the situation

had been

wonderfully transformed.

And they were

actually quite

a useful partnership.

They're trouble

with us

very often

and the reason

why the devil

gets into

church situations

very often

is because

we're not

wearing the belt of truth.

We can quote

scripture

but we don't wear it.

And if I'm

thinking wrongly

of a fellow

brother or sister

in our church

I'm not wearing

the belt of truth

because love

thinks no evil.

Let me give you

another kind of example.

Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

You know that great

chapter we read it?

And in Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

it's a great chapter

on assurance

and Paul there

is dealing

with this

whole question

in his own

personal life.

It's one of

the great chapters

isn't it?

Dealing with assurance.

How we know

that we're saved.

God wants you

and I to enjoy

our salvation.

He wants us

to be sure.

He doesn't want you

to go through life

looking over your shoulder.

He wants you

to be sure

that you are

in Christ

and he wants you

to enjoy it.

And Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

is a great chapter

in the Bible

dealing with this

whole question

of how do I know

that I'm in Christ?

And that is

one of the places

isn't it?

Where the devil

is always attacking

you and I.

At that level.

The devil wants

to spoil it for us.

The devil wants

to rob you

of your assurance.

The devil is described

as the accuser

of the brethren.

He's always coming

with accusations

if you're a Christian

tonight.

You'll know that.

The devil is always

accusing you.

He comes to you

and he says

you'll never last.

That's what he says

to newcomers.

That's what he says

to young people.

He says you'll never

last in school.

You'll never make it.

You'll never send.

It's a flash in the pan.

What if this happens?

Or what if that happens?

You'll never cope.

The apostle Paul knew that.

And the devil

had come to him

in that way

and so he buckles

on the truth

and he says to me

we know that in all things

God works together

for the good

of those who love him.

Who are called

according to his purpose.

The devil is saying

you'll never cope

if this happens

or that happens.

It will destroy you.

No says the apostle.

He says no

we know

that whatever happens

to us

it is for the good

of those who love God.

And so the devil

comes back to him

and says

you're not a real Christian

but for your life.

Look at the kind of person

you are.

How can you possibly

say you're a Christian?

What does Paul say?

Well in Romans

chapter 18

verse 31

he says

what should we say

to these things

if God be for us

who can be against us?

And then verse 33

who will bring any charge

any accusation

against God's elect

it's God who justifies.

It's not if Paul is saying

I'm not going to justify

myself to you

it is God who justifies.

Who is going to bring

any charge

against those

whom God has chosen to save?

It is God who justifies

and so the devil

comes back to him.

And the devil

accuses him

and says

you've been a total failure

and Paul's answer

is in verse 34

he says

who is it to condemn?

You can almost hear

the devil talking to him

between the lines

of Romans 8

The devil comes back

and whispers to him

you're a total failure Paul

and Paul says

who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus

is the one who died

more than that

who was raised

and who was at the right hand

of God

and who was interceding

for us

Who is he that condemns?

I've got a saviour

who died for me

who took the punishment

for me

who is raised

from the dead

and is alive

forevermore

and he speaks

my name to the Father

Now at this very moment

in heaven

who is there

to condemn me?

The devil comes back

he says

God doesn't really love you

How can God

possibly love you

you worthless

little creature?

And Paul says

there is nothing

that can separate me

from the love

of God in Christ

What can separate me

from God's love?

Nothing at all

and he ransacks

the universe

to try and find

things that could

possibly separate him

from the love of God

and there is absolutely

nothing at all

that I can think of

nothing in all

the universe

that can separate

the believer

from the loving

of God in Christ

Do you see this book?

That's all I'm trying

to get you to see tonight

I'm not trying to

expire

this book

in Romans 8

but do you see

what Paul is doing?

Paul is putting on

the belt of truth

isn't he?

And when the devil

is attacking him

when the devil

is trying to undermine

his confidence

in the Lord

and spoil his

enjoyment of the Lord

what does Paul do

he puts on

the belt of truth?

And he keeps asking

himself

what is true?

Is it true

what the devil

is saying to me?

No it's not

Christ has died

Christ has risen

from the dead

Christ intercedes

for me

nothing can separate

me from the love

of God

which is in Christ

and that's why

he said the devil

couldn't get anywhere

with Jesus

from a Matthew 4

he comes and he

tries to deflect

the Lord

from his purpose

that's why the devil

couldn't get anywhere

with him

not because Jesus

didn't quote the

Bible

there's nothing

powerful about

being able to

quote scripture

there's nothing

magical about

verses from the

Bible

that wasn't the

point

all the point

was

here was a man

whose life was

girded by the

truth

he put on the

armour of God

and the devil

couldn't penetrate

that

couldn't get

through it

and no matter

at what direction

the devil came

at Jesus

whether it's

at the temptation

whether it's

through Peter

whether it's

in the garden

of Gethsemane

he found a man

whose life was

girded

by the truth

of God's word

it is written

it is written

it is written

it is written

Satan you tell

me this

but this is

reality

and this is

where I'll stand

my life is

fastened together

by his word

reality is the

way that God

sees things

and if you and

I have to face

the enemy

the first thing

we have to do

is to put on

the belt of

truth

and not just

gospel truth

but all kinds

of truth

in every situation

we have to ask

ourselves

what is the

truth here

because God

is the God

of truth

and the devil

is a liar

from the beginning

that's the first

thing

we have to have

the word of God

dwelling in it

where to hide

his word

within our hearts

so that we will

not sin against

him

if we're to be

ready to fight

your life

and my life

is to be held

together by truth

and not by

feelings

and not by

consensus

and secondly

we must know

the truth

but we must

show the truth

that brings in

the second idea

doesn't it

that of sincerity

not only must

you know the

truth

but you must

show the truth

David in

Psalm 51

Psalms 51:6

verse 6

that great

prayer of

confession

he speaks about

having truth

in inward

parts

it's a great

line

it's particularly

powerful when you

know the background

to that song

because

David had become

a casualty

hadn't he

in the war

he'd fallen

to the enemy

in the evil

day

Jonathan

and the

Puritan

who died

in Ealing

he describes

the evil

day

as that

day

when opportunity

and desire

and temptation

coincide

it's very

helpful

the evil

day

is when

opportunity

and desire

and temptation

coincide

in warfare

some days are

worse than

other days

aren't they

and there are

days that the

apostle speaks of

here in Ephesians 6

as the evil

day

and he wants you

to be able to

stand in the evil

day

in those days

when the devil

is really attacking

you

when opportunity

and desire

and temptation

coincide

in your life

there was a day

like that

for David

he's on a

rooftop

it was an evil

day

and instead of

standing

David fell

and he became

a casualty

he fell

morally

and for a

year and a

half

or around that

time

he lived a

lie

he lost

his inner

integrity

before God

and before the

people

no one took

him seriously

he lost his

authority

his more

integrity

as a leader

of the people

and so Nathan

the prophet

God's messenger

comes to him

Nathan tells a

story

if you know your

Bible you'll know it

he tells a story

rich man

who had a

neighbour

who was very

poor

who had a

little lamb

that's all he

owned

it was a

lovely little

lamb

and the rich

one took it

he stole the

poor man's

lamb

the story

about David

that David

couldn't recognise

it

so much that

he'd fallen

prey to Satan's

attack

that he'd lost

any sense of

reality

any in a

reality

so God

comes then

through his

spokesman

Nathan

the prophet

and God

who Nathan

paints a

picture

that describes

into the

smallest detail

it's a

brilliant

brilliant

sermon

but David

doesn't see

himself

and David

doesn't recognise

himself

and it can be

that like that

under the

preaching of the

Bible

can't it

but when the

preacher is

preaching we

don't see

ourselves

that we look

over our

shoulders at

someone else

and we say

well that is a

good word for

so and so

isn't it

I wish he

could have been

here to hear

that or I

wish he was

here

and we

lose our

inner integrity

and inner

reality

and David

had lost

in his

life

that

and so

he prays

and he is

finally

restored

so that God

would make him

to know the

truth in

inward parts

and I think

we don't

understand the

belt of truth

in that way

too

and don't

excuse what

I've said

already

I don't

see why

we have

to pit

the truth

of the

gospel

with the

truth

being wider

I don't

think we

have to

do that

there's no

reason to

pit them

against each

other

the two

fit together

perfectly

in the fight

against the

enemy we

must know

the truth

but we

must also

show the

truth

if we're

going to

stand

and we

need to

not only

know the

truth of

doctrine

but the

truth of

life as

well

integrity

there ought

to be

an inner

reality

about us

and the

emphasis

comes out

again and

again in

the New

Testament

the

Apostle

Paul when

he describes

the armour

in Romans

13 he

calls it

the armour

of light

and the

armour we

are to

wear is

to be

clothed

with light

to be

transparent

we're not

to play

the devil

at his

own

game

1 Corinthians

4 tells

us 2

Corinthians

4 not

to be

devious

we're to

be open

the

Apostle

Paul can

commends

Timothy

doesn't he

find sincere

and unfeigned

faith

James tells

us that

a double

minded

man

is unstable

in all

he does

and he

will not

stand on

the evil

day

he's

unstable

and if

you and

I are

insincere

in our

profession

if we

are living

some kind

of double

life

we're not

going to

be able to

stand on

the evil

day

and to

buckle on

the

balance of

truth

is to

be honest

with

ourselves

and to

be honest

before

God

and before

one another

maybe

it's time

to do

that

sort

and that

goes much

deeper

I think

than many

of us

are conscious

of

let me

illustrate

it

often

we imagine

don't we

that we

are doing

something

out of a

true

spiritual

motivation

but when

we really

stop

or somebody

points out

it to us

or

we think

about it

we're not

doing it

for spiritual

reasons at

all

but what

lies behind

so much

of what

we do

isn't

driven by

a desire

to glorify

God

but some

kind of

inner

psychological

desire

that we

have

we've all

got these

things

we want

to be

recognised

we want

to feel

that our

life adds

up to

something

there are

people that

go into

Christian

ministry

like that

there are

people that

go onto

the mission

field

like that

they don't

see it

and no one

has the guts

to point it

out to them

and the devil

gets in

and the devil

gets in

because we're

not being

sincere

and we're

not being

honest

with ourselves

or with one

another

to buckle

on the

belt of truth

is to be

open and

transparent and

honest and

to be real

before God

we'll be with

others and

with ourselves

and if we're

ever going to

stand on

the evil

day

this is how

it must be

we must

seek that

in the

whole of

our life

so I

take on this

word truth

in the

widest

possible

sense

not just

in the

truth

of God's

word

or in

terms of

gospel

truth

but in

terms of

truth

in its

widest

sense

God

is the

God

of

truth

as

Christians

we believe

don't we

in the

sanctity

of truth

it

matters

because

God

is

true

and the

devil

is a

liar

so

let me

just

bring this

all

together

to buckle

on the

belt

of

truth

what is

it

what does

it mean

to buckle

on the

belt

of

truth

is a

willingness

to apply

the

whole

of

God's

word

to the

whole

of

our

lives

that's

what it

means

to put

on

the

belt

of

truth

and

that

takes

on

not

only

the

truth

but

sincerity

as

well

to

buckle

on

the

belt

of

truth

is

a

willingness

to

apply

the

whole

of

God's

word

to

the

whole

of

our

lives

so

do you

remember

this

church

in

Ephesus

was

a

priest

there

for

three

years

and

when

he

came to

leave

of

that

church

he

spoke

to

the

elders

in

Acts

20

and

this

is

what

he

said

he

said

pay

careful

attention

to

yourselves

you

leaders

and to

all

the

flock

in

which

the

Holy

Spirit

has

made

you

overseers

to

care

for

the

church

you

fierce

wolves

will

come

in

among

you

not

sparing

the

flock

and

from

among

your

own

selves

will

arise

men

speaking

twisted

things

to

draw

away

the

disciples

after

them

he's

warning

the

elders

isn't

he

what

are you

saying

the

church

leaders

you

are

in

a

battle

he

says

I

preached

the

word

of

God

to

you

for

three

years

I'm

leaving

now

and

I'm

warning

you

after

I

go

and

in

every

church

people

will

come

in

and

they

will

try

and

spoil

the

work

and

actually

many

of

those

people

will

rise up

from

amongst

you

from

your

own

numbers

and

people

will

speak

all

sorts

of

things

that

spoil

the

work

and

the

devil

is

going

to

get

into

the

situation

and

there

he

says

to

them

therefore

watch

be

alert

remembering

that

for

three

years

I

did

not

night

or day

to

admonish

everyone

with

tears

you

see

the

devil

wants

to

get

into

every

church

and

the

only

way

to

prevent

him

is

to

put

on

the

belt

of

truth

he

says

remember

what I

have

been

saying

to

you

for

these

past

three

years

I

did

not

shrink

from

declaring

to

you

the

whole

counsel

of

God

the

only

way

that

we

will

withstand

the

enemy

is

by

putting

on

the

whole

counsel

of

God

to

put

on

the

whole

truth

and

nothing

but

the

truth

you

are

to

hide

into

nothing

unless

you

do

that

you

can't

stand

and

when

the

devil

comes

you

won't

be able

to

stand

against

him

unless

you

put

on

the

whole

counsel

of

God

the

whole

word

of

God

is

to

be

applied

!

to

the

whole

of

your

life

I

am

where

wish

they

said

it

differently

we

were

unwise

in

some

of

the

things

that

they

said

most

of

all

they

were

just

a

little

bit

embarrassed

they

quoted

the

Bible

in

public

and

the

responses

of

Christians

have

been

remarkably

useless

because

they

haven't

put

on

the

belt

of

truth

and

you

and

I

if

we

think

as

a

church

that

we

!

be

!

able

to

stand

in

the

next

5,

10,

15

years

in

this

culture

by

downplaying

the truth

of

God's

word

we've

got no

chance

let me

just point

out

finally

let me

point out

the context

it's one of

the most

important

things that

people forget

about

Ephesians

6

on this

battle

where is

the battle

we fought

in

Ephesians

6

remember

we saw

it

last week

it's

so helpful

where's

the battle

to be

fought

it's

in

the

home

and

it's

in

work

and

it's