Stand firm with the armour of God - Ephesians 6:10-18

Oh yes.

So Alex is going to be speaking from Ephesians chapter 6.

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

And if you have the Red Church Bibles, it's on page 1177.

1177.

And I'll read and Alex can come up then.

We're going to start at verse 10.

And we'll finish then at verse 18.

Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10.

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.

And after you have done everything, to stand.

Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Thanks, Alex.

I love the way the angels are applauding already.

The reading of God's word, not what I'm going to say in the...

So, I didn't get to see the new Power Rangers movie.

But I too wanted superhero powers, superpowers.

As a child, I wanted to have an invisible cloak, or at least the power to make myself invisible.

I would imagine sneaking around the house, or escaping from trouble, or sneaking up on my brother and sister to try and scare them.

If I was a superhero, I'd like to be Superman.

With the extra superpower of invisibility.

Actually, maybe come to think of this, maybe the best superpower wouldn't be invisibility, but invincibility.

Would you like to be invincible?

Would you like to be invincible?

To be able to withstand the greatest trials of life?

To have your arch nemesis blast you with kryptonite and still survive unscathed?

To be able to survive any battle, or opposition, or sickness.

To be able to live forever.

To be invincible.

Well, unlike being a superhero, which Connor is actually impossible, invincibility is possible.

Our passage this morning is going to show us how we can be invincible.

As we know, we all enter the world completely helpless, totally dependent on someone to care for us, usually our parents.

We are small and fragile and vulnerable.

Vulnerable to any attack from either the weather, or a person, or disease.

Even gravity causes us problems at some stage.

As we grow up into adults, we continue to be vulnerable.

Even if we get strong and fit and healthy, we remain vulnerable, because no matter how strong, or how fit, or how healthy we get, we will eventually die.

That's pretty gloomy, isn't it?

Well, maybe perhaps we will get weak, and old, and slow, and our health will deteriorate.

And then we will die.

It is gloomy.

It's not very superhero-ish.

But it's also true.

Back in Genesis chapter 2, verse 17, God said to Adam, the first man,

Genesis 2:17

not to eat from a certain tree in the garden that God had provided for him.

For as God said, when you eat from it, you will surely die.

As we know from the story, the serpent came along and said,

you'll not surely die.

For God knows that when you eat, your eyes will be opened,

and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

So right from the start,

we have seen a battle between Satan, the serpent, and God.

Good versus evil.

The life we were given versus the death we have chosen through our rebellion and through our sin.

You see, invincibility was what we were created for.

I don't think I need to tell you the effects of this rebellion are still being felt.

Death comes to us all.

In the meantime, life is hard.

There's a battle going on.

John MacArthur, in his commentary on the New Testament,

says that the Christian life is a battle.

It's warfare on a grand scale.

Because when God begins to bless,

Satan begins to attack.

That's what happened in the garden with Adam and Eve.

God blessed and Satan began to attack.

Jesus himself, at the beginning of his ministry on earth,

had a 40-day battle with Satan in the wilderness.

The end of his earthly ministry in the Garden of Gethsemane,

Satan had another go at him,

to the extent that Jesus was sweating drops of blood.

Here in Ephesians,

the Ephesian church also had its problems.

Now we could say on one hand that Jesus' problem

was that the Jews wanted to kill him.

But actually the real battle was much bigger than that.

This battle was on a cosmic scale.

This was Satan's big move.

His opportunity to dethrone Jesus as king.

Now rather than getting bogged down in the minutiae of Ephesians today,

and get bogged down in the issues of the occult and church unity,

which were the issues,

and there was other issues going on in the Ephesian church at the time.

But today, let's broadly say that the Ephesians too had their battles,

and it was ultimately Satan and his schemes at work.

Let's open up God's word.

Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10 through to 18.

Ephesians 6:10

It's on page 1177.

Ephesians chapter 6, on page 1177.

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

So, look there at verse 11 if you would.

Put on the full armour of God,

so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Paul calls for them,

for the Ephesians, for the believers in Ephesus,

to stand against the devil's schemes.

Well, how would you feel about going to war against the devil?

It's a daunting prospect, isn't it?

I don't think I could do it with sword and shield,

or even hand grenades and machine guns, for that matter.

Paul isn't trying to overwhelm us here with dismay,

but rather to encourage us.

Our job isn't to go to war,

but rather to stand firm.

Also, there is an encouragement in 2 Chronicles,

2 Chronicles 20:15

chapter 20, verse 15.

You can just listen.

It's short.

This is what the Lord says to you.

Do not be afraid or discouraged

because of this vast army,

for the battle is not yours,

but God's.

Paul starts this passage

with the word,

finally.

It's a call to sit up and listen.

All that he has been saying

in the previous five chapters

has been leading to this point.

These are his parting words to the believers,

and so they must be important.

It brings all that he has been saying together.

So we would do well

to sit up and listen up.

Back in Ephesians, chapter 1,

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

he begins the letter

by giving thanks to

God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us

with every spiritual blessing

in Christ.

He's speaking to the believers in Ephesus,

and so this message is also for us

in every Christ-following church.

He continues in chapter 1, verse 4,

that we are chosen,

predestined,

and adopted as God's children.

We were lavished with his grace,

redeemed and forgiven,

given the mystery of his will.

We are receivers of an inheritance.

We've been sealed with the Holy Spirit,

and going on in chapter 2,

we are greatly loved by God.

We have been made alive with new life,

created by him

for doing good works,

and we've been given God's own peace.

The list goes on,

reminding them of the blessings

that they have as saints

or as followers of Jesus,

the guarantee

that they have been made citizens

of God's kingdom

and are members of his family.

Chapter 3 explains that

access has been given to God the Father.

They have been made powerful

beyond their imagination

through him,

through Christ.

They are individually

and uniquely gifted

by the Christ,

in chapter 4.

Blessed with gifted leaders

to equip them in ministry work,

given a new self

in God's holy likeness.

They have been made light

in the darkness,

in chapter 5.

Offered the fullness

of the Holy Spirit,

given the resources

and instructions

to make all relationships

with others

what God intends them to be.

And finally,

we come to today.

Here in chapter 6,

they are given God's

full armour

to make them invincible

against Satan

and his demonic forces.

Verse 10,

Finally,

be strong in the Lord

and in his mighty power.

Or as other versions say,

be strengthened by the Lord.

It is the Lord

who strengthens us.

It is only with his strength

that we can fight the opposition

or stand firm against him.

The battles we face

are real

and daily.

We might have health battles.

We might have

mental health battles.

We might have

relational battles.

We might have

marital battles.

We might have

work battles,

personal battles

like

self-confidence issues

or self-esteem.

Look at verse 12.

For our struggle

is not against flesh

and blood

but against the rulers,

against the authorities

and against the powers

of this dark world

and against the spiritual

forces of evil

in the heavenly realms.

So,

our real

battles

of flesh

and blood

are not to be

underestimated.

They are real.

But Paul is saying here

that our battles

are even bigger

on a cosmic scale.

They are against

the rulers

and authorities,

against the powers

of this dark world

and against the

spiritual forces

of evil

in the heavenly realms

who are fighting

for our very souls.

This battle

is the devil

wanting your soul.

Now,

I realise that

to keep going

with the superhero theme,

I realise that

this sounds like

something out of

Star Wars.

Cosmic forces

and spiritual battles.

So,

maybe we just need

a lightsaber

and the force

to help us out.

Well,

that's not what

Paul is saying.

This battle,

as we've seen,

is not a physical battle

but it's a bigger battle

of the mind.

So,

to be ready for battle

we must be ready

in our minds.

By putting on

the armour of God

we are able to stand

firm in the battle.

With God's armour

we are invincible.

No power of darkness,

no scheme of the devil,

no spiritual force

of evil

can penetrate us

with God's armour on.

Who wants invincibility?

Well,

follow with me

as we continue

to learn

how to stand firm

in his armour

with his power.

Verse 13,

therefore,

put on

the full armour

of God

so that when

the day of evil

comes

you may be able

to stand

your ground

and after you have

done everything

to stand.

His armour

protects

when we put it on

and take it up

and helps us

to stand firm.

So,

Paul says

we need to put on

put on

the belt of truth.

Verse 14,

stand firm then

with the belt of truth

buckled round your waist

with the breastplate

of righteousness

in place.

Paul wrote this letter

in a Roman prison

and so

as he was surrounded

by Roman soldiers

maybe as he was

looking at the soldiers

and what they were wearing

maybe that was

the inspiration

for this imagery.

Roman soldiers

always wore a tunic

an outer garment

that served

as his main clothes.

It was a large

square piece

of material

with holes cut out

for the head

and the arms

and it was hung loosely

over the soldier's body.

In battle

most combat

was hand to hand

and so a loose tunic

was dangerous

so it could be grabbed

or cut easily.

So before battle

the soldier

would carefully

pull up

his loose bits

of material

and tuck them

into his big leather belt

to stay safe.

This is where we get

the term

girding up your loins.

Girding up your loins

means to be ready.

The soldier

who was serious

about fighting

was sure to secure

his tunic

with his belt.

Be ready.

But it's the belt

of truth

that we are

to prepare

ourselves with.

The belt

of truth

it's the content

of God's truth.

It's essential

for the believer

in their battle

against the schemes

of Satan.

The false schemes

of Satan

like when he tempted

Jesus in the wilderness.

They can only be

successfully encountered

with the truth

of the word

of God.

And we'll be looking

at that again later.

Next Paul

tells us

to put on

the breastplate

of righteousness.

Stand firm then

14

with the belt

of truth

buckled round

your waist

with the breastplate

of righteousness

in place.

The breastplate

of righteousness.

No Roman soldier

would ever go into

battle without

his breastplate.

It was a heavy

sleeveless piece

of either linen

or leather

that would cover

his whole torso.

Onto it

were sewn

overlapping slices

of animal hooves

or horns

or pieces of metal

a little bit like

a suit of armour

for the torso.

Its purpose

I hope was obvious

it was to protect

the heart

and lungs

intestines

and other vital organs.

In ancient

Jewish thinking

the heart

represented the mind

and the will.

The bowels

were considered

the seat of emotions

and feelings.

The mind

and emotions

are the two areas

where Satan

most fiercely

attacks believers.

He tries to create

in us

a certain

worldview

a sinful environment

by which he tempts us

to think wrong thoughts

and feel wrong emotions.

He wants to flood

our minds

with false doctrines

with false truths

false information

just to confuse us.

He also wants to confuse

our emotions

and thereby

pervert our affections

morals

loyalties

goals

and commitments.

He wants to take

God's word

from our minds

and replace it

with his own

perverse ideas.

He wants to take

our pure living

and replace it

with immorality

with greed

with envy

with hate

and selfishness

addiction

pornography

and every other

kind of vice.

He wants us

to laugh at sin

rather than

repent of it

or even mourn

over it.

He wants us

to rationalize it

and make it okay

rather than

to confess it

and bring it

to the Lord

for forgiveness.

He seduces us

to become

so immune

to sin

in and around us

that it no longer

bothers us.

Put on the breastplate

of righteousness.

Don't let these things

happen to you.

Put on

the breastplate

of righteousness.

Righteousness

is to be taken

and wrapped around us

like the breastplate

protecting our hearts

and our minds.

Righteousness.

What do I mean by that?

Well let me start

by saying

what I don't mean.

I don't mean

self-righteousness.

This is not

righteousness at all

but it's

seen at its very worst.

Self-righteousness

is the kind

of righteousness

that thinks

that our own character

or our own behaviour

or accomplishments

please God

and will bring

his reward.

Nothing you can do

can make God

love you

more

than he already does.

Self-righteousness

will actually

keep a believer

out of the glorious

power of fellowship

with God

and it will keep

an unbeliever

out of his kingdom.

When I say

righteousness

neither do I mean

imputed righteousness.

Big word.

Imputed.

What does that mean?

Let me try

and explain.

Imputed righteousness

is the righteousness

that God

applies to

every Christian's

account the moment

they follow him.

Let me say that again.

Imputed righteousness

is the righteousness

that God

applies to

every Christian's

account

the moment

they follow him.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5

21

says that

God made

Christ

who knew

no sin

to be sin

on our behalf

that we might

become the

righteousness

righteousness

of God

in him.

So our

imputed righteousness

is what

God gives us.

We cannot put on

what God

has already

given us.

God's imputed

righteousness

is the basis

of our Christian

life and our

Christian living.

It protects us

from hell

but it does not

in itself

protect us

from Satan

in this present

life.

The breastplate

of righteousness

that we put on

as spiritual

armour against

our adversary

is the

practical

righteousness

of a life

lived in

obedience

to God's

word.

So to try and

summarise

to put on

the breastplate

of righteousness

is to live

daily

moment by

moment

obedience

to our

heavenly father.

power.

This part

of God's

armour is

holy living

for which

God supplies

the standard

and the power

but for which

we must

supply the

willingness.

God himself

puts on

our imputed

righteousness

but we

must put on

our practical

righteousness.

Verse 15

whatever sport

or activity

these days

there is

always special

footwear

to make

the task

more comfortable

safer and

practical.

Likewise

a soldier's

footwear

was also

important

because

very often

his very

life

would depend

on it

as he

walked

or

marched

on dusty

roads

or over

jagged

rocks

or through

rivers

or thorns

a soldier

whose feet

were blistered

or cut

or swollen

could not

fight well

and may not

even be able

to stand up

to defend

himself.

A Roman

soldier's

shoes

or boots

were made

tough and

durable

for these

very reasons

but they

were also

impregnated

with little

bits of

metal

or nails

so that

they would

have better

grip

as they

climbed

slippery

surfaces

and greater

stability

as they

fought.

A Christian's

spiritual footwear

is just

as important.

If we

have put

on the

belt of

truth

and the

breastplate

of

righteousness

but not

fitted our

feet with

the preparation

of the

gospel

of peace

we are

destined

to stumble

fall

or slip

and suffer

many defeats.

The gospel

of peace

is the

truth

that in

Christ we

are now at

peace with

God

and are

one with

him.

So when

our feet

are ready

with the

gospel of

peace we

stand with

the confidence

of God's

love for

us,

his union

with us

and his

commitment

to fight

for us.

The believer

who stands

in the

Lord's power

need not

fear any

enemy,

not even

Satan

himself.

When the

attack comes

our feet

are rooted

firmly on

the solid

ground of

the gospel

of peace.

This gospel

was once

our enemy

when it

separated us

from God

but has

become our

defender

because now

Jesus has

taken our

place and

we are

protected by

a loving

heavenly

father.

We who

were once

his enemies

are now

his children

and he

offers us

his full

resources

to be

strong in

the Lord

and in

his mighty

power.

So having

put on

the armor

that protects

we are

now tasked

with taking

up,

being active.

Whereas

the belt,

the breastplate

and the

shoes were

armor that

never came

off while

on the

battlefield,

the shield,

the helmet

and the

sword on

the other

hand were

always kept

ready for

use when

actually

fighting.

Let's

look at

verse 16.

In addition

to all

of this,

take up

the shield

of faith

with which

you can

extinguish

all the

flaming arrows

of the

evil one.

Take the

helmet of

salvation

and the

sword of

the spirit

which is

the word

of God.

There are

two types

of shields

that the

Roman soldiers

used.

One was

a small

round one

about two

feet in

diameter

strapped

to one

arm to

deflect

swords

when in

hand-to-hand

combat.

The other

shield is

the one

we are

talking

about here.

It was

one big

sheet of

wood about

four and

a half

feet high

and about

two and

a half

feet wide.

It was

designed to

protect the

whole body

of the

soldier who

was considerably

smaller than

the average

man is

today.

The shield

was made

of wood

and covered

with either

metal or

heavily soaked

leather.

They were

carried in

the front

lines of

that battle

and stood

side by

side and

overhead to

make a

wooden wall

which could

have been

up to a

mile wide.

Behind this

wall of

shields the

archers would

shoot their

arrows and

would slowly

advance on

the enemy

behind this

safe wall.

Anyone behind

the walls of

shields were

protected also

from arrow

attack.

Very often

they would be

shot at with

arrows whose

tips had been

soaked and

wrapped in

pieces of

cloth soaked

in tar

like in

a tar

like substance

and set

alight.

The purpose

was to

maximize damage

by having

the flame

burn and

spread and

splatter onto

the soldiers.

However,

with these

big shields

the arrows

would be

either deflected

or extinguished.

So we

are to take

up this

great big

shield of

faith which

can extinguish

all the flaming

arrows of the

evil one.

turn back

with me

for a

minute back

to chapter

3 verse

16.

I pray

that out

of his

glorious

riches he

may strengthen

you with

power through

his spirit

in your

inner being

so that

Christ may

dwell in

your heart

through

faith.

And I

pray that

you being

rooted and

established in

love may

have power

together with

all the

saints to

grasp how

wide and

long and

high and

deep is

the love

of God.

And to

know this

love that

surpasses

knowledge that

you may be

filled to

the measure of

all the

fullness of

God.

Faith.

Faith.

The shield

of faith.

The faith in

this letter

is the

openness,

the willingness

to God

that allows

Christ to

dwell in

us and

brings in

us a

deeper grasp

of his

unfathomable

love.

The flaming

arrows that

Paul writes

about could

be anything

from direct

occult attack

to devilish

persecution.

And that's

what was

happening in

Ephesus.

But for

us in our

context,

currently it's

most likely

to be the

steady rain

of temptations,

fear,

bitterness,

anger,

and division

that could

break up the

unity of

the church

or any

family or

societal unit.

These arrows

that are

being fired

at us

are to be

countered

with faith.

Taking up

the shield

is a

deliberate

and a

positive

act,

holding

on to

the God

revealed in

the gospel.

dependent on

the Lord.

Holding

on to

the God

revealed in

the gospel,

dependent on

the Lord,

no matter

what.

He is the

Lord who

extinguishes

the fiery

arrows of

the enemy

attempting to

spread harm

and spread

panic and

division.

Next is

the helmet.

helmet.

I hope

the helmet

is straightforward.

It protects

the head

and the face.

The fact

that the

helmet is

related to

salvation

indicates that

Satan's blows

are directed

at the

believer's

security

and assurance

in Christ.

In the same

way that a

helmet would

protect a

soldier from

the blows of

the enemy

in battle,

the helmet

of salvation

suggests that

the blows that

come from

Satan's

double-edged

sword are

that of

discouragement

and doubt.

Satan

discourages

us by

pointing out

our failures,

our sins,

our unresolved

problems,

our poor

health,

or whatever

else seems to

be negative

in our lives

in order to

make us lose

confidence and

to doubt in

the love and

care of our

heavenly father.

If we are

believers this

morning,

our salvation

is secure

if we are

in Christ.

The final

piece of

armour is

the sword

of the

Spirit,

which is

the word

of God.

Turn back

with me to

chapter 6,

verse 17.

Take the

helmet of

salvation and

the sword

of the

Spirit,

which is

the word

of God.

the word

of God

is a

spiritual

weapon

to be

used as

a

defensive

weapon

in our

struggle

against

spiritual

enemies.

It needs

to be

handled

well

to be

most

effective.

It can

only deflect

an attack

when it is

handled with

precision and

skill.

Hebrews 4,

12,

describes the

word like

this.

When Jesus

was tempted

by Satan

in the

wilderness,

he defended

himself from

each temptation

with a

passage of

scripture that

precisely

contradicted the

devil's word.

You can see

that in

Matthew 4.

Here's a

challenge to

us.

If we

don't know

God's word

well,

we can't

use it

well.

Satan's

only just

looking for

an excuse.

He's only

looking for

areas of

weakness

where we

are either

ignorant or

confused and

he'll attack

us there.

The Bible

isn't a

broad sword

to be waved

around

indiscriminately

but it's a

sharp dagger

to be used

with great

precision.

I just

want to

pause on

that point

for a

minute because

September is

just around

the corner.

There's a

new term

ahead.

It's an

opportunity to

get into

new habits

and new

routines.

So another

challenge.

How about

prioritizing the

word of the

spirit in your

life?

How about

equipping

ourselves well

to know God's

word well so

that we can use

it well?

Here's a few

suggestions.

Commit to

daily Bible

reading to

get a daily

diet of God's

word.

You can

read the

Bible or

you can

listen to

it on

audio

Bibles.

How about

committing to

meeting up

with another

believer every

week, every

other week,

just regularly?

Spending half

an hour reading

and discussing

scripture together?

how about

committing to

joining or

rejoining a

midweek Bible

study or

home group as

we call them?

Prioritize God's

word and getting

to know it

well so that

we can handle

it well.

Maybe some

of you have

been considering

studying the

Bible in a

more systematic

way.

Maybe

Munster Bible

College is

something that

you'd be

interested in.

Either way,

commit to

prioritizing

knowing God's

word well so

that we are

equipped to

handle it

well when

the attacks of

the devil

come.

Verse 18.

Prayer is

the closing

theme of

Ephesians and

even though it

is closely

related to

God's armor

here, it

shouldn't be

regarded as

another weapon

because prayer

is much more

than that.

While we are

standing firm

with all the

armor at

hand, we

are to be

in prayer.

It isn't

something that

we add on

when all

else fails.

Prayer must

be the air

that the

soldier of

Christ

breathes.

It's not

an accident

that prayer

is here at

the end of

the letter.

It's not

an accident

that it's

the crescendo

of the

letter.

We started

by looking

at chapter

1 verse

3.

Praise be

to the

God and

Father of

our Lord

Jesus Christ

who has

blessed us

in the

heavenly realms

with every

spiritual blessing

in Christ.

And then we

went through

the whole

letter looking

at that

big long

list of

blessings.

We are

chosen,

predestined,

adopted,

lavished with

his grace.

Do you

remember that

list?

And now

we've

arrived here

at the

crescendo.

It would

be easy

for us,

well me at

least,

to become

quite arrogant

with a

list of

blessings

like that

because I'm

a believer,

that list

applies to

me,

so I am

all those

things.

I could

take the

attitude that

I'm redeemed

and forgiven.

Great,

I can do

what I want.

Or to

say,

well I'm

adopted as

God's

child.

Brilliant,

I can

treat him

as badly

as I

want,

because I'm

a child,

I still

get the

inheritance.

We need

to be careful

with attitudes

like that.

When we

read Ephesians,

that we

don't fall

into Satan's

trap of

making us

think of

ourselves and

how blessed

we are,

rather than

looking to

the one who

gives us

the blessings.

We need

to be careful

not to think

how adequate

we are in

ourselves and

lose the

sense of

dependence on

God.

And turn

that then

into praise

and to

prayer.

The letter

starts in

chapter 1 by

looking up

at the

heavenlies,

but Paul

brings us,

Paul finishes

the letter by

bringing us

down on

our knees.

We must

not fall

into the

trap of

thinking that

because we

have all

these resources

and blessings

that we can

do this

Christian life

without God's

help.

God's

armour is

not mechanical

or magical.

We can't

just pick

it up

and expect

it to

produce

supernatural

feats in

battle time.

Our divine

gifts,

our gifts

from God,

amazing as

they are,

are useless

without God.

We need

his help.

And this

comes through

prayer.

Pray in the

spirit on all

occasions,

with all kinds

of prayers

and requests.

With this

in mind,

be alert and

always keep on

praying for

all the saints.

the three

alls here.

All

occasions,

all kinds

of prayers

and requests

and for

all the

saints.

Praying in

the spirit

on all

occasions

is simply

encouraging

an attitude

of prayer

as we go

about our

day to be

talking to

God,

making prayer

part of our

everyday activity.

For example,

when we are

tempted,

we hold

the temptation

up before

God and ask

for his help.

When we

experience

something good

and beautiful,

we thank

the Lord

for it.

When we

see evil

around us,

we pray

that God

would make

it right

and be

willing to

be used

by him

to do

so.

When we

meet someone

who doesn't

know Christ,

we pray

for God

to draw

that person

to himself

by his

spirit

and also

maybe to

use us

to be a

faithful witness.

When we

encounter

trouble,

we turn

to God

as our

deliverer.

All kinds

of requests

and prayers.

They can be

both general

and specific

prayers,

like the

ones I've

just listed.

They are

in line

with God's

will and

nature and

word,

so we

don't keep

asking for

a Porsche

to arrive

at our

door.

In line

with God's

will and

nature and

word.

prayer.

And we

pray for

all the

saints.

We can

all be

guilty of

neglecting

prayer in

our lives.

I know I

can,

especially

when life

seems to

be going

pretty okay

for us.

Well,

in light

of the

battle

that we've

been looking

at here,

we can

be assured

that there

is always

someone who

needs the

Lord's

help to

put on

his full

armor,

even if

our life

is currently

a bed of

roses.

Pray for

each other.

pray for

each other

in the

battle.

As

followers of

Jesus,

we will

be devoted

to the

welfare of

others,

especially

fellow

believers.

If we

are too

consumed

with our

own

battles,

even if

they're

spiritual

battles,

and not

concerning

ourselves

with others,

we will

suffer from

a destructive

self-centeredness.

This can

lead to

isolation

from other

believers,

who if

they were

intimately

involved in

fellowship

with us,

would

be

regularly

praying

for our

spiritual

welfare.

When

Satan

attacks,

it's

foolish

to try

and do

battle

alone.

A

soldier

on guard

who sees

the enemy

approaching

doesn't

run out

and start

fighting

by himself.

What does

he do?

He reports

back to

the commanding

officer,

who then

in turn

organizes

the defense.

If we

are under

attack,

report it

to the

Lord,

our

commanding

officer,

and he

will

organize the

troops.

In

general,

God

uses

his

word,

his

spirit,

and his

people to

accomplish

his plans.

So trust

others to

help in

the battle,

but first

run to

him in

prayer.

For those

of us who

like our

own company

and the

solitude of

a quiet

life,

if there

is a

battle going

on in

our lives,

it is